A wonderful morning or day tour to explore the Onion Route and Peipsi region! The tour starts from Tartu and takes you to the shores of Lake Peipsi, where you will find Alatskivi Castle and the Old Believers Museum, and encounter the charming and authentic local community. The culinary experiences will lead straight to the heart of Peipsimaa. We'll try our hand at fun workshops, enjoy delicious onion pies, tea ceremonies, and craft wine, and dive into the legends of onion braids. The bravest can also take part in an exciting ghost tour. Transportation from Tartu and back is included in the tour price. Babelhouse tours are flexible and tailored according to the group's wishes and time constraints. During the tour, you can purchase local Peipsi onions, crafts, wine, and other souvenirs. The Onion Route tour is perfect for culture enthusiasts, foreign visitors, pre- and post-conference programs, and groups of friends who want to experience the authentic culture of the Old Believers together. Book your trip and enjoy an unforgettable day by Lake Peipsi!
Weaving a chipwood basket is the most popular attraction in the wooden handicraft centre and if there's a place in Estonia where this craft is known, it's Avinurme. Everyone can learn the basics of weaving a basket in the workshop with the help of an instructor: you pick out chipwood, weave a berry basket from the chips and finally apply a finish. All the participants will be given the necessary tools for weaving a basket and at the end of the workshop you have your own basket.We have seen the most genuine joy over something made with your own hands in the basket weaving workshop.
In the leather studio workshop, you can make a personalised keychain under the guidance of the leather designer Tiina Andron. Different metal studs, leathers, rivets, and key rings are used. The workshop is suitable for everyone (from school age). In addition to making a keychain, you will get to explore Antonius Courtyard, see the completion of various works, and hear the designers talk about their work.More leather studio workshops for groups can be found here.
The Tartu Song Celebration Museum is located in a 19th-century classicist building, where the organizer of the first Estonian Song Festival and founder of the national theater, the Vanemuine Society, operated. The first Estonian-language play, written by Lydia Koidula, premiered here. Koidula was a prominent female poet of the Estonian National Awakening, who thereby laid the foundation for the Estonian national theater. The museum offers an introduction to the Song Celebration tradition as well as the 150-year history and heritage of the Vanemuine Theater. Visitors can take part in interactive exhibitions, virtual reality experiences, workshops, and guided tours. The museum park is also open during opening hours.
Alatskivi Ceramics is a unique space where history and Estonian craftsmanship converge – it is situated in the vaulted basement of Alatskivi Castle, where the manor's servants once resided. Now a talented ceramics master works there, creating unique, high-quality handmade clay products on-site – bowls, cups, jugs, and other beautiful everyday ceramics that make lovely gifts! Visitors can purchase and admire these unique items in the shop and also try their hand at working with clay – the workshops are suitable for adults and are especially popular with children. You can also visit the castle, the Eduard Tubina Museum, the Alatskivi Castle Horse Stable Exhibition, and the restaurant!
The Mõniste Museum is the oldest open-air museum in Estonia; here you can light a fire in a Stone Age tepee or practice archery, slinging or lassoing. You can also learn how to make bone and earthenware objects, weave fishing nets and fabric, grind grain or bake a loaf of Stone Age bread. The threshing barn dating back to Czarist times features the interior of the 19th century building, tools, household utensils and clothing. The farmhouse from the times of the first Republic of Estonia exhibits the tools that blacksmiths used, horse necessaries, handicraft tools, national costumes, folk music instruments, etc. You can also try what farm works felt like at that time.
Karilatsi Open Air Museum is a unique open air museum in Southern Estonia which provides an overview of the life of Vana-Võromaa County about 100 years ago.On the 5-hectare territory of the museum, you can experience moments from the school life and farm work of that time and get to know everyday simple tools. Workshops and lessons on traditions and customs: smoke sauna customs, Võromaa wedding customs, celebrations, folk calendar year, and many other experience programmes (e.g. court session in Võru language, old school lesson). You can see a school, a court, and an almshouse with their smaller buildings, a granary, a barn-dwelling, a cottar farm, and a Dutch windmill. Agricultural machinery and vehicles are also on display. Ticket sales to the museum end one hour before closing.
Tartu Art House is the home of the Tartu Artists’ Union and the heart of the city's art scene. It's not just a gallery room; it's a vibrant meeting place where creativity, diverse perspectives, and the spirit of an era meet. Art House is an important cultural node that brings together Estonian and international artists – known top performers, bold new talents, and, of course, all art lovers – on a regular basis. In three distinctive galleries, exhibitions alternate frequently, offering viewers something new and inspiring at every visit. Various forms of contemporary art are represented. Curators' offices, discussions, and meetings with artists help to gain a deeper understanding of the work on display and bring art closer to visitors for a more personal experience. All exhibitions and excursions are free for visitors. It is also possible to participate in practical workshops. Tartu Art House is waiting for you to discover Estonian art; a visit can show you a new perspective.