Much of what gives Narva its unique character is the fact that it sits on the eastern border of Estonia (and indeed of the EU), hardly more than a stone's throw from the Russian Federation. The bridge that spans the Narva River into Russia starts in Peetri plats, right in the centre of town. From the Pax bastion north of the bridge you get an excellent view of the EU and Estonian flags on one end of the bridge and the Russian flag on the other. From the riverbank to the south, you can also see the ancient castles of Narva and Ivangorod staring each other down, giving you a very real sense of a historic frontier.