- Elevation
- 30 m
- above sea level
- Local time
- UTC+02:00
- Europe/Tallinn · UTC+02:00
- Population
- 29,753
- 29.8K
- Airports
- URE Kuressaare Airport20 km
- KDL Kärdla Airport67 km
About Saaremaa
Saaremaa is an island. Location: Saare, Estonia. Population: 29,753.
Saaremaa (; Estonian: [ˈsɑˑreˌmɑː]) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring 2,673 km2 (1,032 sq mi), its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and northwest of the Gulf of Riga. The administrative centre of the island, and of the Saare maakond (county), is the town of Kuressaare.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
At a glance
- Area
- 2,672 km²
Source: Wikidata
Travel notes for Saaremaa
From Wikivoyage
Saaremaa is the largest Estonian island. It is on the west coast of Estonia. The capital (and only city) in Saaremaa is Kuressaare, which is covered in a separate article.
Understand+
The territory of Saaremaa has been inhabited for about eight thousand years. The people of Saaremaa have seen many battles and been ruled over by Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Russia.
Saaremaa has retained its uniqueness due to its location and isolation. In the villages there are still stone fences and houses with thatched roofs. Dolomite, windmills and the famous local home-brewed beer are the symbols of Saaremaa. Saaremaa is famous for its music and its own culture, e.g. Saaremaa waltz.
The islanders' life has always been bound to the sea and the resilience of their womenfolk, kept busy toiling the land while their men were at sea.
The people of Saaremaa love jokes - especially the ones which are about their neighbours - the people of Hiiumaa. The jokes of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa folk may be lost on other Estonians, just as is British humour is sometimes not appreciated "on the continent".
Saaremaa is Estonia’s largest island in the Baltic Sea, known for juniper-dotted alvars, windmills, and quiet coastal villages. Summer is the busiest season; spring and autumn are calmer and good for nature walks. Access is via Muhu island and a causeway connecting Muhu with Saaremaa.
Tourist Information Centre, Tallinna 2 (in Kuressaare), ☏ +372 45 33 766, +372 453 31 20, fax: +372 453 31 20, kuressaare@visitestonia.com.
Get in+
By road and bus, travellers reach the mainland port at Virtsu and continue by ferry to Kuivastu (Muhu). From Muhu a causeway leads to Saaremaa. Long-distance buses connect major Estonian cities with Kuressaare; frequency depends on season. There is also a small airport in Kuressaare with domestic flights and some international flights subject to seasonal schedules.
By car:
There is a causeway from the island of Muhu, which has a 1 vehicle ferry connection with the mainland.
By bus:
Buses run to Kuressaare from Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu. Bus schedules and journey planner can be found at Tpilet.
By boat:
There are ferry connections to the nearby islands of Hiiumaa, Ruhnu and Vilsandi. See: West Estonia and Islands.
By plane:
Kuressaare Airport (URE IATA) is the only airport serving Saaremaa – flights to and from Tallinn. Also seasonal flights to and from Helsinki.
Source: Wikivoyage · CC BY-SA 4.0 · abridged
Climate of Saaremaa
Best months for sightseeingBest months for sightseeing: June–August.
This month · November
A cold month
Day 5° · Night 1° · Rain 74 mm
- Hottest month
- July (day 21°)
- Coldest month
- February (night -5°)
- Wettest month
- November (74 mm)
- Driest month
- April (33 mm)
Bars: average monthly low and high temperature. Below: precipitation. Monthly averages for 1970–2000 at about 18 km resolution, adjusted for elevation. Highlighted months are mild and relatively dry. Source: WorldClim 2.1 (CC BY 4.0).
Show values as a table
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high (°C) | 0° | -1° | 2° | 8° | 14° | 18° | 21° | 20° | 15° | 10° | 5° | 1° |
| Average low (°C) | -4° | -5° | -4° | 1° | 6° | 10° | 13° | 13° | 9° | 5° | 1° | -3° |
| Precipitation (mm) | 41 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 45 | 60 | 67 | 69 | 72 | 74 | 57 |
How to get to Saaremaa
The nearest airport is Kuressaare Airport (URE), 20 km to the south as the crow flies. The nearest large city is Tallinn, 173 km to the northeast.
Airports
- Kuressaare Airport (URE) Kuressaare 20 kmsouth
- Kärdla Airport (KDL) Kärdla 67 kmnorth
- Pärnu Airport (EPU) Pärnu 116 kmeast
Nearby large cities
- Tallinn Population: 394K 173 kmnortheast
- Riga Population: 742.6K 190 kmsoutheast
- Stockholm Population: 1.5M 275 kmnorthwest
- Sollentuna Population: 139.6K 285 kmnorthwest
- Klaipėda Population: 172.3K 312 kmsouth
Straight-line distances; road distances are longer. Airport data: OurAirports.
Day trips from Saaremaa
Within 100 km: 7 historic and cultural sites, 14 natural sites, 88 lakes, rivers and coasts.
0–25 km7 places
- Väike-Tulpe Island 24 kmS
- Pakulaid Island 25 kmN
- Laidu Island 17 kmNW
- Mullutu-Suurlaht Lake 18 kmS
25–60 km48 places
- Hiiumaa Island 54 kmN
- Muhu Island 48 kmNE
- Kassari Island 47 kmNE
- Abruka Island 30 kmS
60–100 km54 places
- Kihnu Island 92 kmE
- Vormsi Island 79 kmNE
- Ruhnu Island 81 kmSE
- Manilaid Island 98 kmE
Straight-line distances.
Nearest towns and villages
-
Koidula Village, Koidula küla1.2 km NE
-
Eikla Village, Keskvere küla1.7 km NE
-
Kaubi Village, Kaubi küla2.7 km NE
-
Hübja Village, Hübja küla2.1 km SW
-
Hübja küla Municipality, Saaremaa vald1.3 km SW
-
Koidula küla Municipality, Saaremaa vald1.4 km N
Nearby attractions & nature
Everything nearby-
Väike-Tulpe Island, Saare24 km S
-
Laidu Island, Saare17 km NW -
Pakulaid Island, Saare25 km N
-
Bear Lake Lake, Saare17 km W -
Mullutu-Suurlaht Lake, Saare18 km S
-
Lõve Jõgi River, Saare23 km E -
Tagalaht Natural site, Saare24 km W
More lakes, rivers and coasts in Estonia
Sources & licences
Data last updated: · 2 independent sources