Pärnu town
- September 7, 2007
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Barnswallow from Tallinn, Estonia
Pärnu is Estonia's ultimate seaside escape/retreat, depending on how you look at it. Having no shortage of restaurants or pleasant nightspots to choose from, it's a 'citybreak' with a difference as it's also a beach community, but happily almost devoid of the crass day-glo inflatables and shoeless beach bums. In fact, during my visits to Pärnu, I've never actually seen the beach - there's enough to see here museum and architecture wise without having to justify your trip here with a swim. Now I have nothing against beaches, I like them just fine - just back them with forest and make the beer kiosk inconspicuous and we'll be grand. But my vote for Pärnu here is for its pretty streets, its character-laden shop fronts, carved doors to rival Tallinn's showpieces and its absolutely stunning environs...go 5 kms out of the city and you are surrounded by picturesque countryside and mouth-watering (truely) lakes.
A special mention for this side of the country is that the west in general is quite different to the rest of Estonia. The islands were left virtually untouched by Soviet influence and on the same token, but to a lesser extent, the same can be said for the west coast of the country. Most of Estonia's Swedish population is based and hails from here - Pärnu is the stepping stone to Saaremaa and Hiumaa, but that's a whole other kettle of pikes.
One of Estonia's most notable poets was born in Pärnumaa - Lydia Koidula.
Nationally a heroine poet, Lydia Koidula, born Lydia Jaanson in 1843 in Vandra, Parnumaa. Endearingly named 'Koidula' meaning 'Dawn' by her friend, colleague and political activist Carl Jakobson. Lydia grew up in a literary family - her father founded the first Estonian language newspaper POSTIMEES which is current to this day.
From journal Estonia