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Haapsalu

Haapsalu

If you’re looking for perfect day trip or weekend getaway, you’ll find it in Haapsalu. A mere 99km from Tallinn, this quiet seaside town of just under 12,000 is steeped in history, filled with quaint, wooden houses, and it even has its own beach. It’s no wonder that visitors of one sort or another have been coming here since the 13th Century, when the Episcopal Castle (now one of the town’s main attractions) was built. Most of the castle was pulled down by Peter the Great in 1715, but that certainly wasn’t the end of Haapsalu’s story. In the early 1800’s, Dr. Carl Abraham Hunnius discovered the curative properties of the local sea mud, and the town’s new role as a resort destination was sealed. In 1825 the first spa opened in Haapsalu, and pretty soon everyone from Tsaikovsky to the Tsar and his family were coming here to take the cures.

This year Haapsalu celebrates its 183rd anniversary as a resort town – an industry that’s still going strong. After doing your sightseeing you can contact the spa resorts listed here and make an appointment to get slathered in mud, or simply go for an aromatic massage.

Haapsalu is 99km south-west of the capital. Buses from Tallinn leave roughly every hour, and the trip takes one hour and 40 minutes. Tickets cost 75-105kr. The bus station in Haapsalu is in the old train terminal, but tickets can also be bought on board. Sadly, train service to the town stopped in 1995.

If youv'e got more than a couple of days to spend in Haapsalu, we suggest you take the ferry trip to the Island of Hiiumaa, it's Estonia's second biggest island and ferries leave frequently.

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OUR Haapsalu HIGHLIGHTS

  • Laine

    Laine
    Haapsalu - Hotels - Spa hotels
    This large, seaside establishment offers everything from a 2690kr short relaxation package to a 4900kr complete health and beauty package. While the outside may look blocky and Soviet, the
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  • Pizza Grande

    Pizza Grande
    Haapsalu - Food & Drink - Restaurants
    Friendly and central, Grande serves a dozen kinds of pan pizza that cost a mere 39 - 69kr each. Go for the courtyard seating if the weather allows. If you're too lazy to make it here, t
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  • Thalasso Spa Fra Mare

    Thalasso Spa Fra Mare
    Haapsalu - Hotels - Spa hotels
    Tucked away a quiet, forest area near the town's swimming beach, Haapsalu's newest health spa feels like an isolated world unto itself - it as its own restaurant, fitness centre and a li
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  • Kongo

    Kongo
    Haapsalu - Hotels - Hotels
    Jokingly named for the beer stand that was here in Soviet times, the Kongo is a modern, bright, comfy place to stay. Guests are treated to breakfast in the cosy, brick-lined resta
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  • Baltic Hotel Promenaadi

    Baltic Hotel Promenaadi
    Haapsalu - Hotels - Hotels
    Located right on the water next to the town's famous Promenade (hence the name), this hotel can make an important claim that others can't - all its rooms have balconies an
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  • Central

    Central
    Haapsalu - Food & Drink - Restaurants
    Set in a large wooden building in the middle of town, the Central mainly caters to tourist groups, but anyone is welcome to stop in for a grilled fillet of pork or oven-baked trout in wine sauce
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