Tips for sustainable travel in Estonia

Spend money locally.

The easiest way to spend local? Look at your dining options.

Many restaurants and cafes specialize in local products, such as Estonian dairy and fish from Lake Peipsi. You can also look for local options at the grocery store or market, such as an Estonian pirukas, a flaky pastry filled with meat, vegetables, cheese, or fruit that makes a delicious handheld snack while on the move.

Local, seasonal ingredients also feature prominently in the Estonian restaurant scene. Check out the MICHELIN Guide's Green Star recommendations for the most sustainable, eco-friendly dining options in the country. There are now three restaurants in Estonia that meet the Guide's demanding criteria. 

Food isn't the only place to spend locally. Seek out Estonian designers and handicrafts for your souvenirs. Estonia has a rich history of fiber arts, woodworking, and pottery. Plus, you can find Estonian-made cosmetics, soaps, and candles. Traditional arts and the natural environment have also inspired fashion designers in recent years. There are even local designers dedicated to sustainable fashion, such as Reet Aus, whose upcycled collections are made from post-production leftovers.

Try your hand at foraging.

Foraging is a national pastime in Estonia, and the forests are full of tasty treasures.

Depending on the season, you can find mushrooms, wild garlic, blueberries, cranberries, and cowberries. If you don't know where to go, go with a guide — their expert knowledge can keep you from picking the wrong thing.

After you fill up a basket in the forest, head to a local market for the rest of your ingredients. Hearty black bread is an Estonian staple; it's the perfect complement to any home-cooked meal. You can also try moose or wild boar sausage, smoked fish and cheese, pickles and pickled pumpkin, and kohuke, a chocolate-covered dessert made from kohupiim.

Travel slow and get off the beaten path.

Estonia's compact cities are best enjoyed on foot. Walking tours can help you get a feel for different neighborhoods. Cities aren't the only places for walking; Estonia is also home to thousands of kilometers of well-marked hiking trails. You can also try out sections of longer trails, such as the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route or the Camino Estonia, a pilgrimage route connecting Estonia to the Camino Santiago in Spain.

High tourist volumes can stress local resources. By staying longer in a place and away from the typical tourist attractions, you'll be practicing more sustainable tourism.

Simply by visiting Estonia, you've already gone off the beaten path.

But once you're here, it's easy to lose track of time and spend days walking deserted beaches, hiking through untouched forests with only the birds for company, or poking around quaint villages without another tourist in sight.