In winter, you may see eager families speeding out of Tallinn with skis strapped on their car roofs, chances are they're heading to the tiny southern town of Otepää, Estonia's 'Winter Capital.' Nestled in a hilly region an hour's ride south of Tartu, Otepää is ringed by ski resorts that cater to both downhill and cross-country passions. Though the hills here are a far cry from Alpine magnitude, there's still enough snowboarding, ice skating, snowtubing and other winter sports to keep even the most avid snow freaks happy.

Arriving
Though there is one 'direct' bus connection from Tallinn daily, it's often faster to get an express to Tartu that meets an Otepää-bound bus. About 7 buses a day leave Tartu for Otepää, and the trip takes 50 minutes. Check www.tpilet.ee for schedules. However, since most ski resorts are well out of town, we recommend bringing your own car if you have one.

Banks with Cash Machines are on the town square, about 200m from the bus station. Public toilets are located in Otepaa Visitor's Centre.

Tourist Information
Tartu mnt. 1, tel. +372 766 12 00, otepaa@visitestonia.com. www.otepaa.eu