Europe's Best Calmcations for 2026: Discover the Most Stress-Free Destinations for a Relaxing Escape

Tallinn, Estonia

As modern life becomes increasingly fast-paced, travellers are looking for holidays that offer more than sightseeing. They want peace, quiet and genuine opportunities to recharge. The latest travel trend for 2026 is the rise of the "calmcation" – holidays focused on relaxation, wellbeing and escaping the pressures of everyday life.

With one in six people reporting they feel stressed every day, and 76 per cent of travellers saying stress reduction is now their primary reason for taking a holiday, Europe's quieter cities are emerging as some of the world's most desirable destinations.

A comprehensive study by Vape and Go analysed almost 70 European cities, examining factors including walkability, green space, air quality, crime rates and noise pollution to identify the continent's most stress-free destinations.

The results reveal a fascinating collection of cities where tranquillity takes centre stage.

Why Calmcations Are the Biggest Travel Trend of 2026

Trondheim, Norway

Unlike traditional city breaks packed with busy sightseeing schedules, calmcations encourage travellers to slow down and reconnect with nature, local culture and themselves.

Instead of rushing between attractions, visitors spend time strolling through leafy parks, enjoying quiet waterfronts, relaxing in cafés, discovering local history and embracing a slower pace of life.

Many of Europe's smaller cities are perfectly suited to this style of travel, offering beautiful architecture, excellent public spaces and welcoming communities without the crowds found in many major capitals.

Tallinn, Estonia Tops Europe's Most Relaxing Destinations

Leading the rankings is Estonia's charming capital, Tallinn, with an impressive stress-free score of 92.8 out of 100.

Tallinn's beautifully preserved medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers visitors cobbled streets, historic churches, boutique cafés and centuries of fascinating history within an exceptionally peaceful environment.

One of the city's biggest advantages is its remarkably low noise levels. Less than one per cent of residents experience significant road or rail noise during the night, making Tallinn one of Europe's quietest capitals.

Combined with low crime, good air quality and a relaxed atmosphere, Tallinn offers the ideal destination for travellers seeking genuine peace of mind.

Switzerland and Estonia Continue to Shine

Zurich

Zurich claims second place with its outstanding pedestrian-friendly streets and generous green spaces.

Visitors can explore much of the city on foot while enjoying lakeside promenades, beautifully maintained parks and spectacular alpine scenery nearby. Although Zurich recorded slightly higher air pollution than some other leading cities, its low noise levels and exceptional walkability make it one of Europe's finest urban escapes.

Estonia appears again in third place with Tartu, a vibrant university city known for its quiet streets, rich cultural heritage and relaxed lifestyle.

Tartu recorded the lowest daytime noise exposure among all cities ranked in the top ten, making it particularly attractive for travellers seeking uninterrupted tranquillity.

Scandinavia Offers Nature and Serenity

Trondheim

Norway's Trondheim ranks fourth, combining outstanding safety with more than 40 per cent green space coverage.

Although its walkability score is lower than some competitors, visitors enjoy beautiful riverside scenery, colourful historic buildings and easy access to spectacular Norwegian landscapes.

Finland's Tampere also makes the top ten, boasting the cleanest air of any city in the entire study.

Its pristine lakes, forests and relaxed Nordic atmosphere create an environment that naturally encourages visitors to unwind and reconnect with nature.

Hidden European Gems Worth Discovering

Rijeka 

Several lesser-known destinations performed exceptionally well in the rankings.

Lithuania's capital Vilnius offers impressive green spaces, attractive historic streets and relatively low noise levels, making it an increasingly popular alternative to Europe's busier capitals.

The Hague in the Netherlands achieved the highest safety rating of every city included in the research, making it particularly attractive for solo travellers and families seeking a worry-free holiday.

Croatia's coastal city of Rijeka combines Adriatic Sea views with generous green spaces and a laid-back waterfront atmosphere, while Slovenia's picturesque capital Ljubljana boasts the highest percentage of green space of any destination analysed.

