Foto: The lighthouse of Saare on the island Saaremaa (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Estonia - At the tip of the peninsula stands the tall lighthouse of Saare. This striking black tower marks the entrance to the Gulf of Riga for ships. We walk along the lighthouse over the peninsula to the very tip. The peninsula is less than five meters wide, and the wind is free to play here. Naturally, kite surfers are actively surfing here. Waves come ashore from both the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea. At the tip, the waves collide exactly against each other. We walk back to the bus with the wind. We drive along the other coastline back to Kuressaare. At the border between the peninsula and the island of Saaremaa, we visit the World War II war monument. It was precisely at this point that the troops met in 1944. Many men lost their lives here. At two o’clock, we drive back into Kuressaare. At the castle, we get off the bus. The Kuressaare castle has been renovated and now houses a museum. Unfortunately, the fortress tower is still under restoration and not accessible. Because of this, we cannot walk along the battlements, something described as special. Perhaps because of this, the castle is somewhat disappointing. Via the defensive wall, we return to Lossi, the main street of Kuressaare. We follow the city walk from the travel guide, but exactly in reverse order. We pass beautiful classical-style houses, the Russian Orthodox St. Nicholas Church, the old Town Hall from 1670, and the Weigh House. Both are among the oldest buildings in the city.
Catacombs under Old Tallinn
Estonia - Through the large open Independence Square, we arrive at the ‘Kiek in de Kök’ (‘Peek into the Kitchen’). This tower was the strongest tower in the defensive ring. Today, a museum is housed in the tower. As I ascend higher in the tower, I literally ...