Estonia's Song Festival 2025
Photo credit: Jaak Nilson, Estonia Tourist Board
Estonia's Song Festival - Tallinn 2025
Overview
Come along to feel the excitement and joy in the air at a truly special and one-of-a-kind festival that you can only experience in Estonia. And it only happens once every five years! The Estonian Song Festival, or “Laulupidu,” boasts a history that stretches back to the 19th century. It has been pivotal in shaping Estonia’s cultural and national identity, especially during times of occupation and the fight for independence. The 2019 festival, with its record-breaking 100,000 attendees, underscored its enduring importance, earning a spot on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.
Get introduced to lovely Vihula Manor near Laheema National Park, and explore Tallinn, the country’s coastal capital and site of the festival. You can dine at Michelin-star restaurants, check-out eclectic markets and museums, step back in time while strolling one of Europe’s best preserved Old Towns, join in the Song Festival procession from the center of town to the Song Festival Grounds if you’d like, or just watch and listen and get your fill of the folk concerts and dance performances. Experience the festival firsthand, with its powerful performances and deep-rooted traditions – a must-see event for any cultural enthusiast. Come to Estonia to be a part of something wonderful.
Travels to: Estonia
Map
Itinerary
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Days 1-2: Vihula (Estonia)
On arrival in Tallinn, transfer to the nearby village of Vihula. Spend two nights at Vihula Manor, the first full-service manor resort in the Baltic countries, located on the banks of the serene Mustoja River in the stunning Lahemaa National Park.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Stay at Vihula Manor recognized as the “Historic Hotel of Europe 2020.”
- Explore Lahemaa National Park.
- Discover the manor’s history, arrange an optional horse-drawn carriage ride or optional boat ride with a picnic on the island.
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Days 3-4: Tallinn
Explore Tallinn’s Old Town, the best-preserved medieval town center in Northern Europe. Visit Estonia’s oldest church, the Lutheran Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin built in 1223, as well as the Seaplane Harbor Museum, the largest maritime museum in the Baltics. Get a taste of the Song Festival festivities, taking in the Folk Music Concert in the Old Town, and the dance performance at the Central Stadium.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, whose winding cobbled streets, red roofs, and turreted fortress wall are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Visit the Lutheran Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin, or the Dome Church, Estonia’s oldest church built in 1223.
- Visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, designed in the Russian Revival style and completed in 1900.
- Explore the Seaplane Harbor Museum located in a 1916 concrete seaplane hangar where Charles Lindbergh once made a stop.
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Days 5-7: Song Festival in Tallinn
Spend another two nights in Tallinn, cheering on the Festival participants in the Grand Procession from the Old Town to the Song Festival Grounds, and catching the XXVIII Song Celebration’s Opening Concert. Enjoy some additional touring in Tallinn, and free time to explore on your own.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Visit Tallinn’s Telliskivi Creative City, a vibrant shopping, cultural, and entertainment hub.
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Explore Tallinn Song Festival Grounds where Estonians defied the Soviet Union in 1988, and where every five years an enormous song festival is held.
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Attend the festival and learn about Estonian music, dance and culture.
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Dates & Prices
Please note:
- Listed prices below are based on double occupancy and a 2 traveler minimum.
- Additional nights in Tallinn and solo traveler prices are available on request.
- An upgrade to a 5-star hotel is available on request.
- While bookable on a flexible, private basis, the trip dates must include July 1-7, 2025 to match the dates of the Song Festival.
Land tour price, per person, starting from:
Call for dates and prices
What's Included
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Tour Includes
- Accommodations as noted in the itinerary.
- Breakfast daily, beginning with Day 2, per the itinerary. Lunches and dinners are left independent to allow independent exploration.
- Services of experienced, English-speaking local guides, drivers, and other staff per the detailed itinerary. Festival attendance is independent.
- One arrival and one departure transfer. (Additional arrival and departure transfers are available at additional cost.) MIR arranges for travelers to be met on arrival and seen off on departure whether we make your airfare arrangements or not.
- Transportation as noted in itinerary by private van or car (type of vehicle depends on the size of your party).
- Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in the itinerary.
- Complete pre-departure electronic document that includes detailed packing suggestions, reading list links, country-specific information, maps, travel tips and more.
- Assistance booking your custom flight arrangements (on request; please note that international airfare is not included in the land tour cost).
- Electronic final update bulletin, with any late news, updates and important information.
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Not Included
- International airfare or taxes, available through MIR; please call for more details.
- Meals not specified as included in the itinerary.
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Single supplement if requested or required.
- Items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, etc.).
- Baggage handling.
- Gratuities to local guides and drivers.
- Visa fees (if required; no visas are required for U.S. passport holders).
- Travel and trip cancellation insurance.
Activity Level
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Level 2: Moderate, but Customizable
Level 2: Moderate, but Customizable
It is important to keep in mind that while Estonia is modern and cosmopolitan, there’s always a chance of some aspects not living up to the standards North American travelers expect. When traveling there can always be issues with uneven surfaces and steps, unpaved or cobbled sidewalks or other walking surfaces, and availability of public restrooms.
This program is designed to be comfortable for travel in this region. It is does include a large amount of walking; there will be a significant amount of touring on foot each day. Many streets are of cobblestone, and some attractions are only accessible via steep staircases. Museums may not have elevators. Flexibility and a sense of humor are essential components of the enjoyment of your trip.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this schedule is accurate. However, trip itineraries are always subject to change. We do our best to inform you in advance of any changes, but due to the nature of travel in these countries, this may not always be possible.
Gallery
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1/9 Tallinn, Estonia. Martin Klimenta
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2/9 Estonia’s UNESCO-listed red-roofed capital, Tallinn. Jaak Kadak
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3/9 Tallinn Town Hall Square, Estonia. Jaak Nilson
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4/9 The eye-popping 21st-century Seaplane Harbor Museum in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. Seaplane Harbor Museum, Estonia Tourist Board
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5/9 Estonia's ubiquitous, colorful red roofs. Vita Balckare
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6/9 Lively dancing at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia. Toomas Tuul, Estonian Tourist Board
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7/9 Estonia's Singing Revolution began here, at Tallinn's now-iconic Song Festival Grounds. Jaak Nilson, Estonia Tourist Board
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8/9 Festival dancing in Estonia. Toomas Tuul, Estonian Tourist Board
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9/9 Lively folk festival dancing in Tallinn, Estonia. Lembit Michelson, Estonian Tourist Board
