What to do and see in Ida-Viru County, Ida-Viru County: The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day

During more than its 700 years existence Narva Hermann Castle belonged to Danes, Germans, Swedes, Russians and finally Estonians. The castle’s appearance as we know it today originates from the 14th-16th c. from the period of domination by Livonian Order.Today Narva castle hosts a museum where one can see both permanent exhibition on Narva city history as well as about a dozen of temporary expositions.A beautiful view of Narva city and Ivangorod fortress on the Russian side can be admired from 51 metre high Tall Hermann tower.Each summer the artisan history centre Northern Yard comes to life in the castle’s northern yard.

The Narva Castle is one of the main attractions of the city. In the seventh decade of the 13th century, the Danes established a castle as a residence for the Danish King’s vice-Regent. The Narva Castle is one of the most diverse and best preserved defense structure in Estonia. The area of the castle is 3.2 hectares, and the highest point is the Tall Hermann Tower (51 meters), which offers views over Narva, the Kreenholm factory and Ivangorod Fortress across the river in Russia. Today you can visit the museum in the castle, were the displays explain the history of Narva and the castle.

The gallery is located in 18th century former ammunition warehouse. The gallery, which was founded in the 1990s, is the art centre of East-Viru County. The collection of Russian art given to the Narva City Museum by Mr. and Mrs. Lavretsov, and which is considred to be the best provincial museum collection in the Baltic countries at the beginning of the 20th century, is stored here. In addition to the permanent collection, exhibitions of modern Estonian and West-European art are organized and a traditional art party takes place on the last Sunday in May

An underground museum has been opened in the former Kohtla mines. Join an excursion with a guide to see how oil shale is mined and the machinery and technology that is used to do so. Take a ride on an underground train and try your hand at drilling, using a real drill! The above-ground exhibits and underground visit take around one hour and a half to see and complete. The museum provides every visitor with a special jacket, helmet and miner’s lamp.Starting from 20 October 2011 until spring 2012 the underground exhibition at the mine is being completely redesigned. The other parts of the museum remain open for visits, and we still offer miners' lunches when booked in advance.

It was built in 1890-1896 for the orthodox workers of Kreenholm Manufactory. The architect was Pavel Alis. Architectural solution comes from Byzantine tradition. Belltower is 28,8 m high. Church's walls and dome are made of local bricks. Rides, stairways and ornaments are made of Finnish granite. There is room for 2000 people. You can see three part iconostasis and 17th century’s Christ’s crucifix. Good to know: on year 1944 during the second world war, the bombing of the city left only the church untouched.

Toila baths have a variety of saunas for you to enjoy: steam, infrared, aroma, wood-fired and salt saunas. There are also heated relaxation benches, Jacuzzis, sunbathing spots and a log sauna cabin on the roof. The interior design of the baths brings to mind ancient Rome, with tiled floors and walls and reed mats on the ceilings – you will feel as though you have been transported back in time! Toila Spa was the first in Estonia to offer the unique Sauna World treatment.

The Astri centre is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in Narva. It boasts more than 50 different stores and is home to the 3 screens of Forum Cinemas Astri. It also has a fast food restaurant and two bars. There is an exciting playroom for children where parents can leave their little ones in the care of professional child minders. The underground car park is one of the biggest in the city. The Astri centre was designed not only as a place to shop with an extensive choice of stores, but also as a great place for people to meet and spend time together. Fashion brands like H&M, Newyorker, Reserver, Lindex etc

The building of Sillamäe Cultural Center, built in 1949, has been declared an architectural monument, which has preserved both the inside and outside of the 40s and 50s of the last century. years of Stalinist-style architecture. In the basement of the building, in a former bomb shelter, there is a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Soviet-era period of the city. The Cultural Center has a total of 8 amateur activities, many of which have become famous both in Estonia and abroad. Today, more than 200 people participate in our teams. In addition to the beautiful architecture, the cultural center is a venue for various concerts and events, and individual rooms as well as the entire building are offered for rent.