Kuressaare is the largest city on the island of Saaremaa. Kuressaar
has preserved the most integral medieval castle in Estonia and several
buildings of the XVII century, there is a mud resort, but the city is
interesting not only for this. Kuressaare is second only to Tallinn in
terms of the number of quiet, cobblestone streets, and there are no such
pretty one-story houses along these streets even in the capital.
Kuressaare can be called the most cozy city in Estonia, which has
absorbed all its most charming and intimate features.
Kuressaare
is located on the southern coast of the island of Saaremaa. The
foundation of the city, as it often happens, is connected with the
construction of the castle, but the date of construction is known very
approximately. Most likely, the first fortifications arose in the second
half of the XIII century, and the construction of a full-fledged castle
begins in the 1330s or even 1340s. after the uprising of St. George's
Night (1343-45), when the Estonians expelled the Germans from Saaremaa
for two years. The western part of the island, where the city is
located, then belonged to the lands of the Bishop of Ezel, who moved
here from Haapsalu around 1380. The castle was named Arensburg from the
German Adlerburg, "eagle's nest" or "eagle city" — probably due to the
powerful fortifications that were improved year by year. Already in the
XV century, the castle was surrounded by a moat filled with seawater,
later bastions were built.
Although the castle controlled the
trading harbor, there was no city as such, and one could only dream of
joining the Hanseatic League. Kuressaare received the status of a city
only in 1563 after the sale of the lands of the Ezel bishopric to the
Danes. The Livonian war of Saaremaa has passed, so in the XVII century,
under the rule of Denmark, and later Sweden, Arensburg flourished.
Several buildings outside the castle date back to this period —
including the market, the town hall and the weighing chamber, all in the
central square of the city. In 1710, the Russian army took the fortress
without heavy losses, after which it destroyed part of the
fortifications so that the Swedes could not return here. Nevertheless,
the story of Pärnu soon repeats itself, when the Swedish fortress is
completed and strengthened only so that it can stand idle for a hundred
years and then be turned into a city park. However, they did not destroy
the bastions and fill up the moat in Arensburg. Together with the
preserved castle, the ensemble turned out to be simply wonderful.
The active development of Kuressaare began in the second half of the
XVIII century. There are already quite a lot of buildings of this period
in the city: two churches, classicist mansions and ordinary, low-key,
one-story houses with more than two hundred years of history. Since the
middle of the XIX century, Kuressaare has been developing as a mud
resort, elegant wooden pavilions are being built in the park around the
castle, some of which can be seen to this day. Before the revolution,
there was a powerful tannery in the city, which was destroyed during the
First World War and the subsequent period of German occupation. Since
then, the industry in Kuressaar has been exclusively food-based. In
Soviet times, from 1952 to 1988, the city was called Kingisepp in honor
of the Bolshevik Viktor Kingisepp, who was born here, who tried to
develop underground activities in independent Estonia, for which he was
shot in 1922. Located in Russia, but not far from the Estonian border,
the city of the Leningrad region of Yamburg was also named Kingisepp
(and has retained this name to this day). Estonians happily got rid of
such a "hero", which eliminated the ambiguity in toponymy, returning the
traditional name Kuressaare.
As elsewhere in Saaremaa, Kuressaare
is inhabited exclusively by Estonians. The main and only language is
Estonian, and of the foreign ones, the locals speak English much better
than Russian.
Kuressaare is a small town. The central square (Keskväljak) is located at the junction of Tallinna and Lossi streets. The first leads to the bus station, located a block to the east, and the second leads to the castle, located, respectively, two blocks to the south. You can easily walk from the bus station to the castle in 15 minutes. All cafes and restaurants are located along Lossi Street and within a radius of 100-200 meters from the central square. The sights are about the same place.
1 The Bishop's castle. ☎ +372 (245) 5-75-42. May–September: 10:00 –
19:00 (daily), October–April: Wed–Sun 11:00 – 18:00. €8. The castle has
been preserved without major changes since the end of the 14th century.
Like Narva, it is not even a castle, but a citadel — a square building
with a small courtyard and two towers. The Saaremaa Museum is located
inside, so the inspection of the interiors will have to be supplemented
with a museum exhibition. However, both are very interesting.
