Africa Beach

Western Estonia & the Islands


People still take to the waters at this pint-sized beach, despite the water being murky and full of weeds. It earned its name from the statues of wild animals which used to grace the shoreline (and which were sadly used as firewood by Soviet soldiers in the 1940s). There’s an excellent children’s playground here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Western Estonia & the Islands attractions

1. Birdwatching Tower

0.07 MILES

Broad, shallow, reedy Haapsalu Bay is a key habitat for migrating waterfowl in Estonia, and is listed as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance…

2. St John’s Lutheran Church

0.16 MILES

Although it has its roots in the 16th century, the exterior of this whitewashed church owes much to a renovation in 1858. Inside, look out for the…

3. Ilon’s Wonderland

0.17 MILES

Showcasing the works of Estonian-Swedish illustrator Ilon Wikland, who spent her childhood in Haapsalu and is best known for her illustrations for the…

4. Town Hall Museum

0.18 MILES

Built in 1775, Haapsalu's former town hall now houses a charming little museum with displays on the history of the resort town, regional history, a re…

5. Haapsalu Kuursaal

0.25 MILES

This fairy-tale wooden confection, painted pale green and white, sits plumb on the waterfront, surrounded by rose gardens. Stepping into the airy spa hall…

6. Promenaadi

0.3 MILES

Nineteenth-century Russian toffs, like their counterparts in Victorian England and Paris’ belle époque, liked nothing more than a good see-and-be-seen…

7. Haapsalu Episcopal Castle

0.31 MILES

Haapsalu’s crumbling heart is its bishop’s castle, which was western Estonia’s centre of command from the 13th to the 16th centuries but now stands in…

8. Tchaikovsky Bench

0.41 MILES

Erected to commemorate the visits of Tchaikovsky to Haapsalu, this stone bench is inscribed with the first few notes of his VI Symphony. There's also an…

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