---
title: "Saaremaa among the “best under-the-radar islands” in Europe"
id: "19577"
type: "post"
slug: "saaremaa-among-best-radar-islands-europe"
published_at: "2016-06-30T11:05:07+00:00"
modified_at: "2016-06-30T11:08:59+00:00"
url: "https://estonianworld.com/life/saaremaa-among-best-radar-islands-europe/"
markdown_url: "https://estonianworld.com/life/saaremaa-among-best-radar-islands-europe.md"
excerpt: "Business Insider, a US-based online newspaper, has listed the Estonian island of Saaremaa as one of 17 best under-the-radar islands in Europe. The newspaper says […]"
taxonomy_category:
  - "Life"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "My Estonia"
  - "Saaremaa"
taxonomy_post_format:
  - ""
publisher: "Estonian World"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Sten Hankewitz"
author_url: "https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/"
---

# Saaremaa among the “best under-the-radar islands” in Europe

![Image](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2_3_eestienergia_a2cb344e7e4272cad016c096f4b0a5949cd9b5ed-1024x682.jpg)

Sügiseti kajavad Saaremaa luhad hirvemöiretest. Massiivsed isahirved eputavad ikka ja alati oma suurte ja võimsate sarvedega vastaste ees. Inimloodu jääb aga minu silmis tohutute hirvepullide taustal alati varju. Looduslikku ilu ja võlu me enda tehtuga ei ületa.

By  [Sten Hankewitz](https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/)
  ·  June 30, 2016  · [Life](https://estonianworld.com/category/life/)
 · 1 minute of reading

### Business Insider, a US-based online newspaper, has listed the Estonian island of Saaremaa as one of 17 best under-the-radar islands in Europe.

The [newspaper says](http://www.businessinsider.com/17-european-islands-off-the-beaten-path-2016-6)
 that “Saaremaa takes visitors back to the time of the pirates and Vikings who once called it home”.

[https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Kuressaare-Castle.jpg](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Kuressaare-Castle.jpg)

“It’s easy to imagine them as the dense pine forests, thatched-roof houses, and little fairy-tale villages provide a window into the past,” the newspaper continues, adding that one shouldn’t forget visiting a beach as “Estonia’s temperate climate means the water is perfect for swimming in the summer”.

[https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Saaremaa-coastline-Lembit-Michelson.jpg](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Saaremaa-coastline-Lembit-Michelson.jpg)

Among other under-the-radar islands in Europe, the newspaper lists Juist, Germany; Colonsay, Scotland; Vis, Croatia; Belle-Île-en-Mer, France; and others.

The criteria for the list appear to be the that these islands “boast laid-back cultures, quiet charm, and an unspoiled nature that simply cannot be matched by the European mainland”.

[https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/angla-saaremaa-by-jaak-nilson.jpg](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/angla-saaremaa-by-jaak-nilson.jpg)

Business Insider is an American business, celebrity and technology news website launched in February 2009 and based in New York City.

I

Cover: Many deers also live in Saaremaa (photo by Karl Jakob Toplaan/[Nature Photography of the Year](https://estonianworld.com/life/20-mesmerising-images-of-estonian-wildlife/)
)

## About The Author

![Avatar photo](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/local-avatars/15/1707599474-bpfull-100x100.jpg)

[Sten Hankewitz](https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/)
Sten Hankewitz is a lifelong journalist and the Executive Editor at Estonian World. Having lived in Estonia, Spain, the UK and all around the US, he now resides in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He loves to write and besides working at Estonian World, he [writes books](https://estonianworld.com/culture/the-grand-illusion-estonian-worlds-sten-hankewitz-publishes-a-novel-about-growing-up-in-the-soviet-union/)
 and contributes to other outlets. He has strong convictions and shows them unashamedly. You can follow Sten on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@stenhankewitz)
, [X](https://twitter.com/stenhankewitz)
 and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/shankewitz/)
. You can also [email him](mailto:sten@estonianworld.com)
.