The
interior of the castle has characteristic Gothic windows (as in
cathedrals) and equally regular pointed arches. The spacious halls
feature wooden sculptures and altars of the XVI-XVII centuries,
collected from all over the island of Saaremaa: there is also a Catholic
altar created at the beginning of the XVI century shortly before the
Reformation. This is the largest collection of its kind in Estonia. It
is also interesting to climb the narrow stairs and look at the interior
of the castle, where the watchtower (the tallest, "long Herman") It is
separated from other rooms by a moat, although it shares walls with
them.
The Saaremaa Museum consists of several parts. The largest of
them is a historical exposition from ancient times to the Second World
War, in Estonian and Russian. Despite some remnants of the Soviet past,
this exposition is quite neutral in ideological terms and allows you to
understand how the island of Saaremaa developed, what centers of
influence there were on it, and what they were doing here. The number of
authentic objects collected from towns and villages is especially
impressive: This is not only a historical, but also an ethnographic
collection. The other two parts of the museum were created in modern
times and are less interesting. Instead of Russian, English is here, in
the section of military and post-war history you will be shown the same
as in any Estonian museum, and in the section of nature there will be
ordinary stones and stuffed animals. Pay attention to the island
formation maps: they clearly show how the local landscape has changed.
Now it is hard to believe that 10-12 thousand years ago the entire
island of Saaremaa was under water.
2 Powder (artillery) tower
(Suurtükitorn). It was built in the XV century, destroyed by Russian
troops after the Northern War, restored during the reconstruction of the
castle in the 1990s. In its structure and purpose, it resembles the Red
Tower in Pärnu — it was the first line of defense, later supplemented
(or, as in Pärnu, completely replaced) by bastions. The tower looks
ancient, although, strictly speaking, it is the purest renovation. There
is a free exhibition on the history of the castle in the basement (only
in Estonian), repeating what you will see in the museum anyway.
Bastions are a perfectly preserved monument of fortification art of the
XVIII century. The Arensburg fortress had an ideal geometric shape. The
citadel stands in the center, on a square island, and is surrounded by
four symmetrical bastions. Around them there is a moat and three small
ravelin islands (there is no fourth one, because the sea is on the other
side). You can climb all this indefinitely, crossing bridges from island
to island. In one of the bastions there is something like a craft
workshop with an accompanying souvenir shop. On the southeastern bastion
there is a stone in memory of the victims of the Soviet occupation (the
repressions of 1940-41, more than 100 people were shot in Kuressaare
Castle), and the Soviet memorial to the victims of fascism (1965) is
located on the eastern ravelin, very close.
The park was laid out
in the middle of the XIX century after the abolition of the fortress.
Its curious feature is trees from different parts of the world: lime
trees, elms, chestnuts and even a cork tree (Amur velvet), a total of 35
species. There are several pretty wooden pavilions in the park,
including the kurzal (1889) and the stage opposite it (1922).
5
Monument to the Rear and Pyreth, Pargi (on the shore in front of the
Meri Hotel). A funny monument to "two aborigines carrying a boat with
fish" is dedicated to Big Tyll and his wife Piret, heroes of Estonian
mythology revered in Saaremaa. In the image of the giant Tyll, one can
guess the features of a wise and strong leader, an elder who always
protected the inhabitants of the island, walked on the sea like a dry
land, but at the same time lived an ordinary life, fished and grew
cabbage on the Ruins, from which his wife cooked soup. Tyll's
relationship with another Estonian hero, Kalevipoeg, is vaguely known.
It seems that the former was responsible for Western Estonia, and the
latter for Eastern Estonia.
6 Town Hall (Raekoda), Tallinna 2. Built in 1654-70. shortly after
Saaremaa came under Swedish rule. This is a typical example of a
building in the Northern Baroque style, that is, unlike the houses of
the Tallinn Old Town, there are no Gothic elements here, but there are
no decorations either. On the second floor there should be a huge
ceiling painting of the XVIII century, you can see it during the opening
hours of the tourist information center, which is located inside the
town hall (besides it, the city hall itself is located there).
