The Island of Vikings
The Island of Vikings
Panoramic drive with photo stops. Fish workshop and -lunch at a farm. See the unique ship- burial discovery – the Salme Viking Village
Saaremaa is the biggest island of Estonia, 2922 km2 (1128 square miles) in area, is known as a good recreation place with unique nature and a lot of sights. There are still stone fences and farmhouses with thatched roofs in the villages and peculiar dialectal language are still in use. The tour starts from Saaremaa harbor with a drive to Tihemetsa Farm in Nasva Village. Fish has always been important for islanders. With potatoes and salted fish on the table, people used to get through poor times when food was in scarce. Tihemetsa Farm has been offering fish dishes for over 20 years. In spring, around April, the season begins with a smoked fish. The first spring speaker is a nice little fish Baltic herring. It is also possible to get flounder, perch, and, if the sea is kind, the eel. Listen to the stories about fishing and enjoy fish workshop with seafood lunch and folk musician.
From Tihemetsa Farm continue to Viking Village Salme. Historians estimate that Saaremaa experienced its golden era during the 12th century, when Viking raids and trading voyages had stopped, and Saaremaa became much more influential in military affairs on the Baltic Sea. It is believed that warriors from Saaremaa played an important role in the notorious Pillage of Sigtuna, a major city in Sweden .In 2008, two wrecks of ancient ships were discovered in the ground in Salme rural municipality which changed the course of naval history. This is the oldest shipwreck found in Estonia that dates to the 8th century. The ship was discovered with the skeletal remains of seven people, two swords, a couple of spear heads, about ten knives, gaming pieces and some dice. According to archaeologists, this find is unique in the entire Europe because never before has anyone discovered a so-called warrior burial dating from that period and containing so many fallen warriors. The ancient ships were covered with soil after research was completed. Today, a row of concrete benches indicating the size of the ships and an information board stand at the site.
The tour continues with a drive to Kuressaare, the “capital” of the island, and with a short sightseeing of the town. Its old part, now a protected national heritage, shaped out already at the end of 17th century and has still preserved its centuries-old milieu. Among marvelous sights, the Town Hall, Weigh house, Kuursaal (Beach Saloon), House of the Nobility can be mentioned. But the most important sight in Kuressaare is the Episcopal (Bishop’s) Castle, built of chiselled dolomite blocks in the late 14th century. This is one of the best-survived medieval castles in Baltic States. From Kuressaare drive back to the yacht.
Notes: Moderate activity. Requires intermittent effort throughout, including walking medium distances over uneven surfaces and/or on steps.
A minimum participation is required to operate all Yachting Land Adventures and some have limited capacity. All adventures in the SeaDream Yachting Land Adventures program are subject to change. Final departure time will be announced on board.
Port: Kuressaare, Saaremaa
Duration: 6 hours
Current Price: 419 USD
Voyages where this land adventure may be found: