The small border town of Voru, 135 mi/255 km southeast of Tallinn, makes a good base for exploring the surrounding countryside. Hiking in the scenic Otepaa and Haanja highlands is a popular pastime, as is fishing in the nearby Verijarv and Neitsijarv lakes. Like the Black Forest of Germany, the hills and forests of this region were fertile ground for fairy tales of nymphs and pagan magic.
While in Voru, you can also visit its quaint museums, including the Vorumaa Regional Museum and the Voru Town Gallery.
Stroll around in the village of Rouge and visit the Valley of Nightingales, which is filled with choirs of nightingales in the spring. During the summer, a public swimming beach is open at Lake Puhajarv. (Be careful about swimming in other parts of the lake—the cold springs can cause cramps, which have sometimes caused people to drown.)
More information about Voru is available at http://www.voru.ee.
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