Holiday

Ruins & Historic Sites|Otepää vald, Otepää linn, Valga County

You can see the ruins of the first known brick building in Estonia on top of the Otepää Fort. Herman I, who became the Bishop of Tartu in autumn 1224, established the first stronghold of its diocese here. A settlement, which was mainly populated by craftsmen and merchants, appeared around the bishop’s castle in the 13th century.Interesting facts:* the oldest traces of a settlement on the Fort date back to approximately the change of the system of chronology; in the 11th century, Otepää was the most important stronghold of the ancient Ugandi County;* a metal map of the stronghold was installed on the Fort in 1937;* there are plans to establish ancient-style buildings on the foot of the Otepää Fort as part of the Otepää History Park project.

Games & Sports|Sangaste vald, Tiidu küla, Valga County 67010

Your archery adventure begins at the practice field of Rüütli Farm. First, you will learn about bows and other equipment. Then, you will receive thorough instructions about the rules of safety which you must observe when using a bow. Once the theory is clear, practice begins and everyone will learn how to use a bow. In order to hone your new skills, an exciting competition for new 'archers' takes place on a forest trail. The size of the group can be up to 8 people; however, you can also come on your own.

Hiking Trails|Mäe tänav, Otepää vald, Otepää linn, Valga County 67403

Apteekrimäe forest track starts and ends by Otepää Sports Hall on Mäe Street. The 4 km track runs through the forest to Nüpli Sports Track and then back to the Apteekri forest, where it meets the forest path between Lake Marguse and Otepää Garden Town before returning to its starting point after crossing the Sulaoja bridge. The track can be used all year round.

Museums & Galleries|Helme vald, Jõgeveste küla, Valga County 68616

Barclay de Tolly mausoleum is one of the 21 places in Southern Estonia worth discovering which are marked by a yellow National Geographic window; if you love culture and nature, a visit is highly recommended.Field Marshal de Tolly, whose final resting place is in Estonia, is one of the most famous people related to Estonia and probably the greatest Russian military leader. The Russian commander who came from a Baltic aristocratic family with Scottish roots played an important part in the Napoleonic wars between 1812 and 1814.Barclay de Tolly's name has been related to Jõgeveste since 1791 when he married Helene Auguste Eleanore von Smitten and became the owner of the Jõgeveste manor.

Bicycle Tours & Rentals|Tehnika tänav, Valga, Valga County 68205

The guided bicycle tours introducing the heritage and nature of Koivamaa take the participants to Taheva township in Valga County and the Latvian parish Valka. The hike covers old buildings which used to be taverns, schools, and manors, former farm and mill sites, cult places, locations of bushrangers' bunkers, and many other exciting places. The guide will share interesting stories related to these locations from the past and the present. The beautiful forest paths are perfect for cycling. The hikes are up to 35 km long and last for 8 hours. If necessary, you can rent a bicycle from us: 1 day costs 10 euros. We also provide you with helmets, bike lights, and reflective vests. 

Nature observation and guided hikes|Helme vald, Karjatnurme küla, Valga County 68511

Rubina is the largest and best-preserved bog in the Mulgimaa area and is an area of great value to nature enthusiasts for its many bird species.A hike through Rubina's beauty, from the moss-covered marshlands; to a picnic lunch on a bog island covered in gigantic trees, is a hike is spent surrounded by a serene marshy landscape. Sightseeing through the many waterbodies of the bog and its swamp islands full of animal and bird life, is an enjoyable experience that can last up 3-4 hours and covers up to 6 km. Everyone who can enjoy a winter walk, can walk with bogshoes in the swamp as well.Groups for this excursion start from 10 people.This is an EHE product (Genuine and Interesting Estonia tourism service mark).

Nature observation and guided hikes|Põdrala vald, Voorbahi küla, Valga County 68714

A bogshoe hike is suitable for anyone capable of hiking.We would like to invite you and your friends (a minimum of 10 people) to a bogshoe hike in Rubina bog that is located in Helme Rural Municipality in Valga County.Rubina is an exciting place – it has numerous hollows, pools and lakes. In addition, there are many birds. This is an undiscovered treasure in Valga County!In Rubina, bogshoe hikes take place during all seasons. We use special bogshoes. The hike lasts up to 4 hours; this includes a picnic.We have a guide who shares helpful tips and introduces the bog.We cooperate with other tourism companies in the region, so additionally, we can offer accommodation, sauna and catering.

Water adventure|Helme vald, Taagepera küla, Valga County 68502

Canoe trip 'One Day, Two Countries' starts at the upper course of the River Õhne in the vicinity of Taagepera and Holdre castle and ends on Latvian soil.The river flows along a course that is interrupted by rapids and is partly surrounded by forests and fields. When combining several 3–7 km stretches of river, it becomes a 30 km canoe trip that lasts from an hour to an entire day and complements a summer holiday, birthday or company summer retreat perfectly.Come on a canoe trip along the River Õhne – you find a lot to admire and discover here!This is a tourism product that has been awarded EHE quality mark (Genuine and Interesting Estonia).

Water adventure|Valga põik, Otepää vald, Otepää linn, Valga County 67403

VeeTee canoe trips guarantee a fun-filled experience!Come in any season with you family, friends or colleagues and get to know the beautiful rivers and lakes of Southern Estonia and the vicinity of Otepää (the lakes of Kooraste but also Pühajärv, Ahja, Võhandu, Elva, Piusa) as well as the wonderful countryside!Price includes boat rental and instructions; by request, we can also arrange transportation to destination and lunch. If you decide to stay the night, then the Annemäe Holiday House for 8 and its sauna are at your disposal!Contact us and we can arrange everything – let the water and fresh air wash away the stress and dullness of daily routine!

Museums & Galleries|Otepää vald, Otepää, Valga County

Otepää is like the cradle of the blue, black and white flag of Estonia – the current national flag of Estonia was consecrated and blessed here on 4 June 1884. First of all, the flag was used by Estonian students, then it became the national flag of Estonia and when the Republic of Estonia was created, the colours blue, black and white were declared the national colours. The concept of the museum came from Pastor of the Otepää Maarja (St Mary’s) Congregation of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Jüri Stepanov (02.03.1952-17.06.2008), who was also in charge of its establishment. The Estonian Flag Room was opened in the Otepää Rectory on 23 December 1996 to illustrate the story of the black, blue and white flag that is so important for Estonians.