Viljandi is built around a lake and a castle, and it makes a pleasant job of both. The town sits on steep slopes above Lake Viljandi, a long narrow lake that fills a glacial valley, and the ruins of the Order castle, built by the Livonian Order in the thirteenth century, stand on the hill above it. A footbridge, a graceful suspension bridge built to look like the one that once stood here, crosses the valley between the castle hills, and from it you can see the old town, the lake and the church spire in one view. With about twenty thousand people, it is a university town of sorts, home to a well-known academy for traditional culture.
The town is the centre of Estonian folk music, and every July it hosts a folk festival that draws crowds from across the country, with concerts on the castle hill and in the streets. Viljandi was a Hanseatic town in the Middle Ages, and the old ruins, fragments of red-brick walls and defensive towers, are scattered through the park. The old water tower, the lakeside promenade and the wooden houses on the slopes add to a feeling of calm and creativity. Local food runs to pork, potatoes, rye bread, dark beer and sweet dishes with berries.
Riding in the area is easy and pleasant. The roads wind between wooded hills, farmland and small lakes, with a good surface on the main routes and gravel on the lesser ones. The corners are gentle, and there are many fine views from the high ridges, though the landscape is never dramatic. Traffic is light, and in summer the long days give you generous time to ride into the evening. Wildlife, especially elk, roe deer and foxes, can appear on the road at dusk, so keep your speed sensible after the sun begins to drop.
Fuel is plentiful in Viljandi, with several stations and supermarkets, and you will find cafes with good cakes and coffee in the centre. Smaller places like Viiratsi have limited services, and Suure-Jaani, about twenty kilometres away, is smaller still, so fill up in town. The smell of the place after rain is a mix of birch, wet grass and woodsmoke. Take a slow walk over the suspension bridge and look back at the town; it is well worth the ten minutes.