Things to do in Haapsalu: top sights

Nature & parks

Paralepa beach

Paralepa rand is a sandy seaside beach located in the Paralepa recreation area in Haapsalu. The shore is known for relatively warm water during the summer season and combines an open swimming area with green surroundings. The beach features changing booths, outdoor toilets, a children's playground, and a volleyball court. The official bathing season runs from June to August, during which lifeguards are on duty and signal flags are used to indicate water conditions. Showers and additional nearby amenities may be available for an extra fee.

Paralepa puhkeala, Haapsalu

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Nature & parks

RMK Nõva Visitor Centre

RMK Nõva Visitor Centre is in Peraküla, Lääne-Nigula Parish, and makes a good starting point for exploring the Nõva recreation area. The centre provides information on the area's forests, coast, hiking trails and camping options, and you can ask for a suitable route before heading out into nature. Peraküla beach and several trails are nearby, but the centre's opening hours do not limit when you can be outdoors. In October, according to the schedule published by RMK, the visitor centre is open on weekdays; exceptions apply on public holidays. From Haapsalu it is a separate trip towards Nõva.

Peraküla küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Saare Nature Trail

The Saare Nature Trail runs along the edge of Silma Nature Reserve near Saare village in Lääne-Nigula Parish. Starting from the Sutlepa car park, the trail leads through coastal landscape to an observation platform and a birdwatching tower. Information boards explain the reserve's natural values, and in spring you can watch large numbers of migrating waterbirds here. At other times of year, too, it is a good place for a quiet nature walk and birdwatching, though sections of the trail may be wet after rain. Coming from Haapsalu, bring footwear suited to the weather and binoculars; stay on the marked trail.

Otsa, Saare küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Peraküla Beach

Peraküla Beach is a wide sandy beach near Peraküla village in Lääne-Nigula Parish, Lääne County. The pale strip of shore between the sea and the pine forest is ideal for a long walk and for noticing the varied coastal nature of the Nõva area. Sand and dunes give the beach an open feel, while the forest edge offers shelter in windy weather. The nearby RMK campsite has campfire sites and basic recreation facilities. On a summer visit, follow the fire safety rules and protect the dunes and coastal vegetation by keeping to existing paths.

Peraküla küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Põõsaspea Cape

Põõsaspea Cape is a stony coastal spot in Spithami village, Lääne-Nigula Parish, Lääne County. The north-westernmost cape of mainland Estonia opens out to the sea and towards Osmussaar and is known as a place for watching migrating waterbirds. The stony shoreline, shaped by wind and waves, gives the landscape a different character from the area's sandy beaches. On site there is a birdwatching shelter and information boards. Bring binoculars, be prepared for the wind on the exposed cape, and in the protected area keep to marked paths and follow the restrictions in force.

Spithami küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Marimetsa Hiking Trail

The Marimetsa Hiking Trail starts near Rõuma village in Lääne-Nigula Parish, Lääne County. The nine-kilometre out-and-back route leads first through meadows and spruce forest, then across a bog on a boardwalk. The varied landscape along the trail shows both the damp forest edge and the open bog view with small pools. From the observation tower you can look out over the bog landscape, but reaching it means planning for a longer walk. Choose footwear suited to the ground and the weather; in nature it is best to stay on the marked trail.

Rõuma küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Roosta beach

Roosta beach is located in the village of Elbiku in Lääne-Nigula Parish, Lääne County, and is a wide sandy sea beach near a pine forest. The beach is characterized by a long stretch of sand, open sea views, and a natural landscape between dunes. In summer, the beach is used for swimming and water sports, and the Roosta Holiday Village operates nearby. The beach offers parking, boardwalks, and seasonal services, though their availability may vary by season. This is an independent beach, distinct from Haapsalu Paralepa beach and Nõva Peraküla beach. Sea conditions and wind must be assessed before entering the water.

Suplusranna, Elbiku küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Liivaseranna–Peraküla õpperada

The Liivaseranna–Peraküla nature trail is located in Lääne County, in the Peraküla area of Lääne-Nigula Parish. The hiking trail, which is approximately 3.7 kilometers long, passes through various forest and coastal landscapes and leads close to Toatse and Allikajärv. Along the way, visitors can explore the nature and cultural history of the Nõva region, including a former cobblestone road and a wartime structure. The trail is equipped with information boards and is suitable for peaceful nature walks. It is a marked nature trail, distinct from the previously published Peraküla beach or Saare nature trail. Before setting out, visitors should consider the weather and trail conditions.

