Saaremaa: Estonia's Island Getaway

TALLINN - Just as the widespread and free wireless Internet and the density of computer programmers have led to the name "E-stonia," do not be surprised if you hear, with increasing frequency, the name "Saaremaa." Home to several spa hotels visited by Estonians, Latvians, Finns, Swedes, and Germans, the Estonian island of Saaremaa is a great place to go for a weekend getaway.

Getting there (by bus, car, ferry, or plane) is easy. And though there are several options, choosing where to stay is also easy: Georg Ots Spa Hotel in the capital, Kuressaare.
Georg Ots Spa Hotel is modern, comfortable and located right next to the sea. Another choice: Spa Hotel Ruutli also has a great location, but the dirty walls and uncomfortable beds make it a poor choice. And while the new Grand Rose is undoubtedly lovely, it lacks the sea view.

Rent a car for a day or two 's it is very affordable at 400 - 500 kroon (25.50 - 32 euros) a day 's and schedule your spa treatments for the mornings. My recommendation is to stick close to Kuressaare for the first day: walk along the sea and visit Suur Toll and Piret (Tauno Kangro's statue of Saaremaa's mythic, giant hero and his wife), explore the Kuressaare Castle and take a stroll through the town. An excursion by car to the southernmost part of Saaremaa wouldn't hurt. Along the way you will see the 21-meter-tall Tehumardi memorial (an ominous Soviet monument) and wind up at the Sorve Lighthouse at the bottom tip of the peninsula. Upon your return to Kuressaare, cap off the evening with a meal at La Perla, where you will find good Italian food and great service.

After lunch on the second day, pick up a free map of the island from the hotel's information desk. While exploring with no particular destination can be fun, there are at least a few places around Saaremaa worth seeing. My suggestion is to head north.
First stop: Kaali Lake, the result (along with several nearby, smaller craters) of a meteor shower some 7,500 years ago. Estonia rarely leaves its visitors feeling small, but this crater certainly has that affect. While you are here, the village of Kaali is a good place to pick up a few snacks or drinks, or even souvenirs (though the further north you go, the less expensive they are). Next stop: the five Angla windmills. Saaremaa products feature windmills on their labels for a reason, folks. You will likely see a windmill here or there throughout your visit to Saaremaa (there is even a windmill-cum-restaurant in Kuressaare), but Angla is the place to see five at one go.

Your third stop will be the charming Karja Church, which dates back to the Middle Ages. Leaving without taking a peak inside would be a mistake, since the interior has more interesting touches than the stoic exterior foretells. The ultimate goal of this road trip is Panga Pank, the high cliffs at the north of Saaremaa that overlook the sea. Stories of human and animal sacrifices here may or may not be true, but it is true that lots of good beer was sacrificed in the hopes that it would summon plenty of fish in the coming year.

No matter what route or sights you choose, a weekend on Saaremaa offers a quick but complete break from the travails of mainland living.

For more, see:
http://www.gospa.ee,
http://www.laperla.ee,
http://www.saaremaa.ee.