Pakri Lighthouse and Pakri Cliff (Paldiski)

The Pakri peninsula juts into the Baltic Sea at the western end of Paldiski, in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County, Estonia, and is home to the Pakri Lighthouse and the high limestone cliff known as Pakri Cliff (Pakri pankrannik). The cliff is part of the North Estonian Klint, a long limestone escarpment that runs along the coast, and at Pakri it rises to about 24 metres, making it one of the tallest sections of the klint. The lighthouse, a tall stone tower first built in 1889 and later rebuilt, stands near the cliff edge and is one of the oldest in the area. Visitors come to walk the cliff-top paths, look out over the sea toward the Pakri islands, and see the wind turbines of the Pakri wind farm, the first in Estonia. The surroundings include pine woodland, coastal meadows and remains of Soviet-era military installations, since Paldiski was a closed Soviet naval base until 1994. The viewing deck at the lighthouse is open seasonally, and the cliff and surroundings are free to explore at any time. A visit generally takes one to two hours. The best photo angle is from the cliff edge at sunset, when the sun sinks over the Baltic and warms the limestone. Crowds are rarely an issue, with a few visitors on summer evenings and weekends and near-empty paths otherwise. The cliff edge has few barriers, so care is needed, especially with children and in windy conditions. The peninsula is reached by train from Tallinn Balti jaam to Paldiski in about 50 minutes, followed by a taxi or by car.