Peraküla küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Palivere hiking trails

Palivere hiking trails are located in Lääne-Nigula municipality, Lääne County, offering diverse skiing and hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulty levels. The trails can be used year-round, including for skiing, running, cycling, nordic walking, and simply hiking. The trail is also ideal for GPS games and orienteering. Different trails range from 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7.3 kilometers, including a 1.5-kilometer illuminated trail. There is a parking lot for 100 cars, a warm outdoor toilet, and fire pits available. The trail also features an 18-hole disc golf course, and an old ski jump tower is nearby.

Spordikeskuse, Allikmaa küla, Lääne-Nigula vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Rumpo hiking trail

The Rumpo hiking trail is located on Vormsi Island and stretches 6.7 km from the village of Rumpo to the peninsula of the same name. Along the trail, there are several platforms offering beautiful views of Hullo and Sviby bays and the nearby islets, which are known as breeding and migratory sites for aquatic animals. Rumpo peninsula is also a habitat for rare tundra mosses. This hiking trail is an ideal place for enjoying nature and birdwatching, providing visitors with the opportunity to explore unique flora and fauna. The trail is open year-round, allowing for outdoor experiences at any time.

Pilliroo, Sviby küla, Vormsi vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Prästviigi Lake Trail

The Prästviigi Lake Trail is located in the central part of Vormsi Island and leads visitors to a beautiful lake that was once a marine lagoon. The lake is largely covered with reeds but still retains its importance as a spawning and growth area for fish. The birdlife around the lake is rich and diverse; on a quiet spring evening, one can hear the song of a woodpecker. The trail is 1.7 km long and takes visitors to the lakeshore and the observation tower on the northern bank. The trail also features a unique Healing Spring, surrounded by a limestone-rich spring meadow where various orchid species grow.

Vormsi ringtee, Hullo küla, Vormsi vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Läänemaa Health Trail

The Läänemaa Health Trail is a walking and cycling route linking Haapsalu with nearby settlements, built on a former railway embankment. Almost 54 kilometres long, the trail between Turba, Haapsalu and Rohuküla suits both walking and cycling. Kilometre posts and closely spaced marker stones help you judge distances. Much of the route has a compacted gravel surface and runs separately from motor traffic. Between Haapsalu and Rohuküla the journey can be combined with discovering historical sites in the area. The long route need not be done in one go: you can choose a section to suit your own pace.

Raudteetammi tee lõik 5, Haapsalu linn, Haapsalu linn, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Allika Spring Trail on Vormsi

The Allika Spring Trail on Vormsi is a nature trail near Suuremõisa village that introduces the island’s springs and wetland landscapes. The roughly two-kilometre route runs through the Vormsi Landscape Protection Area and leads to the Suurallikas and Raviallikas springs. From the trail you can also see the surroundings of Lake Prästviigi. The path combines dirt track, boardwalk sections and stiles, and signposts and an information board help with orientation. In wet weather the trail can become muddy and hard to walk, so waterproof footwear is advisable. There is also a low wooden viewing platform along the way.

Matis-Siffersi, Suuremõisa küla, Vormsi vald, Lääne maakond

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Nature & parks

Huitberg Hiking Trail and Limestone Mound

The Huitberg Hiking Trail and Limestone Mound are on Vormsi island, near Suuremõisa village, in a spruce forest. The trail’s main sight is a fossilised coral reef more than 400 million years old, a reminder of the time when sea covered the area of today’s island. The continental ice sheet smoothed the surface of the mound, and an observant visitor may spot fossils in the moss-covered rock. Rare protected ferns also grow nearby. The circular trail is marked with wooden signposts and suits a relaxed walk in the forest. When exploring the mound, take care of nature and avoid damaging the protected plants.

Vormsi metskond 1, Suuremõisa küla, Vormsi vald, Lääne maakond

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Places to visit in Haapsalu

Paralepa beach

RMK Nõva Visitor Centre

Saare Nature Trail

Peraküla Beach

Põõsaspea Cape

Marimetsa Hiking Trail

Roosta beach

Liivaseranna–Peraküla õpperada

Palivere hiking trails

Rumpo hiking trail

Prästviigi Lake Trail

Läänemaa Health Trail

Allika Spring Trail on Vormsi

Huitberg Hiking Trail and Limestone Mound