The Best of the Baltics: Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn
DAY 1
Arrive in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and transfer to the hotel. Hotel accommodation. The day is free for you to relax and explore the city on your own. An optional visit to the Museum of Applied Art will be a perfect opportunity to learn about Lithuania’s cultural heritage - paintings, sculpture, graphic, unique works of folk art.
DAY 2
A morning tour of Vilnius will acquaint you with major architectural and historical monuments of the Old Town: Vilnius Cathedral, University campus, Gate of Dawn, the Gothic corner, and St Peter and Paul’s Church. An afternoon drive to Trakai to visit the 15th century Gothic Castle, once the residence of Lithuanian Grand Dukes will complete your program. Dinner tonight is at Marceliukes Kletis, a restaurant that is known for its casual atmosphere, traditional Lithuanian cuisine and tasty beer. Sit down on one of the benches at a long wooden table and settle in for a night of talking, eating, drinking - and signing, too! A friendly folk band plays here most nights.
DAY 3
This morning you travel to the Lithuanian seacoast. En route stop in Kaunas, Lithuania’s second largest city and an interim capital between the two World Wars. A short tour of Kaunas shows the Old Town with its Town Hall Square, the House of Thunder and the ruins of the medieval castle. Upon arrival to Klaipeda, a short ferry boat crossing to the Curonian Spit followed by sightseeing in Neringa, Lithuania’s most spectacular place, an area of unspoiled nature, dense forests, impressive wind swept sand dunes and refreshing sea breeze. Transfer to the hotel in Klaipeda. Accommodation at the hotel. The evening is free.
DAY 4
Morning departure from the hotel by coach for Riga, the capital of Latvia. En route you visit the Hill of Crosses near Siauliai - a holy site with thousands of crosses and a symbol of resistance against the Soviet occupation. Arrive in Riga and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the surprising sights and unexpected delights of Riga. Tonight’s dinner is enjoyed at the hotel - a relaxing end to the day.
DAY 5
Enjoy a city tour of Riga in the morning. You walk from the Castle through the Old Town with its merchants’ houses, where some streets are so narrow you can touch the walls of the houses on both sides. Along the way you see the 13th century Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church and the Powder Tower before a stop at the Central Market. Tonight’s special dinner is at the Restaurant Rozamunde where you can soak up the pre-war atmosphere of this restored 1920s establishment featuring wonderful Latvian cuisine.
DAY 6
Your trip draws to a close as you transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Quick Facts
Although formerly Soviet Republics, the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania mostly share their roots with Northern European nations. Latvia and Lithuania share some similarities in their language and culture, whereas Estonia is very different from these two countries. The similarities and differences are reflected in the cultural traditions, folklore and architecture and are very exciting subjects of exploration on a tour of all three countries.
