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Access
Please
see the
Venue & Access page for details.
Accommodation
Please
see the
Venue & Access page for details.
Allergies
During
the conference it will be summer, although pollen seasons of different
plants arrive later in Estonia than in Central Europe. If you have a
pollen allergy, check with your doctor about possible medication
during your trip to Estonia. Unfortunately there is no updated pollen
forecast for Estonia, but you can consult the Finland
pollen forecast from the University of Turku. The contamination
levels for Southern Finland should be similar to the ones in Estonia.
If you have any food allergies, please inform the local organisers
(mentioning it on the registration form will do).
Banks
Banks are usually open
from Monday to Friday 9.00 - 16.00 or 09:00-17:00. Most banks are
closed on Saturdays and Sundays. There are several bank branches in
Tartu. A Swed Bank office is at Turu street 1 (close to Hotel Dorpat). Closest to Academus hostel is the SEB office at Ülikooli 2 (intersection to Vanemuise). A cash machine is located at the main bus station and there are several ones at the shopping centers. ATMs are frequent in town but harder to get by in the outer parts.
Climate
The climate
in Estonia is like the one in Scandinavia, but slightly more
continental, characterised by warm summers and fairly severe
winters. The weather is often breezy and humid (average humidity in
July 79 %) due to the proximity of the Baltic Sea. The average overall
temperature in July is 17 degrees C, the average max temperature being
21 degrees C and the minimum 14 degrees C.
Precipitation in July amounts to 60 mm, with 12 wet days on the
average. Bring your umbrella and a light raincoat in case of
occasional showers. Please note that there will be Nordic twilight
during the course (see below).
Crime
Tartu is a
very safe place. The most common problems to hit foreigners are
pickpocketing and car break-ins. Also drunken rioting can be a problem sometimes, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. If you want to report a crime, contact
the local police station. In Tartu it is located at Riia
132, phone :+372 612 3000.Reception hours: Mon-Fri 9.00-17.00 For emergencies call 112. The
non-emergency local number for the Estonian police is (+ 372)
612-3000. Although many operators speak English, at times those
answering this line may have minimal English speaking skills.
Dangers and annoyances
We do not plan any extreme activities, so people should be safe if
they take care. Participants will take
part in all activities of the course at their own risk and the organisers
do not have any liability for accidents or illnesses affecting any
attendee(s) due to course activities.
Dress code
There is
definitely no dress code at the summer course. However, at the conference
dinner you might want to dress a bit smarter.
Drinks
Estonians are
fond of beer, Le Coq and Saku are two of the leading brands.As almost everywhere, there has be a surge of microbreweries. There is no significant amount of grape
wine grown in Estonia, but fruit wines (apple, pear) are often on
restaurant's menues. A traditional sweet herb liquor is Vana Tallinn.
The bread beer "Kali" also remains popular, as well as vodka (Viru
Valga).
Driving in Estonia
Driving in Estonia is done on the right-hand side of the road.Many rules on driving resemble those in the Nordic Countries. For
example, car headlights must be lit at all times (even during the day
and the Nordic twilight). EU and EEA driving licences are ok, if yoursis issued by another state check before. Seat belts in front and rear are mandatory, as are infant and child seats. Speed limits in urban areas 50 km/h, highways 90 km/h, dual carriageways 110 km/h. Drivers who have
had their licence for less than two years must keep below 90 km/h.
Your vehicle must carry a warning triangle, first aid kit, fire
extinguisher, and wheel chocks. Most petrol stations are self-service and are open 24/7. Petrol service stations in Estonia are generally open from 8 am to 8 pm with big stations in major cities and on the motorways open 24 hours. Credit cards are accepted at most petrol stations. Elmo.ee rents out electric cars on need-only basis, so you pay for the time you use the car.
DO NOT drink even minute amount of alcohol before and
during driving. The legal limit of alcohol in the blood is zero and
drink-driving is punished by heavy fines and/or imprisonment.
Parking is a problem in Estonia, but Tartu is still a bit less
crowded still. Illegally parked cars will be clamped. Heavy fines can be
imposed for unlawful parking. It is recommended to park in guarded car
parks.
