Come and discover Pärnu in the wintertime – bring your friends or family and enjoy everything that a delightful winter holiday in Pärnu has to offer. The city beautifully lit up in Christmas lights, decorated windows, cosy cafes, and quiet streets. Pärnu in the wintertime is the perfect place to take a break, forget your daily troubles, and recharge your batteries. It has everything you need to spend time with your loved ones and truly relax.
A winter getaway in Pärnu can mean relaxing in the pool or attending concerts, enjoying a range of activities, or treating yourself to delicious food. Although Pärnu is much quieter in winter compared to summer, there are still plenty of things to do, both on Rüütli Street and around it. In addition to relaxing in a spa and walking in the city centre, you can take a sleigh ride in Pärnu County, visit the Christmas Theme Park, and join in a whole host of other activities.
Winter activities in Estonia
You will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy fresh air and beautiful nature in Pärnu and its surrounding area during the winter. Snowy Pärnu with its coastline, parks and streets is a sight to behold in and of itself, being perfect for walking hand in hand or with your family. If you are interested in a more active holiday, Pärnu city centre provides opportunities for skating and sledding. There are plenty of illuminated snow trails with artificial snow outside the city.
In addition, you can go on sleigh, sledge, and kicksled rides in different parts of Pärnu County. If the weather conditions are right and the sea and river freeze over, you can also enjoy fun activities on the ice with your friends and family, like going on an ice skating trip on the Pärnu Bay or ice fishing like the local fishermen.
Culture
Cultural events take place in Pärnu across every season. For example, the Pärnu Concert Hall has a very packed schedule all year round, offering both classical and pop music performances.
There are several museums and you can visit the Apollo cinemain the Pärnu Keskus shopping centre. If you come to Pärnu with your children, be sure to visit Santa in Korstna Farm where Santa Claus lives with his wife, elves, horses, bunnies, spiders, moles, birds, and many other friends, both big and small. The Lottemaa Christmas Wonderland is also worth visiting.
Crafts and workshops
You can take part in a workshop every weekend in Pärnu, be it
- making jewellery, painting, pottery, engraving stone, melting glass, making a bow tie, felting, making cakes and candies,
- crafting a dream catcher, making door signs from plywood, crafting wreaths, making headwear, or
- forging a horseshoe.
Learn a new skill during your holiday or revive an old hobby that you have forgotten, putting your skills to the test in DYI classes and workshops. The items made in a workshop will remind you of your winter holidays for a long time to come. In addition, they always have practical value.
Spa vacation
Estonian spas are famous and Pärnu has always been a resort town, so at least one relaxing spa visit should be incorporated into a vacation in Pärnu, even in winter. In Pärnu you can enjoy water activities and saunas, mud therapy, massage, laser and paraffin therapy, and the salt chamber, and be pampered with various body treatments. In addition to modern city spas, you can visit local nature spas. Many holiday cottages in Pärnu County offer an Estonian sauna experience where you can use a traditional sauna whisk to alleviate stress. An Estonian smoke sauna will stimulate your mind and body, giving you all the magical healing properties that have been valued through the ages.
In addition to swimming pools and relaxing activities, almost all Pärnu spas offer accommodation and you will surely find the best solution for your needs, whether you are coming for a family holiday or planning a romantic getaway for two. In Pärnu you can enjoy high-quality cuisine and several eateries in Pärnuare listed among the best restaurants in Estonia in the White Guide. Those who appreciate street food will also find many tempting options. Cafes and bakeries offer the best pastries and desserts, which are often prepared early the same morning.
Shopping in Pärnu
There are three major shopping centres in Pärnu – Kaubamajakas, Port Artur, and Pärnu Keskus. Here you will find everything you need for your family, from clothes, shoes and jewellery to books, cosmetics, home decor, sports equipment, and electronics.
Shopping in Pärnu is especially convenient because everything is close at hand and it does not take long to get from one shopping centre to another. This way you can easily combine your holiday with winter shopping, and still have time to go to a concert or a movie the same evening. The shopping centres are open daily. In addition to shops, all centres have cafes and restaurants where you can eat or take food to go.