Hiiumaa

Estonia's second-largest island, sparsely populated, with Kõpu Lighthouse – one of the world's oldest – juniper-covered coasts and manor houses; ideal for slow travel by bike.

Hiiumaa is Estonia's second-largest island, lying off the country's west coast. It covers about 1,000 square km and has fewer than 10,000 permanent residents; more than half the land is pine forest, juniper heath and bog, giving it a sparsely populated, slow-paced feel, and it is known as the "island of lighthouses". The climate is mild and maritime: June–August is the best time to visit, with daytime temperatures around 20°C and extremely long white-night evenings in June; spring and autumn are good for birdwatching, while winters are cold, and in severe winters an ice road across the sea from the mainland occasionally opens. The island divides into four areas: first, the main town of Kärdla in the north (the island's only town) and nearby Ristimägi (Hill of Crosses), Tahkuna Lighthouse and the military museum; second, the Kõpu Peninsula in the west, with Kõpu Lighthouse (first lit in 1531), Ristna Lighthouse, Kalana surf beach and Luidja beach; third, the Käina area in the south, including the Käina church ruins, the Vaemla wool factory and causeway-linked Kassari Island, home to the Sääre Tirp spit and a thatched-roof chapel; and fourth, Suuremõisa Manor, Pühalepa Church and the Soera farm museum near Heltermaa harbor in the east. Getting there: drive or take a bus from Tallinn to Rohuküla harbor (about 1.5 hours), then a ferry of about 75 minutes to Heltermaa (car spaces fill up in summer, so book ahead on the official website); from Sõru harbor in the south, ferries run to Saaremaa, letting you combine both islands; small planes also fly from Tallinn to Kärdla. Public transport on the island is infrequent, so driving or cycling is recommended; the round-island road is about 120 km and flat. Plan to stay 2–3 days. Note: there are few restaurants and shops on the island, and some open only in summer; accommodation is tight on weekends and around Midsummer (June 23–24).

Top sights

• Kõpu Lighthouse – A stone lighthouse lit since 1531, one of the longest continuously operating lighthouses in the world. Climb to the top for views over the…
• Tahkuna Lighthouse – A cast-iron lighthouse at the northern tip of the island. Beside it stands a memorial to the victims of the 1994 MS Estonia sinking, and th…
• Sääre Tirp – A narrow gravel spit stretching about 3 km into the sea from the southern tip of Kassari Island. With water on both sides, the path feels a…
• Hiiumaa Military Museum – A military museum in a former Soviet army barracks on Tahkuna Peninsula, with tanks, artillery and the island's defence history during the…
• Ristimägi (Hill of Crosses) – A memorial site left by Swedish residents forced to leave the island in 1781. Visitors follow a tradition of tying branches into crosses an…
• Kärdla & Long House Museum – The island's only town, a small town of wooden houses among the greenery. The Long House Museum tells the story of the woollen mill and the…
• Soera Farm Museum – A 19th-century traditional Hiiumaa farmstead with thatched houses, a windmill, barns and old tools, offering a glimpse of island farm life.
• Suuremõisa Manor – An 18th-century Baroque manor house once owned by the Stenbock family, one of Estonia's largest Baroque manor buildings.
• Pühalepa Church – A 13th-century stone church, the oldest building on Hiiumaa, with the legendary 'Devil's Stone' nearby.
• Kassari Chapel – Estonia's only thatched-roof church still in use: a small white chapel hidden in a churchyard among the pines of Kassari Island.
• Hiiumaa Museum Kassari Exhibition House – A local history museum on Kassari Island showing the island's nature, fishing, seafaring and folk traditions.
• Orjaku Bird Tower & Käina Bay – Käina Bay, a shallow lagoon, is an important waterbird habitat. The bird tower and boardwalks offer views of swans, cranes and flocks of ge…
• Käina Church Ruins – The ruins of a 15th-century church destroyed by fire in 1941. Its roofless stone walls host summer concerts.
• Vaemla Wool Factory – A family-run woollen workshop still operating century-old machines, where you can watch yarn being spun and cloth woven and buy handmade sw…
• Reigi Church – A white church with a tall spire on the northwest of the island, built by a baron in memory of his son who took his own life. It is a landm…
• Kõrgessaare Manor – A 19th-century red-brick manor that was once a silk factory and now operates as a restaurant and small guesthouse, making it a good place t…
• Luidja Beach – A white-sand beach backed by dunes on the north side of the Kõpu Peninsula, framed by pine forest and coastal alder groves, and one of the…
• Ristna Lighthouse – A red cast-iron lighthouse at the western tip of the Kõpu Peninsula. The nearby Kalana Beach is Estonia's top surfing spot.

Where to eat

• Ungru Resto – A seaside restaurant in a former customs house at the north-shore harbor. The White Guide recommends it, and it is cons…
• Kala ja Vork – A fish shop and small café run by a fisherman's family, serving home-smoked fish and fish soup, the go-to budget seafoo…
• Rannapaargu Restaurant – A restaurant on Kärdla Beach that has operated for about 50 years and offers sea and sunset views. It claims to be open…
• Lest ja Lammas – A seaside grill restaurant on Kassari island, serving local fresh fish and lamb, mostly sourced from Hiiumaa and Kassar…

Itineraries

• Muhu, Saaremaa & Hiiumaa Island Hopping – A self-drive road trip connecting Muhu, Saaremaa, and Hiiumaa via three ferry crossings to see windmills, lighthouses…