Tartu

Why it matters: Tartu is the birthplace of Estonian cinema, and Elektriteater – an independent single-screen art-house that inherited its name from the country’s first permanent cinema, opened here in 1908 – keeps that tradition alive inside an 1860 former university church at Jakobi 1. The 120-seat hall shows Estonian and European features, documentaries and classics with no advertisements, and a projectionist gives a short personal introduction before every screening. Tickets are 7€, there’s a tiny self-service café for coffee or mulled wine, and the wide floor-to-ceiling screen is a point of local pride. In summer they run outdoor screenings around town, and the cinema partners with beloved festivals like tARTuFF and PÖFF.