FLAVOURS OF SETOMAA

General information

Package type: full day
Season: January–December
For whom: private tour (1–3 pers.) / small to medium group (max. 25 pers.)

Duration of the programme: 
10 hours

Type of transport:

Private tour: 
the package includes the cost of a private car, and guests can be picked up from an agreed location in Tartu or in south-eastern Estonia.

Group tour:
tour bus

Public transportation: 
this package does not require the use of public transport.

Services included: 

Private tour: 
transport in a private car, professional guide/driver, entrances to museums, visits, sights and experiences, lunch, dinner, bottled water in the car

Group tour: 
transport in a minivan or a coach, professional guide/driver, entrances to museums, visits, sights and experiences, lunch, dinner, bottled water in the vehicle

Lunch: Inara’s Vanavalgõ Kohvitarõ (Mikitamäe)
Dinner: Rikka Ivvani Farm (Küllätüvä)

Start and end point: 
Tartu, if not agreed otherwise.

INTRODUCTION

The tour is guided by Mrs. Helen Külvik, an experienced guide and passionate ambassador of Seto culture. She has been a member of the Seto community for over 20 years and works for the Seto Institute. The tour takes guests to meet the local people of Setomaa visiting a family-run café, a soap maker, an artisan’s gallery, a caretaker of the local chapel and a young farmer family. All of them are eager to share the best of their lifestyle, culture, values and stories with visitors.

Programme itinerary

  • Programme

    Programme

    • Tartu – The bus ride from Tartu to Setomaa takes about 1 h 15 min. On the way, the guide will talk about Setomaa.
    • Inara’s Vanavalge Kohvitarõ (a café). Making traditional dumplings (pelmeny) together with the hostess Inara Luigas and listening to her stories about the Seto cuisine. For lunch, dumplings and other delicacies of the Seto kitchen will be served.
    • “Saatse boot”. Driving through the 800-meter “Saatse boot” – a Russian territory within Estonia. No visa required.
    • Old George’s soap shop. Driving to Kolossova village and visiting the Old George’s soap shop. Silver Hüdsi, the shop owner, will tell stories about living “in the middle of nowhere”.
    • Obinitsa museum. In Obinitsa local museum one of the guests will be dressed up as a Seto. Visitors will admire the beauty and logic of the clothes and impressive silver jewellery and listen to the magical Seto leelo.
    • Seto gallery. Visiting the Seto gallery to meet Ülle and Evar, great storytellers, and making one’s own personal Seto-themed souvenir using the block-printing technique. Visiting the art, handicraft and souvenir store “Kunstizaal” (the Art’s Hall).
    • Serga Orthodox chapel. Eevi, the caretaker of the chapel, will show the chapel and talk about living by the border.
    • Rikka Ivvani Farm. A drive to Küllätüvä village to visit a young family on their authentic Seto farm. There are sheep and other pets, plus music and real rural life. Having dinner together with the hosts and cooking some of the dinner with them.
    • Return to Tartu (ca 1 h 30 min).