7 Vazhnya (Vaekoda), Tallinna 3. Built in the second half of the XVII
century, and unlike the rough and ponderous town hall, vazhnya looks
light and stylish. Its function is the chamber of weights and measures,
where the control weighing of the goods was carried out. The market is
now in the same place as in the XVII century: to the right of the
chapel. There you will find a couple more old buildings and authentic
shops offering locally produced products.
8 Fire Station, Tallinna
4. A bizarre hybrid of different eras and styles. The building was built
in 1870 — it seems to have a wooden tower — and then rebuilt in 1911.
The result was a house with a playfully curved roof, in the center of
which a chopped, entirely consisting of right angles, tower is literally
"stuck". It looks funny.
9 St. Lawrence Church (Laurentiuse kirik) ,
Tallinn 13. June–August Tue–Fri 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 10:00 – 13:00.
Kuressaare Lutheran Church is very young by Estonian standards. It was
built in 1836 on the site of an older church that burned down in a fire.
There is a slight influence of classicism in the architecture, although
in general this church is not far from its medieval counterparts. Inside
there are several tombstones of the XVIII century, which are older than
the current building.
10 St. Nicholas Church (Nikolai kirik), Lossi
8 (between the central square and the castle). The Orthodox church was
built in 1790. It was made almost according to a standard project: a
very similar Orthodox church stands in Vyru, which is on the other side
of Estonia. Pay attention to the huge outdoor mural — not the most
characteristic element in this area.
11 Monument to the Islanders
who died in the Liberation War, the fork of Lossi and Lasteaia streets.
Like all the monuments of the Liberation War, it was destroyed during
the Soviet era and restored in the early 1990s according to the original
design. In this case, the project was made by the famous Estonian
sculptor Adamson and is not trivial, because instead of the typical
heroics of such monuments, a tired soldier leaning on a stone is
depicted here, who, nevertheless, holds a sharp sword firmly in his
hand.
The development of the Kuressaare center is one of the
best urban ensembles in Estonia. On the central streets you will meet
several buildings in the classical style, and with security signs dating
back to Soviet times, but most of the houses are not specially marked in
any way, their age can only be guessed. One-storey wooden houses
predominate, which are either sheathed with boards or plastered with
whitewash. In combination with lanterns and cobblestone pavements, they
create a wonderful atmosphere of tranquility and comfort.
12 Kudjape kalmistu Cemetery , Pähklimetsa tee (north-eastern
outskirts, road to Tallinn). The old cemetery, founded in 1780. The most
interesting here are two symmetrical, but differing details of the
design of the chapel in the classical style (1848). There are many war
graves in the cemetery, there are monuments to deportations, the death
of the ferry "Estonia" and several other old chapels.
13 Big Bridge
(Suursild) , Suuresilla (north-western edge of the city). The bridge
over the Pyduste river (Põduste jõgi) has been known since the middle of
the XVII century. The low stone bridge with numerous arched spans was
built around 1820, and it still stands today, having now become a
monument of cultural heritage — the oldest and longest stone bridge in
Estonia.
14 Roomassaare Observation Tower (Roomassaare
ludus-linnuvaatlustorn), Roomassaare tee (before reaching the airport,
turn onto the footpath). The castle has a good view of the sea, but
still the landscape inside the city remains a bit urban. If you want to
be closer to nature, take a walk to the observation tower located on the
shore south-east of the city: 3 km from the center, you can take a bus
to the airport, and then just a little walk. Here you will see the
landscape typical of the southern coast of Saaremaa: dense thickets of
reeds, young Christmas trees and, at the right time of the year,
migratory birds, which this tower is designed to observe.
15
Linnulaht Observation Tower (Linnulahe ludus-linnuvaatlustorn)
(southwest of the city, behind the golf course). The same as the
previous one, but it is located on a swampy lake, not on the seashore. 3
km from the center.
Apart from the already mentioned Saaremaa Museum, there is only one
museum in Kuressaar:
1 Aavik Family House Museum (Aavikute
Majamuuseum), Vallimaa 9. ☎ +372 (45) 5-75-83. €3. Two outstanding
representatives of Estonian culture lived in this house at once.
