Estonia (in Estonian, Eesti), formerly Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, now known as the Republic of Estonia, republic in north-eastern Europe, bounded on the north by the Gulf of Finland, on the east by Russia, on the south by Latvia, and on the west by the Baltic Sea. Estonia has more than 1,500 islands; the largest, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, separate the Gulf of Riga from the Baltic. The area of the nation is about 45,100 sq km (17,400 sq mi). Tallinn, the capital and largest city, is the nation’s chief port.

The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. Estonia has land borders with its fellow Baltic state, Latvia, to the south, with Russia to the east, and maritime border with Finland to the north.

Ever wanted to eat blood sausages washed down with a syrupy liquor of unknown origin, go bog walking and sleep with 80 untouchable nuns and novices? You can do it all in Estonia, the small territory which packs in some charming quirks without ruining your budget.

The early years of independence brought hardship, but Estonia is recovering. Despite the rapid changes since it regained its independence in 1991, there’s still a lot of tradition, including a language packed with deep ‘oo’s and ‘uu’s and thriving folk shindigs.