A Brief History: After centuries of occupation, a powerful Estonian nationalist movement arose in the late 19th century. Eventually, on Feb. 24 1918, Estonia declared its independence from Russia. Its period of independence was brief, however, and Estonia was forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. But in 1991, Estonians again reasserted their independence, and peacefully broke away from the Soviet Union. Estonia became part of the European Union in 2004.

Once referred to as "Helsinki's Suburb," Estonia brought to the high-tech world innovations such as Kazaa and Skype, earning it the designation, "E-stonia." Everyone seems to carry a laptop (www.wifi.ee) and drivers use their cell phones to pay for parking in seconds while about 75% of Estonia's 1.3 million residents file their taxes online. This energy translates into a vibrant nightlife, one that attracts both locals and tourists, and stands in contrast to the well-preserved history.