Johannes Aavik (1880-1973) went down in history as a reformer of the
Estonian language, who managed to radically update the language,
simplify grammar and introduce hundreds of new words during the period
of the first Estonian independence. His cousin Josep Aavik (1899-1989)
worked as a music teacher and organist at the local Lutheran church,
organized and conducted several song festivals. The museum is
interesting because it was almost created immediately after the death of
Josep Aavik, that is, all the objects here are authentic. The visit is
by prior arrangement.
Entertainments
2 Theater (Linnateater),
Tallinna 20. ☎ +372 (45) 3-32-22. Pay attention to the architecture of
the building: a cube of the stage is attached to the old mansion — very
similar to the theater in Rakvere.
Kuressaare is one of the few Estonian cities where it is difficult to
travel from Tallinn for one day. In principle, buses run from early
morning to late evening, but more than 8 hours on the road is too much.
Even if you have only one day at your disposal, go to Kuressaare by all
means, combining a bus with an airplane (or a round trip by plane): This
way you will also get to know Estonian small aircraft, which is
interesting in itself. However, it would be much more correct to go to
Kuressaare with an overnight stay, since the charm of the city is not in
individual attractions, but in leisurely walks and contemplation of the
sea: after all, this is a resort.
By plane
Tiny
Transaviabaltika airlines planes fly from Tallinn to Kuressaar, twice a
day on weekdays and once a day on weekends. Flight duration: 30-35 min.
Tickets can (and should) be purchased online in advance, the cost of a
one-way flight is fixed, €26 (2020), which is 1.5-2 times more expensive
than a bus. The local planes, accommodating 19 passengers, are an
attraction in itself. They do not have flight attendants (whose
functions are performed by pilots), there is no door to the cockpit
either, so nothing prevents pilots from looking over their shoulders and
seeing the flight from a completely unusual angle. Boarding passes are
issued without seats: if you want to sit closer to the cockpit, try to
get on the plane ahead of other passengers.
In winter, flights on
the Pärnu—Ruhnu—Kuressaare route are also operated (see the website),
but their transport value for getting to Kuressaare is minimal.
Airport (Kuressaare lennujaam). It is equipped no worse than a modern
airport in any major city, although on the best days there are about 100
passengers here, and the rest of the time they may not be at all. The
airport has an electronic scoreboard, Wi-Fi, a check-in desk and even a
baggage claim tape several meters long. There are many upholstered
chairs both in the check-in area and before boarding. There is an
information window/cash desk in the reception area, as well as a bar
with drinks (including alcoholic) and chocolates. All this is open
during the day, if there are planes. City buses No. 2 (on weekdays) or
No. 12 (on weekends) go to the airport, but they rarely do this, so keep
an eye on the schedule. It is unlikely that you will arrive in
Kuressaare unexpectedly, so a taxi will also be waiting for you at the
exit. It is possible, but in good weather it is simply necessary to walk
to the center (3 km) past the coastal thickets of reeds and young fir
trees.
By bus
Buses arrive in Kuressaare from Tallinn (every
1-2 hours, 4 hours 10 minutes on the way), as well as from Pärnu (4
times a day, 3 hours), and the latter usually travel from Tartu, Valga
or somewhere else from afar. All buses cross by ferry, so in the middle
of the road you will have a half-hour break with a view of the sea and,
if you want, meals on board. There are no direct buses from Hiiumaa.
Bus Station (Kuressaare bussijaam), Pihtla 2. Mon–Fri 7:00 – 18:30,
Sat–Sun 8:00 – 18:30. A large brick building of the Soviet era. Inside
there is a cash register and a waiting room with huge benches, on which,
if desired, it is quite possible to lie. The shops are open only during
the day, with the exception of a tiny grocery supermarket (Mon–Fri 7:00
– 18:00, Sat 8:30 – 18:00, Sun 11:30 – 18:00). The cafe at the bus
station (Mon–Fri 8:30 – 17:30, Sat 9:00 – 17:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00) is
one of the cheapest places in the city. The menu is standard for the
cafeteria: pancakes, dumplings, several types of soups and hot dishes.
