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Source: Timo Arbaiter, Loodusturism.ee

Otepää for all seasons

Otepää is Estonia's top destination for active winter holidays, but the nearby lakes and hilly countryside make it attractive year-round.

Otepää is Estonia's top destination for winter sports.

Estonians love active outdoor holidays, especially in the winter when the options are endless. South Estonia's natural environment — rolling hills, deep green forests, and picturesque lakes — offers the perfect backdrop for skiing, kicksledding, hiking, and ice skating.

Start with a stroll through Otepää's Central Square.

The Square was renovated in the summer of 2020. Scratch the back paw of the bear statue for good luck! On the edge of town, you can hike up to see the Otepää Hill Fort. At the top, you can see stone ruins dating back to a stronghold built in 1224 — the oldest known firearm in the world was found on this hill.

Foodies will want to stop by Edgar Tavern; they make their own meat products in-house, and their pastry display is to die for. Wash it all down with a craft beer at the Nuustaku Brewery. Book a "Brewing with the Brewmaster" workshop — you'll get to work alongside the brewmaster and roll up your sleeves. Ugandi Resto is another local favorite. They made the 2024 list of favorite family restaurants in Estonia. Kids will love the play area, and adults will adore the menu highlighting local Estonian products.

Otepää Central Square at dusk in winter, view from drone

Source: Sven Zacek, Otepää Vallavalitsus

Modern hotels...

Local accommodations range from modern hotels to rustic farms with plenty of options in between. Two of the most popular places to stay in Otepää are the Pühajärve Spa & Holiday Resort Hotel and the GMP Clubhotel on the shores of Lake Pühajärve. GMP Pühajärve Restaurant's focus on local ingredients has also earned them a spot on the Falstaff Guide's list of the best restaurants in Estonia. The restaurant at the Pühajärve Resort Hotel features organic cuisine and is Green Key certified. The resort also has a laidback pub, perfect for watching sports on TV after a long day of outdoor activity.

Nestled in the woods and rolling hills of South Estonia, you'll find Kivitalu Country Hotel Cottages, only eight kilometers outside of Otepää. Several small cabins line the shore of a tiny lake, perfect for skating on in winter or taking a post-sauna dip in a hole cut in the ice. Their Russian sauna is the main attraction — it takes eight hours to heat, so order ahead!

GMP Clubhotel at night covered in snow during winter

Source: GMP Clubhotel, Visit Estonia

Where to stay in and around Otepää

... and rustic smoke saunas

South Estonia is the land of the UNESCO-listed smoke sauna tradition, making it a must-do if you're in the area! Near Otepää, you can find two smoke saunas: Toidupada smoke sauna and Kakulaane smoke sauna. End your session with a roll in the snow or a dip in the pond!

Toidupada smoke sauna covered in snow on a winter day

Source: Toidupada, Visit Estonia

Source: Visit Estonia

There's nothing quite like a wintertime sauna experience.

Active holidays for sports enthusiasts

Tehvandi and Kääriku Sports Centres provide a year-round training ground for professional and amateur athletes, so you will find everything you need for a sporting holiday. There are several national and international winter competitions in the area, with participants from all over the world. Due to the well-kept tracks and conditions, many well-known athletes come to Otepää to train for the Winter Olympics.

Kääriku Sports Centre has a variety of accommodation options, including one of ÖÖD Hotels' iconic mirrored cabins. The Sports Centre offers all types of year-round activities: in winter, enjoy ski and hiking tracks and a natural ice rink; in summer, there's an outdoor swimming pool, a beach and several ball fields.

Skier doing tricks at Munakas, Väike-Munamäe Ski Resort

Source: Sven Zacek

Source: Visit Estonia, Tehvandi Sports Centre

Sports enthusiasts can also opt to stay at the Tehvandi Sports Center. The Center offers basic hotel accommodations for those who want to stay in the middle of the action. Enjoy the ski tracks in winter and climb up to the ski jump observation platform — the second-highest observation tower in South Estonia after the viewing tower on Suur Munamägi. You can also check out the Otepää Winter Sports Museum, housed inside the Tehvandi Sports Center, and compare your times to those of Estonia's top winter athletes.

Alpine skiers and snowboarders can head to the popular Väike-Munamäe Ski Resort, or Munakas, which offers eight slopes, some for beginners and others for more advanced skiers. There are also two hills with T-bar lifts and a hill for children. Munakas hill tickets can also be used at Kuutsemäe Holiday Centre. For an exciting activity requiring a little less skill, rent snow tubes to zoom down the hill at Otepää Winterplace.

Winter events in and around Otepää

Summer rest & recreation...

Opepää is also worth visiting outside the winter season. In warmer weather, enjoy the beach or rent a stand-up paddle board and glide around beautiful Lake Pühajärv. If you want to practice your long game, spend the afternoon at the Otepää Golf Centre, or grab a frisbee and check out one of the local disc golf courses.

Get a dose of adrenaline at the Otepää Wakepark or the Otepää Adventure Park. Even the shortest daredevils can manage the pint-sized adventure track among the trees! Kids will also love the Cantervilla Castle Playland — climbing, bouncing, and water play will keep them busy for hours on the grounds of Cantervilla Castle, a manor home dating back to 1908.

Mother and child relax on beach at Lake Pühajärv in Otepää

Sven Zacek

Source: Sven Zacek

Otepää Hill Fort during the summer with greenery

Sven Zacek

Source: Sven Zacek

Disc golf course at Tehvandi Sports Center

Sven Zacek

Source: Sven Zacek

Two people look at view from Tehvandi Ski Jumping platform

Sven Zacek

Source: Sven Zacek

Three people standup paddle on Lake Pühajärv in Otepää

Visit Estonia

Source: Visit Estonia

Otepää Central Square at dusk during summer

Ragnar Vutt

Source: Ragnar Vutt

Outdoor dining at Ugandi Resto in Otepää

Visit Estonia, Ugandi Resto

Source: Visit Estonia, Ugandi Resto

Clean sand and cool water make for a delightful summer day at the lake.

Where to eat in and around Otepää

... and stunning autumn colors

Otepää Nature Park is the largest protected area in Estonia, encompassing 22,430 hectares around the city. Explore the area by hiking the 12 kilometers around Lake Pühajärv. The Pühajärv-Kääriku exercise track is popular with walkers and cyclists and is groomed for skiers during the winter.

History lovers and fans of Estonia's traditional black bread will want to visit Sangaste Castle. It was in Sangaste that Friedrich Georg Magnus von Berg developed a winter rye cultivar that is still grown all over the world to this day. Sangaste Rukki Restaurant serves traditional dishes made from Estonian rye, available on pre-order. On the way to the manor from Otepää, stop and climb the Harimäe Observation Tower for a great view of the surrounding countryside.

Autumn is also a lovely time for horseback riding. Several stables in the area offer trips: Karl-Eeriku Riding Farm, Tamme Tall, and Ponyland, which also has alpacas, chickens, and geese.