Lovely Parnu

The European country of Estonia is located in northern Europe. The country borders the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. It also borders Russia to the east and Latvia to the south. It has more than 1,500 islands and diverse terrain with rocky beaches, old-growth forests, and many lakes.

Parnu is a lovely, sunny town in Estonia that has been named the country’s official summer capital. Tourists love it in the summer when they can enjoy the sand, the sun and the sea. The shores that surround Parnu are the warmest in Estonia. It is an internationally recognized city and has the status of being a Hanseatic city.

The Parnu Museum is where you can learn all about the history of this city. The museum features 11,000 years worth of Parnu history. Its main exhibition displays local development from Neolithic times up to the late 80s. There is also a mini-cinema that shows archival films. They are proud to show the “Stone-Age Madonna”. This is the oldest human-shaped sculpture in the Baltic Sea area – about 8,000 years old. Other great displays include a 14th-century merchant ship and a glass floor through which you can view archaeological remnants of one of the town’s historic gates.

Lydia Koidula Memorial Museum is dedicated to the life and work of the matriarch of Estonian poetry. The museum is housed in the 1850s-era parish school where Koidula grew up.

Opposite the Pärnu Vanapark, the Pärnu Transformation of Our Lord Church was built between 1902 and 1904 for the city’s growing Eastern Orthodox population, which had become too big for the 18th-century Ekateriina’s Church. Constructed in the Old Russian style, a 38m (125ft) facade of somber red brick rests on a granite base, while the interior has an altar displaying more than 20 icons and religious paintings.

Enjoy taking a look at the brightly-painted Russian Orthodox Church, Church of Jekaterina. It is impressive both inside and out and was built by Catherine II. You can look at the ornate icons inside of the church.

The oldest building in Parnu is the Red Tower or Punane Torn. This is a squat, round bastion that dates back to the 15th century. It once guarded the edge of town and is now located right in the center. You can take a look at the wine bar/art shop to see the interior of the tower.

Vallikaar is the remains of the town rampart that once surrounded Parnu around Ohtu Street and is now a nice park. As you walk along the rampart wall toward the river you’ll see spectacular views of the moat and marina. Here you can also see an old, wooden lighthouse and a cannon. In the amphitheater concerts are held.

Parnu is also a great place to relax as it has many vast, green areas to do some strolling. Koldula Park is located adjacent to the Old Town area. This is a lovely park to walk in among colorful flower beds and there is also a fountain.

Rannapark established in 1882 is right next to the beach. Here you can see various sculptures as well as flower gardens. For children, there are play areas.

Pärnu Beach is one of Estonia’s top summer resorts. Backing onto the Pärnu Rannapark, about a 20-minute walk from the city center, the beach’s warm, shallow waters, mini golf courses, playgrounds, and ice-cream vendors make it especially popular with families. There are also several surfing joints, rentable loungers, and parasols, as well as plenty of beach bars on the promenade, ideal for snacks and cocktails after a day on the sand.

If you’re visiting Parnu in the summertime then you’ll want to do what other tourists do and that is head straight for the beach when you arrive. You can be sure that Parnu begins and ends with its white sand beaches. You can sunbathe or watch volleyball games.

A must-see is the beach house that dates back to 1939. The building has an unusual mushroom-shaped balcony, right on the beach. You can participate in kayaking and windsurfing if you wish.

Kuursaal, a restaurant and musical salon was built in the 1880s. On summer evenings you can find entertainment on the outdoor stage. You can listen to music, dance, and have dinner, enjoying the largest pub in Estonia.