What to do and see in Valga County, Valga County: The Best Specialty Museums

Hellenurme Watermill makes you feel like you have gone back to the era of your predecessors. The machinery here mostly dates back to the 1930s and is still in working order. The miller opens the water gates and starts the mill when visitors arrive. You can watch the entire process of grains being made into flour, semolina, groats. The landlady then spoils you with some warm bran balls and drinks. People at the mill are firm followers of the folk calendar, so order a tour on the mill on the holiday or season that is the most exciting for you. Interesting facts: The mill was established by the Middendorff family in the 1880s.

Valga Museum is a lively and modern museum where you will never get bored! The photos displayed here show you the history of Valga County and the city from ancient times to the present. The museum is also livened up by models, music and wax figures. Going to the museum is not a waste of time!Interesting facts:* there is a wax figure of the first Estonian Olympic champion, Alfred Neuland, in the museum.

Otepaa Winter Sports Museum offers unique opportunity to take a glimpse at the exciting world of winter sports. The museum is located in Tehvandi Sport Center building and displays unique sports equipment, Olympic medals and many interactive features. A must-see place to visit when you’re in Otepaa!

Otepaa is like the cradle of the blue, black and white flag of Estonia – the current national flag of Estonia was consecrated and blessed here on 4 June 1884. First of all, the flag was used by Estonian students, then it became the national flag of Estonia and when the Republic of Estonia was created, the colours blue, black and white were declared the national colours. The concept of the museum came from Pastor of the Otepaa Maarja (St Mary’s) Congregation of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Juri Stepanov (02.03.1952-17.06.2008), who was also in charge of its establishment. The Estonian Flag Room was opened in the Otepaa Rectory on 23 December 1996 to illustrate the story of the black, blue and white flag that is so important for Estonians.

When you come to see Lake Nupli, you are also welcome to visit the home museum of Gustav Wilff-Ois, the author of the popular Estonian song ‘Orn oobik…’ (Gentle Nightingale). The museum is run by the poet’s granddaughter Mariann Karupaa, who is always pleased to see visitors and will give you an interesting overview of the poet’s life and work. Poet Gustav Wulff-Ois (1865-1946) spent the last years of his life on the Lohmuse Farm on the shore of Lake Nupli. The farm-style museum was created in 1960 as a branch of the Estonian Literary Museum.