By air
Kuressaare Airport (URE), ~3 km by road
Europe · Estonia
Saaremaa, Estonia
Windmills, juniper and a medieval castle on the Baltic
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — mild weather and long days
Don't miss
Kuressaare Castle
Kaali crater
Angla windmill hill
Panga cliff
Things to do
Cycling
Castle visits
Coastal walks
Birdwatching
Spa breaks in Kuressaare
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Sabine Hack · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Windproof jacket, layers, comfortable shoes, bike
A quieter corner
Kaali crater, a round lake left by a meteorite impact
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Saaremaa?
May to September — mild weather and long days. What to pack: Windproof jacket, layers, comfortable shoes, bike.
How do I get to Saaremaa?
Fly into Kuressaare Airport (URE), ~3 km by road.
What is there to do in Saaremaa?
Cycling, castle visits, coastal walks, birdwatching, spa breaks in Kuressaare. A quieter find: Kaali crater, a round lake left by a meteorite impact.
What should I eat in Saaremaa?
Saaremaa rye bread, smoked fish, home-brewed beer, juniper-smoked meats.
About Saaremaa
- Island
- Coastal
Where it is
Saaremaa is the largest island of Estonia, in the Baltic Sea off the country's west coast, with the town of Kuressaare as its main centre.
History
Saaremaa was ruled by the Livonian Order and the bishops of Ösel-Wiek in the Middle Ages, who built the castle at Kuressaare. Later the island passed to Denmark, Sweden and the Russian Empire. During the Soviet era it was a restricted border zone, and since the 1990s it has become a popular holiday island.
People
Islanders on Saaremaa speak Estonian with a local accent, and many still follow traditions of farming, fishing and home brewing in small villages.
Known for
- A medieval bishop's castle
- Old windmills
- A meteorite crater lake
- Juniper and quiet villages
Did you know?
Kuressaare Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Baltic states.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.