Mõniste Manor Park

The park in Vana-Vastseliina was established in 1830 by the then owner of Vastseliina Manor Guido Reinhold von Liphart, who designed a beautiful species-rich 8-hectare park. The bandstand has been preserved, where folk festivals take place. Bird lovers will be delighted by the rare species nesting in old tree cavities. You can also admire Estonia's fastest-flowing Piusa River.In 2016, 25 new trees were planted in the park, one of them in honour of the Lipharts.The 15 km long hiking trail of Piusa River valley starts from the park.The manor park can be reached from Vastseliina Episcopal Castle by coming down a romantic staircase or from the highway a little further away.

Pühajärv, with its picturesque winding shoreline and four islands, is the largest lake in Otepää Nature Park. At the northern tip of Pühajärv, there is a beach area with a beach house, ball courts, a children's playground, recreation areas, a café, and a boat harbor. At the southern tip is the Kooliranna recreation area, and from there begins the Väike Emajõgi, which meanders through Valgamaa. Pühajärve Park is the starting point for the Murrumetsa hiking trail, and around the lake runs the 12 km long Pühajärve hiking trail, which passes by the lake's most famous spring, the Armuallikas. In winter, when weather conditions are suitable, an ice trail is created on the lake for hiking, and a winter swimming area is open at Pühajärve Beach.Pühajärv has provided plenty of inspiration for writers and artists. For example, Fridebert Tuglas and Eino Leino have vacationed here. Information about Konrad Mägi's Pühajärv paintings can be found on an info board by the lakeshore near the GMP Pühajärve restaurant. In 1991, the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, visited Otepää and blessed the lake, an event commemorated by a wooden sculpture on the shore of Pühajärve Park.

Laidi and Igor Zalekeshin's garden in Mustvee attracts gardening enthusiasts from outside Estonia as well.Visitors are charmed by the quarrystones and conifers, more than a hundred in total in the garden. Most of them, more than 50 varieties, are arborvitae. Both the host and the hostess love quarrystones, so this love has resulted in many exciting garden design elements – stone baskets, pathways, garden posts. Garden patches are mostly covered by stones. Old items are on display in the garden house; a visitor enjoying a walk is enchanted by the small bridges, waterholes, a swing set and a windmill, most of them made by the family. The walls of the house are decorated by paintings of the family's favourites – quarrystones, conifers and cats. There are more than 20 cat statues in the garden.

In the city centre of Tartu, around the new Tartu Environmental Education Centre, there is a large park covering 10,000 m² and containing a large number of species. Old and ancient trees meet newly designed park trails offering learning and recreational possibilities in the hilly park. The park is home to over 80 species of trees and shrubs and over 200 species of herbaceous plants.A visitor can find peat, butterfly, and vegetable beds in the park; there is also a man-made beaver nest, a sun dial, a fountain, an observation tower, and a study trail about rocks. The old orchard has also been preserved. Children can have fun at the otter slide, a three-sand sandbox, and a carousel. Park facilities and plants are introduced by several information boards.

You'll need several people to measure the circumference of the ancient, nearly 400-year-old oak tree towering nearby Lake Pühajärv in Otepää! The trunk of this ancient tree has a circumference of 6.6 meters. It is called the War Oak because it has witnessed many historical events. Apparently, peasants of the Pühajärv Manor refused to work for the manor in autumn 1841 and the rebels were punished near the oak. The Pühajärve War was one of the first peasant uprisings against the landlords in Estonia, and in memory of it, an oak tree was planted nearby, where a memorial stone was erected on the 130th anniversary of the uprising. A beautiful park with walking tracks surrounds the tree today, and although the ancient tree is no longer in its full glory, it stands here to its full dignity, recalling times gone by.

Põltsamaa is known as the city of bridges, parks, roses, and wines. Roosisaar (the Rose Island), which is located in the centre of Põltsamaa, was designed in 2001. There are 2,000 roses, a gazebo, walkways, and lighting. Before the Second World War, the island was the centre of the city: there were a lot of businesses on the island and it was called the Goods Island. The Rose Island offers a magnificent view of the Põltsamaa River and the fish ladder. It is also a great location for photographers.

Toomemäe Park, a natural hill with a rich history, is one of the favorite places for Tartu residents to enjoy greenery without leaving the city. In the cathedral located here, you can visit the University of Tartu Museum, which provides an overview of the university's history and scientific research, and enjoy the views from the towers' observation platforms. While walking in the romantic English-style park, don't miss the beautiful Angel Bridge with its twin Devil's Bridge, statues, outdoor exhibitions, and university buildings, such as the observatory and the old anatomical museum. The park is accessible with a stroller, there is a playground for toddlers and a sports park for more active visitors.

The garden was founded in 2004. The size of the flower garden is 1.5 ha; 0.5 ha of this is for planting. Picturesque views of the forest, hilly landscape and the Võhandu river can be enjoyed from the plot. Special attention has been paid to plant communities that require little care, frost resistant and healthy coniferous tree varieties and deciduous trees and bushes. The garden has been designed in English style, while keeping in mind all four seasons. More than 2000 taxa are represented here.The garden can be visited upon prior agreement. The minimum size of the group is 5 people. It is also possible to order luncheons for groups.