Discover the Baltics

The tour starts at our hotel in Tallinn, Estonia’s capital. Those

travelling on the group flights will be met at the airport and transferred to

our hotel (approx. 25-30 mins). This evening we will have a welcome briefing

with our leader. The evening is free to explore Tallinn, an optional welcome

group meal will be organised.

Today we will explore the vibrant city of Tallinn, Estonia's capital, and

largest city. The Old Town, framed by old city walls, is full of

architectural gems. In the morning we will have a guided tour of the city

taking in some of the main attractions like the Toompea palace and castle,

the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Dome Church and the St. Nicholas church.

We then have a free afternoon to explore the picturesque old town. Unlike

most European cities, Tallinn's old town is completely free from modern

buildings. You can leave modern life behind as you explore the cobblestone

alleys with spluttering torches and secret stairways; the old town holds new

surprises around every corner, even for its old residents. We overnight in

Tallinn’s old town.*

In the morning, we leave Tallinn and start the journey to Tartu stopping off

at the Lahemaa National Park, the largest in Estonia. The park is a popular

tourist destination due to its untouched sandy beaches, waterfalls, cascades,

and mossy pine forests, and it offers a variety of cultural sights like

Palmse Manor and the 400-year-old fisherman’s village of Altja. After

lunch, we transfer to Tartu for a guided tour. Tartu is Estonia’s

second-largest town and the capital of Southern Estonia and is rich with

Estonian culture offering festivals, concerts, and theatre exhibitions. We

spend the night in a hotel in the centre of Tartu.*

Cesis is an old town with a long history and is now known as a centre of art

and culture. Situated on the Gauja River valley, its old town is one of the

finest in Latvia. Its cobbled streets have retained a timeless appearance

since the Middle Ages as the fine buildings have kept their red-tiled roofs

and the façades have been restored, making this a charming place to while

away some time. The city is famed for its Medieval castle, a partly preserved

fortification that has been knocked down and rebuilt in various forms. We

will visit the castle and the museum in the morning and take a guided tour of

the buildings.



We then transfer to Gauja National Park, the region known as Latvian

Switzerland. Take a leisurely walk through the adjoining sculpture park

featuring works of notable Latvian sculptor, Indulis Ranka.



Visit Ligatne Paper Mill village, a unique settlement built in the early 20th

century by the paper mill’s management, which sought to make the workers'

life as comfortable as possible. Afterward, transfer to Riga.

This morning the magnificent old town of Riga awaits! We will have a guided

tour of the city to discover its winding alleys, elegant boulevards and 800

renovated art nouveau buildings. We then have a free afternoon to soak up the

charming and romantic atmosphere of the city and enjoy a relaxing lunch

before exploring some of the town’s great shops.

In the morning we transfer from Riga to Jurmala. Jurmala is the largest

seaside and spa resort in the Baltic States and is known for its unique

natural resources such as its healing mineral waters, pine forests and sand

dunes. The town is also famous for its unique wooden Art Nouveau

architecture. After exploring the town we will transfer back to Riga for the

night. Those who wish to stay a little longer in Jurmala can do, a local

train back to Riga costs between 2-4EUR per person.

Firstly we visit Rundale palace which was designed for the Duke of Courland

in the 18th century by Italian architect Rastrelli, who also designed the

winter palace in St. Petersburg. Today, the palace is the most magnificent

piece of architecture in the Baltic States, surrounded by impressive gardens.

We then cross the border to Lithuania and have some time to explore the

famous Hill of Crosses before transferring to Klaipeda Port for a short tour

around the small old town. The tour is a perfect chance to explore the old

town with its reconstructed merchant houses and the remains of Klaipeda

Castle. We spend the night in the centre of Klaipeda.*

We start the day with a short ferry ride across the lagoon to the Curonian

Spit, a UNESCO world heritage site situated between the Curonian Lagoon and

the Baltic Sea. Here we have the day to explore the largest drifting sand

dunes in Europe. There will also be a visit to the Hill of Witches and an

excursion to the Lithuanian sea resort of Nida to climb the Great Dune for

the views. We transfer back to Klaipeda where we spend the night.*

*

We transfer to the Plokstine forest and visit the Cold War Museum located in

the former Soviet Union’s complex of ballistic missile launch. Today, this

secret base is open to the public. We can view the internal control facility

and see former missiles as well as listen to expositions about the five

decades of the Cold war, one of the most famous and dangerous military

conflicts in human history. We then travel to the town of Kaunas, and here we

take a walking tour around the beautiful old town. The old town of Kaunas has

a collection of important monuments like the 13th century castle, the old

town hall, the Cathedral Basilica and the church of St. Francis Xavier. We

stay overnight in Kaunas.

*

This morning there is the option to visit the Church and Monastery of

Pazaislis to see one of the most wonderful Baroque architectural masterpieces

in north-eastern Europe (entrance fee is 6 euros, payable locally). The

monastery is located on the picturesque bank of the Kaunas lagoon. We then

stop in Trakai, the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Here we

will go on a tour around the incredible 14th century castle, which is

situated on a small island in the middle of the lake.



We then transfer to Vilnius where we stay the night.

Today we have the whole day to explore Vilnius. There is a guided tour of the

city in the morning and then plenty of time to explore the city at your own

pace. The city was developed around its Town Hall and there is a great deal

of diverse architecture to explore. There are many narrow streets that lead

to intimate courtyards, in addition to the larger landmarks of the castle

complex, Cathedral square, and the Royal Palace. There are also plenty of

museums to while away some hours. We overnight in Vilnius.

End Vilnius.

**