Musical Instruments Museum

The big beautiful prayer house in Varnja Village on the shores of Lake Peipus was funded and built by the congregation itself. Most of the many icons of the prayer house date back to the start of the 20th century.Visitors can only enter the church with a reservation.The cost of a single visit for a group starts from 50 euros. Visitors get an interesting overview of the life and history of the Old Believers from a local guide who is also an Old Believer. The excursion may last for about an hour - the visit and a warm experience are worth it!Reminder: Women are asked to enter the prayer house with a covered head.We ask you not to take photos or videos in the prayer house.

The 19th-century Tartu Citizen's Home Museum is located in one of the most unique areas of Tartu's Old Town, close to St. John's Church. The museum is housed in a wooden building completed in the 1740s, making it one of the oldest surviving residential houses in Tartu. With its historical ambiance and meticulously restored interior, the building takes visitors back to the early 19th century, when Tartu was a vibrant city of wealthy citizens and craftsmen. At the museum, you can learn more about the daily lives of urban citizens in the 1830s. Various rooms, furnished in the German Biedermeier style typical of the era, can be seen. The cozy, authentic atmosphere offers an opportunity to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of everyday life in a 19th-century Tartu home. During the summer season, a small garden is open, where plants and flowers of the period thrive, offering a glimpse of what urban greenery might have looked like almost two centuries ago. It is possible to participate in guided, thematic tours and educational programs.

In the Mesi Tare fish cooking workshop, we prepare local dishes from seasonal Peipsi fish! The fish cooking workshop, held in the courtyard of the Mesi Tare Holiday Home, covers the entire process from start to finish, including cleaning, filleting, preparation, and cooking the fish. Depending on the season and the fish we have, we cook uhhaa, a traditional fish soup, smoke the fish, pan fry fish, etc. And finally, the moment that everyone is especially looking forward to — we serve the food and enjoy an authentic meal in an Old Believers' village on the Onion Route. The winter fish cooking workshop includes an experience on the ice with a karakat ride on frozen Lake Peipsi, ice fishing, and preparing uhhaa. See you at the workshop!

Värska Farm Museum is a unique place in Setomaa, offering comprehensive insight into the life of a wealthy Seto fortified farm in the 1920s. It is a great place to experience Seto culture, architecture, and traditions. The building complex includes a smoke sauna, a residential building, a clothing, dining and granary barn, an animal barn, a hay barn, a men's workshop, a threshing floor, a blacksmith's shop, and a pottery factory — you can get an overview of the entire Seto architecture. The museum also houses genuine Estonian farm animals. Various workshops are offered upon reservation, such as making sõir, bread making, and crocheting Seto lace, among others. The largest handicraft shop in Setomaa is open under the threshing floor! Come visit us!

Join the long-distance sled dog team training in Tartu County and experience something that not everyone can! Your role is simple but important – you sit on a special terrain cart as extra weight and enjoy an adrenaline-filled ride with a professional racing team. Meanwhile, we will unveil the behind-the-scenes of the sled dog world – discussing training methods, competitions, and the unique aspects of the dogs' work. You will be guided by Estonia's first musher to participate in long-distance races, Heinrich Lukk, whose experience extends to the challenging tracks of Norway and Finland. During the training, you will see a racing team of eight Alaskan huskies in action and practicing simpler practical tasks. The training lasts 2 to 3 hours, takes place from September to November, and is suitable for only one participant at a time, which makes the experience personal and special. Put on rubber boots or hiking shoes, choose weatherproof clothing, and come to Tartu County for an adventure that will be remembered for a lifetime!

Fairytale Alatskivi Castle awaits visitors in South Estonia, about 40 km from Tartu. In the castle, you travel back in time to the 19th century, get acquainted with the life of a noble family and the manor's daily routine, and meet the servants who worked here a hundred years ago, brought to life with wax figures in the basement. Castle guides share captivating stories, and visitors can create a personal souvenir in the ceramic workshop. Allocate at least 1.5 hours to explore the exhibition, which spans three floors. On the castle's third floor is the museum of composer Eduard Tubin, which presents the life and works of one of Estonia's most famous musicians. The former carriage-horse stable next to the castle offers insight into the manor's management and daily operations. Alatskivi Castle is part of the Onion Route, which can also be explored through the bright yellow National Geographic windows. Stroll in the castle park, enjoy nature on the Alatskivi hiking trail, stay in romantic castle suites, and taste local dishes at the castle restaurant.

At the Liiv Museum, visitors can experience the environment that 19th-century Estonian peasants lived in. The guided tour gives an overview of the three cultures characteristic of the region. Two main elements are combined - the life of an Estonian peasant and the life and work of Juhan Liiv in the context of Estonian culture.The main farm buildings, objects, and their functions are all introduced.In seeing the life of the peasants, it becomes clear under what conditions Juhan Liiv grew up. Studying the life of the writer and poet gives the visitors ideas about very different parts of his life.It is possible to vary the topics based on the interests of the group visiting.

At the Barge Center Theme Park, you can observe how a historical 24-meter-long two-masted Emajõe-Peipsi barge is built. You can also craft model barges, learn sailor skills, visit the forge, try old-time barge-related tasks, and explore the history of barge shipping. In the cinema area, you can watch films about barges and slide shows. We offer guided tours and workshops for groups upon prior reservation.Lodjakoja is a historical ship-building center, museum, theme park, and conference and exhibition venue. Viking and barge journeys begin here, and we have our own café and harbor. Explore an educational trail that introduces shipbuilding and forge work. Try out the sailing simulator that takes you on the water, and the test pool lets you try out your homemade model barge. Small visitors will be delighted by the play ship, sandbox-boat, and block corner, while older ones can puzzle over 3D puzzles. Everyone will enjoy the rope-pulling machine and old-time sports games. By visiting Lodjakoja, you help make history!