Discover Otepää: tips for planning your holidays

Otepää, also known as the winter capital of Estonia, is the most famous winter sports centre in the Baltic countries. Due to its landscape scattered with dome-shaped hills or otherwise known as drumlins, distinctive climate and its infrastructure it is possible to enjoy winter sports from December to April. Otepää is the heart of its surrounding tourist area, where one can feel the pulse of life all the year round, but especially in the summer and winter. It is also the highest of Estonian towns, sitting at 152 m above sea level.

What to do in Otepää?

Our receptionists will help you to plan your holiday activities and will provide you with useful information and tips. There is so much to see and discover in this town of magnificent landscape and in its surrounding areas.

The municipality of Otepää is located in the uplands of Otepää, the total area of which is 1,180 km2. The municipality’s territory is scattered with moraine drumlins, large dome-shaped hills and numerous lakes (about 55), the largest of which is Lake Pühajärv.

The highest elevation points are the hills Kuutsemägi (217 m) and Harimägi (212 m). In the periphery of the uplands altitude differences are quite insignificant, but the terrain is quite split up. Otepää Nature Park, which extends over an area of 22,430 ha, and, as such, takes up the largest part of the municipality’s territory, was founded to protect this distinctive and valuable landscape.

The main sightseeing attraction of Otepää is its landscape of drumlins. Other places worth visiting include Otepää Castle Hill and the hills Hobustemägi, Väike Munamägi and Apteekrimägi, Armuallikas (the Love Spring), etc. Lake Pühajärv and its surroundings – the park, beach and hiking trails – is another important recreational area.

Other important attractions include Otepää Lutheran Church of St Mary (and the so-called winter church), a monument to those who died in the Estonian War of Independence, Tehvandi sports centre, the dam of Märdi mill, Energy column, Pühajärve war oak, etc. The building of Tehvandi stadium houses a branch of the Estonian Sports Museum or the Otepää Winter Sports Museum, the one-time Otepää Skiing Museum. Otepää is also the starting place for the famous Tartu Ski Marathon.

Our receptionist will help you to plan your holidays, providing useful tips and information!

Tips for recreational activities in Otepää and its surroundings: