Making the most of Kudema Bay Saaremaa Island
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
A new port recently was constructed. The harbor enables to service vessels with the length of up to 200 meters. The natural depth of the harbor location is sufficient for receiving the biggest cruise ships sailing in the Baltic Sea, 45km north of the only town on the island Kuressaare.
Some smaller vessels might anchor off Kuressaare and use tenders to transport their passengers.
Cruise Schedule at bottom of page.
Estonia has 1,502 islands and islets, representing 9% of Estonia's land mass. Saare County comprises only 6.5% of the area of Estonia, but Saaremaa and neighboring Muhumaa are considered large islands in an Estonian context.
Many foreigners who visit Saaremaa are genuinely surprised by the island's diverse nature, fascinating history and pleasantly relaxed atmosphere. Locals and tourists alike love Saaremaa as an interesting and good recreational destination with fascinating natural attractions and lots of sights to see.
Saaremaa has preserved its originality largely due to its location and isolation. Traditional villages still have buildings with thatched roofs and stone walls, and beautiful national costumes are still worn and the local dialect been preserved.
In 1990, the islands of western Estonia were designated a UNESCO biosphere conservation area.
The highlight is Kuressaare's magnificent castle, one of the finest in the Baltic, that you can explore for a couple of hours, and a little market, for the rest it is a pretty but quiet town.
Getting around
Taxis are plentiful and cheap.
Money
Euro.
ATMs and currency exchange offices (valuutavahetus) are widely available.
Credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard/Eurocard, Diner's Club, American Express etc. are accepted in most of the major hotels, restaurants and shops, but ask first.
Staying connected
The official language is Estonian. Especially younger people speak English well. German is also taught at school in Estonia and a large number of people can speak some.
Lots of free WiFi: A user should turn on his(her) WiFi device and connect to network with name or SSID "tt-wifi".
For police dial 110, for other emergencies like fires and so, call 112
Opening Hours and
Most shops are open Monday to Friday 9/10am-6/7pm and Saturday 10am-2/3pm. Some food shops stay open until 10pm or later and are also open on Sundays.