Prangli Island

Prangli lies north of the Viimsi peninsula, around six square kilometres with a resident population of roughly a hundred, and unlike Naissaar or Aegna it has been continuously inhabited: there are three villages, a church of 1848, a school, a shop and a working fishing fleet, and the community keeps a distinct island dialect and traditions. The landscape is pine forest, sand and boulder shore, with an old graveyard, the remains of a Soviet-era installation and a small museum in the village of Kelnase. Visitors get around on foot, by bicycle or on the island truck that meets the ferry. It is the nearest thing to an ordinary lived-in Estonian island within reach of Tallinn.

What you actually see

• The three villages - Kelnase, Idaotsa and Lounaotsa.
• The 1848 church - the wooden church at the centre of the island.
• The fishing harbour - the working boats at Kelnase.
• Pine forest and shore - the woodland and boulder beaches.

When to go

May to September for the fullest ferry service and the weather; sailings reduce sharply in winter and cancel in ice or storm. Day trips work with the ferry timetable, which allows a few hours ashore.

Honest expectations

Ferry sailings are few and the timetable dictates the visit. Accommodation is limited to a couple of guesthouses. The island is small and quiet with little organised for visitors. Residents live here and privacy should be respected.

Nearby

Tallinn lies southwest; Aegna and Naissaar are west.