Angla windmills on Saaremaa island in Estonia
Alex.travel

I design journeys to places of power for those who want to travel deeper

The islands week

5–8 days Estonia journey

A 5–8-day journey through Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, with Kuressaare Castle, Kaali crater and Kõpu lighthouse between long Baltic coast roads. Ferries set an easy rhythm while island hosts bring you into kitchens, studios and maritime stories.

Designer's note

The island journey I would choose

I pair Saaremaa with Hiiumaa because their characters complete each other. Saaremaa carries the castle, crater and village traditions; the ferry to Hiiumaa opens a quieter island of lighthouse roads, forests and long Baltic evenings.

Explore the islands week
Portrait of Alex

Alex

Journey designer

Estonian islands itinerary

  1. Days 1–3

    Saaremaa

    On Saaremaa, Estonia's largest island, you enter Kuressaare's intact medieval castle, stand inside the Kaali meteorite crater and follow juniper roads to the limestone coast.

    Key experiences in Saaremaa

  2. Days 4–5

    Hiiumaa

    On Hiiumaa, you climb sixteenth-century Kõpu lighthouse and follow pine roads to Tahkuna, Ristna and beaches open to the Baltic.

    Key experiences in Hiiumaa

  3. Day 6

    Return to Tallinn

    You cross from Hiiumaa to the mainland and return to Tallinn, with time for the medieval old town before the island journey closes.

    Key experiences in Tallinn

Best time

Best time for the islands week

Pärnu beach and shallow summer coast in Estonia
July to mid-August

Coast, ferries, open kitchens

Island ferries

The easiest first trip: ferries to the islands, swimming at Pärnu's shallow beach, and dinners that move outdoors.

Temp
+14 to +23 °C
Crowds
High season
Good places
Pärnu · Saaremaa · Hiiumaa · Tallinn
Angla windmills on Saaremaa island in Estonia
Late June

Jaanipäev and white nights

Jaanipäev, June 23-24

Bonfires on the 23rd, light that never quite leaves the sky, and a country that belongs outside.

Temp
+11 to +21 °C
Crowds
Holiday peak
Good places
Saaremaa · Hiiumaa · Pärnu · Tallinn
Kõpu lighthouse on Hiiumaa island in Estonia
Late August to September

Late summer, less rush

Harvest mood

Onion harvest along Lake Peipsi, light still long enough for big drives, and crowds thinning after mid-August.

Temp
+8 to +18 °C
Crowds
Medium to low
Good places
Lake Peipsi · Tartu · Saaremaa · Setomaa
Soomaa bog boardwalk crossing low wetland in Estonia
May to early June

Green starts, roads stay quiet

Spring forests

First green on the bog boardwalks, evenings that stretch late, and national-park roads still empty before the season arrives.

Temp
+7 to +18 °C
Crowds
Quiet to medium
Good places
Lahemaa · Soomaa · Lake Peipsi

Route FAQ

Islands week FAQ

Q01When do the islands work best?

May through September is the honest window — that is when the kitchens are open, the sea is warm-lit, and the inter-island ferry runs comfortably. I check the crossings against your dates before anything is fixed.

Q02How much driving is it?

Gentle. The longest drive is the first morning to the ferry; on the islands themselves the loops are short and the roads nearly empty. The ferries do the resting for you.

Q03Can this join a longer trip?

Naturally — it is the western arc of my 18–24-day full circle. Many travelers pair it with the mainland arc for the complete loop, or add Pärnu and Soomaa on the way back.

Journey designer

Plan it with Alex

Tell me what draws you — floodwater, islands, winter darkness, food — and when you can travel. I will shape the route around it.

Design your journey