Geneva, meanwhile, offers visitors one of Europe's most walkable cities, allowing tourists to explore lakeside parks, museums and elegant streets entirely on foot.

The Top 10 Most Stress-Free European Cities for 2026

1. Tallinn, Estonia – 92.8
2. Zurich, Switzerland – 88.1
3. Tartu, Estonia – 86.6
4. Trondheim, Norway – 84.8
5. Vilnius, Lithuania – 82.7
6. The Hague, Netherlands – 82.5
7. Rijeka, Croatia – 82.4
8. Geneva, Switzerland – 81.6
9. Tampere, Finland – 81.5
10. Ljubljana, Slovenia – 80.8

Europe's Most Stressful Cities

While many destinations excelled in creating peaceful urban environments, others scored considerably lower due to higher crime rates, heavier traffic, increased noise pollution and poorer air quality.

According to the study, the ten most stressful European destinations for travellers in 2026 are:

• Naples, Italy
• Antwerp, Belgium
• Bucharest, Romania
• Lyon, France
• Athens, Greece
• Thessaloniki, Greece
• Marseille, France
• Malmö, Sweden
• Birmingham, United Kingdom
• Milan, Italy

Naples ranked as Europe's most stressful city, primarily due to lower safety scores, higher crime levels and limited green space. Antwerp followed because of significant daytime noise, while Bucharest's combination of heavy traffic noise and poor air quality contributed to its low ranking.

Choosing a Holiday That Improves Your Wellbeing

Geneva

The growing popularity of calmcations reflects a changing attitude towards travel.

Increasingly, travellers are prioritising mental wellbeing alongside sightseeing, choosing destinations where they can walk peacefully, breathe cleaner air, enjoy beautiful parks and experience authentic local culture without overwhelming crowds.

Europe's highest-ranked calmcation destinations demonstrate that memorable holidays don't always require packed itineraries. Sometimes the greatest luxury is simply slowing down, enjoying beautiful surroundings and returning home feeling refreshed.

For travellers planning a European holiday in 2026, these peaceful cities offer the perfect opportunity to escape the pressures of everyday life while discovering some of the continent's most beautiful and underrated destinations.

Web Contact Details

Vape and Go Website: https://vapeandgo.co.uk/
Visit Estonia Website: https://visitestonia.com/
My Switzerland Website: https://www.myswitzerland.com/
Visit Norway Website: https://www.visitnorway.com/
Lithuania Travel Website: https://lithuania.travel/
Holland.com (The Hague) Website: https://www.holland.com/
Croatia Full of Life Website: https://croatia.hr/
Visit Finland Website: https://www.visitfinland.com/
I Feel Slovenia Website: https://www.slovenia.info/

For more travel inspiration read the daily online "The Holiday and Travel Magazine" https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com/

Estonia a sustainable destinations

Tallinn

Estonia is listed the world’s fifth most sustainable destination, in the latest annual study from Euromonitor International, a provider of global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights. 

A certified Green Destination, has moved up five places in the Euromonitor Sustainable Travel Index 2023 www.euromonitor.com 

The Baltic country of Estonia, in Northern Europe, has more than 1,500 islands and a diverse terrain that takes in rocky beaches, oldgrowth forest and many lakes. 

The capital, Tallinn is known for its preserved Old Town. Over half of the country is forested and with some of the cleanest air in the world. 

The European Green Capital 2023 

Tallinn is the European Green Capital 2023, with its UNESCO medieval old town and new urban redevelopments outside the city walls, easily discovered on foot, by e-scooter. 

Exploring further afield can be undertaken by eco-friendly trams and buses. 

Eco-conscious accommodation 

A wide range of eco-conscious accommodation is available with 40 properties having Green Key certification. 

