Why Estonia is fast becoming a Baltic LGBTQ+ hotspot

When I first told people that I was going to travel to Estonia, I was shocked by the response.

Although excited for me, family members quickly said “stay safe,” while friends – and those listening to my conversations – made comments that ranged from baffling to downright xenophobic. I remember a stranger warning me to “watch my tires,” a comment that was unjustified, even if Estonia was a homophobic country – which it isn’t.

I didn’t know much about the Baltic state prior to my trip – its complicated history is clouded by the European superpower that borders it – but what I discovered when I moved from the vast, colorful cityscape of Tallinn to the picturesque serenity of the Emajõgi River traveled in Tartu was a place as beautiful as its history is tragic.

Estonia, like its neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, has fluctuated between independence and state puppetry for centuries. Despite all this, the proud Estonian spirit has endured.

Estonia gained its independence from the Soviet Union just months before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991 and has grown into a fascinating amalgamation of cultures that, mixed with a dash of defiant national pride, has transformed it into the burgeoning progressive country we are today know. .

Sure, there are still problems – conversion therapy has yet to be banned, and access to gender-affirming health care is still a widespread problem – but the recent decision to legalize equal marriage proves that the country has broken through the oppressive rhetoric of the Russian bear, who once held the key to his cell, and embraced change together with the rest of Europe.

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Where to stay and what to do in Tallinn

My journey took me through the heart of that embrace for change, from the city of Tallinn to its cultural hub, Tartu. Although both cities feel connected by their beautiful architecture and wonderfully Scandinavian-esque skyline, their respective energies create two different and unique experiences.

Tallinn, the official and political capital, has a drop of every Estonian oppressor in its blood, making it an awe-inspiring, real-time representation of the country’s history. Walking through the city center is like entering an open-air museum, with the Riigikogu parliament building, a 19th-century Orthodox cathedral where photography is prohibited, and the capital’s medieval defensive walls juxtaposed.

All this is captured in the Vanalinn sub-district, a fantastic World Heritage-listed ancient town that is home to a variety of shops, bars and restaurants.

If you get the chance, come visit Botaanik on the edge of town, an LGBTQ bar with a variety of delicious cocktails. Make a reservation if you can, because being generous, the table space can be described as ‘cozy’.

Walking through Vanalinn is like transporting yourself to an alternate universe where medieval serfs had proper sanitation, aided by the strong presence of live-action role-players strolling the city’s cobbled streets in medieval garb.

While Tallinn offers authenticity, it doesn’t skimp on luxury. The Nunne Boutique Hotel and Spa, my first stop, offers a luxurious blend of reverence and historic elegance. The mix of rustic, often cobblestone architecture, with a touch of modernity in the amenities, is compelling and welcoming.

A normal night will cost you anywhere between £164 ($220) and £454 ($600). All rooms include breakfast, while others include access to the spa, which is open every day from 9am to 9pm.

Guests are required to give staff an hour’s notice before entering the spa, which can make planning quick getaways a test and I was unfortunately not able to visit the spa.

Explore Tartu, Estonia’s second city

Tartu is aptly described as the ‘heart and soul’ of Estonia. As you approach Raekoja Plats (the town square) you are confronted with an extraordinary promenade at the foot of the city council, showcasing just a few of the eateries, including the Campusa cozy bar and restaurant serving a variety of gourmet meals including kataifi prawns, beef tartare and a variety of soft cheeses.

Avenues shooting to and from the boulevard lead you to captivating streets filled to the brim with soul and energy, not least because of the beautiful street art that imbues Tartu with a kind of larger-than-life quality.

No street is the same and there is always something going on, including the restaurant Column Tillia hidden little grill that serves street food to die for.

Less than a stone’s throw from Raekoja plats is the Lydia Hotel 4 Superiora four-star hotel and spa with modern rooms that serve as a place to temporarily rest your feet before embarking on your next Tartu adventure. The spa lounge, which I was fortunate enough to try this time, is cozy and serene, with several saunas and a heated pool.

Estonia’s love affair with the sauna

Saunas are an integral part of Estonian culture. For some, they serve as a unique, introspective place to gather their thoughts. For others, they’re an excuse to get together with friends over a few glasses of wine. My time at Iglupark – a mini resort on the coast of Tallinn – illustrates this perfectly.

Inside the unique Igloo saunasthe ‘sauna masters’ show the rituals of entering, leaving and meditating. Estonian saunas are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced; it is pure introspection and actualization as your emotions become intertwined with the sweltering heat that envelops you with every movement of the hand fan used to increase the temperature.

While hitting tree branches against your back and splashing cold water on scorching bodies to the tune of Estonian folk songs is certainly deeply cathartic, small groups of locals who had rented saunas next door instead relaxed with a few beers and pop music – a sign that the ever-present sauna tradition of togetherness has survived, while other meditative traditions may have declined.

What struck me while I was in Iglu Park was the huge gap between the luxurious space we were relaxing in and the surroundings. The park is located next to Port Noblessner, a shipyard full of warships overlooking Tallinn Bay. Whether functional or not, the contrast was a stark reminder of the growing tension on the Russian-Estonian border after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Estonian patriotism radiates from the ground you walk on. Even while sailing on the Emajõgi on the Jõmmu ship – a feat of Estonian craftsmanship – the locals, after waving to our ship, heard shouts of Estonian pride on the artificial beaches before diving into the river.

Patriotism means something different here: it is an act of defiance rather than a declaration of superiority.

This is no better represented than in the Estonian National Museum, an awe-inspiring center that showcases the country’s history in a building made from an old Soviet airstrip. At the heart of the exhibitions, fragments from a bygone era are documented through archive footage that is played continuously. There, amid the echoes of his ancestors sharing messages of resistance through the cracks of the undulating, woven corridors, I discovered that even the flag was designed as a act of resistance.

By the end of my time in Estonia, everything I had discovered brought me no closer to understanding why I had received such a concerned response to the announcement of my travel plans. Was it because it was a former Soviet socialist republic? Is there a misinformed idea that Russian influence still permeates today?

Despite everything the Estonian people have been through, their identity has blossomed through the cracks of their oppressors.

I believe that the embrace of same-sex marriage is the recognition that Estonia, like the LGBTQ+ community, has remained true to itself.

Share your opinion! Let us know in the comments below and remember to keep the conversation respectful.