Estonia isn’t so popular travel destination, compare to its neighbors like Sweden and Finland, but this small Baltic country has plenty to offer. This Northern Europe country borders the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. The more than 1,500 islands, lakes, old forests, and rocky beaches offer to its visitors a unique chance to experience a dynamic little country. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, it’s dotted with castles, churches and hilltop fortresses. Estonia has been rated by Lonely Planet as The best value destination in the world in 2016.
What Not to Do in Estonia
If you are planning to travel to this Baltic country, the following guide will help you to have a more pleasant experience. Here I’ll share a few things you need to know not to do if you travel to Estonia.
1. Avoid Speaking About USSR
It’s preferred not to speak about their history with the Soviet Union or USSR because of their bad memories about the time being part of it. Estonians are not very comfortable with being referred to as Eastern-Europeans.
2. Keep Your Voice Down
Do not raise your voice in a conversation. It is not nice.
3. You Can Get Harassed
Don’t be surprised if you get harassed. People traveling to Estonia have been warning that they may be a target of harassment. People who look or appear to be from a foreign country have been known to be targeted to be harassed for racial reasons.
4. Don’t Keep Your Shoes On
When you are entering a home in Estonian, don’t forget to take off your shoes when you step inside.
5. Don’t Expect a Salesman to Approach You in The Stores
One of the major social rights in Estonia is your freedom to choose and decide on your own. And because of that when you go in the stores, most of the time you have to ask what you are looking for and not to expect that the salesman will start a conversation with you or try to sell you something as in some other countries.
6. Don’t Ask Them if They Speak Russian
The absolutely worst thing is to ask Estonians that is Russian your language or speak Russian to them. Estonians are proud of their own language – Estonian.
However, most Estonians prefer to speak English.
7. Bicycling Is Not so Popular
Bicycles are not so used in Tallinn. There aren’t many roads for bicycles except in Pirita, you have to be careful if you are biking!
8. Don’t Forget to Wear Reflectors
If you decide to rent a bike and go for a ride after dark, don’t forget to wear small reflectors, especially during winter. The fine can range from $50 to $500 USD.
9. Don’t Drink Alcohol Outside
It is not allowed to drink alcohol outside, only at the bar area or at home. The age limit for alcohol and smoking is 18 years old. Usually, the rule, when shops can sell alcohol is from 9.00 to 22.00.
10. Don’t Expect Help When Traveling With Kids
If you are traveling on the streets and in public transport with children in pushchairs. The streets of old cities are cobbled making it difficult to push strollers or the public transportation stroller, buses have high stairs and this may make it difficult for you and don’t expect that people will help you.
The Azores are islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – 800 miles west of Portugal, and about 2000 miles east coast of North America. The Azores are lush, green are volcanic islands situated in an isolated spot of the Atlantic Ocean, where temperatures are mild and change little from season to season. The Azores are known for its excellent tourism quality, especially sustainable tourism.
The archipelago of the Azores is located in the middle of the northern hemisphere of the Atlantic Ocean at the same latitude as the Mediterranean Sea. It is composed of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean about 1,360 km (850 mi) west of continental Portugal.
Is the Azores a Portuguese territory?
The Azores or the Autonomous Region of the Azores is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal along with Madeira. In 1976, the Azores became the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The Portuguese discovered the nine islands of the Azores archipelago in the fifteenth century and because of their strategic location, the islands became a stopping point between Europe, America.
The Azores has a mild, temperate, humid, maritime climate with a rainy season from November to March. Temperatures range from 14-25° C (55-76° F). The climate of the Azores Islands is subtropical oceanic, pleasantly warm in summer. The water temperature is around 22 °C (72 °F) from July to September.
Best time to visit the Azores
The best time to visit the Azores is summer, from July to August, since it is the warmest and sunniest time of the year. Because of their oceanic climate, the Azores experience a delay in the sea getting warm, which affects the air temperature as well.
September is slightly warmer than June, but the rains become a bit more frequent.
How to get to the Azores?
