unesco tour

AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES OF LIVING CULTURE AT UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

The tour presents UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latvia and Estonia. Experience the famous traditions of song, national crafts, architecture and food of the unique Suiti and Seto ethnic groups.

Duration 5 nights/6 days
Route Riga – Alsunga – Riga – Tartu – Haanja – Obinitsa
– Tartu – Pärnu – Kihnu – Pärnu – Tallinn
View on Map map-marker-2-xxl

Riga – Alsunga

DRIVING DISTANCE: 180km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 10 h

Depart Riga.

Visit the centre of Suiti arts and crafts in Alsunga town – exhibition and shop.

Alsunga Medieval Castle Museum

The Dižgabalkalns hillfort – a place for traditional festivities and beautiful landscapes .

The Alsunga Catholic Church .

Suiti traditional textiles – a weaving craft shop and demonstration .

Alsunga Museum of Regional Studies.

Overnight in a hotel in Riga.

Riga – Tartu

DRIVING DISTANCE: 250km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 9 h

Visit Tartu Old Town and the medieval St John’s Church with its almost 1,000 terracotta sculptures. Tartu University is an outstanding example of Classicist architecture in Estonia, and a European Heritage site. Estonian National Museum – see examples of Estonian national dress and food, and experience the Song and Dance Festival that is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Tartu University Observatory (the Struve meridian arch – UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Overnight in a hotel in Tartu.

Tartu – Haanja

DRIVING DISTANCE: 90km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 10h

Visit to Mooska Farm – to experience the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of the traditions of the smoke sauna – located in Haanja Nature Park. Sauna session with the hosts. More information in the ‘Rural Programmes’ section.

www.mooska.eu/index.php/in-english

Overnight in a hotel in Tartu.

Haanja/Rõuge – Obinitsa – Tartu

DRIVING DISTANCE: 100km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 10h

Optional: Vastseliina Episcopal Castle and Pilgrim House – dating back to the 14th century . Serga tsässon Orthodox village and chapel . Obinitsa Museum of Seto culture; dress up in Seto costume . Taarka tarõ (Seto Community Centre) – authentic Seto cuisine and Seto leelo singing (UNESCO Intangible Cultual Heritage) .

Saatse Museum – Seto history.

Overnight in a hotel in Tartu.

Tartu – Pärnu – Kihnu – Pärnu

DRIVING DISTANCE: 200km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 12h

Pärnu is a popular summer resort town. From Pärnu ferries take visitors to Kihnu Island. The Kihnu Cultural space is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. See details in the ‘Rural Programmes’ section and more information at www.kihnumare.ee.

Overnight in a hotel in Pärnu.

Pärnu – Tallinn

DRIVING DISTANCE: 135km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 6 h

A day in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. Highlights: the Old Town of Tallinn – an excellent medieval (14th- 15th century) city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overnight in a hotel in Tallinn.