By car
Route 10 comes to Kuressaar and ends here, which includes
a ferry crossing from Virtsu on the mainland to Kuivasta on the island
of Muhu. It is 215 km from Tallinn, expect 3-3.5 hours if you are ready
for the arrival of the ferry. From Pärnu 150 km. If you are already in
Saaremaa, then all roads lead to Kuressaar anyway. If you are traveling
in Hiiumaa, use the ferry Syru—Triige (2-3 times a day). For ferries,
see Western Estonia.
Parking is free on most streets, if, of
course, it is allowed at all. In the very center, under the Konsum
supermarket, there is a covered parking lot (€1/hour, 2014), but most
likely you will not need it.
On the ship
Roomassaare Harbor
(Roomassaare sadam). A small cargo port on a peninsula south of the
city. In summer, passenger catamarans go from here to Rukhna and ferries
to the island of Abruka. The transport is the same as to the airport; on
foot — 2 km further. There is a great view of the sea from the port.
There is a cafe with a simple wooden interior and a fairly extensive
menu (opening hours depend, apparently, on the time of year; in summer,
the cafe is open from early morning).
Urban transport is represented by several routes. On weekdays there are routes No. 1-4, on weekends — for some reason No. 12, all pass through the central square - Keskväljak (stop at the town hall). They usually run no more than once an hour and will be useful to you except for a trip to the airport. Inside the city, all facilities are within walking distance.
In addition to environmentally friendly food products, Saaremaa
Island is famous for sheep breeding. A good souvenir from Kuressaare can
be woolen products or even sheep skins, which are offered in a special
shop at the city market. In the vicinity of the central square, you will
also find typical souvenir shops and Antiik shops typical of Estonia,
selling all kinds of junk.
1 Market (Turg), Tallinna 5 (central
square). The market in Kuressaar is small, but very cozy. They sell
mainly wool products, clothing, and handicrafts here. There are fewer
local products, and there is practically no collective farm market with
vegetables, fruits and berries. There is a huge fabric and sewing store
in the wooden building on the central square next to the village, and on
the second floor of the old (medieval) building there is a sheep wool
store and everything related to it. It's worth going there for the
stands telling about sheep from Saaremaa and the history of the local
wool trade.
2 Kalev, Lossi 1. Mon–Fri 9:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 –
18:00, Sun 10:00 – 16:00. The company store of the main Estonian
chocolate factory.
3 Kaubamaja, Raekoja 1. Mon–Fri 9:00 – 19:00,
Sat–Sun 10:00 – 16:00. Against the background of cobblestone streets
from the 19th century, the modern shopping center looks somewhat alien
in Kuressaar. Although there are no overt boutiques in it, the nostalgic
atmosphere of the old Estonian department store is lost here forever.
Instead, there is, for example, a mobile communication office or a nice
cafeteria (Kohvik Maiasmokk: Mon–Fri 10:00 – 16:30, Sat 10:00 – 15:00)
with inexpensive hot food and desserts.
4 Konsum, Raekoja 10.
9:00 – 22:00. Grocery supermarket in the city center.
5 Maxima XX,
Tallinna 64. 8:00 – 22:00. A huge grocery supermarket is located a
kilometer from the bus station, almost at the exit from the city. A
hundred meters away from him is the same big Selver (8:00 – 23:00), what
is the market of large grocery stores in Kuressaar exhausted.
Cheaply
1 J.R. Pizza&Burger baar , Kauba 14. 12:00 – 21:00 except
Mon; Fri and Sat: until 22:00. Burgers, pizza: €4-8. The truly American
essence of this cafe is expressed in the fact that it serves not only
pizza and burgers, but also muffins decorated with greasy cream, better
known as cupcakes. Nice interior, pretty loud music in the evenings.
2 Kessu Kohvik, Tallinna 16. ☎ +372 (45) 2-47-84. Mon–Fri 8:00 – 19:00,
Sat 9:00 – 19:00, Sun 10:00 – 18:00. Lunch menu: €4-5. A simple, pretty
cafe serving pre-cooked meals in the cafeteria mode. You can also order
something freshly prepared (a la carte), but it will cost twice as much.
