Viljandi

Viljandi is an ancient hilly city of 17,000 people (2019) in the South of Estonia.

Understand
Evidence of civilization around Viljandi dates back to 500 BC. The first written record of a "Viljandi stronghold" was in 1154 in the commentaries to al-Idrisi's world atlas "Geography." Hanseatic merchants settled in Viljandi in the 14th century.

During the Soviet era, Viljandi was an important center of agriculture and industry, and many new apartment blocks and industrial facilities were built. However, the town also suffered from neglect and environmental degradation during this time.

For many people Viljandi conjures up images of the Viljandi Folk Music Festival and Viljandi Culture Academy. This small city is a cultural hub and the "capital of folk music" for most Estonians and a treat for the eye. Old wooden houses, cobblestone roads, the beautiful surroundings of the castle and the nearby lake make this city something special.



Get in
Bus and train schedules are easily available online – read more under Estonia.

By bus
Viljandi has a regular bus connection from/to Tallinn, Tartu, Valga, Pärnu and Põltsamaa (with a potential change at Kolga-Jaani), among others. The can be found in the centre just north of the main junction.

By train
Elron connects Viljandi to Tallinn. Trains run a few times per day.



By car
Viljandi is on route 92, 75 km from Tartu and 90 km from Pärnu. From Tallinn, you have to take highway #2 first, and then turn off to route 49 - just 160 km. Further south, the 49 leads to Valga (75 km).

Get around
Viljandi can easily be explored on foot. See the local transport website for more on buses.

Do
Tennis courts, cafes, playgrounds, a diving tower, boat rental and catamaran trips are available at the lake.

Events

 * Viljandi hosts many events and several international festivals throughout the year, including:
 * Early Music Festival
 * Hanseatic Days
 * Young Dance Festival
 * Mulgi Rally
 * Winter Folk Dance Festival
 * "Theatre in Suitcase" puppet theatre festival


 * Since 1928, a run around Lake Viljandi has taken place on the first day of May every year.
 * Hanseatic merchants' spirit can still be felt in Viljandi every June. People trade at a fair, dress the way people did in that era, organise exhibitions and party.

Buy
Viljandi is not great for shopping, but you will find the regular souvenirs and such related to the folk festival. Everything else, is what can be found in other cities as well.

Go next

 * Tartu – Museum-rich and hanseatic city on the banks of the Emajõgi River. Also, Estonia's second-largest and oldest city, intellectual hub famous for its universities, and a lively student city.
 * Otepää – A small town set in the hills of south Estonia and best known winter sports centre in the Baltics, and the Winter Capital of Estonia. Surrounded by lakes, hills and ski jump towers.
 * Põltsamaa – The centre of Estonian winery and wine production just a dozen km north.
 * Soomaa National Park – About 60 km south of Tallinn and second largest national park in Estonia, known for its swamps and bogs (Soomaa means "land of bogs" in Estonian), and its "fifth season". Surprisingly, swimming is popular there and is said to rejuvenate the skin.
 * Pärnu – A historical resort seaside city with a small harbour. Estonia's summer capital.
 * Tõrva – The second largest city of Valga County after Valga. Popular for its caves, the ruins of a medieval castle, several interesting manors, and the fully authentic mausoleum of Barclay de Tolly.
 * Valga – A town on the border with Latvia, where it literally grows into the Latvian town of Valka.