10 Great Things to do in Narva, Estonia
This post is about the best things to do in Narva in Estonia. Narva is the third biggest city in Estonia after Tallinn and Tartu. It is in the Idu Viru county at the most eastern point of the country. Right at the border with Russia, it is also a very different city from others in the country.
Why visit Narva?
Narva is and has always been a frontier town. The iconic Narva river is now the official border between the European Union with Russia. Already in the Middle ages the river separated Catholic Europe in the West from the Orthodox Slavs in the East.
As a result there are two competing castles opposite each other. Narva castle in Estonia and the Ivangorod castle in Russia on the other side. Saint Petersburg is less than 4 hours away from Narva
However, the river is not the strict division line it might look like. Narva feels very different from the other cities in Estonia. Russians who are an ethnic minority elsewhere in Estonia, still form a majority in Narva. Soviet architecture that is quickly disappearing in the rest of the country still dominates the urban landscape here.
Narva was completely demolished in WW2. The Soviets eventually rebuilt the city and even renovated the medieval Narva castle. To be honest, there are not that many things to do in Narva besides the impressive castle.
Most people visit on a day trip from Tallinn. But, with my interest in Soviet history I decided to spend a bit more time in Narva.
Things to do in Narva
I stayed two days in Narva. One of the reasons to stay that long in Narva is also because I visited in winter and days were short. This way I could enjoy all the things to do in Narva on a leisurely pace and get a good feel for the city.
Narva castle
The main attraction in Narva is the Narva castle. It is one of the largest and most beautiful castles in Estonia.
The Danes first built a wooden military fort in 1256. Then the German Livonian Order and the Teutonic knights bought it in the 14th century. They built a strong stone castle known as the Hermann castle.
The Russians got nervous and in 1492 Ivan the third built his own castle on the other side of the river as a response. In turn, the Livonians added a large tower on top of the Hermann castle so they could see what was happening inside the Ivangorod castle.
The castle sustained severe damage in WW2, but was renovated during Soviet rule and is now a museum.
Narva museum
The Narva castle is now home to the Narva museum. Entrance allows you entry into the castle grounds and the tower for beautiful views over Narva and Russia.
The museum itself was nice and tells you about the history of the castle. There are also some old pictures of how Narva looked before WW2.
Narva Friendship bridge
The friendship bridge between Narva and Ivangorod forms the actual border and is heavily protected by fenced gates from both sides. The bridge is 162 meters long and to cross it you need the right paperwork.
Lenin statue
Almost hidden in the outer courtyard of the palace is the only statue of Lenin that still stands in Estonia. It’s a standard statue with Lenin pointing in front of him. In this case in the direction of Russia
Narva River promenade
The 1 kilometer long Narva river promenade makes for a nice morning or afternoon stroll in any season.
You have nice views into Russia. I could see an old lady feeding the ducks and Russian ice fishers fishing on the frozen parts of the river.
The promenade is the result of funding for an EU cross border project. Ivangorod also had funds to make a beautiful promenade, but theirs is only 120 meters long.
Victoria bastions
Narva’s city wall and bastions were designed by military architect Erik Dahlberg. Narva had 7 bastions in total.
The Victoria bastion was recently renovated and is now a museum. You can visit the underground storage for gunpowder and the guided tours tell more about the 300 year old history.
WW2 memorial
At the end of the River promenade is a small park with a memorial to remember the Soviet soldiers that died in the battle of Narva in 1944.
Raekoja plats
Narva’s Raekoja plats is all that is left of Narva’s old town. The renovated Town hall is Narva’s oldest building.
Right next to it is the Narva college of Tartu university. A modern design that is supposed to combine Narva’s present and past. Personally, I thought it was a bit out of place and overshadowed the beauty of the ancient town hall.
Soviet architecture
Besides Raekoja plats, Narva is still mostly a standard Soviet city where the communal Khrushchyovka apartments line almost every street.They were built in the early 60’s to house Soviet workers.
The uniform blocks of concrete look drab and dilapidated from the outside. Small as they are, it is always a surprise what you will find inside. We actually stayed the night in a khrushchyovka that we booked on booking.com.
The concrete stairway hall was crumbling down. Pipes and wires that seemed to go nowhere. But once we opened the door we found a modern apartment with beautiful minimalistic Japanese design.
Although you can still find Khrushchyovka blocks in any Estonian city, Narva is really one of the best cities to see them.
Narva’s churches
Narva has two churches. The Cathedral of the Resurrection is Narva’s orthodox church. Built in 1890 it is one if the few buildings that survived Soviet bombings in WW2.
The Alexander cathedral is a Lutheran church that was built in 1884. The bell tower was destroyed in 1944, but is now restored.
Where to eat in Narva
Rondeel Restorant
Cafe Rondeel is without doubt one of the best places to eat in Narva. It is a bit upmarket and serves things like duck breast and deer ravioli. I tried both and I thought it was really delicious.
Viva cafe
Viva café is a more budget place to eat in Narva. For its basic cafe set up it serves pretty good food. I can recommend the shashlik.
Where to sleep in Narva
A-studio
I stayed at A-studio. A very small appartmemt that had everything I needed. It is not far from the castle and very budget friendly.
Tallinn
If you visit Narva on a day trip from Tallinn I recommend Hestia hotel Il Marine. A good hotel within walking distance from the Old Town.
How to get to Narva
There are frequent trains and buses from Tallinn to Narva.
You can check the bus times on T pillet. I would recommend Lux express. Lux express has very comfortable buses that I used on a number of occasions in Estonia. For example to get from Narva to Tartu
To get to Narva I actually took the train. Trains are very modern too and it was a comfortable 3 hour journey. You can check the timetable and book tickets at Elron.
How to get around Narva
Although it is Estonia’s third biggest city, the major sights are all within walking distance. The best way to get around Narva is on foot.
Safety in Narva
Due to its proximity to Russia some people asked me whether it was safe to visit Narva. Obviously the war had a big impact on Narva, but everywhere I went it felt safe as usual. I am sure people had their opinions, but they also seemed more concerned about other topics.
Narva is in general a safe city and if you follow normal precautions it is unlikely you will encounter any problems as a tourist. Theft and robberies do happen as in most cities and are especially common at night
When to visit Narva
Narva is the perfect destination for summer, but spring and autumn are also good times to visit the city. Winters can be cold, but the snow makes the town even more beautiful.
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