We're in Estonia, the Final Country of Our 5-Week Bike Trip

This morning, we took a 7:30-9:30 am ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, capital of Estonia. Upon arriving in Tallinn, we immediately set out on a 66-mile bike ride through the Estonian countryside to our destination town of Haapsalu.

We chose to go to Estonia as part of our Scandinavian bike trip for a number of reasons, not least of which is that we very much enjoyed the country we spent a week cycling through during our 2011 London-to-St. Petersburg bike trip. Estonia has fairly strong cultural and linguistic connections to Finland, and has been under Scandinavian rule for significant parts of its history. While it is considered to be one of the Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – it’s similarity to Scandinavia (especially Finland) is more marked than its similarity to the other two Baltic countries.

Estonia is the birthplace of Skype, which was developed in 2003 in Tallinn by three Estonians, and most of Skype's ongoing development (and its largest office worldwide) is still in Tallinn. Estonia produces more high-tech start-ups per capita than any other European country. In addition to its tech status, Estonia is notable for being a "flat tax" state, having a single tax rate of 21%. Since its economy took off after it was freed from Soviet occupation in 1991, it is often considered by right-wing flat tax advocates to be a "poster child" for flat taxation (though its image tarnished when its economy took a sharp dive during the economic downturn of 2007-2008).

Today's ride took us through very thinly populated Estonian countryside. We were surprised to see the sorry state of many of the buildings on deserted farms and in small towns. We were delighted, however, to arrive in the picturesque town of Haapsalu (population 12,000), which dates back to the 13th century. Our hotel is in the old historic part of town.

Carol cycling onto the ferry from Helsinki to Estonia

Heading out of Tallinn

One of the numerous buildings in ill repair on our route in the Estonian countryside

Ruins of a castle in Haapsalu dating back to the 13th century

Great blend of the old and new: children's playground within the centuries-old castle wall

Our hotel in Haapsalu, with the old castle just behind it

Town square in historic Haapsalu, right outside the front door of our hotel