Haapsalu, Estonia - noise village charm on the coast

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Haapsalu in Estonia is a charming little coastal town with colorful wooden houses, an old bishop's castle and a long history as a health resort. It's also where Ilon Wikland grew up – and when you stroll among the wooden houses, it's actually not that hard to get a little Bullerby feeling.

Haapsalu – Haapsalu in Swedish

Haapsalu is located on the west coast of Estonia, about 100 kilometers southwest of Tallinn. In Swedish, the city is called Haapsalu, a name that still pops up when reading about Swedish history in Estonia.

Haapsalu received city rights as early as 1279, but much later became known primarily as a health resort. During the 19th century, the town's mud baths began to attract well-heeled visitors from, among others, St. Petersburg, and several Russian tsars visited the town. To this day, spa and health resort life are an important part of Haapsalu's identity.

For us, Haapsalu was above all a very nice city to walk around in. There are old wooden houses, small cafes, parks and a long promenade - and most of it is within easy walking distance.

Attractions in Haapsalu

Haapsalu is not a big city and you can see a lot in one day. At the same time, there are enough sights, museums and pleasant environments to stay much longer.

The old town and the charming wooden houses

It was mainly the houses that made us fall for Haapsalu. The old town consists of a medieval part around the bishop's castle, and areas with old wooden houses from the time when Haapsalu developed as a health resort.

The colorful houses and small streets made us think of some picturesque fairy tale by Astrid Lindgren. And that association is actually not entirely far-fetched.

When we arrived in the city, we were hungry and immediately looked for an outdoor restaurant to eat pasta. Suddenly, the couple at the next table asked: ”Isn’t this FREEDOMtravel?”

It turned out to be Helena and her husband from Finland, whom we had previously had some contact with through the blog. The lunch ended up being considerably longer and more pleasant than planned, with a lot of talk about campers and travel.

Ilon Wikland grew up in Haapsalu

Ilon Wikland, known for her illustrations for many of Astrid Lindgren's books, spent part of her childhood in Haapsalu. In 1944, she fled Estonia to Sweden.

Today there is Ilon's fairyland (Ilon's Wonderland) in Haapsalu, a museum and activity center where you can encounter her pictures and fairy tale worlds. Here you will find original illustrations, exhibitions and environments for children.

We didn't visit the museum this time, but for families with children – and for adults who grew up with Astrid Lindgren's books – it could definitely be worth a visit.

Haapsalu Bishop's Castle

In the middle of the old town lies Haapsalu's mighty bishop's castle. It was founded in the 13th century and was the center of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek for several hundred years.

Today you can walk among the walls and visit the castle museum. The castle is one of Haapsalu's most important attractions and also the site of the city's most famous legend.

The Legend of the White Lady

According to legend, one of the churchmen fell in love with a woman and smuggled her into the castle, disguised as a choirboy. When their secret was revealed, the woman was supposedly bricked up alive.

It is said that her ghost still appears in a window in the chapel during the full moon in August. the white lady has become a symbol of Haapsalu, and every August a festival is organized around the legend. A little creepy – and of course a much better story than if she had just left the castle through the front door.

The promenade and the lecture hall

One of the most beautiful places in Haapsalu is the waterfront promenade. Here you can stroll along the water past parks, piers, sculptures and beautiful old buildings.

The main attraction of the promenade is Haapsalu Spa, the beautiful wooden building with its carpentry-like details. The old spa hall is reminiscent of Haapsalu's heyday as a fashionable spa town and is today used as a restaurant during the summer.

There is also a bench dedicated to the Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who spent the summer of 1867 in Haapsalu.

Along the promenade there are also small bridges, boats and an outdoor gym with a pretty fun running track. If we hadn't already had enough of walking, we could have zigzagged a bit there...

Haapsalu railway station

Another attraction is Haapsalu's old railway station. The railway was built to make it easier for summer visitors to get to the popular spa town, and the grand station was designed with the Russian imperial family in mind. The station was completed in 1906.

Passenger traffic on the railway between Tallinn and Haapsalu ceased in 1995, but the station area remains. Today, Haapsalu Railway and Communications Museum here, and outside are old locomotives and railway carriages.

The impressive platform is 216 meters long and was once the longest of its kind in Europe.

Swedish Square and Estonian-Swedish history

Haapsalu also has strong connections to Estonian-Swedish history. The city is sometimes described as the capital of Estonian-Swedish people, as several of the most important Swedish settlements were located in the area around Haapsalu.

The city includes, among other things, Roots Market, Swedish Square. Anyone who wants to delve further can visit Aiboland Museum, or Museum of the Coastal Swedes, which tells about the history and culture of the Estonian Swedes.

For those of us who had just come from Dagö, where Swedish history is still very present, it was yet another reminder of how strong the ties between Sweden and this part of Estonia have been.

More things to see in Haapsalu

Of course, there is more to discover. The old town hall now houses a museum about Haapsalu's almost 200-year history as a health resort, among other things.

The city is also home to several churches, including the Lutheran St. John's Church and the Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene. A good way to experience Haapsalu is to simply stroll around and see what you find along the way.

Haapsalu by motorhome

Haapsalu is a great place to stop during a motorhome trip in western Estonia. The town is small and the central attractions are relatively close to each other, so once the motorhome is parked, you can explore a lot on foot.

From Daugava to Haapsalu by ferry

We came from Dagö and took the ferry from Heltermaa to Rohuküla on the mainland. The ferry crossing takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, and from Rohuküla it is then just a short drive into Haapsalu.

On the way we saw a ruin – and since Peter loves ruins, it was of course a photo stop.

The ruin is the remains of Ungru Manor, yet another one of those old manors you come across during a trip through Estonia.

Overnight stay with a campervan in Haapsalu

When we visited Haapsalu, we found a large grass parking lot near the water and the center where campers could park for free. There were both temporary toilets and garbage cans.

As our visit was in 2019, you should check the current rules and signage on site before staying overnight here with a camper. Conditions and rules for parking and overnight stay may have changed since our visit.

The only thing we needed to watch out for at that moment was, according to a sign, walking ducks...

Our impression of Haapsalu

Haapsalu became one of those small Estonian towns that we would have liked to have stayed in a little longer. There are no huge world attractions here, but the combination of colorful wooden houses, the sea, the promenade, the castle and the old spa environment makes the town very pleasant.

For Swedish visitors, there is also another dimension. Ilon Wikland's childhood in Haapsalu and Estonian-Swedish history mean that connections appear from time to time that feel surprisingly familiar.

And the Bullerby feeling? Yes. We think it's still there.

More to see in the neighbourhood

Want to continue your trip around Estonia? Here you will find tips and reports about more interesting places to visit:

• Saaremaa
• Dagö
• Rummu quarry
• Pärnu
• Kynö

Programme "Promoting Estonia as a Tourism Destination" is supported by European Union Regional Development Fund.