Emergency
112 is the
general emergency line throughout the European Union (similar to 911
in the U.S.) The number can be dialed from any phone, and the call is
free.
Food
Estonian cuisine shows influences from Germany (from the Hanseatic
times), Sweden, Russia and other countries, although there is a
distinct Estonian cuisine. Popular starters are selections of
sausages, meats and potato salad. Other appetizers are rosolje
(bettroot, meat and herring), räim (Baltic herring) and pirukad
(pastries with different fillings). Soups (bean soup, cabbage cream
soup, fish soups) are often eaten after the starter.
Pork in many forms (with sauerkraut and potatoes) is a
very common main course, often with a rich gravy. Popular dessert are
kama ( mixture of roasted barley, rye and oat flour served with milk
or kefir), and kissel (a fruit soup).
Rye bread is served with almost every meal. It is said
that some Estonians instead of wishing "bon appetit", say "jätku
leiba" ("May the bread last").
Immigration
Estonia
is an associate member of the Schengen agreement which exempts
travelers from regular personal border controls between 13 European
Union (EU) countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
and Sweden) and two European Economic Area (EEA) countries (Norway and
Iceland). People living in Great Britain and Ireland are subject to
personal border controls upon entry to the Schengen area. Border
controls can, however be imposed on travellers from all states.
A list of countries whose citizens DO NOT need a visa to
visit Estonia can be found here.
If you need a visa, please start the paperwork AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. Not only can handling times be long, but it might be
difficult to find the embassy responsible for citizens of your
nationality and location. In many cases, Estonian embassies do not
hold consular offices and the visa applications are handled by
embassies of other countries.
Internet
It can be
said that Estonians are a bit of IT freaks. The Soviet Institute for
Cybernetics was located in Tallinn and Skype was invented in Estonia.
Free Wifi is available in even the most rural areas (although it can
be congested and thus slow in cities). Also the hotel and the hostel
offer free wireless connections.
Laundry facilities
It is best to use the laundrerete at Academus Hostel. It opens long in the evening.
Meals
Meals (if not announced otherwise) are served in the dining room at Café Vilde, if not specified
otherwise in the schedule. With lunches and dinners table water is served for free. Cafe Vilde is locate at Vallikraavi 4 at the southern end of the city hill. For people at Academus hostel breakfast will be served at Kotka Kelder (situated in the same building).
Medical Services
In
case of emergency, call 112 (general emergency). The medical service is
quite good (better than its reputation with many Estonians).
Pharmacies (Aaptek) are widespread in Estonia. There are several in central
Tartu. One is located in the "Kaubamaja shopping center ar Riia 1. Even if you are not sick, the pharmacy att the Town Hall (Raekoja) might be worth a visit.
Money
Estonia has the Euro since 2011. Notes of the old
Estonian "kroon" currency are no longer accepted as payment.
Nordic Twilight
During the course it will not get dark in Estonia. Although the hotel and
the hostel have curtains, some people might find it hard to sleep. So
some sleeping cover for the eyes could be a good thing to bring. On
the other hand, the Nordic Twilight makes romantic night walks in the
city possible.
Post office
The closest one is "Kvartaali" at Riia 2. It opens from 09.00
to 19.00 hours on weekdays, and 09.00 - 15.00 on Saturdays.
Public transport in
Tartu
There is a good public transport in
Tartu, but, due to the short distances there normally is no need
for attendes to use it.
Public holidays
There are
no official public holidays during the course.
Registration
Registration
will be at the lobby of Hotel Dorpat on 16 July 2017 and from
08:00 to 09:00 on 17 July 2017 at thre Estonian Biocenter. Later arriving
lecturers can get their material in the lecture room during coffee
breaks.
Sightseeing
Tartu is a very nice town with lots of interesting sights. Since we do not have a lot of time during the course you should plan some extra time before and after the course. Highlight include
- The Raekoja town hall square and its surroundings.
- The town hill with the Old Observatory and the Musuem of History (situated in an ancient church ruin)
- The many museums including new Estonian National Museum
- The wooden house quarter Supilinn
- The Botanical Garden
Information about these
sights can be found at the Tartu Tourist Office website. It is located in the town Hall (Raekoja square). Phone: + 372 744 2111, Address: Raekoda, Tartu 50089
e-mail: info@visittartu.com. It opens Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00
Shopping
Shops
generally open 09:00 - 18:00 (Mon to Sat). The great shopping cnters "Tasku" and "Kaubamaja" open much longer on Sundays.
