Otepää is a small town located in the southern part of Estonia and inhabited by only two thousand inhabitants; it cannot be called a quiet and peaceful provincial town. This is the most famous winter sports center in the Baltics, proudly bearing the status of the winter capital of Estonia.
Once upon a time, Bishop Herman built the Stone Fort, the first castle in Estonia, on one of the hills, shaped like a bear’s head. It was from this castle that the history of the city of Otepää began in 1224, the name of which, translated from Estonian, means “bear’s head”. But according to archaeological research, settlement in this area arose much earlier. Since the second half of the first millennium, there was a stronghold of the Estonians - the ancient ancestors of the Estonians.
Modern Otepää is part of Valga County and lies 42 km south of Tartu on a hill where the hillsides are covered with coniferous forests, and the lowlands are covered with meadows and swamps. It would seem that there is nothing remarkable in this corner of Estonia, of which there are many. But this only seems at first glance.
Picturesque landscapes from the tops of the hills, pearl lakes, one of which is Lake Pyhajärv, crystal clear air, ideal conditions created for lovers of snow and winter sports, ancient monuments that reveal interesting pages of history - all this attracts tourists to this glorious a small town, and not only local residents, but also foreigners.
Many people call Otepää the “Estonian Switzerland” because you can relax in campsites on lakes in the summer and go skiing in the winter months.
How to get there
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there is no railway or airport here, so you can only get here by bus or private car. If it is important for you to fly by plane, then you can land in Tartu and then take a bus to the city of Otepää; fortunately, they run constantly.
If you use the railway, then on the Tartu - Valga line, 15 km from the city there is a Palupere railway station.
Weather conditions
The temperate continental climate with frosty winters and cool summers guarantees tourists the opportunity to engage in active sports all year round in Otepää. In winter it is comfortable here: the average air temperature during the day is about +2...+8 degrees, and at night there are slight negative temperatures. Therefore, the skiing season lasts from December to early March, generally as long as it is possible to shoot snow from snow cannons.
Summer is warm, usually the thermometer during the daytime rises to +19...+21 degrees, dropping to + 14...+16 degrees at night. Not very warm nights do not at all prevent tourists from spending time in campsites on the lake shore.
Accommodation
Otepää is a small town, but during the tourist season thousands of travelers come here. For their convenient accommodation, boarding houses and hotels, inns and recreation centers are open, houses, cottages, apartments and apartments are available for rent. Depending on personal preferences and capabilities, you can book a room in a business or economy class hotel for 25-45 euros per day with a standard set of services and small rooms of various types. Young people mostly prefer to stay in hostels for 14-16 euros, where, as a rule, they are provided with only a bed in a dormitory room. The city has a developed network of inexpensive mini-hotels, which can accommodate from 10 to 40 guests at a time, paying 20 to 40 euros for a room.
However, Otepää would not be called a climatic resort if it did not have hotels providing SPA services to its visitors. One of them is a “SPA hotel” on the shore of Lake Pyhajärve, equipped with massage rooms, salt chambers, Jacuzzis and swimming pools, steam, Finnish, and infrared baths. Or the luxurious 4-star Hotel Villa Saskia, where accommodation costs €500 per night.
Beach holiday
If you decide to get acquainted with the “winter resort” of Otepää in the summer, then believe me, you will not regret it. The pride of the city is Lake Pyhajärve, popularly called the Holy Lake, whose beach received the international Blue Flag award for the purity of its water. The lake is characterized by a winding coastline with an abundance of springs, five islands and an excellent beach with a boat station. Fans of active recreation can not only play sports here, but also simply travel around the area, fish or sail on the lake. By the way, anyone who believes in the supernatural should definitely visit the “energy pillar” in the city. They say that if you touch it, you will receive a colossal boost of health and energy.”
Active leisure
In the winter season, the town turns into a ski resort, where there are:
- ski and roller slopes;
- snowboard trails;
- ski slopes;
- snowmobiling, sledding and ice skating;
To a greater extent, Ottepa is popular among those who love active recreation. Unlike many ski resorts in Poland or Latvia, here it is possible to combine alpine and cross-country skiing. The peculiarity of Ottepya as a sports resort is that there are several racing and walking trails, all of which correspond to a high European level and different categories of difficulty. At the Tehvandi Sports Center, national teams from many countries train all year round, and the cross-country skiing World Cup is held in the center of Keiriku. The opportunity to use the roller ski track in winter will cost only 6 euros/day or 25 euros/week.
