Värska is located in South-Eastern corner of Estonia. In Setomaa, far away from the big cities. This facility is known for the freshwater mud and famous Värska mineral water used here.

Seto region, also called Setomaa, is the historical area of settlement of the Seto people in south-eastern corner of the Republic of Estonia. In order to survive in this colourful conjuncture, the Setos have learned to take into consideration other cultures but, at the same time, have hold on to their own. Read more about Setomaa.

Estonia is the Paradise of Introverts

Estonians are saying : A good neighbour is one where you can just barely see the smoke of their chimney from your window.’
In Estonia  you can feel, how is to be the  last soul in the Earth You can drive through Estonian countryside and not see another living soul for miles.

And be careful. This is the area of States Borders. Be careful and follow signs. Latvia is in EU and you welcome to visit Latvia, but for Russia you need  a visa.

Did you know there are dialects in different regions of Estonia? For example, the Setos in southern Estonia have their own dialect and their own kingdom, with about 12,000 speakers. Võru also has its own dialect with about 75,000 speakers. Both dialects are on the UNESCO list of threatened dialects.

Close to Värska

• • Start your tour from Võru. Võru is a city in South Estonia, near the Tartu Marathon skiing tracks, popular winter sports centres & near the most popular sightseeing places in Estonia.
    
  • the deepest lake in Estonia – Rõuge Suurjärv, where it is possible to take swim, catch fish and ride a boat.
  • Vastseliina Episcopal Castle was built-in 1342 on the lands of the Bishop of Tartu and it became one of the most powerful fortifications in old Livonia
  • Obinitsa is the Capital of the Setomaa. Check and google for Seto Kuningriigi Päevad and Lüübnitsa Fish and Onion fair in August
  •  eat local and authentic food in Tiistre teemaja Misso or Seto Talumuuseumi Tsäimaja

In Estonia

• Practically all Estonians speak or at least understand English. Generation +40 speak and understand Russian. Because of the similarity of languages Estonians are able to understand Finnish. Children learn German, French and some Swedish or Chinese at school
• almost everywhere you can pay with a card. ATM -s are in bigger places and petrol stations.
• and yes, this is not a  fairy tale. Almost everywhere in Estonia is Wifi

In South Estonia:

• swim in a forest lake after smoke sauna
• Berries and mushrooms can be picked from July until the first snow falls. And yes, this is very ok, eat wild berries picked from the forest Blueberries, rasberries, wild strawberries, lingonberries and cowberries.

Best Souvenirs to buy from Estonia

• Kalev confectionary, liqueur Old Tallinn/Vana Tallinn, Balbiino ice cream and Tallinna spiced sprats (Tallinna vürtsikilu)
• Handicrafts made of linen, wool, wood, juniper or limestone. Haapsalu scarf.
  (NB! In Tallinn Viru Street you can find a lot of amber and Matrjoschka. Amber is from Lithuania and Matrjoschka from Russia. Both countries are beautiful and with rich culture and interesting history. I suggest to visit Lithuania and Russia :))
• for children, everything about and with Lotte.

Estonian Food you Must to Try

• visit Estonian supermarkets and buy some Estonian dairy products: kohuke, kodujuust (cottage cheese), hapukoor (sour cream). Buy Kama and rye bread, handicraft beer
• In restaurants ask for quark cake, soups with dumplings, meat balls or cabbage. Semolina cream, quark cream or bread cream. Local lake fish. Drink kefir, kvass or local beer. Värska mineral water. And Estonian tap water and forest spring water are clean, pure and drinkable.

Culture:

• check and google timetable for Viljandi Folk, Pärnu Weekend, Jazzkaar, PÖFF or Laulupidu.
• buy movie about Estonian history: ” Nimed marmortahvlil”, ” Tants aurukatla ümber”, ” “Tuulepealne maa”. Or ” Malev”, this is comedy and pseudo history, but very good summary about Estonians.
• Music: Pärt ja Tüür. Tõnis Mägi, The Sun; Metsatöll and TradAttack. And read my blog posts. I gave a lot of links for good Estonian music.