When spring finally banishes the last of the winter blues and reawakens nature from the dead, there's a yearning to escape the city in search of a more idyllic setting - or at least one less surrounded by cement. The town of Paide, 93km southeast of the capital, offers a good glimpse of small-town Estonia. For the 11,000 residents, life is centered around the town square; a town hall stands on one side, and a steepled church on the other. Just as important to the town's identity is their 13th-century castle tower, a reminder of the area's complex and often violent history. Paide happens to be roughly in the geographic middle of the nation, so it's not surprising that locals have dubbed it 'The Heart of Estonia.' The heart shape is now the symbol of the town and, officials hope, a promising marketing logo for its fledgling tourism industry.



Arriving

There are 14 buses to Paide daily. Tickets cost 50 - 60kr, and the ride takes 1.5 - 2 hours. Phone Tallinn's bus station, 601 03 86 for exact times.

Paide's own bus station, Vaksali 5, tel. (+372) 50 597, is open from 07:30 - 18:30. Tickets can also be bought directly from the driver. Those hitchhiking should join the queue in front of the Tallinn airport and keep in mind that the road to Tartu doesn't pass directly through Paide.



Webcam

To see what the weather is like in downtown Paide, log into the website www.paide.ee/paidepilt. The picture is updated every 60 seconds.



Critical Numbers

Tel. Code 038 Taxi 50 316 Fire 112 Police 110 Ambulance 112



Tourist Information Bureau

Pärnu 6, tel./fax (+372) 50 400, info@paide.tourism.ee, www.paide.ee.
Open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.