Tartu is the 2nd largest city in Estonia after Tallinn (capital of the country), with about 100,000 people. If you are thinking about traveling to Tartu for work or education or any reasons, I will clarify all the details. For all cases, to plan your trip, first of all, you need to know where is Tartu? The city is located in Estonia, about 200 kilometers southeast of Tallinn. When people visit the capital of the country, they want to know how to travel from Tallinn to Tartu because the city does not lag behind the capital. Do we know that there are too many questions in your mind about the city, such as What to see in Tartu? What to do in Tartu? How is the Tartu weather in different periods? How to spend time in Tartu more enjoyable? Which are the best places to go in Tartu? How much is the cost of Tartu hotels? How can you make a Tartu travel guide? And so on. Then let's list 15 reasons why you should travel to Tartu and answer all of these questions without making you wait long.
1. Timeless culture
If I had to choose only a reason for traveling to Tartu, it would be its timeless culture. The European Culture Capital for 2024 is Tartu. The city fascinates visitors with its unique national heritage. So, we can answer the question "Where is Tartu?" that the city is located in a place where the culture exposes itself. Tartu is also close to Russia to see the cultural traces of the country in Tartu. For example, Estonian National Museum is truly a unique one built on a former Soviet military arm field. Besides that, there are many other important cultural institutions here, such as the National Archives and the Ministry of Education and Research. To get more information about the city's cultural timeline, you need to visit this organization too.
2. Diverse Discoveries
Let's assume that you are already in a city, so what to do in Tartu? What to see in Tartu? Here is the good news: Tartu is such a city that everyone can list activities to do and places to go to suit their tastes. For example, if you are a science-curious person, AHHAA Science Center is a perfect choice for you. It is the biggest scientific center not only in Estonia but also in the Baltic States. On the other hand, if you are more curious about the city's historical side, the best places to go in Tartu are the University of Tartu, Tartu Old City, and Tartu Town Hall Square.
3. Vibrant vibes for the whole family
As your Tartu travel guide, I can say that family members of different ages can find activities for themselves; for example, adults can go to museums with interactive exhibitions, churches, places with traces of history, etc. On the other hand, children can have much more fun in playgrounds, parks, fun water attractions, etc. So Tartu will help you live the vibrant vibes with its safe and fun-filled places, and you will spend your time in Tartu more memorable with your family.
4. Nurturing Nature
The city has always attracted the attention of tourists with its breathtaking nature. The best example of this is the Botanical Garden in the University of Tartu, making the city the most species-rich region in Estonia and the Baltic States. Also, I want to list a few places for nature lovers that should be visited in Tartu: Toome Hill, Maksa Manor Park, and Tohthere Leisure Park. Advice: If you want to feel the city's nature, try to travel from Tallinn to Tartu via bus, car, or train.
5. Sporty Spirit
If we talked about nature, I need to emphasize the sports branches that develop thanks to mother nature: skiing, hiking, and biking. Since the cityscape and Tartu weather are very suitable for these sports activities, people hit two birds with one stone, get acquainted with nature, and not lag in their sports. You can even travel from Tallinn to Tartu by biking. There are places in the city created just for this purpose, such as Emajoe-Suursoo Hiking Track, Selgise Biking Trail, and Laaniste Hiking Track. So, when you wonder what to do in Tartu, rent a bike and feel the sporty spirit of the city.
6. Inspirational Innovations
Tartu proved itself to us with several inventions and innovations, such as discovering the mammalian ovum, which helped scientists find the human ovum; Struve's Geodetic Arc, an instrument used to measure the size of the earth. Even today, Tartu continues to come with different innovation projects, such as finding an effective way to destroy harmful bacteria. So, if you want to be motivated about your innovative projects, do not stop. You can find your inspiration in Tartu.
7. University of Tartu
Below we talked about some innovations that "The City of Good Thoughts" brought to us. Interestingly, most of the professors at the University of Tartu are the inventor of such kinds of innovations. From here, we witness the successful results of the university. With its almost 19.000 students, the university is a member of the European Union Erasmus Project. So, if you want to get high-quality education abroad, I advise you to research education at this university.
8. Magnificent Masterpieces
What to see in Tartu? If you ask my answer, I would like to say all the magnificent masterpieces for feeling the city's soul. There are plenty of them in museums, parks and even in the streets of the city. As an example: Ice Age Center, A Le Coq Beer Museum, Sculpture Bronze Pig, Estonian Aviation Museum, Father and Sons' sculpture, and of course the University of Tartu Museums.
9. Interesting Traditions
This part will make happy history keen persons because Estonia is full of interesting traditions. I will list to you the name of traditional festivals which take place, especially in Tartu: Tartu Ski Marathon, Water jousting and student carnival, Marathon Running Race, Medieval Hence Festival, Freedom Parade. It looks like we will find one more answer to the "Where is Tartu?" question: the place where the numerous traditional festivals are celebrated.
10. Music Festivals
Music is an important factor in shaping the country's culture, and I wanted to write about music festivals separately because it all started with Tartu. One of the events that had a significant impact on Estonian cultural terms' development was the Estonian National Song Festival held in Tartu in 1969. And there is one more interesting traditional festival – "Singing Revolution." In this festival, people gather at Place du Chant to sing in their traditional clothes. The lyrics of these songs are all gathering people's political aspirations. If you are a music lover and plan to go to Tartu, get your ticket for this time. The good news is that most of them are in the summer season, which means that Tartu weather is on your side to enjoy.
11. Museums
In the different parts of this blog, you read lots of Museum names, which can be the best places to go in Tartu. It shows that the city is full of different museums that can make your travel more memorable. I will list the most popular museums that I did not mention yet: KGB Cells Museum, Estonian Sports and Olympic Museum, 19th-century Citizen's Museum, University of Tartu Art Museum, and so on. Additionally, I will tell one more museum name if your children think that, what to see in Tartu? Tartu Toy Museum.
12. Cuisine
Seat close to the screen, because now I will talk about delicious meals from the city that you can try. The Estonian kitchen's advantage is that they took many tastes from their neighbors, such as Russia, Germany, and Finland. But Tartu itself is popular with its delicious soups, marinades, and fish. Advice: do not forget to taste "Lieb" bread.
13. Drinks
Yes, finally, we came to this part. I know that you are curious about it; let's not make you wait long. The tax on alcohol is extremely low in this city. According to tourists, if you are going to Tartu, you should try their drink called "Vana Tallinn."
14. Hotels
When you go to a new city, the first thing that you think about is the place to stay. Tartu hotels offer a wide range of costs for you. The prices per night start from 14$, which is cheap compared to other countries. So, if you wonder about your finances, rest easy about Tartu hotels.
15. Art in Streets
Imagine a day that you spend your whole time in Tartu looking at the art on walls. Now, think about an international festival where many specialists get together and exhibit their works to you. Yes, you can go to Tartu and be a witness to such an amazing festival - Sensibility. Even if you cannot go there, particularly at that time, you can use "the street art map" and find the streets full of graffiti. So, make sure that the "see the graffiti in the streets" section is in your Tartu travel guide.