You can enjoy downhill skiing at the Kuutsmae Ski Centre. Here you will find 7 prepared trails of different difficulty levels with lifts with a total length of 2 kilometers. Prices for ski rentals and Skype passes, however, are quite European. For 3 hours of using the ski lifts you will have to pay 15 euros and the same amount will have to be paid for renting a ski kit (skis, helmet, poles).
An Adventure Park was built especially for lovers of active recreation in Tehvandi, which has hiking trails, a climbing wall, a catapult and an observation platform, which is part of a ski jump. And 12 km from the resort there is another sports center - Kääriku with a ski stadium and an athletics stadium, a sports hall, ball courts, saunas on the lake, ski slopes and hiking trails.
What to visit
Tourists who are not interested in sports will also find something to do in the city. After all, near the city there are the ruins of an ancient bishop's castle. Of particular interest is Otepää Nature Park, the second largest nature reserve in Estonia with a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Or you can visit the Sangaste estate, notable for its luxurious ancient castle with 149 rooms open to visitors.
If you get hungry, you will be offered food and drinks in restaurants, cafes or pubs. In local restaurants you should order soup with dumplings and blueberries, meat stewed with barley and sauerkraut, smoked trout, various desserts and other delicious dishes of national cuisine.
As a souvenir of a wonderful vacation in this unique corner of Estonia, you can buy items made of wood or amber, clothes made of fur, leather, cotton or linen, various souvenirs and even antiques.
Otepää is an ideal place for active young people interested in sports. Families with children can relax here, however, it is better to go with kids in the summer, since not every child can be taken to the mountains. But in the summer there will be real freedom for them here.
Estonia– the country of rains and bicycles. However, no - there was a mistake. Estonia is now increasingly associated with alpine skiing. Accordingly, in price ski resorts new European Estonia, where there is every chance to relax and improve your health. However, Estonian territory seems to have never been considered as having majestic mountain ranges and peaks?
Unless there are several hills in this region, such as the hill "Suur-Munamägi", the height of which only slightly exceeds the 300-meter mark. However, as practice shows, Estonian entrepreneurship has no equal in the field of constructing alpine skiing facilities. In any case, quite decent ski resorts have been built here for the personal needs of snowboarders and skiers. Who prohibits foreigners from enjoying all the benefits of the nation? There are no such prohibitions at this time.
National ski resorts of Estonia in the image of Suur Munamägi
Starting from December until almost the end of the March days, ski resorts in Estonia are in demand. Steadily stable weather and dense snow cover contribute to a lot of fun while skiing. The main object where the gaze of lovers of mountain descents and ascents is aimed is the Estonian city of Otepää.
Actually, this settlement should be well known to athletes and tourists as an international winter sports center. European and world level competitions are often held here. Winter holidays are also organized here, allowing you to engage in such sports, How:
- traditional skis
- ski jumping
- downhill
- figure skating
- skating
- other
About two kilometers south of Otepää there is a small settlement - Pyhajärve. The town is notable for the fact that it offers comfortable accommodation, plus it has a surprisingly colorful place due to the nearby lake. Meanwhile, you can settle down for a vacation in other places that are no less attractive and remarkable.
Valgehobuzemägi Hill is the second most important Estonian resort
The upland area enjoys a slightly lower level of popularity compared to the Otepää resort area Valgehobuzemägi, which exists on the territory of the Estonian county of Järvamaa. This is probably quite natural, given that the height of the rock formation is half as high (just over 100 m). In terms of scale, the resort area in this place does not differ in global size.
However, local residents and tourists are quite satisfied with the existing ski slopes, even if they are of short length. Perhaps this place should be noted as ideal for those who are getting acquainted with alpine skiing for the first time, who are just mastering ski resorts of European Estonia and wants to smoothly enter the world of skiing. In any case, vacationers should be satisfied - the Valgehobuzemägi resorts are very well equipped:
- modern lifts
- ski equipment rental
- instructor services
- tubing tracks
- swimming pool, saunas, jacuzzi, water park
Ski resorts as a possible tourist destination
There, in the vicinity of Otepää, there is a ski resort "Ansomagi". Many ski lovers speak positively about this place and even recommend mastering:
- mountain slopes
- cross-country ski slopes
- tubing and snowboarding
- snowmobiles
According to former researchers, the complex meets international standards, surprises with the variety of trails, and captivates with well-organized service.
Famous area Haanja Nature Park also has a ski resort. Here nothing can upset the delights of winter holidays, since protection from disappointments is provided by a dense forest environment consisting of centuries-old larches and spruces. The natural atmosphere that reigns in these places alone captivates and makes you relax in any case. Combined with skiing, of course, the effect increases many times over. In general, it feels like it is still part of the countries where ski holidays are considered a full-fledged tourist destination. Those who are not sure can try it personally.
