The Baltics

Photo credit: Kestutis Ambrozaitis

Duration

13 Days

Price

From $7,595

Trip Type

Small Group

Group Size

Max 16

Activity Level

1 2 3 4 5

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Definitive Journey Through Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

Overview

This overland journey roves the countryside and urban centers of the three independent Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Together they form a mosaic of countries ruled over in early years by the traders of the Hanseatic League, and later occupied by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Admire the UNESCO-listed Old Towns of each of the Baltic capital cities. Begin in Tallinn, Estonia’s charming capital, with its narrow winding streets, red-roofed buildings, and enchanting churches. Travel to Latvia to explore Riga, 2014 European Capital of Culture, with its lovely cobbled center and turn-of-the-century architecture. Traveling via the coastal town of Klaipeda and the UNESCO-listed Curonian Spit, arrive in Kaunas Lithuania, a 2022 Capital of Culture. The journey ends in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, a former Capital of Culture – an honor that showcased the city’s contribution to the cultural life of Europe.

Travels to: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Lively dancing at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia. Photo credit: Toomas Tuul, Estonian Tourist Board

Map

Itinerary

Days 1-2: Tallinn (Estonia)
Begin in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, with its collage of narrow cobblestone streets and red-roofed buildings. Explore the Dome Cathedral on Toompea Hill and visit the famous Song Festival Grounds, where the independent spirit of Estonians has been celebrated since 1988, when 300,000 people sang their way to the beginnings of independence from the Soviet Union.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, whose winding cobbled streets, red roofs, and turreted fortress wall are on the UNESCO World Heritage List
- Song Festival Grounds, center of Estonia’s “Singing Revolution”
Days 3-5: Sigulda (Latvia), Riga
Skirting Riga Bay, pause at Sigulda – the entrance to Gauja National Park – before coming to Latvia’s capital, Riga, with its art nouveau architecture. Known for its appealing Old Town and the odd sculptures adorning its old buildings, Riga is a delight to explore on foot.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Turaida Castle, originally founded in 1214 by the archbishops of Riga
- UNESCO-listed Old Town of Riga, capital of Latvia
- Riga’s section of ornamental art nouveau buildings, one of the finest collections in Europe
Days 6-8: Klaipeda (Lithuania), Palanga, Curonian Spit, Nida
Travel across the countryside to the Lithuanian seaport of Klaipeda, pausing at the baroque Rundale Palace and at the Hill of Crosses, a place of national pilgrimage. Explore Klaipeda’s narrow streets and merchant houses, enjoy a day-trip to the UNESCO-listed Curonian Spit and Nida.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Hill of Crosses, covered by a multitude of crosses, some of them treasured examples of folk art
- Klaipeda, whose restored Old Town contains examples of the German-influenced fachwerk, or timbered warehouses
- Palanga, Lithuania’s liveliest beach resort town, with 11 miles of beautiful sandy beaches
- UNESCO-listed Curonian Spit, a strange and beautiful landscape of corrugated dunes, little villages, and forests
- The Hill of Witches, groves of carved wooden figures straight out of old Lithuanian folk tales and mythology
- Fishing village of Nida, refuge for artists and writers with brightly painted wooden houses
Days 9-10: Kedainiai (Lithuania), Kaunas
Set off for the town of Kaunas with a visit to the Jewish community of Kedainiai en route. Kaunas is Lithuania’s second largest city and an important business center. It has a reputation for political protest and is home to seven universities.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Kedaimiai Cultural Center, located in two former synagogues
- Kaunas, the second-largest Lithuanian city, with its white Gothic Town Hall called the White Swan
- Kaunas’s Gothic-style Vytautas Church, built for Franciscan monks and foreign merchants
- Perkunas House, a late 15th century trading house built by Hanseatic merchants and later sold to the Jesuits
Day 11-13: Vilnius, Trakai
Lithuania’s beautiful capital, Vilnius, is the final stop. Last to give up its pagan traditions and first to declare independence from the Soviet Union, Lithuania is known for its amber and celebrated for its bravery. An exploration of Vilnius ranges from the medieval, at the restored Brick Gothic castle of Trakai, to the more recent, the KGB Museum commemorating the travails of thousands of Lithuanians. Stroll the cobbled streets of the Old Town, shopping for linen and glowing amber jewelry.

HIGHLIGHTS
- UNESCO-listed Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, the largest baroque city north of the Alps
- 14th century Trakai Castle, the Brick Gothic residence of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes
- KGB Museum, in the basement of the former District Court Building, where interrogations took place

Detailed Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Small group tour – max 16 travelers

Land tour price, per person. Based on double occupancy and minimum group size of 4 travelers.

What's Included

Activity Level

Level 2: Moderate

Gallery

1/5 Tallinn's brightly-lit Viru Street at night. VisitEstonia.com
2/5 National Opera House in Riga, Latvia. Kestutis Ambrozaitis
3/5 City wall towers of Tallinn, Estonia. Toomas Tuul, Estonian Tourist Board
4/5 Lively dancing at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia. Toomas Tuul, Estonian Tourist Board
5/5 Vilnius, the UNESCO-listed capital of Lithuania. Kestutis Ambrozaitis

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Detailed Itinerary Contact Us

Traveler Reviews

"This was an excellent tour. The group was small and pleasant. The accommodations were excellent and all the guides were knowledgeable, fun, and worked diligently to introduce us to the Baltic states. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting famous sites located out of town. Our tour manager was outstanding! Always prepared and went out of her way to ensure all of us were following her. She is a lovely lady who exhibited great patience and understanding."

D. & J. Gould

Leavenworth, WA
"This was an incredible trip! Really enjoyed the hotels, especially Riga. Our tour manager really went out of her way to help us and would take us anywhere else we wanted to go. I was most moved by the Hill of Crosses and the KBG Headquarters."

K. Long

Shawnee Mission, KS

The Baltics

Definitive Journey Through Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

Overview

Map

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

What's Included

Activity Level

Gallery

Want all the details in one handy package? Download the full itinerary below.

Traveler Reviews

Travel Guide to Estonia: The Beauty on the Baltic Sea

Where in the World Is Latvia?

Lithuania’s Curonian Spit – A UNESCO Highlight

Request a Detailed Itinerary

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The Baltics

Definitive Journey Through Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

Overview

Map

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

What's Included

Activity Level

Gallery

Want all the details in one handy package? Download the full itinerary below.

Stay A Little Longer...

Traveler Reviews

Stories To Inspire

Travel Guide to Estonia: The Beauty on the Baltic Sea

Where in the World Is Latvia?

Lithuania’s Curonian Spit – A UNESCO Highlight

Request a Detailed Itinerary

Get Our News Straight To Your Inbox