Discover Kalatsova: Views, Seto Cuisine and Regional Routes

Kalatsova combines impressive views with the distinctive culture of Setomaa. Around the village, you can enjoy specific attractions: the Meremäe Viewing Tower on a 204 m-high hill, insights into traditional Seto cuisine and a route leading from one Seto village to the next.

Panoramic views from the Meremäe Viewing Tower

The “Meremäe Viewing Tower” stands on the 204 m-high Meremäe Hill. In clear weather, the domes of the churches of Petseri Monastery can be seen from there. This gives the viewpoint a clear, tangible travel experience: you combine a visit to a distinctive hill with a view of a historic sacred ensemble. The tower can be climbed by 15 people at a time.

The viewpoint is particularly interesting for planning your day if you would like to combine a landscape experience with another destination. Setomaa Tourism Farm is located in the immediate vicinity of the “Meremäe Viewing Tower”. From the village of Meremäe, the farm is 1.7 km towards Vastseliina Castle, on the right-hand side of the road. Setomaa Tourism Farm is located in Setomaa at the foot of the region’s highest peak.

Seto cuisine as part of the travel experience

At Setomaa Tourism Farm, guests can try Seto dishes. The cuisine is inspired by traditional Seto cuisine; the dishes are simple and seasonal and are prepared entirely in the farm’s own kitchen. This means that the region’s character can be experienced not only through its landscapes and villages, but also through typical foods.

The “A Seto Feast” at Setomaa Tourism Farm has a special designation. It holds the EHE (“Genuine and Interesting Estonia”) label for environmentally friendly tourism. If you value regional discoveries when choosing your accommodation in Kalatsova, this culinary destination can be a separate focus of your travel planning. Travellers with children will also find a wooden playground on the premises. It can be planned as a specific part of a day on which adults discover regional cuisine while children have their own place to play.

Discover Setomaa between villages

The Seto Village Belt is the most important tourist route in Setomaa and leads from one Seto village to the next. Those who want to experience the regional settlement and cultural landscape in different places, rather than visiting just a single viewpoint, will find a suitable thematic framework here. The route complements a visit to the Meremäe Viewing Tower and the culinary impressions at Setomaa Tourism Farm with a perspective on several Seto villages.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

When looking for a holiday apartment in Kalatsova, it is worth deciding on your desired experiences first. For a stay focused on views, the 204 m-high Meremäe Hill and the view of the domes of Petseri Monastery take centre stage. If you are interested in food and regional traditions, Seto dishes, the “A Seto Feast” and the seasonal cuisine of Setomaa Tourism Farm become the focus. Those who would like to get to know different places can include the Seto Village Belt in their plans.

In this way, you choose your accommodation not only based on the name of the place, but also on the character of your stay: focused on landscapes, interested in cuisine or centred on Seto culture and its villages. Kalatsova offers several clear points of connection for this, without requiring you to commit to just one type of trip.

For the overarching travel overview: Meremäe Parish.