Hiking and cross-country skiing are a national passion of Estonians, helped by the interesting hilly terrain and the golden reserve of vast wastelands that have not yet been reached by developers.
With the onset of winter, local residents try to carve out a few days for a trip to the popular ski resorts of Estonia - the Tehvandi sports center in Otepää, the Jõulumäe health sports center in the vicinity of Pärnu, the Palivere sports complex in Läänemaa and the Viljandi County Recreation and Sports Center in the village of Holstre Polli. On the Kurtan Lakes, not far from Pannjärve, there is the Alutaguse Adventure Park, which is widely known for its unique system of snow rings, where you can ski all year round.
Having gained experience, many Estonians take part in Estoloppet ski races and marathons as amateurs. Foreigners can start if they wish; the participation of pensioners and families with children is welcome.
Due to the predominance of flat landscapes, the development potential of alpine skiing in Estonia is limited to the amateur level. Low, gentle slopes are unlikely to interest trained athletes, but for beginners this is perhaps the most convenient and safe option.
Estonia's leading ski resorts are concentrated in the south-eastern part of the country, famous for its colorful landscapes and many geological attractions. The infrastructure of sports centers and ski resorts is quite respectable, but at the same time it is far from unmotivated pathos, so ski tours to Estonia remain accessible to people with different levels of income. So you won’t find glamorous restaurants and clubs at Estonian recreation centers, but the necessary equipment for the trails, including night lighting, is always on duty.
For entertainment, all kinds of winter fun are offered: tubing or sledding, safaris on snowmobiles, off-road vehicles and motor sleighs in protected areas, hikes through swamps and eskers on snowshoes and swamp shoes, walks on horse-drawn sleighs and dog sleds. The cuisine at ski resorts and farmsteads is simple, but the sauna on forest herbs is absolutely unrivaled!
If you do not feel the need for status attributes and prefer social life, a ski holiday in Estonia will give you tremendous pleasure. Snow cover in the zones lasts from December to mid-March, so there is time to look around and choose a vacation spot to your liking.
The honorary title of capital of skiing Estonia went to the small resort town of Otepää, where stages of national championships and European Cup competitions in cross-country skiing and biathlon are held every winter. Beginners prefer the gentle slopes of Kutsmäe and Ansomägi with elevation differences of 214–514 meters, while more advanced athletes can begin the assault on Suur-Munamägi Hill, the highest point in the country.
After a hard day of sports, it is pleasant to relax under the hands of skilled massage therapists in one of the spa complexes on the shore of Lake Pyhajärv, and if the adrenaline is still not enough, explore the path to the Tehvandi sports center, where professional freestyle equipment is installed and hilly slopes with shooting ranges for biathletes. In summer, the K90 ski jump serves as an observation deck for tourists.
Fans of cross-country skiing should pay attention to the Kääriku Ski Stadium, where scenic hiking trails begin that run through the hills and frozen lakes of the Otepää Nature Reserve.
In the vicinity of Otepää there are many cultural attractions - the ruins of the bishop's castle on Linnamägi Hill, Sangaste Castle with the arboretum of Count von Berg, the Horse-drawn Cart Museum, the Winter Sports Museum and the Gustav Wulfo-Õys Estate Museum, where the poet's granddaughter works as a tour guide.
On the territory of the Haan Nature Reserve there is another popular ski resort in Võru County - the Kytiorg Valley, located in close proximity to the natural monuments that have made southern Estonia famous - the Nightingale Valley, the deep-water lake Suurjärv, the hydraulic ram and the sand caves of the Piusa River canyon. Guests have at their disposal three ski slopes with a length of 250, 150 and 500 meters, as well as two cross-country ski tracks. Confident riders should try their luck on the most difficult snowboard slope in Estonia on the eastern slope.
If you are not ready to be alone with wild nature, pay attention to the ski stadium in Haanja. Here you can try hilly slopes and long cross-country trails from 1 to 5 kilometers, visit a biathlon shooting range and go sledding with your children.
Kiviõli Adventure Tourism Center sets a brilliant example of post-mining land reconstruction. On the slopes of the waste heap formed by waste from the shale industry, there are now ski slopes 400–600 meters long and the best snow park in Estonia with separate areas for snowboarding and halfpipe. In February, the base hosts the Estonian Slopestyle Open, an open park skating competition that shocks the public with complex, spectacular tricks.
