Saaremaa

This first weekend of September, we head to Saaremaa, the biggest of the Estonian islands, as we have the chance of being invited by friends of Katri who recently built a summer house there. In normal times September is already autumn in Estonia but it seems that this year summer does not want to leave and offers us great weather once more. 

I prayed to have good weather and it seems to be successful: despite being already in September we enjoyed a  sunny, warm weekend in Saaremaa (photo taken in the Episcopal castle of Kuressaare)

Enjoying Estonian privacy at its best

Blessed by beautiful weather, hosted like princes, we did enjoy for one last (?) time this summer the Estonian luxurious privacy: birdwatching and fishing at sea, barbecuing, mushrooming. Everything in a highly remote place. 

A typical Saaremaa village and its Main Street

Fishing was not very successful: our host caught one fish (released immediately) but we didn't, although Katri had a fish biting her hook before managing to escape. And the motor stopped on the way back. It's okay, we didn't mind paddling in the sunset, it was even enjoyable. 

Sunset fishing in Saaremaa

We previously heard on radio that the mushroom season in Saaremaa was exceptional. The summer had been long and dry until mid August, before two weeks of rain gave birth to a large amount of tasty mushrooms, including the appreciated Porcini. Even if it is getting late and most mushrooms are getting old, locals told us where we could find them. I have never seen so many of them. Katri warned me: "In Estonia, not many things can kill you, but mushrooms are among these deadly things!" (another one is meeting a moose on the road while driving at night). As a novice, it is so frustrating not to know which ones to pick... It is better to have a local guide but today you can manage with a mobile phone app (we found one in Estonian). And then, once at home, you can start cleaning and cooking them... it is not surprising why Porcini cost so much: it is not "pick and eat" as I thought!

The Amanita Muscaria (or fly amanita) is found a bit everywhere in Estonian forests. Photogenic, but not good to eat. It will not kill you but it tastes bad and it has hallucinogenic effect. Me: "Really, let's open a coffee shop!"... Katri: "No, its hallucinogenic effect is so weak that it is not even famous for that, people just leave it."  

The Hype of Saaremaa

Saaremaa is the second most popular summer destination of Estonians, right after the town of Pärnu, the "summer capital". It is also popular among Finns, who come all year round and enjoy the numerous spas on the island. 

Before coming here, the only thing I knew about Saaremaa were that Estonians love it and that there is a factory that produces lovely (but fat) little sausages that we often take as emergency food when hiking in remote places. 

Why Estonians love Saaremaa? I'm not sure. It is beautiful, but so is most of the country. It has the sea, but it is not unique in a country with nearly 4 000 km of coastline. In any case, there is a lot of partying in the summer and every single public figure seems to own a house here. From central Tallinn, it takes about 3 hours to get there, including the short ferry ride (25 minutes) between mainland and Muhu,  an island connected to Saaremaa through  a land bridge. 

While the inland is covered in thick forests, the coastline is the terrain of juniper, a small tree with a divine smell, often used in handicraft. Juniper is the symbol of the island.

Saaremaa vs. Hiiumaa 

Two years ago, we spent 5 days on Hiiumaa, the second largest island of Estonia. Therefore, I couldn't help but compare both islands. Our stay in Saaremaa was too short and we didn't explore enough to forge a proper opinion. Nevertheless, it seems that Hiiumaa has more to offer to the nature  lovers while Saaremaa is more vibrant and equipped to please the tourist. On Hiiumaa, there are several RMK trails and wildlife observation posts, large sandy beaches and you can also hop from one lighthouse to another. In Saaremaa, you will find an actual town with a medieval castle, plenty of spas and even a vibrant nightlife during summer. Among other reasons, the 90 minutes boat ride to Hiiumaa seems to scare most people off, especially for weekend trips. 

One of the touristic highlights of Saaremaa: the Episcopal castle of Kuressaare (14th century)

Owning a summer house 

Visiting Saaremaa restarted our debate-relection about whether to buy a summer house in Estonia. Virtually, every family has a summer house in Estonia, whether their own or relatives'. It is a Nordic thing. It is often a bad financial investment: it is strictly for your own pleasure and enjoyment. During summer... yes, because most of them are poorly insulated and its equipment is limited: electrical connection is the norm, all the rest is not. Most houses have their own well, some have running water. 

Estonian luxury at its best: quietness, privacy, sunshine

In any case, Saaremaa is a bit too far away for our tastes and beyond our reach. Finns and Swedes have bought here and contributed to an increase in the price to levels comparable to Tallinn's centre. At least, we have started listing our criteria of what we would value in a summer house. Currently, I would only reveal two points: privacy and an apple tree. 

"Rosso di sera, buon tempo si spera" (old Italian say, which seems to exist in every single language) and so it was!