The restaurants offer cuisine using local ingredients and seasonal menus including the Michelin Green star, zero-waste Fotografiska. 

www.fotografiska.com 

There are also public drinking water taps across the city. Local markets such as the Katariina Guild and the Master’s Courtyard have craftspeople and designers making products on site. 

The Baltic Station Market houses local produce, vintage and antique shops and Central Market offers food and handicrafts. 

Rummu Quarry 

An hour’s drive out of Tallinn is the blue lagoon of the submerged limestone Rummu Quarry. Its former prison, now underwater, is a converted nature reserve with watersports on the lake and hiking around its mountain. 

Pärnu 

The coastal town of Pärnu has a sandy beach, promenade, and coastal meadow nature reserve, and has been listed in the top 100 sustainable locations in the world, by Green Destinations, the EU founded international organisation focusing on sustainable tourism. 

One-fifth of the is covered in forest groves, tree-lined avenues, parks, and home gardens. 

The sea, rivers, beaches, promenades, parks and forest groves make Pärnu a place of genuine natural diversity. 

www.visitestonia.com/en/where-to-go/west-estonia/parnu 

Saaremaa 

The island of Saaremaa, together with the other western islands, belongs to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. 

Here is the Vilsandi National Park, with 20 protected nature and landscape reserves, some 36 flowering orchid species and nature and hiking trails. 

It is also a lure for birdwatchers in autumn and spring as birds stop by during their annual migrations. The forest and the sea play a vital role in the diet of the islanders, with restaurants often naming the farm where ingredients are sourced. 

Fish caught in the morning is on the menu by lunchtime. 

www.visitestonia.com/en/where-to-go/islands/saaremaa-muhu-islands 

Tartu, European Capital of Culture in 2024 

Tartu

Tartu, the cultural and learning centre of Estonia, is the European Capital of Culture 2024. The theme Arts of Survival will highlight the city’s environmentally friendly culture focusing on strong communities and essential skills for living and survival in the coming years. 

One of the projects in the Tartu 2024 programme is Curated Biodiversity which promotes the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity in Tartu’s parks and green spaces with activities for different generations. 

The city is compact and good for walking and cycling, offering an easy-to-use Smart Bike Share with over 750 bicycles or use the public bio-gas buses to explore. 

The Smart Bike Share and bio-gas buses can be combined as both ticketing systems use the same card. www.tartu2024.ee/en/ 

* www.visitestonia.com 

* Samantha at visitestonia@goshpr.co.uk

Nature immersion stays in Estonia

Riverbed Inn

Located in the Gulf of Finland, Estonia offers Baltic heritage with a Nordic influence. 

Over 50% of the country is covered in forest and its Baltic Sea coastline has over 2,000 islands. 

To make the most of this, Estonia has a range of innovative places to stay where it is possible to truly appreciate the environment. 

Mirrored houses 

Mirrored houses are an iconic Estonia design and can be found hidden in beautiful settings across the country. 

Two examples are: 

Rooslepa Mirror Cabin 

Family run Estonian ÖÖD Hötels offers 22 harmonised mirrored luxury cabins across Estonian, along with another 21 properties around the world. The Rooslepa Mirror Cabin is located in a wild forest of Western Estonia near Pärnu. Inside these modern cabins, are equipped with all the necessary amenities.  Nearby is Roosta, Estonia’s most popular surfing destination with some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. 

www.visitestonia.com/en/ood-hotels-rooslepa 

Riverbed Inn Mirrored House & Iglucraft Sauna 

Riverbed Inn Mirrored House is near Kanaküla village and close to the Soomaa natural preserve in the West of the country. A two-hour drive from Tallinn, the Ööd designed mirrored house, has three sides with open views and a stylish interior. 

www.riverbedinn.com/en/apartment/RiverbedInnmirroredhouseiglucraftsauna/226976

Iglu Huts 

Iglupark in Tallinn

IgluPark, Tallinn 

Another innovative Estonian design is the curved Iglucraft Sauna, which offers a unique steam experience thanks to a shape that enables the steam to travel upwards and slowly drift down filling the entire room. At Iglupark in Tallinn, located in the historic Noblessner marina district of the city, it is possible to stay on the waters edge in an Igluhut, with views of the sea www.visitestonia.com/en/igluparkigluhuts 

Nature Villas 

In the Maidla Nature Resort, a 45- minute drive south from Tallinn and in the heart of the Estonian countryside, are a selection of uniquely designed, contemporary, luxury lodges on stilts. 

