For years, Greece has been one of Europe’s go-to destinations for summer holidays. But today, as crowds are now swarming once-quiet beaches, landmarks and whitewashed towns, a tiny Baltic island most people have never heard of is quietly drawing visitors away. Ruhnu, Estonia’s southernmost island in the Gulf of Riga, is home to only about 60 year-round residents. In summer, its population swells to around 150, who are now being joined by adventurous travellers searching for something large parts of Greece can no longer guarantee – peace and quiet.
Part of a larger archipelago with other islands including Saaremaa, Kihnu and Hiiumaa, Ruhnu is one of Europe’s least visited islands. Located about 44 miles off the Estonian coastline, the island is part of the UNESCO “Man and Biosphere” programme, which finds ways to encourage sustainable development, while protecting ecosystems and improving human livelihoods. Ruhnu is renowned for its rare wildlife, ranging from its native sheep breed, the Estonian Ruhnu sheep, to red foxes, roe deer and seals.
“On our trips to South Asia or Greece, finding a patch of sand without a neighbouring sun lounger is nearly impossible,” Meelis Kitsing, a rector of Estonian Business School, told Euronews Travel in 2021. “That day, with the air in the mid-twenties, the water over 20 degrees Celsius, and the sun warm on our faces, it felt like the Mediterranean in early October but without the crowds.”
One of Ruhnu’s highlights is the singing sands on Limo beach, which produce a high-pitched squeaking sound when walked on. The island’s lighthouse – the only preserved one of its kind in the Baltic Sea region – has been in operation for more than 100 years and is a testament to French engineering, with a unique metal structure. It still stands guard over the island’s pine forests.
The island also boasts the oldest wooden church in Estonia, built in 1644 and still in use. Beside it stands a newer stone church, built in 1912. For more local history, visit the Korsi Farm, a well-preserved example of a traditional Swedish farmhouse from the island’s Swedish settlement period, and the Ruhnu Museum, which houses historical documents and ancient artefacts.
Unlike Mykonos or Santorini, Ruhnu offers no big hotels, no neon nightlife and no overcrowded ferries. Beds are found in guesthouses or cottages, meals are home-cooked and entertainment is often as simple as a violin concert in the village square, rather than club music blasting at all hours of the night.
However, now is the time to visit, as word on this hidden gem is spreading. Local businesses are reporting more international visitors each year, and officials are already debating whether a tourism tax might be needed to balance growth with preservation. For now though, Ruhnu remains one of Europe’s remaining secrets – a place where visitors can trade the chaos of Greece’s beaches for the quiet rhythm of Baltic island life.
Visitors can travel to the island by a small eight-seater plane in winter or by ships which can accommodate around 50 people in summer. Travellers can also take a ship from Latvia to Ruhnu in summer.
