What to Do? Where to Go?

Põlvamaa – possibly a paradise for nature lovers!

Enchanting natural landscapes will accompany your day: the Great and Small Taevaskoda, the blooming Valgesoo bog, pine forests rich in mushrooms that resemble park landscapes, the Meenikunno bog at sunset, the colorful Post Road, sandstone outcrops along the banks of the Ahja and Võhandu rivers, the Piusa caves, birdlife at the Räpina polder, and many other unforgettable scenes that will remain in your memory or be captured by your camera.

For those who wish to explore nature on their own, Põlvamaa offers many marked and well-maintained hiking trails in forests, bogs, and along water bodies. In beautiful spots deep in the forest or by lakes, you will find maintained grill and picnic areas equipped with everything you need. You can find more information about hiking trails in Põlvamaa on the RMK website.

If you are traveling with a larger group, we recommend exploring nature together with an experienced hiking guide. You can choose to go on the water by canoe, raft, or inflatable boat, walk across bogs with snowshoes or on foot, or explore beautiful places with their own stories by kick scooter.

As hiking guides, we recommend our long-term and professional partners:

  • OÜ Matkajuht
  • OÜ VeeTee

The purest air, pine forests, rapids, and bog landscapes are waiting for you!

Visiting Põlvamaa with Family, we recommend that you:

  • Take a walk from Pesa Hotel to the town center and to the shore of Põlva Lake, where an exciting floating adventure park awaits you. The obstacle course includes 17 attractions, and swimming is made safe with lifeguards on duty.
  • Travel along the historic Post Road, where you will find the Põlva Peasant Museum with a windmill and village swing, as well as the family-friendly Estonian Road Museum, where children especially love the fun traffic town.
  • Go for a walk in Taevaskoja, often called the natural jewel of Põlvamaa. You can also take a riverboat ride on the reservoir with Lonny.
  • Hike the Valgesoo nature trail – a 2.5 km well-maintained boardwalk that is safe even for younger family members.
  • Take a train from Põlva to the Piusa caves – you will enjoy the train ride experience, and the largest “sandbox” in the Baltic States offers a unique attraction. Making a sand picture or sand bottle will certainly be fun entertainment. In summer, the café at the Piusa Visitor Centre also offers refreshments.
  • Drive towards Setomaa and turn into the Meenikunno Landscape Reserve, where hikers can walk on a 2.4 km boardwalk trail. At the end of the trail, near the Sunset House, a wonderful view of the bog opens up. The reserve is also home to Nohipalu Valgejärv, one of the clearest lakes in Estonia, and Nohipalu Mustjärv, one of the brownest lakes in Europe.

Põlvamaa warmly welcomes your family!