This tour provides independent travelers inspiration for their journey. For additional help with planning, website featuring Coastal Swedish life can help you plan dining and accommodation.  

For group travelers, we recommend experiencing this tour with a guide. For larger groups with prior booking, food services can be arranged, including a coffee break at Nõva Break with turnip bread and cardamom pastry tasting, a two-course lunch at Noarootsi Lokaal featuring a sailor’s meatball main dish spiced with humor and warmth, and a seasonal fish tasting during an additional coffee break at the Noarootsi Museum.

Plan for approximately 8–9 hours to complete the tour when beginning and ending in Tallinn. The Coastal Swedish Trails Tour can also be extended to a multi-day journey with overnight stays in Haapsalu. On the second day, you can continue to Vormsi Island or enjoy a culturally enriching day exploring the resort town of Haapsalu.

Begin the journey at St. Michael’s Swedish Church in Tallinn’s Old Town. For centuries, this church has been a religious and cultural center for the Swedish-Estonian community, and even today, it holds significance across Scandinavia, drawing parishioners largely of Swedish-Estonian descent. The church holds Swedish-language services every Sunday.

In the basement, you’ll find a museum where visitors can view historical church artifacts from St. Michael’s and Vormsi churches. 

In the summer, take a peek around the church courtyard, where chickens may greet you!

Heading towards Noarootsi, visitors are welcomed by the fresh scent of bread at Nõva Bread House. Operating as a tourist information point in summer, the bakery’s hostess, Merike, is happy to introduce the flavors of Swedish-Estonian cuisine.

Make sure to try or take along some Riguldi cardamom pastry or handmade bread.

Next, the tour leads to Rooslepa Chapel and cemetery. This site has seen many changes over time, and today, what was once an overgrown cemetery has transformed into a peaceful, scenic resting place with numerous crosses bearing Swedish names.

Take a look at the weather vane atop the chapel’s bell tower, shaped like a whale with an open mouth. Arriving right at noon, you might be lucky enough to hear the beautiful bell chime! 

Visitors taking the guided tour at Rooslepa Chapel will hear stories of lost treasures, a royal visit, and the people fondly remembered even centuries later.

A lunch prepared with care is recommended at Noarootsi Lokaal in Pürksi. The dishes are often served by the hostess herself, and the host is busy in the open kitchen. You can ask them about the restaurant’s history too. The White Guide certification displayed in the Lokal attests to the quality of the meal.

After lunch, take a stroll around Österby Harbor, where a beautiful view of Haapsalu’s skyline unfolds. Although the Haapsalu castle, seemingly just a stone’s throw away across the sea, actually requires a 40-km drive by road. During the summer, individual visitors can book a direct water taxi to the city of Haapsalu.

During the season, you may encounter many fishermen in the harbor area, allowing a glimpse of what the sea has offered them today. Each year, a traditional endurance swim challenge also takes place here, across the bay between Haapsalu and Österby. Do you think you’d be up for it?

In winter, an ice road leads from Österby Harbor to Haapsalu, allowing individual visitors to cross by car in the right conditions. 

Continuing the journey in Noarootsi, peek into the Noarootsi church yard and, if the door is open, into church itself, dating back to the 13th-14th century and home of current St. Catherine congregation.

A stone with an inscription commemorates the visit of Sweden’s current King Carl XVI Gustaf to Noarootsi and the church in 1992. When visiting the church, you can also catch a glimpse of the recently renovated parsonage across the road.

Towards the end of the day, head to Haapsalu and visit the Coastal Swedish Museum. An embroidered tapestry by the local “Thursday grandmothers” brings together the day’s experiences and stories, creating a complete narrative of the Coastal Swedes' history. If you find yourself at the museum when it is closed, take a look at the replica tapestry on the museum’s exterior wall.

At the museum, you’ll also discover the story of the blue-black-yellow flag, and you may even be treated to the sounds of the Hiiumaa zither, brought from Vormsi Island.

The Coastal Swedish Trails tour:

  • Preserves and shares cultural heritage
  • Takes visitors off the beaten path, beyond the capital city
  • Is accessible year-round, promoting sustainable tourism
  • Features seasonal menus, utilizing local ingredients where possible
  • Supports businesses in sparsely populated areas
Come and discover the Coastal Swedish heritage with us!

SA Harju Ettevõtlus- ja Arenduskeskus

Sirge 2, Tallinn 10618
info@heak.ee

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