Maidla Nature Resort 

The Michelin Green Star restaurant Soo is located in the grounds. Nature Villa Poku Nature Villa Poku Also in the Maidla Nature Resort, a wooden villa is nspired by the Estonian children’s book Pokuraamat. Guests can explore hiking trails around the bogs and canoe on the Keila River. www.maidlaresort.com/nature-villas/poku

Käbi Maidla nature villa Käbi 

This lodge, in the forest, is ‘inspired by nature with the exterior façade the texture of a pinecone. Inside is a ‘luxury bolthole for two’ and an outdoor jacuzzi. www.visitestonia.com/en/maidla-nature-villakabi 

Treehouses 

There are a wide variety of tree houses across the country, with two of the best: 

Hesko Treehouse

Hekso Treehouse, Matsalu National Park 

Located in western Estonia, the converted nature observation hut is positioned amongst the trees has a kitchenette, bathroom, views of nature and a sauna. www.visitestonia.com/en/hekso-treehouse 

Sambliku Forest Treehouse 

This treehouse is set in the heart of a forest, offers a very private escape for two persons, with a sleeping and relaxation area with a fireplace, a kitchenette, bathroom, and a terrace with beautiful views. There is also a Finnish sauna and the chance to walk the nearby Metsanurme hiking trail or swim in the Keila River. 

www.visitestonia.com/en/sambliku-foresttreehouse 

By the waters’ edge 

Vaatetorni Guesthouse

Estonia has a Baltic Sea coast and wide array of rivers, bogs, and natural springs. 

Vaatetorni Guesthouse 

Located on the eastern coast Vormsi island, one of over 2,000 islands in Estonia, the two eco-friendly guesthouses are in a nature reserve, a short walk from the water and the forest. 

www.vaatetorni.ee 

Ohessaare Windmill, Saaremaa Island 

Located near the Ohessaare cliffs on the Sõrve Peninsula of Saaremaa Island off the western coast, the windmill is one of Estonia’s most unusual places to stay. It offers sea views, rustic interior and no electricity.

www.visitestonia.com/en/ohessaare-windmill 

Barrel Camping Pods on the Water, Paekalda Holiday Centre 

The Paekalda Holiday Centre in Harju County on the shores of Rummu Quarry Lake, 45km southwest of Tallinn, offers a selection of log houses and five special barrel pods on the lake. Each pod has three beds and a glass wall at one end offering views of the lake and sunset. The quarry dates back to the 1930s and was once a penal institution. All the industrial buildings and trees were submerged when the quarry was flooded, which can be seen when diving. It is a popular area for swimming in summer and ice-skating in winter. www.visitestonia.com/en/barrel-campingpods-on-water-in-paekalda-holiday-centre 

 www.visitestonia.com 

 Samantha at samantha@goshpr.co.uk

The 2,222 islands of The Baltic country Estonia

Muhu and Saaremaa Islands

The Baltic country has 2,222 islands for visitors looking to enjoy the best of sea, scenery and ancient traditions. 

Regular ferries operate between the mainland and the larger islands, as well as connecting the islands, with flights from Tallinn to Saaremaa and Hiiumaa taking under 45 minutes. 

Saaremaa Island 

Estonia’s largest island is known as a wellness destination, with the main town, Kuressaare one of the world’s most spa-dense destinations. 

Recognised on the 2020 Sustainable Top 100 Destinations list, the island is often visited for its geographic diversity and its natural beauty spots. 