Another point of cheap food is the already mentioned cafeteria on
the second floor of the department store (Kaubamaja). On weekdays, a set
lunch is within €4.
Average cost
3 John Bull Pub, Lossipark
4. 11:30 – 23:00. Hot: €7-12. Despite its American name, the pub
mercilessly exploits the Soviet style: there is a portrait of Lenin on
the wall, surrounded by a red rolling banner, and the bar counter is
made of a yellow LiAZ bus. Judging by the reviews, the fun ends there:
the food and drinks are not as attractive as the interior.
4 Ku-Kuu,
Lossipark 1 (kurzala building). ☎ +372 453-97-49. 11:00 – 24:00. Hot:
€10-15. The name is not just a funny set of letters, but an abbreviation
from Kuressaare Kuursaal. This is an ideal resort restaurant, where
light walls and wooden furniture create a cozy, slightly relaxed country
environment. It stands out because it offers a special fish menu:
several types of fresh fish, very well cooked and completely affordable.
The difficulty is to identify the type of fish from the menu in English
or Estonian. It is more or less local here, so do not expect tilapia and
dorado — instead there will be pike, tench or, for example, trout.
5
Pritsumaja Grill & Bar, Tallinna 4 (in the building of the fire
station). Mon–Thu 11:30 – 24:00, Fri–Sat 11:30 – 2:00, Sun 12:00 –
18:00. Hot: about €10. This place is not far from the usual Estonian
beer hall with the only difference that exotic dishes from wild boar
meat or even moose are added to the traditional menu here. The food is
good, the atmosphere is good too, but the service could be more
efficient.
Expensive
6 Trahter Veski, Pärna 19. ☎ +372 (45)
3-37-76. 12:00 – 23:00, Fri and Sat: until 24:00. Hot: from €15.
Although there are a lot of windmills in Saaremaa, there is only one in
the city. It dates back to 1899, worked until 1941, was restored and
turned into a restaurant in the early 1970s. It's not cheap by Estonian
standards, but it's worth a look (especially if you don't plan to travel
around the island in search of other windmills), and the food here is as
traditional as possible. In summer, it is good to sit in the yard, using
an old millstone as a table.
7 Vinoteek Prelude, Lossi 4. ☎ +372
(45) 3-34-07, +372 527-36-14. Mon–Sat 18:00 – 24:00. Hot: about €20,
glass of wine: from €5. The stone walls and medieval interior do not
quite harmonize with the wine, although it must be admitted that the
wine list here is very decent.
Cafe
8 Vanalinna kohvik, Kauba
8. ☎ +372 455-32-14. Mon–Fri 7:30 – 17:30, Sat–Sun 8:00 – 16:00.
Bakery-confectionery, which serves good coffee, custard tea, salads,
wonderful cakes and pastries. There are also hot dishes. Cozy rooms with
upholstered chairs. Wi-Fi.
- Thumbelina, thank. Это пиво по-прежнему производится в небольших
объёмах и редко встречается за пределами острова, да и в Курессааре оно
есть далеко не везде.
1 Hometown Locale, Tallinn 11.
11:00 – 1:00, Пт и Сб: до 5:00. Горячее: €8-10. Единственное в городе
место, открытое заполночь, а по выходным практически до утра. Гастропаб
с жареным мясом, картошкой, бургерами, пиццей и тому подобной едой по
довольно доступным ценам. Выбор пива скромный, крафта нет. Есть бильярд,
ночью по выходным дискотеки.
Kuressaare is a resort town, which means that hotel prices depend
heavily on the season. The most expensive period is from June to
August, the rest of the time is 1.5-2 times cheaper. The winter
prices are mainly shown below. Prices are especially different in
expensive hotels, where in summer they ask for exorbitant amounts
for a room. However, pay attention to packages and special offers:
it may turn out that the accommodation itself (without extra
charges) will not be too expensive, or, for example, you will be
charged about € 100-120 for two nights + a visit to the procedures,
and this is not bad at all.
