Salt mud spas frequented by the Russian Romanov family still operate. Narrow streets with early 20th century wooden houses lead to the sea. Haapsalu has been called the "Venice of the Baltics",[3] although this claim has been criticized as an exaggeration.[4] The name "Haapsalu" is from Estonian haab 'aspen' and salu 'grove.'[5] In Swedish and German, the town is called Hapsal, and in Russian it is Га́псаль (Gapsal).