The best way to reach the Azores is by plane. SATA airlines serve the nine Azores Islands. International flights arrive at the major settlement of Ponta Delgada on the Azores’ largest island, São Miguel or San Miguel. When it is high season, SATA has many flights to the Azores from Boston, Oakland, Porto, Faro, London, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, and the Canary Islands.
In the last few years the flights from the US to Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel have become more frequent, but it is always good to check SATA’s websites for the latest information, as these departures change frequently.
Renting a car in the Azores is beneficial since there are too many places where you can’t get to with walking or public transport. As an alternative option, you can always join a tour, but that can get often more expensive and it’s more fun to explore on your own.
Unfortunately, renting a car in the Azores isn’t cheap. Booking in advance often can give you a better price. You can book directly to local agency’s websites like Let’s Rent-a-Car, Autatlantis or Ilha, or your other option which gives you a wider view of all the prices offering from big and small agencies is by using websites such as Holidaycars, Rentalcars or Sunnycars. This way you can find the cheapest options for your holiday to the Azores.
Local rental companies offer airport pickup, they have multiple ways of payment, and if you’re traveling to more than one island you can have a car waiting for you at every step of the way.
There is a USA airbase on Terceira
In 1953, the U.S. Forces Azores Command was organized as subordinate Unified Command under the Command-in-Chief Atlantic. In peacetime, the U.S. Forces Commander is assisted by a small joint staff responsible for contingency planning. The command mission would be to support NATO forces in the area, to assist in the local defense.
Is there good wifi in the Azores?
Huawei Marine Networks, a submarine cable network provider, has partnered with Viatel, a Portuguese telecommunications engineering network supplier to enable all nine islands of the archipelago of the Azores to be interconnected, with backbone connectivity to European, African and cross-Atlantic submarine cables.
Most villages have ADSL connections and there are hotspots in Ponta Delgada and at the Airports. GSM internet service is also available or you can use Mobile WiFi router gadgets from websites like My-WebSpot.com, Meo.pt.
The Azores archipelago is famous not only for its natural beauty and landscapes but also for the natural properties and health benefits its thermal waters provide. You’ll find spas with thermal water pools and natural thermal baths located in the Islands. The areas have a highly unusual combination of saltwater and sulfurous spring water which by claims from locals can help with inflammatory concerns like arthritis.
Ferns are everywhere
The Azores were isolated from the other continents Europe and North America for thousands of years and the flora and fauna evolved differently. The landscape is covered with fat aloe and cacti, giant ferns, black sand beaches and mineral baths with their warm water.
Tree ferns are present throughout the archipelago of the Azores but are particularly numerous in São Miguel. Fauna and flora of the Azores. Asplenium azoricum is a fern of the hybrid origin and it lives exclusively in the Azores, and it is a strict endemic Azorean fern.
Bird watching
The Azores are internationally recognized as bird-watching destinations for observing certain groups of bird species. Resident and migratory bird populations of the Azores archipelago are the islands’ most noteworthy fauna. Some 36 bird species are reported to breed in the Azores. Here we can find also the most important nesting populations of Cory’s Shearwaters in the world.
Pyrrhula murina is listed as endangered, with a population estimated at less than 250 birds restricted to islands. Breeding seabirds of the Azores comprise 5 species of Procellariiformes, 4 Charadriiformes, and 1 Pelecaniform, and include Fea’s petrel.
The number of species seen in the islands is close to 400. You can join small groups from the local company Gerbybirding, specialized in birdwatching.
Drinks and food
Food is usually imported from the nearest countries, which causes high prices in restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets, and makes fresh food hard to find. The most famous dish of the Azores that you should definitely try is ‘furnas de caldas’, a stew that’s cooked inside a volcano or a fish baked on hot stones, fresh and unusual salads or fantastic pizza.
Even the most basic supplies are imported and are priced accordingly. But the overall Azores are a great deal. You can try a local brand of ice cream, with unique flavors like coconut and sweet pineapple. To get the best culinary experience, you can book a nine-day food and wine tour across four of Azores’ islands and you’ll have the chance to taste famed Azorean dishes.
Photo Credit: madeinazores.eu
Azores wine is good and cheap
Azorean wines have a great singularity, exclusivity, and History. The vine culture dates back to the 15th century. The vineyards are planted in particular locations called “Currais” where they are surrounded by volcanic rock walls that release heat to the vines overnight and have a quite effective protection effect against bad weather.
