Tartu Environmental Education Centre encourages people to value nature and behave in an environmentally friendly way. We are a piece of nature right in the heart of Tartu, offering relaxing and exciting and educational activities for both young and old visitors.Tartu Environmental Education Centre offers: temporary exhibitions and summer special exhibitions on nature, permanent exhibition ‘Transparent nature house, species-rich winter garden, animal room (pre-bookings), some educational task trails, environmentally friendly souvenirs and snacks, excursions (pre-bookings), a park wit study trails, flower beds and playground.
South Estonia and Setomaa are definitely worth exploring! A relaxing family holiday, a refreshing getaway with a partner, or a business trip with colleagues — at the renovated Värska Water Center, you can relax, have fun, and organize seminars.The hotel at Värska Water Center offers single and double rooms with all amenities, more spacious family rooms, a room for people with disabilities, and one room suitable for allergy sufferers. Rooms decorated with Seto patterns offer views either of the surrounding pine forest or the water park, and some rooms have skylights. There are also provisions for travelers with pets. On the first floor of the hotel is Näki Café, where healthy cocktails and hearty pub dishes are served. Here, you can also try Värska water with varying salt content, directly from the earth. The hotel also features a gym and a solarium, a seminar room, and a party hall for children. The water center offers visitors swimming pools, plunge pools, a sauna world, and a water bar.
Pühajärve Spa & Puhkekeskus invites you to enjoy a pleasant time in its pub, with its historical ambiance, in South Estonia's Otepää. The cozy pub with an open grill kitchen offers delicious meals for every taste. It caters to everyone — the menu includes both traditional pub dishes and fresher flavors for vegetarians and vegans. The drink selection is also diverse. The pub can accommodate up to 100 guests and is a great place to enjoy food and drinks with friends, spend time, and play billiards, darts, or air hockey. During the summer, you can dine on the terrace with a lake view. The pub has a play area and a special children's menu. During major sporting events, we offer you the opportunity to watch international sports events on a large TV screen, and occasionally live music is played in the pub for dancing. We offer catering for groups both as daily specials and from the group menu. Come to Pühajärve and spend memorable moments on the shores of Estonia's most beautiful lake!
The monument to the legendary Estonian statesman and journalist Jaan Tõnisson was established in 1999. Its authors are Mati Karmin and Tiit Trummal. Jaan Tõnisson was a legendary statesman and journalist who was prime minister from 1919 to 1920, the head of state from 1927 to 1928 and in 1933, the owner of the Postimees newspaper from 1896 to 1930 and the editor-in-chief of the Postimees from 1896 to 1935. Tõnisson was made an honorary citizen of Tartu in 1939.
In the Bread Room one can make their first attempts in baking homemade bread. The Wood Shop’s breadmaster will guide you through the process of the perfect bread dough, and show you all the good ingredients and the secret components to a well risen dough and delicious taste. In the end of the workshop the Bread Room is full of irritatingly good bread baking fragrance. And of course no one is leaving without tasting the outcome of this exciting workshop and you can also take the leaven to go, to keep up the new learned skill of breadmaking. And if later there’s a need for a bread basket, Avinurme Wood-Shop can offer exactly what you need.
There is a small village chapel near the Estonian-Russian border, which the locals call a tsässon. According to dendrologists, the building was built in 1784. During the Second World War, the chapel was hit with a missile, which shifted the building away from its foundation. The missile can now be seen in the chapel.In 2007, the chapel was repaired and with the permission of the owner, you can also go into the chapel. The chapel holds several icons, decorated with beautiful handmade white-and-red kerchiefs.The saint of the chapel is Saint Anastasia, which is why the village celebrates Nahtsipäev on 11 November.
Tartu Town Hall is a symbol of the historical heart of the city, located on Town Hall Square. The building was completed in 1789, combining Baroque and Early Classicism elements. The Baroque bell tower was completed in 1784. Historically, the town hall has served several functions: a prison and a poorhouse (weighing house) were located here, and the council operated on the upper floors. Today, the town hall houses the Tartu city government, an information point, and a pharmacy, which has been located here for more than 100 years. One of the special features of Tartu Town Hall is the carillon in the tower. There are 34 bells, and beautiful melodies sound daily at 9:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 21:00.
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.