Hiiumaa Island 

Hiiumaa is a year-round destination with a rural feel. 

A third of the size of Saaremaa, it has a far more secluded feel, with the coastline popular with surfers, sailors, and swimmers. 

Muhu Island

Located in the West Estonian archipelago of the Baltic Sea, Muhu is just a short ferry ride away from the mainland town of Virtsu and is connected by an ice road during the winter months. 

With a local population of under 2,000 people, this peaceful island is ideal for those looking for a tranquil retreat. 

Kihnu Island 

Kihnu, is an ancient island of seafarers and fishermen. 

Throughout centuries, the men of Kihnu have spent much of their time at sea, leaving the women as the keepers and carriers of the island’s heritage. 

It has a close-knit community of around 700 inhabitants and is on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

www.visitestonia.com 

Jack Trethewey at Jack.Trethewey@wearelotus.co.uk

The European Design Festival, Tallinn

Tallinn

Tallinn will host the European Design Festival, for the first time, during June 2022. 

Estonia, a country in Northern Europe, borders the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. 

Including more than 1,500 islands, its diverse terrain spans rocky beaches, old-growth forest and many lakes. 

Formerly part of the Soviet Union, it's dotted with castles, churches and hilltop fortresses. Tallinn, its capital is known for its preserved Old Town. 

The European Design Festival has previously been held in other leading ‘design cities’ like Stockholm and Oslo. 

Celebrating the very best in European design, the festival is also an opportunity to showcase Estonia’s talent and innovation. 

Places that showcase Estonian design

Maidla Nature Villa 

Nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture in 2022, the Maidla Nature Villa is a micro-hotel designed to allow guests to experience Estonia’s natural beauty. 

Located is close to Maidla Nature Resort’s 15th-century manor complex, and has been built around birch trees, elevated one metre above the ground, and driven into the soil with seven-metre-long screws. 

Its multiple wooden terraces help it blend into the surrounding forestry while remaining functional. 

Telliskivi Creative City 

The former industrial factory complex near Tallinn’s main railway station became the Tellskivi Creative City in 2009 and is today home to almost 250 start-ups and tech-based companies. 

Inspired by similar regeneration projects in Stockholm and Helsinki, Telliskivi is now the largest creative centre in Estonia. 

It has seen the rejuvenation of a previously unused area into one of the most exciting areas in Tallinn, with an array of vibrant and reflective street ar. 

The Hektor Container Hotel, on the edge of Telliskivi, has been constructed in the building of an old railway depot, with the rooms created from repurposed shipping containers.

www.hektorstay.com/container 

Iglucraft 

Iglucraft in Noblessner, is a manufacturer of saunas working to re-establish the country’s historic sauna traditions, but for modern living. 

Founded by Priit Kallas in 2014, its pods can be found in the gardens of the Beckhams, Guy Ritchie, and Gordon Ramsey.

Noblessner, a regenerated harbour district, opened in summer 2021 on the edge of a former dock, and an Iglus, mostly individual sauna pods, can be rented by a group of friends to enjoy overlooking the Baltic Sea. 

One Iglu open as a bar and others have been made into sleeping pods, or spaces to work. 

ÖÖD Hotels – Mirror House 

With several clusters dotted around Estonia, ÖÖD Hotels’ mirror houses are for design enthusiasts.

 

Tallinn

Developed by brothers Andreas and Jaak Tiik, the houses have reflecting mirrored walls to create an illusion of disappearing into the surroundings, whilst allowing those inside to see the outside clearly.

The newest collection opened in Laheranna, a 45- minute drive west of Tallinn, at the end of 2021. The mirror houses are hidden in a pine forest next to Ihasalu Bay on the Baltic Sea. 

Hiking trails are nearby as well as a long stretch of sandy beach. 

www.visitestonia.com/en/ 

Katie Cosstick at katie@wearelotus.co.uk

News from the Baltic States...