Winding trails of non-standard configurations ranging from 3 to 5 kilometers long will slightly tickle the nerves of self-confident lovers of alpine and cross-country skiing at the Valgehobusemäe Ski Holiday Center, located among the relict landscapes of the Kõrvemaa nature reserve. One of the slopes is dedicated to snowboarders, and the second has an ice trench for tubing.
Illuminated tracks for alpine and cross-country skiing are also seen in the Miners' Park in Kohtla-Nõmme, and the Mõedaku sports base has a separate area for cross-country skiing.
If you do not consider skiing and downhill skiing as your main way of spending time, urban and suburban ski areas are at your service, where the locals indulge their souls.
The ski parks of the prestigious areas of Nõmmu and Pirita are well known; You can ski on the slopes of the Singing Field. From Tartu it is convenient to get to Vooremägi Hill and Rahinge Extreme Park.
By the way, in the summer the ski resorts of Estonia are also not empty, switching to trekking, cycling, rock climbing and Swedish walking. In the extreme park Rahinge, throughout the summer you can snowboard on a specially equipped slope, landing in the warm waters of a dammed lake, and on the neighboring slope there is the only wakeboard track in the country.
In Kiviõli, starting in April, the wheeled extreme season starts. The ski slopes are transformed into downhill and off-road tracks, and on the back side of the mountain there is a motorcycle center with a professional motocross park with a height difference of 26 meters. In the summer, a motorcycle festival and the first round of the World Championship are held here. The sports show must go on!
Otepää is a resort for winter active recreation.
I vacationed with my wife and daughter from December 30 to January 6. I made the decision to travel to Estonia after reading Anna Tsaplina’s story “The whole family for the winter holidays” on the website ayda.ru.
I really liked the Pyhajarve Hotel (www.pyhajarve.com). A room with breakfast costs 70 euros. Hotel with aquatic center and bowling alley. The aquatic center includes a swimming pool, sauna, hammam, jacuzzi, 2 children's puddles, and hydromassage jets. Until 10 am it’s free, and after that it’s 120 rubles. Bowling 240-360 rubles.
On December 30, we walked 1.5 km to Otepää along a bicycle path. We visited the information center, shops, and a bank. A small, cozy town with one- and two-story houses. Illumination sparkles in the evening. Children's skiing competitions were held at the Tehvandi stadium. We got back by taxi for 70 rubles.
On December 31st we went skiing in Kutsemäi (12 km). I put on skis for the second time in my life, my first experience was at Volen, about 5 years ago. My daughter tried the mountain slope for the first time, but my wife still didn’t dare. We rented a carving Rossinjol, the skis handled well. 3 out of 5 slopes were working (they said there was little snow). Slopes for beginners: length 240-500 meters, drop 50 meters, slope 6-11 degrees, anchor lifts. Prices: rental 170 rub./hour, 480/day, ski pass 210-320 rub./3 hours. We rode for 3 hours, my daughter never learned to edge, she just skated straight.
I didn’t like New Year’s Eve at the hotel, the primitive concert program and table. I only remember fireworks and red fish. The people began to disperse half an hour after the chimes struck.
On January 1, we went cross-country skiing to the Tehvandi stadium. Well-worn trails are 1-3 km long, there are few gentle sections, either an ascent or a long descent; in the evening the ski track is illuminated. Rental 240 RUR/3 hours.
On January 2, I went skiing alone; there is a 12 km path around Lake Puhajärve. (in summer for cyclists and rollerbladers). I saw running deer and a large bird in a tree, it was a natural park after all. I got to the Valke Munamägi ski center, where snowboarding competitions were held. My wife and daughter arrived by taxi. We watched ski jumping.
On January 3, we moved from the hotel to a guest house next door, as skiers began to come to the hotel for the World Cup on January 8-9. Room with breakfast 40 euros.
On January 4 we went snow tubing, these are inflatable rings (240 rubles/hour). Then I skied to Munamägi. I took alpine skis, skied for an hour, didn’t like it. 1st descent, first you roll for a long time along a small slope, and then sharply down. Moreover, the skis were straight, they didn’t handle well, and the ski pass only lasted three hours. I didn't get any pleasure.
On January 5 the weather was windy, +2 degrees. I went skiing along the snowmobile trail to Mount Kutsemäe, but, having lost my way, I went onto the Tartu Marathon track, near Käriku, and returned along it.
On January 6, I went early to Kutsemäe, already by taxi. At 11 o'clock the lift was just launched. In the morning there were already a lot of children on snowboards. Queues lined up near the ski lifts, bypassing each other, stepping on skis and boards, but everything was polite, without swearing. After driving for 2 hours, I left.
