Best of Hiiumaa

Hiiumaa Essentials

Hiiumaa’s landscape is defined by its maritime heritage and diverse coastline. This selection features the 16th-century Kõpu Lighthouse, one of the world's oldest, alongside the cast-iron towers of Tahkuna and Ristna. Cultural sites include the Vaemla wool factory, which operates vintage machinery, and the Hill of Crosses, a site of historical Swedish emigration. Natural landmarks like the Sääretirp gravel spit complement architectural ruins and military museums that document the island's strategic Baltic position.

Hiiumaa Essentials — Map

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

A

Kõpu tuletorn

Completed in 1531, this is one of the oldest continuously operating lighthouses in the world. Its massive square stone base stands atop the island's highest point, the 67-meter-high Tornimägi hill.

Amadvr / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Sääretirp

A narrow, 3-kilometer-long gravel spit extending from the Kassari peninsula into the Baltic Sea. The ridge is flanked by shallow waters and coastal vegetation, terminating in a scenic tip.

C

Hiiumaa Museum

Housed in the 'Long House' in Kärdla—the former residence of a broadcloth factory's directors—this museum documents the island’s social history, industrial development, and maritime traditions.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

D

Vaemla wool factory

A working family-run factory where wool is processed using 19th-century machinery. Visitors can observe the traditional production process and purchase knitwear made from local Estonian wool.

Hiiumaamudeliklubi / CC BY-SA 3.0 ee

E

Reigi Jeesuse kirik

This 19th-century stone church was built by Baron Ungern-Sternberg. It houses a significant collection of wooden sculptures and paintings and is historically linked to the tragic 'Pastor of Reigi' legends.

F

Tahkuna tuletorn

Estonia's tallest cast-iron lighthouse, standing 43 meters high. Prefabricated in France and assembled in 1875, it also features a memorial to the victims of the 1994 MS Estonia ferry disaster.

G

Ristna tuletorn

A red cast-iron lighthouse ordered from Paris in 1874. It was originally built to warn ships of sea ice and features a distinctive metal frame added later to improve stability.

H

Hiiumaa Military Museum

Located in Tahkuna, this museum showcases Hiiumaa's 20th-century military history, featuring coastal batteries, Soviet-era bunkers, uniforms, and restored weaponry from the World Wars.

I

Mihkli Museum

A traditional 19th-century North Hiiumaa farmstead in Malvaste village. The complex includes a smoke sauna, storehouses, and a dwelling house illustrating rural island life.

J

Ristimägi

A historical site where departing Estonian-Swedes placed crosses in 1781. Today, visitors maintain the tradition by creating crosses from local natural materials like twigs and grass.

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Käina kiriku varemed

The 15th-century stone ruins of Hiiumaa's largest church, destroyed by fire during a 1941 air raid. The site is known for its acoustic properties and gothic architecture.