Autumn in Baltic countries does not mean cold, rainy or muddy. It means unbelievable beautiful nature, fog all over the grain fields, raising sun through dew drops and of course wide range of cultural events in cities!

Baltic Travel Group provides programs to combine business trips and meetings with cultural events that Baltic States can offer. 

Contact our offices in Vilnius, Riga or Tallinn and we will be happy to surprise you with fresh ideas.
We believe that the Sky is NOT the limit!

“Brodsky/Baryshnikov” in Riga, October - November

Mikhail Baryshnikov (born in Riga, Latvia in 1948) is a Russian-American ballet dancer who choreographed several iconic pieces which have made him one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. This beautiful show will be in Riga in October and November 2015.

Mikhail Baryshnikov will perform in a new solo work based on the poems of Joseph Brodsky, created for him by AlvisHermanis, the director of the New Riga Theater in Riga, Latvia. Called “Brodsky/Baryshnikov,” the piece will have its premiere in Riga on Oct. 15. A tour to the United States, as part of an international tour, is planned for 2016. Hermanis and Baryshnikov will take us into an imagined world to viscerally experience Brodsky’s complicated, lyrical and potent wordplay. Spoken in Mr. Brodsky’s mother tongue, Brodsky/BaryShnikov will try, through spoken word and movement, to reproduce the poet’s versatile spiritual world filled with high meaning and true emotions.

28th International Vilnius Jazz Festival, October 15th – 18th

The Vilnius Jazz Festival represents the city's oldest continued jazz event. Scores of famous jazz artists get clubs swinging, rocking and jiving to classic and novel tunes. The festival has earned itself a reputation as the birthplace of avant-garde jazz, in which the limits of this genre are constantly being pushed. As the city is a hub for academic, ethnic, rock and industrial musicians, such creativity comes as no surprise.

Founded in 1987, Vilnius Jazz is the oldest annual jazz festival held in Vilnius. Attracting an audience of around 7000 each year, Vilnius Jazz has played a formative role for several generations of jazz fans. It is an exceptional event in Lithuania, providing a broad perspective on contemporary trends in jazz from all over the world.

The International Vilnius Jazz Festival is renowned for its creative and ambitious programmes featuring some of the biggest names on the international jazz scene alongside the best of Lithuanian talent.

It has also to its credit helped develop local players who have then moved onto performing in other European venues and international jazz groups. Vilnius Jazz is also inextricably linked with the development of a distinctive Vilnius jazz school. Recognised as one of the most important signposts in Eastern Europe, Vilnius Jazz remains devoted to nurturing and promoting the living tradition of improvised music in Lithuania.

Convene in Vilnius, 10th – 11th February 2016

A live meetings industry market place for the countries of the Baltic Sea region.

CONVENE is an annual business to business two day event for the meetings industry for the countries of the Baltic. It is an international show case for the regional meetings industry which accelerates the interest in, and demand for, holding meetings, incentives and conferences in the region.

Launched by Vilnius Convention Bureau the event every year offers a fully hosted buyer program which accommodates 160+ qualified buyers from whole Europe.

Up to 100 exhibitors including convention bureaus, hotels, conference centers, special venues, DMCs, PCOs, specialist suppliers from Lithuania and seven other countries of the region (Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia Finland, Sweden, Denmark) are showcasing their meeting products and services. There are also guest country exhibitors from Ukraine and Belarus. The event is supported by a major professional education program and a series of high quality business networking events.

CONVENE as well offers a number of fam tours to Lithuania and neighboring destinations that wish to host the international buyers attending the event.

With a strong focus on education and knowledge, CONVENE aims to equip the buyer and supplier communities with the tools to create more effective meetings and events.

Baltic Travel Group is proud to be an organising partner in this business to business event.

For more information, please contact Mr. Vlad Koriagin at baltic@euromic.com

Bestonia: A beautiful life in Estonia

What? You’re from Australia and live in Estonia?

