Ever wanted to eat blood sausages washed down with a syrupy liquor of unknown origin, go bog walking, or sleep with 80 untouchable nuns and novices? You can do it all in Estonia, the small territory which packs in some charming quirks. Despite the rapid changes since it recovered its independence in 1991, there's still a lot of tradition, including a language packed with deep 'oo's and 'uu's and thriving folk shindigs.

Since the early years of independence, when ration coupons, bread queues, fuel shortages and hyper-inflation were the norm, Estonians have gathered themselves: lifestyle indicators now approach Western levels, but costs are not yet prohibitive for budget travellers.