Cheaply
1 Hotel Mardi,
Vallimaa 5a (center). ☎ +372 (45) 2-46-33. Double room in a
hostel/hotel: from €20/42. A large hotel complex by Kuressaare
standards, consisting of two parts. The hostel has rooms for 1-3
people with facilities in the corridor and a shower in the basement
(in fact, this is a hostel), and the hotel has the same rooms, but
with amenities and breakfast included in the price — quite a decent,
albeit modest buffet. Everything is new, clean and, in general,
pretty. Wi-Fi.
2 Kuressaare Linnahotel, Lasteaia 7 (center). ☎
+372 (45) 3-18-88. Double room: from €30. A small modern hotel. Good
reviews. Wi-Fi.
3 SYG Hostel, Kingu 6 (in the northern part of
the city, 10-15 minutes from the center). ☎ +372 (45) 5-43-88, +372
518-48-14. €13/ person, double room: about €35. The dormitory of the
local gymnasium. You can take a bed in a room for 4 people or a
separate room with 1-2 beds. Wi-Fi.
Average cost
4
Arensburg Boutique Hotel & Spa, Lossi 15 (center). ☎ +372 (45)
2-47-00. Double room: from €70. A four-star hotel in the very
center. It consists of old and new parts, there are minor comments
on both, but in general everything seems to be on the level. A huge
selection of spa treatments. Wi-Fi.
5 Johan Spa Hotel, Kauba 13
(center). ☎ +372 (45) 4-00-00. Double room: from €50. The cheapest
of the Kuressaare spa hotels. Guest reviews indicate minor
breakdowns and shortcomings, although in general everything is quite
decent, beautiful and modern. Wi-Fi.
Expensive
6 Georg
Ots Spa Hotel (GOSpa), Tori 2. ☎ +372 (45) 5-00-00, +372 (45)
5-01-01. Double room: from €80. The farthest of a series of spa
hotels standing on the coast. Excellent reviews. Wi-Fi.
7
Ekesparre Residence Hotel, Lossi 27 (on the island in front of the
castle entrance). ☎ +372 (45) 3-87-78. Double room: from €150. The
most luxurious hotel in Kuressaare. Unlike others, it is located in
a wooden house, which combines the atmosphere of luxury and comfort.
The rooms are decorated in a retro style. For spa treatments, they
are sent to other hotels. Excellent reviews. Wi-Fi.
8 Grand Rose
Spa Hotel, Tallinna 15 (center). ☎ +372 666-70-00. Double room: from
€70. Another four-star hotel equipped with a spa. In low season, you
can sometimes find rooms at very affordable prices. The reviews are
slightly worse than for all the others. Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi is available in almost every cafe in the city. Internet access is also provided by the tourist information center (in the town hall). There is free Internet access at the bus station, but there is not an ordinary computer, but a terminal with a touchscreen, which is somewhat inconvenient to use.
Saaremaa Island offers travelers dozens of attractions for every
taste — natural, historical, ethnographic. Try to see at least some of
them. For example, on the way from Kuressaare to Tallinn, you will meet
the Kaali meteorite crater, medieval churches in Valjala and Peida, as
well as in the village of Liiva on the island of Muhu, almost at the
ferry to the mainland.
Ruhnu is the southernmost and one of the
smallest inhabited Estonian islands. Its population is only 67 people.
There is almost untouched nature here, and the island itself is an
ethnographic landmark. Ferries run from Kuressaare to Rukhna (in summer)
and planes fly (in winter).
The island of Abruka
Abruka is
located 4 km south of Kuressaare. It is an archipelago of islands, the
largest of which has an area of 8.78 km2 and a population of 34 people
(2012). There is information that the island was inhabited in the Middle
Ages, but the oldest building dates back to the 19th century, and there
is no church and, apparently, never was. The local population breeds
sheep and just enjoys life. The main attraction of the island is a
broad—leaved forest, which is absolutely uncharacteristic for the Baltic
States. There is also its own museum:
1 The Museum of Abruk. ☎
+372 520-37-58, +372 (45) 2-67-24. It is located in the oldest building
on the island — a squat one-story house built of boulders. It is not
entirely clear what is being shown inside, but it is unlikely that you
will find another exhibition dedicated to Abruka. The visit is by prior
arrangement.