Most popular souvenirs are:
- Estonian liquor (Vana Tallinn, Valga Viru).
- Pickled food, honey, mead candles and bee wax
products.
- Handicraft items such as hand-knitted woolen sweaters
with traditional Estonian folk patterns, carved wooden beer mugs,
juniper coasters and carved limestone product.
- Original art such as graphic prints, handmade
jewellery, colourful glassware or fine ceramics.
- CDs of Estonian composers of international acclaim
(Tormis, Pärt, Tubin, Tüür).
- Dark, bittersweet Estonian chocolate and other local
sweets produced by the Kalev confectionery.
- Hand-painted marzipan.
A lot of shops sell amber (especially in Tallinn).
However, most of the raw material is imported from other countries
bordering the Baltic Sea, since not a lot of this stone is found in
Estonia.
Taxis
Taxis are safe
and cheating tourists is still not very common in Tartu (has become a bit of a nuisance in Tallinn though). It is thus wise to remember the following points:
Prices are not uniform, taxi operators can set their own
rates. Take a close look at the yellow price list, which is posted on
the right side rear door. Here you will find rates for the base fare
(usually 2 EUR-5 EUR),the waiting charge (usually 6,40-19,20 EUR/hr),
and the pre-kilometre charges (both usually 0,50 EUR-1
EUR/km). Anything much more than these is considered high. Make sure
that taxi driver holds an operator's card - a white plastic card with
the driver's photo and name, attached to the middle of the
dashboard.
When setting off, the taxi's meter should be turned on. It
is illegal for driver to smoke or to allow others to smoke in the
taxi. The driver is not allowed to ask for more than what is on
the meter. The driver must be paid in Euros. Ask the taxi driver for
the receipt from the meter's printer. If the meter or printer is out
of order, the driver should not be in service and you have the right
to refuse to pay the fare.
Telephone
For calls to
Estonia: Dial +372 (the country code for Estonia), then the area
code and the subscriber's number. If you want to male a call from
Estonia, dial 00 + the country code + area code + the subscriber's
number.
For local calls: Pay phones accept phone
cards. If you wish to make a call within Estonia, first dial the area
code and the number. Phone cards may be purchased from hotel reception
desks, tourist information offices, post offices, newsstands and some
shops. Telephone cards are also convenient for longer and/or more
expensive phone calls (e.g. calls abroad) or if you are going to be
making phone calls over a longer time period and do not want to have
to worry about having coins handy at all times.
The GSM network works on frequencies of 900 MHz and 1800
MHz (dependent on the carrier). If you are taking your mobile phone
with you, make sure that it is able to work on these.
Time
Eastern
European daylight saving time (GMT + 3) will be in force during the
meeting. There an one hour time shift between Germany, France and
Estonia and a 2 hour time shift between London and Estonia. If it is 1
o'clock in London and 2 o'clock in Frankfurt it is 3 o'clock in
Tartu.
Tipping
Tipping is
less common in Estonia than in the rest of Europe. In restaurants,
service is included in the bill, but if you get a good service in a
restaurant where the bill is sent to the table you can tip 5-10 %. In
case of bad service it is OK to give nothing.
Toilets
A triangle
pointing down (dinner jacket) signifies the gentlemen's room (sometimes also marked
with "M", "Meeste", "H" or "Härrad"), while the triangle pointing up (skirt) is the ladies'
room (sometimes marked with "D", "Daamid", "N" or "Naiste").
Venue
Please see
the Venue
& Access page for details.
Voltage
The
electricity supply in Estonia is 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European-style 2-pin
plugs are in use. European plugs work in most sockets, but a few
Soviet-era buildings (you will rarely encounter those) still require the thinner-pinned Russian
version.
Weights and measures
Estonia uses the metric system.
! DISCLAIMER !
All the information given above is to the best of
our knowledge. However, we cannot accept any liability for
inadvertently false or incomplete information on this site.
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