Guided tour in Tartu Old Town and Toomemägi Hill

The patron saint of the Värska Orthodox Church is St. George. The most important church holiday is St. George's Day, which is celebrated in Setomaa on May 6 and culminates with the afternoon kirmaski, or village party. The church was built with money from the community, and the original iconostasis from the beginning of the 20th century has been preserved, part of which is an icon of St. George painted on a tree in the 17th century. The church also has several handmade holy shawls. Värska cemetery is next to the church, and several important Seto cultural figures are buried there.

The KGB Cells Museum, known as the "Grey House", is a historical museum in Tartu, where the NKVD/KGB was located in the 1940s and 1950s. The basement of the building, where the cells were located, is open to visitors. Several cells, the punishment cells, and the basement corridor have been restored to their historical form. The prison cells are filled with an exhibition that provides an overview of Estonia's post-war struggle for freedom and the crimes of the communist regime. Here you can see photographs and objects from Siberian prison camps, as well as materials on the history of the Forest Brotherhood and secret resistance organizations. Step into history and experience the meaning of freedom!

Linocut — where the printing form is cut out of linoleum by hand — is one of the simplest graphic arts techniques. In the workshop, each participant will make a linocut printing plate (10x15 cm) according to their own design, with which they will first print a clean, blind-embossed image and then color images. Prepare for the workshop by thinking of a design in advance or searching the Internet for an image to inspire you. Tip: The image should have strong contrasts and clear lines, like a black and white image, because smooth color transitions cannot be printed with linocut.

The legend speaks about the owner of Roosa manor, who had promised to build a church if he is saved from a shipwreck. When he had happily escaped the sea, he fulfilled his promise and the first church was built in Roosa in 1735.The current church is the third one in Roosa, built in 1893.The massive quarrystone walls have round-headed windows and brick ornaments, the tower has four sides and triangular gables. The altar-piece is a copy of the ″Christ on the Cross” from the St. Mary's Church in Rõuge and the organ is the first church organ the Kriisa brothers built in 1900.

Would you like to learn more about the past and present of Estonia's national defense force or see the places where battles took place in Valga County? When visiting the War Museum, you can get acquainted with military and armored vehicles, tanks, a Forest Brothers bunker, see the largest weapon collection in Estonia, and more. You can test your shooting skills on a shooting simulator. For groups, we offer guided tours, fun rides in various military vehicles, role-playing games with laser weapons, or flight simulations in an MI-8 helicopter, upon reservation. Our seminar hall can host various events, and we offer various military-themed packages.

Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Torma is a late baroque trapezoidal aisleless church. The completed church was blessed in 1767 and in 1868, it was made more pseudogothic.There is a cup-shaped pulpit and people compare it to Noah’s ship. Services are held at the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Torma every Sunday at 11 a.m.

Tartu Toy Museum, situated in the Old Town of Tartu, takes adults back to the brighter days of their childhood and offers children plenty of interesting things to see and do.The permanent exhibition displays toys that Estonian children have played with throughout the years. Artist-made dolls, souvenir dolls of different nations, and Finno-Ugric traditional toys are also exhibited. Playrooms and workshops are also open. You can see puppets from Estonian puppet films and temporary exhibitions in the outbuilding. The museum also has a theatre building named ’Teatri kodu’ (The Home of Theatre) with a theatre hall, a museum of puppets, and a children’s studio.

The Pallas Gallery is a contemporary, ever-evolving art space where you can experience fresh Estonian art and ideas from young creators. Exhibitions change approximately every five weeks, offering new experiences each time. The exhibitions feature works by students, lecturers, and alumni of the Pallas University of Applied Sciences, providing a good overview of contemporary Estonian art. The gallery's aim is to introduce and popularize contemporary art in Tartu, bringing the creations of both young authors and collaborative partners to visitors. The spacious main hall is located in the center of Tartu, offering an inspiring setting for enjoying art. In addition, various cultural and educational events are held in the gallery, making the visit more diverse. The gallery is free for everyone to visit, making it an especially good opportunity to get acquainted with contemporary art in Tartu. Come and be inspired at the Pallas Gallery!