The historic vineyards on the island of Pico have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wines are made from Verdelho, Arinto, and Terrantez. Most wines are white, fresh and tangy, but there is some good, light red, including some Merlot.
Where to stay in the Azores
There are nine main islands in the Azores and each one of them offers different experiences and things to do. If you only have limited time to visit one island, São Miguel is the largest and it has the most and cheapest direct flights.
For accommodation, there are many options to choose from for your stay at the Azores. You can rent a Holiday home on the Azores at HomeAway or choose a farmhouse or manor house. You can browse through Booking.com to find the best hotel or check out Airbnb and find what fits your budget and style.
They have more than 100 houses, cottages, and apartments for rental or official camping sites on all islands. Or you can check the best-priced Hotels in the Azores at:
In the Azores you will find the only tea plantations in Europe, which produce excellent teas, processing the leaves on vintage 19th-century English machinery.
The plants have to grow 7 years before you can start harvesting. The tea is harvested every 2 or 3 weeks from April until October.
Ribeira Grande, in São Miguel Island, is home to the two tea factories and a plantation–the only such plantation in Europe, courtesy of the island’s balmy climate.
More Nature, Less Beach
Nature is the biggest attraction to the Azores. The largest island, São Miguel has the most versatile scenery: from mountains, lakes, to sandy beaches and precipitous cliffs.
Each Azorean island has its own identity, its own unique landscape, traditions, cuisine, and architecture. Walking around stunning landscape marked by dense coastal woods, play golf of one of the best courses in the world.
Although is not a beach destination, there are very good beaches in the Azores. You can find some in S.Miguel – Praia Populo, Praia Agua d’Alto, Praia Ribeira Quente and Praia Porto Formoso are the most known, and Santa Maria Island. There are 2 great beaches Praia Formosa and Praia São Lourenço.
Azores is full of hiking trails
There are plenty of things you can see and do when you visit the Azores and without a doubt a great place to hike in beautiful landscapes. There are dozens of trails of different difficulty, length and type so you can choose between. All islands have clearly marked official hiking trails. The official tourism website has a section dedicated to trails. You can use the search option and you’ll have a list of all the hiking trails in the Azores that match your preferences. Why not go on an adventure by hiking and climbing along these scenic trails.
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 180 countries on a national and governmental scale, focusing on environmental public health and ecosystem vitality. By using this system, a comparison is drawn across the 163 countries to identify how they rank against one another in their efforts to go green. Here you’ll find the top 11 greenest countries in the world for 2018, can you guess where your country rates?
The scoring is based on a scale of 0-100; as a side note, there are only a few countries with an 80 or higher.
Switzerland has a long-standing tradition of neutrality which has been honored by other European countries, even though both world wars; impressive considering it borders France and Germany. The climate can vary due to the mountainous region which it is famous for. Switzerland has a prosperous economy with a well-developed service sector led by banking industries. It also specializes in high technology and knowledge-based production. It is obvious that with Switzerland being in the second place it scored high marks in many categories though had a very poor showing in terms of air pollution due to vehicle emissions and open-air burning. It’s forestry and biodiversity stood out with 100% ratings for both categories.
France
The country is one of the greenest countries in the world. They implemented legislation that made it mandatory for all of France to partake in making the country eco-friendly and conserving energy. France has been endowed with very fertile grounds and is one of the top exporters of food and wine.
The country has fewer industries as compared to other countries and this has helped in the reduction of air pollution. Over the years, France has been working on deindustrialization – a move that has seen the environmental state of the country improve as water pollution has been reduced significantly. France has made a change in the way how its resources are used and methods of production to conserve the environment.
Denmark
Due to its strong commitments to reduce emissions through increased efficiency and renewable energy production, Denmark moves up in the world. Danish society is ranked in the top five of the safest countries. Denmark’s main goal is to create an ‘environmentally sustainable community’. So far, a huge 40% of all energy production has been achieved through wind power, with the hope of 50% of by 2020.
