Pärnu (county)

Pärnu (county)

The Pärnu county is all about white sand and towering pine dunes. The **Tolkuse** nature trail takes you through a high dune forest to the edge of a vast bog with views out over the **Gulf of Riga**. It is a perfect spot for a sunset walk when the sand turns a deep gold. You can see the waves of the Baltic on one side and the mirror-like pools of the bog on the other. Beyond the main city the road follows the Romantic Coastline through small fishing harbors and seaside meadows. Stop at **Lottemaa** to see a colorful theme park built like a fictional village for families. The **Soomaa** park is nearby where the "fifth season" floods the forests and locals navigate the trees by dugout canoe. This wilderness area is one of the best places in the country to spot beaver dams and listen to the call of the wild. Visit the **Kihnu** island by ferry to see a place where women still wear hand-woven striped skirts and drive vintage sidecar motorcycles. The island life is a living museum of sea culture and folk songs. Back on the mainland the roads lead to quiet campsites hidden under the coastal pines. The air here is incredibly fresh, carrying the scent of salt water and pine needles throughout your journey.

Pärnu (county) highlights

Part of these road trips

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The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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History of Pärnu (county)

Pärnu county was officially founded in 1251, but it really became important in the 1300s when it joined the **Hanseatic** League, a powerful group of trading cities. For hundreds of years, it was a major port where salt, fur and timber were moved between the north and the rest of Europe. The city still has ancient stone gates and walls that remind visitors of its time as a heavily protected medieval trade center. In 1838, the region’s history shifted from trade to relaxation when the first sea bathing house opened. This was the start of the **Summer Capital** tradition, where people from all over the world came to enjoy the long sandy beaches and the healing mud of the coast. The elegant hotels and parks built during the early 1900s created a classic holiday vibe that has made the region the most popular vacation spot in the country for nearly two centuries. The most important moment in modern history happened here in 1918, when the country’s **Declaration of Independence** was read in public for the very first time. This took place on the balcony of a local theater on February 23rd, just one day before it was announced in the capital. This makes the Pärnu county the true birthplace of the modern republic. A place where history was made on the same streets that lead to the quiet dunes and the sea.
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