A total of 324 kilometers of marked hiking trails provide a concrete framework for exploring Hiiumaa on foot. The trails described lead through a variety of landscapes and natural environments: along a river, to a lake, or to a viewing platform for birdwatching. There are also lighthouses, museums and maritime history to discover—experiences you can choose according to your interests.

Hiking Trails and Birdwatching

The Vanajõe Valley Study Trail lies in the Tihu Landscape Protection Area. It follows the banks of a river and the valley’s slopes, which rise up to six meters. The Tihu Study Trail has a different focus: it leads to Hiiumaa’s largest lake and ends at a viewing platform reached via a 200-meter-long boardwalk. The platform is suitable for observing waterbirds and wetland birds.

Käina Bay is home to 192 bird species. In autumn, 10,000 to 15,000 waterbirds and coastal birds stop there. These figures highlight the seasonal difference: birdlife here is not just a list of species, but also a consideration when choosing when to visit. If you would like to see marine animals from a boat, you could consider a seal-watching tour. Tours depart from the port of Kärdla; the small boats accommodate groups of up to ten people. As tour offerings may change, check current dates before making plans.

Coastal Lighthouses

The Kõpu Lighthouse combines maritime history with striking measurements of height. Its history dates back around 500 years and is connected with shipping and navigation during the Hanseatic period. The tower is 36 meters high, measured from the ground; its light is 102.6 meters above sea level. The two measurements therefore refer to different points on the structure and its location.

The Ristna Lighthouse has its own story of construction: it was completed in the workshop of the famous engineer Gustave Eiffel in France. From the tower, you can look out over the Kõpu forests and the sea. At Ristna Beach, other coastal activities take center stage: it is suitable for surfing and kitesurfing and is known for its strong sea waves. There are also small coastal paths; on the Ristna Peninsula, you can also explore the history of war. The Tahkuna Lighthouse, meanwhile, is the tallest cast-iron lighthouse on the Estonian coast.

Museums, Building History and Seafaring

In Kärdla, the Long House of the Hiiumaa Museum is housed in the former director’s residence of the Kärdla Broadcloth Factory. The 60-meter-long wooden building was constructed in the 1830s and 1840s. Its former function and period of construction link its architecture to the industrial history of the town. The Hiiumaa Military Museum is housed in a former Tahkuna border guard station. Among its most significant exhibits is a collection of coastal defense artillery, with guns measuring 180, 130 and 100 millimeters.

The Baroque Suuremõisa Castle was built between 1755 and 1760. Visitor highlights mentioned there include a museum room devoted to the history of the manor and an English-style park. Art and history come together at Reigi Church: it is known for its art collection and was consecrated on August 24, 1802. The Hill of Crosses is an area beside the road covered with crosses; its origins are connected with the expulsion of the Reigi Swedes in August 1781.

The Sõru Museum documents maritime traditions through shipbuilding, seafaring and fishing. The three-masted ship Alar is also located in Sõru and is considered the only surviving wooden ship built in Estonia before the Second World War. The farm museums offer a different perspective on everyday history: the Soera Farm Museum preserves a typical 19th-century Hiiu household, with archaic tools and household objects. At the Mihkli Farm Museum, buildings dating mostly from the 19th century form a largely intact, archaic rural complex. Until the deportation of 1781, Mihkli Farm was home to a Hiiu Swedish family.

Crafts and Local Produce

The “From catch to meal” workshop teaches participants how to prepare fresh fish: they gut, fillet and salt it. The workshop also includes preparing dishes with fresh, local and seasonal fish. If you plan to take part, check in advance whether it is running on your travel dates. Hiiumaa Lavender Farm produces lavender jam and lavender seasoning—a further connection to local life, this time through products rather than architecture or landscape.

The permanent exhibition at the Kassari Exhibition House also offers a thematic introduction to Hiiumaa: “Life on the Island. Fire, Water, Air, Earth.” The Windtower Experience Centre combines a museum, a research center and an immersive experience. Both attractions complement the outdoor and coastal themes with different ways of engaging with the area.

Getting There and Other Destinations

Hiiumaa can be reached by ferry from Rohuküla or Saaremaa, or by a 30-minute flight from Tallinn. As routes and schedules may change, it is advisable to check connections before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Käina, Kärdla, Otste, Emmaste, Kõrgessaare, Kassari Village, Orjaku, Jõeranna, Pühalepa, Emmaste, Tubala.

For the broader travel overview: Estonia.