“Yes, I live here in Tallinn.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to try something different.”

A local’s reaction? They laugh!

In a way it seems rather exotic to live in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, but not in the way that people generally think of exotic destinations like places filled with sunshine and beaches. Tallinn is this hidden gem tucked away on the east side of Europe and that when people do come to visit, they are pleasantly surprised with what this small yet thriving seaside city has to offer.

For me, I get to live out my Disney Princess fantasy. Tallinn is home to one of Europe’s most preserved medieval old towns famously labelled the ‘medieval pearl of Europe’ and is UNESCO listed.

It is easy to spend a day getting lost along the cobblestone streets of Old Town and soaking up the surrounds. A favourite afternoon past time is to sit in Town Square and and unwind with a traditional fare of Estonian food – Elk soup! And don´t forget the moose pie too – it is delicious!

Along the outskirts of Tallinn, there are various oddities and sights to visit. The Russian Market sells anything and everything – from Russian delicacies, items from Soviet times to tombstones, it is really a sight to behold. Abandoned building Linnahall, used for the 1980 Moscow Olympics Rowing competition, is a local favourite spot to watch the sunset and gaze at ferry liners departing to Helsinki, Stockholm and St Petersburg. The area of Kalamaja oozes coolness and is considered to be the hip and happening area of Tallinn with former old industrial type buildings converted into trendy restaurants and cafes and start up designers selling goods in warehouse buildings.

Close around Tallinn, there are many abandoned buildings from the Soviet era and beyond including manors, old submarine ports and castles.

And this is why I live in Tallinn. It is completely different. There are so many unique things to see and considering its challenging and interesting past, the overall vibe of the place is peaceful and perfect. Perfect for me to live out my fairy tale dream.

* Blog written by Julia D’Orazio

Dream Holi Festival 2014 – first colour festival in Estonia

The roots of this event go back far to the past. Festival HOLI captured the hearts of residents in Europe and British colony already in the 17th century.

Festival HOLI (also known as The Festival of the Beginning of Spring / The Festival of Love and of course, as the Festival of Colors) – it is an ancient Indian festival with many traditions and rituals.

Holi is known as a cheerful holiday in honor of the victory of good over evil and involves all family members, young and old.

One of the main rituals of the festival is a game of colors, during which participants shower each other with colored powders.

There are no rules, there are no hard feelings, there are just pure joy, jokes and fun.

Dream HOLI is an open air festival, where there are no age limits for the guests.

Estonia Picks Birgit Õigemeel for Eurovision

Birgit Õigemeel

Birgit Õigemeel has beat out nearest rival Grete Paia to take the top spot in the Eesti Laul, the national competition that determines Estonia’s Eurovision Song Contest entry.
 
In the competition’s final round, held in Tallinn’s Nokia Concert Hall on March 2, the two contenders scored the highest marks in a 50-50 combination of jury and televoting. The two then faced each other in a televoting “Superfinal,” which ended with Estonian viewers picking Õigemeel’s “Et uus saaks alguse” (The New Would Begin Again) to represent Estonia in Malmö this May.

Speaking to ERR News directly after the win, Õigemeel said that the result came as a shock. “Last year I was in seventh place and two years ago third. This year I just took it really slow and easy and didn’t have any expectations,” she said.

Though she plans to perform the song in Estonian in Eurovision, the 24-year-old said she might record versions in English and Russian as well.

The Saturday night event was hosted by Anu Välba and Marko Reikop, presenters of the ETV talk show “Ringvaade.” Between performances, video clips by comic actors Mait Malmsten and Jan Uuspõld lampooning foreigners were shown in an apparent attempt to raise a few chuckles.

As many as 157 hopefuls submitted songs to this year’s Eesti Laul, an event designed as much to showcase new local talent as it is to fill the nation’s Eurovision slot.

The next step for Estonia’s entry is presentation at the contest’s first semifinal on May 14.