Nearly half of the Danish population do not own a car. Due to the use of renewable energy sources, Denmark has achieved a high EPI score and is the world’s leading wind turbine energy producer and it is in the list of the greenest countries in the world.
Malta
Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and since the 1980s has become a transshipment point. It is located in the Mediterranean and has rainy winters and hot dry summers. The country has very limited freshwater resources and has grown increasingly reliant on desalination plants to generate freshwater for consumption. 70% of Maltese energy comes from natural gas and the remaining 30% from renewable sources. Malta was heavily dependent on the oil industry, however, their change to natural gas and work towards the 2030 agenda has placed them in the top 5 most sustainable countries in the world.
The country can only produce about 20% of its food needs and relies heavily on foreign trade to supplement the remaining 80%. Malta scored 100% on its efforts to support clean water availability to the population and another 100% on its efforts to conserve the forests.
Sweden
Sweden is listed among the greenest countries in the world. The country plans on eradicating the use of fossil fuel by the year 2020. They have embraced the use of renewable energy that is eco-friendly to keep the environment natural and safe from pollution.
The use of renewable energy greatly contributes to the reduction of carbon in the air thus a cleaner and safer environment. The most notable action is the partnership between Sweden and its neighboring countries, especially by taking responsibility to protect the Baltic Sea and protect the ecosystem.
United Kingdom
United Kingdom makes its way among the most eco-friendly countries. The UK always remained one of the higher ranking entries in EPI, although 6th is the all-time high. The UK was the 9th friendliest country in 2012 and remained 12th most friendly in 2014 and 2016.
Britain also had its first day without burning any coal. This is to become a trend in the future as the country focuses on product energy with renewable resources. The country looks forward to losing its last coal plant in 2025.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg has made some dramatic changes but had a troubled history maintain its rank in EPI list of greenest countries. An improving labor market, low inflation, and rising house prices are also signals of improvement. Luxembourg has recently used its influence in the financial sector to accelerate global sustainable investment.
As one of the world’s smallest European countries, it comes as no surprise fares relatively well. Luxembourg can improve its ranking for forests, climate and energy, agriculture and air pollution
Austria
Among the major actions taken by Austria is putting environmental protection in its social and economic policy agenda.
Austria has also worked hard in sectors such as waste management and chemical as well as air pollution to prevent such pollutants from destroying the environment. Austria has incorporated ecological knowledge in its agriculture to prevent pollution. Also, put measures into place to protect its forest and reduce deforestation. This has been highlighted by the restriction on the use of pesticides. All these have contributed to making it one of the greenest countries in the world.
Ireland
The Irish government finally did something to improve the living condition by getting rid of rubbish that has festooned rivers, lakes, towns, and the whole country.
Ireland came a long way with making important reforms such as focusing on renewable energy, waste management, and cleaning the air. Ireland produces almost 16% of its energy from renewable sources. It aims to extend this percentage to 40% by 2020.
Moreover, the country has implemented drastic changes to improve the air and water quality. The efforts to preserve biodiversity in the region are also praised worthy, and they show the present power bodies are really concerned about what they are going to leave behind for their children.
Finland
Finland was known for high scores of nitrogen emission and other activities that destroyed the environment. However, over the years, improvements have been noted as the country strives to restore its environment to its original state.
Finland has worked hard to make sure greenhouse gases are not produced and that the citizens in the country use renewable sources of energy for production. Wind power has greatly been made use of. Finland has planned to have more than half of its electricity coming from renewable sources of energy.
Iceland
Iceland was settled by Norwegian and Celtic immigrants in the 9th and 10th centuries. The country has been independent for over 300 years and boasts the world’s oldest functioning legislative assembly which was established in 930. Iceland receives top marks in other rankings as well such as literacy, longevity and social cohesion all first-rate by world standards. Iceland is an island country in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, northwest of England. The name can fool you since the climate consists of mild, windy winters and cool summers. The major environmental concerns are water pollution from fertilizer runoff and inadequate wastewater management.
It has placed focus on the production of electricity and heat by utilizing geothermal landscapes. Iceland has also played a major role in the fight against ocean pollution. It has made sure that the waters are kept clean and fishing is done while prioritizing on protecting the environment.
