Our Local Guide to Kassari
If you are planning a trip to Hiiumaa and wondering where to stay, what to see and how to experience the island, Kassari is a wonderful place to start.
Connected to Hiiumaa by two small causeways, Kassari feels like an island within an island. The sea is always close, the roads are small, and the landscape is shaped by junipers, coastal meadows and long views towards the water.
Hiiumaa Summerhouse is located in Orjaku, on the western side of Kassari. And while it is tempting to make a long list of everything to see in Hiiumaa, our first piece of advice is simple:
Don’t try to see everything.
Hiiumaa is best enjoyed slowly.
Here is how we would spend a perfect weekend in Kassari.
Friday – arrive and slow down
The journey to Hiiumaa is part of the experience.
Once the ferry leaves the mainland behind, island time begins. From Heltermaa harbour, the drive to Kassari takes you through forests, small villages and open landscapes before eventually reaching Orjaku.
When you arrive at the Summerhouse, don’t make too many plans for the first evening.
Put your bags down. Make a coffee. Open a bottle of wine. Sit outside among the pines and junipers and enjoy the fact that there is nowhere you need to be.
If you feel like going for a walk, head towards Orjaku Harbour.
The small harbour is one of our favourite places nearby. In summer, sailing boats and yachts come and go, the local sailing school brings life to the water, and the harbour becomes a natural meeting point for both locals and visitors. Have dinner by the harbour, walk along the water and then head back home.
Your weekend in Kassari has begun.
Saturday morning – discover Orjaku
Start slowly. Have breakfast at the Summerhouse and then explore the area around Orjaku.
Just nearby are the Orjaku nature trails, which lead through one of the most beautiful coastal landscapes in this part of Hiiumaa. The surrounding Käina Bay is known for its rich birdlife, and the Orjaku birdwatching tower offers wide views across the wetlands, reed beds and sea.
Even if you are not a dedicated birdwatcher, go up.
The view alone is worth it.
Orjaku is also a lovely place simply to wander. Walk around the harbour, discover the little wateryhouse, watch the boats or stop for something to eat.
Nothing is very far away here – and that is part of the charm.
Saturday afternoon – explore Kassari
Now it is time to see a little more of Kassari. One place we always recommend is Sääretirp, a narrow strip of land reaching far out into the sea from the southern tip of Kassari. The walk towards the end takes you through changing coastal scenery with open sea on both sides. On a clear day, the views seem to go on forever. Nearby, Kassari’s coastal meadows and quiet roads are also perfect for exploring by bicycle.
Another place worth stopping at is the small Kassari Chapel. Surrounded by an old churchyard, it is a peaceful place with a very different atmosphere from the island’s busier attractions. Look out for the old stone crosses in the cemetery – quiet reminders of Kassari’s long history.
If you would like to learn more about local life and history, Kassari Museum is also nearby. And somewhere along the way, stop at the Kassari village swing and beach. Not every place needs to be an attraction. Sometimes a swing, the sea and a summer afternoon are enough.
Saturday evening – come home
This is an important part of our perfect Hiiumaa weekend.
Come back to the Summerhouse. You don’t need another attraction.
Light the sauna. Make dinner. Sit outside. Listen to the birds and the wind in the trees.
One of the reasons we love Kassari is that you can spend the whole day discovering things and still feel as if you haven’t been rushing anywhere.
And at the end of the day, you have your own place to come home to.
Sunday – one more Hiiumaa adventure
After breakfast, you still have time for one more experience before heading towards the ferry.
A few minutes from Kassari, in Käina, you will find Tuuletorn, one of Hiiumaa’s most unusual visitor centres.
Its exhibition tells the story of Hiiumaa from below the water, on the water and high above the island. It is also home to the largest indoor climbing wall in the Baltics as well as bowling, making it a particularly good choice if the famous island weather decides not to cooperate.
Or perhaps the sun is shining and you simply want one more walk by the sea. Both are perfectly good plans.
The secret to a perfect weekend in Hiiumaa
There are many more places to see in Hiiumaa: Kärdla, Kõpu, Tahkuna, old lighthouses, beaches, forests, little cafés and roads that seem to lead nowhere all deserve their own day.
But you don’t have to discover the whole island on your first visit.
Choose one corner of Hiiumaa. Get to know it. Leave something for next time.
For us, Kassari is a very good place to begin. There is much more to discover around this small island. For more ideas, see our guide to 10 things to do in Kassari.
Stay in Kassari
Hiiumaa Summerhouse is a private holiday home in Orjaku, Kassari, surrounded by pines and junipers and close to the sea, Orjaku Harbour and the nature trails. You have the house and garden to yourself, as well as a separate traditional sauna house. It is a place to use as your base for discovering Hiiumaa – but also a place where staying home for the afternoon can be the best plan of all.
You don’t have to buy a summerhouse to have a summerhouse.
Book your stay and see our Holiday Options