Ida-Virumaa

Ida-Virumaa, a county full of contrasts

Northeast Estonia is a region full of contrasts where beautiful landscapes sit alongside industrial locations such as the huge ashmounds that are the result of oil shale mining and energy production and the towering chimneys of power plants. It is probably the least discovered area in Estonia but has several great sights and attractions that one can not explore anywhere else in here. A few examples from many tourist attractions of Ida-Virumaa are Kohtla Oil Shale Museum (see more information in the next tour article!), ESKU, the worlds largest excavator. Also with its sea views and Stalinist buildings, Sillamäe town is a unique open air museum of the Soviet industrial heritage in Estonia.

Pleasing to the eye in Ida-Virumaa is the Toila-Oru park, on the plot of the former summer residence of Estonia´s first president Konstantin Päts. Undoubtedly the biggest attraction of this area is the Ontika coastal limestone cliff with the 25 metres high Valaste, the highest waterfall in Estonia. Narva, which was once called the baroque pearl of the Baltic Sea, offers its visitors many varied experiences. The city has been regarded as the border between Eastern and Western civilisations for centuries. The main attraction in Narva is the powerful Hermann Fortress, now a museum, which faces Ivangorod Fortress on the opposite side of the Narva River in Russia.

The best way to discover Ida-Virumaa is to take a two-day trip.

For more information please contact Tallink Travel Club.

Kohtla Mining Park-Museum

Estonian deepest experience

The museum provides a good overview of the mining and use of oil shale,Estonia´s most important mineral resource. The guided tour takes you to mining tunnels located 8 meters below the ground surface. Different mining technologies and equipment will be demonstrated to you underground. You also will be offered a ride on the underground train- the same train that once transported miners to their workplaces.

Also, a possibility to enjoy a miner´s lunch in an underground miner canteen is provided. The clothing should be sporty, warm and hiking shoes due to muddy places underground and rocky terrain are recommended. For safety reasons each visitor is given a miner helmet with a light and due to dirty walls and leaks in the ceilings also a minor jacket is given.

The tour underground lasts about 1-1,5 hours, the total duration of this tour is about 6 hrs. A tour guide can be booked from Tallinn, so during the drive to Kohtla Mining Park-Museum you will have a great chance to see and learn the historical and countryside sights of northern parts of Estonia.

Please contact us to book a trip.