Estonia

Estonia is small, quiet and surprisingly easy to explore. Tallinn has one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Northern Europe, with towers and steep lanes, yet just outside the walls it is a modern, creative city of start-ups and design studios. Beyond the capital, you find a university town with a student spirit, a classic Baltic summer resort, manors and fishing villages, and the island of Saaremaa with windmills and a meteor crater. Nature is never far away: forests, bogs and a long, empty coastline cover much of the country.

Talking points

• Tallinn's medieval old town is one of the best preserved in Northern Europe.
• Estonia is known as a pioneer of digital government, and its tech scene is lively.
• Lahemaa National Park mixes coastline, forest and old manor houses within easy reach of the capital.
• The island of Saaremaa has windmills, a medieval castle and an ancient meteorite crater.
• Song festivals are a national tradition that helped sustain Estonian identity.