The sandy beach near Roosta Holiday Village is one of the best in the northwest of Estonia. There is a car park for 80 cars and boardwalks for people in wheelchairs. There are also cabanas and places for buying snacks and drinks. The adjoining Roosta Holiday Village offers various possibilities for active relaxation – starting with miniature golf and ending with a game of tennis or bowling. Roosta Holiday Village also offers accommodation and catering services.
Good to know: In summer you can learn how to surf, hire a boat or pedalo.
Haapsalu Stadium has two tennis courts with artificial grass surfaces. Court hire includes use of the changing rooms and shower facilities, and for an extra charge you can enjoy the services of the Haapsalu Water Park. You can also hire all of your tennis gear on site. Game times can be booked at the information desk in the Haapsalu Water Park by the hour.
In Wiedemanni Sports Centre you can in addition to basketball or volleyball also play badminton and table tennis, you can also use the body-building gym.
The Haapsalu Water Centre is a great place to relax for the whole family. There is a kid’s pool for small children and a 46-metre water slide tube that offers excitement for our bigger guests. There is also a 25-metre swimming-pool with 6 lanes for more serious swimmers. Relax in different saunas or the Jacuzzi or take part in a water aerobics class. The Water Centre has a cafe and beauty parlour, and swimwear can be rented if you forget yours at home.
Haapsalu Sports Hall includes a modern sports centre complex. Here, you can play basketball, volleyball, and tennis in an indoor hall and, if the weather is warm, on the outdoor stadium as well. The sports hall includes a gym, an aerobics room, an indoor cycling room, and a fencing room.
The stadium includes:
• an athletics stadium
• a full-size soccer field
• a soccer field with artificial grass
• an outdoor basketball court with a wooden floor
• volleyball courts on grass and sand
• two tennis courts
• gymnastics areas
• a roofed platform with benches for up to 900 spectators.
The centre also includes a hostel and is located next to Haapsalu Water Centre.
Läänemaa Health Path is an almost 60-kilometres-long path for pedestrians and cyclists along the embankment of the Riisipere-Haapsalu-Rohuküla line. The road has been marked with kilometre posts and with pickets every 100 metres. When at the section between Haapsalu-Rohuküla you should visit the remains of Ungru Castle not far from the path. You can also see the old airfield in Kiltsi. When at the section between Haapsalu-Risti near Taebla, go visit the Laikmaa Museum and Koela Museum and Lääne-Nigula church. When near Risti, go and take a look of Marimetsa bog.
Good to know: The path is covered with a strong surface. Driving on the road is safe and you will be undisturbed by traffic.
A 6,7 km hiking trail runs from Rumpo village on Vormsi island to the tip of a peninsula bearing the same name. There are platforms along the trail affording a great view of the Hullo and Sviby bays and islets that are marked nesting and migration spots for water birds. Additionally, Rumpo peninsula is a habitat for rare lichens from tundras.
Haapsalu Art School Galleries offer diverse exhibitions of works by its pupils and other artists. There are new exhibitions every 3–4 weeks. There are three different types of galleries: the house, yard, and cellar gallery. The house gallery is open year-round, the yard gallery opens in April, and the cellar gallery can be visited from May.
The timber-laced Kuursaal resort hall and the bandstand on the seaside promenade were built at the end of the 19th century and are the only ones of the kind that have survived in their original shape. From the first half of the 20th century until present day, the resort hall has been the centre of summer activities in Haapsalu.
Interesting to know: in 1898, the house was practically under water; later, the small coves of the bay on both sides of the building were filled and the embankment got its present shape. The resort hall with the bandstand was a favourite place of the Russian emperor’s court and the aristocracy from St. Petersburg. During the Soviet time, the resort hall was used as a storehouse.
National Register of Cultural Monuments
Vormsi church which dates back to the 14th century and is the main memento of its history and culture – is located in the centre of the island, in Hullo. The church was unused for a long time after the Swedish escaped from the island in the end of World War II. The church was dedicated again on Olav’s Day in 1990.
Be sure to take a look at the characteristic square-shaped nave and have look at the old ceiling paintings in the altar room.
Interesting facts:
The first church in Vormsi was a wooden church.
* St. Olav’s church in Vormsi is unique for the fact that it has no belfry, the bell hangs above the door under the high ridge.
* There are two gnarled pine trees at the gate of the church – this is the place where the pillory stood.
The works of Evald Okas, a great figure in the Estonian art world and an honorary member of the Florence Art Academy, can be found in museum collections in Estonia and abroad. This museum has been enriching the art life of Haapsalu since 2003. The primary attraction is the constantly changing permanent exposition and exhibits in the museum gallery.
Did you know…?
*The building, constructed in the mid-19th century as a tavern, has a unique atmosphere
*You can take part in art courses and attend interesting exhibitions
*Since 1939, Okas’ works have been displayed in 50 solo exhibitions
The Museum of Lyckholm is situated in the stables of Saare manor. It was restored in 1995 and gives you an overview of the history of Noarootsi. It focuses on Estonian first independence period between 1918 to 1940. It also displays a collection of old domestic- and farming tools, which emphasises the collaboration between Esonians, Swedes, Germans and Finns living in the area. Good to know: Have you seen fossils dated to silur period? Come and have a look!