Enticing Estonian Retreat

On your arrival in Tallinn, Estonia's capital city, we’ll transfer you to your elegant hotel, Hotel Schloessle, in the Old Town. In the 13th century. Tallinn was a thriving trade center attracting traders from across Europe. 

Tallinn is a fortified medieval city, one of the most famous port towns in Eastern Europe both then and now. Our luxury hotel in the Old Town is surrounded by quaint cobbled streets. It's a reconstructed warehouse dating back to medieval times and restored in 1758 in the Baroque Gothic style.

After checking in, we’ll take a late afternoon guided tour of Tallinn’s Old Town, followed by a welcome dinner at our historic 5-star hotel. If the weather agrees we’ll take dinner outside in the beautiful garden.

Stay at the Hotel Schloessle

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today we’ll tour the town with an expert guide. Our first stop is the magnificent Kadriorg Palace

The Kadriorg Palace was built by Russian Tsar Peter I in 1718. He named it Kadriorg (Katharinenthal in German) in honor of his wife Catherine I. Designed by the Italian architect Nicola Michetti its magnificent main hall is one of the most stunning examples of Baroque architecture in Estonia. The lovely palace is surrounded by gardens filled with fountains, hedges, and flowerbeds, modeled after Versailles.

The Kumu Art Museum is just a short walk away from the palace so we'll there next. Opened in 2006, the Kumu Art Museum’s goal is to preserve and interpret Estonian art from the 18th century to the current day. Lunch is near the palace grounds at the charming Mantel Café.

This afternoon, we’ll take a tour of the Loomelinnak neighborhood, the Old Town go-to area for creatives. You’ll have some free time here for shopping and a bite on your own or with your new friends.

Stay tonight at the Schloessle Hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

We've set this morning aside for individual exploration and last-minute shopping in the Old Town. You'll also have lunch on your own and at your leisure. We’ll meet back at our hotel by 3 pm t transfer to Polli Talu, a traditional Estonian Farm complex and country retreat. It will be our home for the remainder of the trip. The farm rooms are both simple and welcoming. 

You'll have time to rest, unpack and take a tour of Marika's lovely farm. Soon you’ll realize how restful this rustic farmhouse compound truly is. Here we share bathrooms and live a simple lifestyle with wholesome fresh air and exercise. It's the ideal place to soak in the beauty of nature.

At 6 pm we'll meet for a healthy vegetarian dinner in Polli Talu’s dining room, or al fresco when the weather permits.

We’ll take a 20-minute walk to the seaside after dinner. You may want a dip in the cool salty water.

9 am breakfast at Polli Talu.

Today we’re off to the Matsalu National Park. We'll have a picnic lunch in this stunning park. Boasting more than 8000 acres of Kasari meadow, this is Europe’s largest preserved flat meadow. The meadow is an important nesting site for a myriad of birds and waterfowl, so bring your binoculars. We'll also take a boat trip through the reed fields and visit the local museum to learn more about this gorgeous park.

After our exploration and picnic lunch, we’ll head back “home” for a little rest. For those who want, a meditative walk led by Marika throughout the surrounding area will be your exercise for the day,

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a healthy dinner at Polli Talu.

This evening we’ll have time to visit the sauna on the property to wind down and prepare for a lovely night’s rest.

Today is a day for journal writing, reading, and walking on your own in our beautiful surroundings. It's a practice of mindfulness. A masseuse will be on hand throughout the day to give everyone a 60-minute massage.

The day starts at 8:30 am with yoga and guided meditation with Marika

We'll meet for breakfast at 9.30 am

Today we have a treat, we’ll work together as Marika shows us how to cook a wholesome vegetarian meal. We’ll help chop and stir and then feast on our vegetable-centric meal. Every participant will receive as a gift a signed copy of Marika’s cookbook.

At 4 pm, we’ll try a movement class with Marika, a former dancer. Free movement allows you to let go and simply enjoy moving freely, with no one judging you.

We'll have dinner at 9.30 pm after which we’ll enjoy a lesson in Estonian folk music and dance taught by a local music teacher.

We'll rise early for breakfast at 6:30 am.

Today we're taking a bus and ferry trip to Kihnu Island, the matriarch island in the Baltic Sea aka ‘Women’s Island’.

The guided tour of this unique island will include the Kihnu Museum, the Orthodox Church, and the lighthouse.

We’ll follow our guide’s recommendations to find a simple little place on the island for lunch.

As we explore more of Kihnu Island, we’ll experience a traditional folkloric concert led by women. You'll also have time to explore the souvenir shops to find your choice of beautiful handiwork created by the craftswomen of the island.

For those who are game, a sidecar motorcycle ride around the island is a typical way to enjoy Kihnu.

At 4:15 pm, we take the ferry back to the mainland for dinner at Polli Talu

If you haven't yet enjoyed a massage, there is time after dinner.

We'll have a late breakfast at 9:00 am.

We're departing at 10 am for a day trip by bus to Parnu on the coast of Pärnu Bay on the Baltic Sea.

Pärnu is a resort town that dates back to 1838. For many years Pärnu’s spas have offered visitors healing mud baths and other helpful water-focused procedures.

At the Hedon Spa, you’ll have a choice of steam and dry saunas, a salt room, a large jacuzzi, and a salt scrub foot bath. This surely will relax our bodies and open our minds. Then, we’ll experience a selection of cures, from a massage using organic local hemp and carrot oil to an exfoliating mud wrap or a facial. You'll have more time to enjoy all the hot and cold pools after the treatment. We’ll relish a superb lunch at the Pastorat Cafe after our restorative spa experience.

This afternoon, you’re free to stroll around town to shop and explore on your own. Then we’ll meet up to take a refreshing swim in the Baltic Sea at the Women’s Beach. Don’t forget your bathing suit!

After our vigorous swim, we’ll sip a cocktail back at the beachfront outdoor restaurant at the Hedon Hotel where we began the day. It's our last night, and our farewell meal is at the stunning Art Nouveau mansion, which is both a hotel and a restaurant, the Villa Ammende.

Back at the farm, we’ll take a moment to reflect on the past seven days of restoration and discovery in enticing Estonia. A new country discovered, wellness restored, and new friends made. What could be better?

We'll transfer you back to the airport for your flight home after breakfast.