After lunch we took a taxi to the border. We decided that it was too early to return to Moscow to watch Christmas in the ancient town of Pechory. On TV it looked very touching: a small church on the outskirts of a snowy town, few parishioners, an old sexton. And now reality. Darkness, slush, dirty puddles. The hotel turned out to be completely occupied, the room was 900 rubles, and the woman complained to the reception about unsanitary conditions. They didn’t open the door at the monastery hotel, maybe they were preparing for the holiday. Let's go to Izborsk. We stayed in a private house for 300 rubles, next to the museum hotel (everything was also occupied). They lit the stove, but at night, although we slept in our clothes, under two blankets, I caught a cold in my lower back. By midnight we went to worship. It was dark, not a single lantern, we made our way into the fortress. We walked and walked and found a closed church. There were local people and tourists also searching. We set off a couple of firecrackers and returned to the house.
In the morning we had breakfast at the pancake shop. Many buses with tourists from Moscow and St. Petersburg arrived. The Izborsk fortress is small, just one church, in short there is nothing to see. We walked along the path of the reserve and took a photo in the knight's armor in the museum house.
Conclusion.
I was very pleased with the trip, I recommend it for a family vacation. Financial costs for 9 days per family amounted to 900 euros. A similar vacation in the Moscow region would cost more. There is no language barrier, those over 30 speak Russian, young people speak English. The service is good. There is a lot of entertainment in both winter and summer. I'm planning to go for the May holidays.
Estonians, as a rule, do everything thoroughly and thoroughly: they bake bread, build houses, work, and, of course, relax. Winter sports and ski resorts are among the favorite pastimes of residents of the Baltic country. All this is becoming increasingly popular in Estonia not only among residents, but also among foreign tourists.
The main ski resort in Estonia is located near the town of Otepää. It is located in the south of the country, and its name translated from Estonian means “bear’s head.” Fourteen kilometers from the city there are trails belonging to the Kuutsemäe resort. This resort is loved by Estonians themselves, as well as by our compatriots, who, with the beginning of the winter season, flock to these regions for simple joys and European flavor. This is the oldest winter resort in Estonia; it recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary. Residents of Estonia have considered their own ski resort the best for two decades, and therefore there are quite a lot of vacationers in this area on weekends or during school holidays. The slopes of the Kuutsemäe resort cannot yet boast of particular complexity or length, but it’s quite possible to fly down the slope with pleasure with some wind. As a rule, the season here starts in December, there are only seven tracks, and as I mentioned, they vary in difficulty, four of them are green, three are blue and one is red. The longest tracks of them are five hundred meters, and the shortest are two hundred meters. The local slopes are marked as required, in accordance with all the rules of ski equipment. The slopes of the resort are served by four rope tows. For beginners, as well as intermediate skiers, the green slope is perfect. In the Estonian ski resort there is a slope for more prepared athletes and tourists, namely the Porikraavi slope, and it is indeed not an easy task to go down it. They didn’t forget about snowboarders at this resort. Mount Kuutse has become a wonderful place to build a fan park, in which tricks and somersaults are practiced with an A plus. The ski resort also offers equipment rentals, and there are also lessons at the school for beginners, taught by experienced instructors, including Russian speakers. Even very young students can take their first steps on the children's slope; for them, a vacation at this Kuutsemäe resort will be a truly exciting and unforgettable adventure. Those who go to the Kuutsemäe ski resort currently settle mainly in Otepe, since there is no extensive base at the resort itself. There is only one hotel, as well as several guest houses, a couple of restaurants and a pub. Therefore, the main après-ski fun is easily transferred to Hautepu. One of the most popular hotels is Karupesa. In addition to hearty cuisine, there are also cozy rooms and several types of entertainment, including even ATV riding.
Kaariku is considered another active recreation center; it is also located in the vicinity of Otepi. The base was founded back in 1947, at the moment it is popular with everyone, with beginners and already confident athletes. Kaariku is just a ski resort, not a ski resort. Here in winter there is a picturesque cross-country ski track. Since 1993, competitions have been held in Kaariku in honor of the memory of the legendary Estonian athletics coach Frede Kudu.
The Kutirog resort is a small winter recreation center located in the south of the country, on the outskirts of the Haanja National Nature Park, near the border with Russia. Kutiorg is a real complex for tourists, where in addition to the ski slopes, and there are only two here, visitors can also be offered to visit the ruins of an ancient castle, and also visit the site of an ancient temple. There is an opportunity to stay in houses on the territory of the complex. Rentals are also offered. Two lifts serve the slopes: rope tow and chairlift.