A Little Summer Getaway to Kuressaare, Saaremaa

So the beginning of July brought us a different kind of trip this time - we were going to a wedding in Kuressaare, but decided to turn it into a small two-night getaway and arrive one day earlier. The plan was pretty simple: have a little pre-party, relax at a spa, attend the wedding, and then spend one more night in the old town before heading back home.

And because it was the beginning of July, Saaremaa was looking absolutely gorgeous - long bright evenings, green nature and that relaxed summer island feeling that makes you immediately slow down a little.

Grand Rose SPA

We stayed our first night at Grand Rose SPA, which was also perfect because the pre-party was happening there. So basically, no need to worry about driving anywhere afterwards - always a win, ha!

I loved the whole atmosphere of the place. It had that cosy, slightly romantic spa-hotel feeling, and after travelling to Kuressaare and getting settled in, going to the spa felt like exactly the right thing to do.

The spa itself was definitely on point. There were different pools, saunas and places to relax, so it was very easy to spend a few hours there without even noticing how much time had passed.

I also really loved how everything felt very convenient. We could just go downstairs from our room and suddenly we were in a spa instead of having to plan some separate activity.

The only downside was that because we were there for the pre-party, the evening ended up being a little less relaxing than a typical spa night. But honestly, I’m not complaining — the whole point of this trip was to have fun and celebrate!

The wedding

The next day was obviously all about the wedding.

I always think weddings are such a nice excuse to visit places you might otherwise not necessarily travel to. You get to experience a destination, but at the same time there is already something meaningful happening there, so the whole trip feels more special.

And having the wedding in Saaremaa in July was honestly perfect. The island gave the whole celebration a really summery and romantic atmosphere.

I’m not going to go into all the wedding details because that would probably deserve its own post, but it was such a lovely day and definitely the main reason this little trip will stay in my mind.

Also, after all the dressing up, socialising, eating, drinking and dancing, we were more than ready for a proper sleep afterwards!

Meerbach Residents

For our second night we stayed at Meerbach Residents in Kuressaare Old Town.

And this was a completely different experience compared to Grand Rose. While Grand Rose felt like a proper spa hotel and was all about relaxing, Meerbach had more of that charming old-town, boutique-apartment feeling.

I really liked the location. Being right in the Old Town meant that everything felt very walkable and we could just step outside and wander around without having to think about the car.

Kuressaare is also one of those places where walking around is actually part of the experience. There are cute little streets, old wooden houses, historic buildings and plenty of small details that you might miss if you're just driving through.

After the wedding, it was especially nice to have a slower morning the next day. No rushing anywhere, just waking up, having breakfast and going for a little walk around Kuressaare before eventually heading home.

Kuressaare

I think what I liked most about Kuressaare was how small and relaxed everything feels.

There are places where you arrive and immediately feel like you need to start ticking things off a sightseeing list. Kuressaare wasn't like that for me. It felt more like a place where you can simply wander around, sit somewhere for coffee, look at the old buildings and enjoy the fact that you aren't in a hurry.

The Old Town is definitely my favourite part. It has a very different feeling from Tallinn - much quieter and more intimate. There are beautiful historic buildings mixed with cosy cafés, restaurants and little streets that are fun to explore.

And of course, you can't visit Kuressaare without seeing the castle.

Kuressaare Castle is probably the most iconic sight in the city, and seeing it in the middle of summer with everything green around it made it even prettier. Even though we didn't have a huge amount of time for sightseeing, it was definitely worth seeing.

I also loved the general island atmosphere. There is something about being surrounded by the sea that makes even a short trip feel like a proper holiday.

What I loved

I loved how easy the whole trip was.

There was no airport stress, no 10-hour flights, no complicated transport, no packing for three different climates. We just drove to Saaremaa, checked into our hotel and suddenly we were on an island.

I loved the combination of experiences too. One night was a spa and pre-party, the next day was a wedding, and then we had a quiet night in the Old Town. It was short and it didn't feel boring.

I loved the summer weather and the long July evenings. Estonia really does have a special kind of summer when the evenings seem to last forever.

To sum it up

This wasn't really a planned holiday — it was a wedding trip that we decided to turn into a mini getaway. And I think that made it even better.

We stayed two nights in two completely different places, had a spa evening, went to a beautiful wedding, explored a little bit of Kuressaare Old Town and got a tiny taste of Saaremaa summer.

If you're looking for a quick summer escape in Estonia, I would definitely recommend Kuressaare. Especially if you combine it with a spa stay and give yourself at least a couple of days to explore.