Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Tartu The City of Good Thoughts - Estonia

Tartu (also known as The City of Good Thoughts) is one of the less known cities around the world when talking about tourism and this is a shame because it does have a lot to offer. It is located 185 km South of Tallinn, Estonia, with a population of just over 100,000 but with a long history. Few people know that this is the second most important city in the country and that tourists have a lot of possible attractions to choose from.

Most tourists said that they enjoyed the Toomemagi (Dome hill) most, a location that is perfect for a relaxing and quiet walk. We are basically talking about a park that is filled with a lot of trails leading to the old Observatory and the Cathedral Ruins. Take a stroll through the Toomemagi and enjoy statues of Estonian figures and several ruins of pagan settlements. Add sites of historical wars that are linked with Estonia and you will understand why tourists are amazed and always remember how beautiful this location is.

Although you might think that the town is small, you can not really visit it entirely in just 1 day. You will need around 2 or 3 nights so that you can experience the number of attractions offered. Take a walk across some of several bridges that go over the river that flows through the town as each is different and is an attraction in itself. Do not miss the botanical garden, one site that was founded in 1803 and enjoy the over 6 thousand plant species here, all covering and area of 3.1 hectares.

Keep in mind that these are just few of the many tourist attractions in Tartu. Take a look at the official Tartu Web site (click Here) and plan your vacation in the area. Make sure that you take a look at the tourist attractions mentioned on the web site and if you want to learn more about the city just visit the Tartu Wikipedia page (click Here).