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Journey through the Baltics

Independent travel to Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius with privately guided sightseeing
Toompea Tallinn, Estonia © Allan Alajaan/Visit Tallinn

Explore these fantastic three Baltic cities over seven leisurely days independently. Enjoy a private guided walking tour of each town, then travel with a private car and driver between the cities, with plenty of time to explore on your own. Two nights are spent in each city. 

Itinerary

Day 1 Tallinn Arrival

On arrival in Tallinn, meet your private car and driver at the airport for the transfer to your hotel. After check-in, take time to relax and explore the city. This rich, medieval town was forgotten for 50 years in Soviet times, as a consequence of which it is still extremely well preserved. Kilometres of winding cobblestone streets, red roofs, watchtowers in the walls that surround the Old Town, and a magical, storybook setting of medieval houses make Tallinn, one of the oldest cities of Northern Europe, one of the most charming. Two nights in Tallinn.

Day 2 Tallinn Walking Tour; Optional Kadriorg Park & KUMU Visit

This morning enjoy a privately guided walking tour of the medieval Old Town. The three hour tour includes Toompea Castle, the Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Old Town Hall and the Great Guild Hall. The afternoon is free for you to further explore on your own; wander the town centre's many shops, galleries, souvenir markets, outdoor cafés and restaurants. Or perhaps take an optional excursion (3hrs) to the fabulous baroque palace at Kadriorg Park & KUMU. Pick up at your hotel and travel from Tallinn to Kadriorg Park, for a visit to the marvellous park at the Palace with its Baroque flower garden, Swan Pond and smaller park, as well as historic buildings such as the Summer House, Kitchen House and Guard House, that surround the palace. Then visit the award-winning Estonian Art Museum KUMU (KUnsti MUseum) and its exhibition halls, with its collections of classic & contemporary fine art. 2nd overnight in Tallinn.

Day 3 Tallinn - Riga by Private Car

After breakfast, depart Tallinn. You will be picked up from your hotel for the transfer by private car and driver to Riga. Travelling along Estonia's coastal highway, you'll pass tiny fishing villages, typical spa towns including Parnu, summer houses and more, before arriving at your hotel. Check-in, with time at leisure. Within Riga, known as 'The Capital of Art Nouveau', everything is close and compact - next to the medieval Old Town you will find the New Town, built in the 19th century after the city fortifications were taken down, with green parks and broad boulevards and the Art Nouveau districts. No other city in Europe boasts such fine examples of Art Nouveau architecture and the many charming buildings occupy more than one third of downtown Riga. You will fall in love with the cobbled narrow streets and wherever you turn, you will find a wealth of historic buildings, including the Dome Cathedral with it's world famous organ, St. Peters Church built in 1209 with the first clock in the city, or Guild Square, with the Large and the Small Guilds that represent the former glory of Riga as a vital, Hanseatic, trading city. 2 nights in Riga.

Day 4 Riga Walking Tour and Optional Jurmala Visit

Today enjoy a three hour privately guided walking tour of the Old Town. Founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert, Riga is the largest of the three Baltic capitals & boasts a true kaleidoscope of various architectural styles. The tour includes Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter's Church (with entrance to the church), the Swedish Gates, Three Brothers, the Large and Small Guild Houses and the Freedom Monument. In the afternoon you might like to take an optional visit to Jurmala (4hrs), a vibrant, Latvian sea resort, famous for quirky wooden architecture and sandy beaches. Jurmala, the oldest and largest resort town in the Baltic States, is situated 25km from the capital. The beaches are covered in dazzling white quartz sand, with 33km stretches to wander along. This is a beautiful, peaceful and charming place, with a proud heritage and many fine examples of distinctive wooden 19th century architecture. 2nd overnight in Riga.

Day 5 Riga - Vilnius by Private Car: Optional Hill of Crosses or Rundale Palace visit

After breakfast, depart Riga and travel by private car and driver to Vilnius. On the way to Vilnius you can add either an optional short visit to the Hill of Crosses or an optional visit to Rundale Palace. At the Hill of Crosses since an uprising in 1831 local people have brought more than 150,000 crosses of all sizes, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, statues of the Virgin Mary and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries to a small hill, creating both an historical and architectural monument, and a place of peace and spirituality. Or visit Rundale Palace, one of two major baroque palaces built by designed and built by Italian architect Franchesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli for the Dukes of Courland from 1736 until 1768. On arrival in Vilnius check in to your hotel and explore the town. Lithuania's capital is built at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers and is surrounded by picturesque wooden hills. The city has an enormous architectural diversity, with many churches and towers, fortifications, secluded medieval courtyards and narrow and curved streets. It is a city with a rich history, a place where Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical styles stand side by side and complement each other. Vilnius has managed to retain its unique character as a northerly cultural meeting point, at the crossroads of the Roman and Byzantine, and the European and Eurasian worlds. Two nights in Vilnius.

Day 6 Vilnius Walking Tour and Optional Visit to Trakai Castle

Vilnius is known for its more than 1,200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. Today enjoy a three hour privately guided walking tour which includes the Old University, Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, St. Anne's Church and the Gates of Dawn. In the afternoon, perhaps take an optional four hour excursion to beautiful Trakai Castle. The former medieval capital of Lithuania is situated just west of Vilnius, between hills, forests and lakes. The shores of the peninsula on which it is located are washed by the waters of Lakes Galvė, Totoriškių and Bernardinų (Lukos). This town is famous for its picturesque landscape and as the cradle of the Lithuanian statehood, being an important military and political centre, and the headquarters of the ruling Lithuanian Grand Dukes. The legendary Trakai Castle sits in a beautiful location on an island in Lake Galve, and is a place of peaceful refuge, with numerous easy walks around the lakes. 2nd overnight in Vilnius.

Day 7 Vilnius Departure

Arrangements end after breakfast with your transfer by private car to the airport.


2024 departures: daily all year

Notes:

You can do the tour in reverse from Vilnius to Tallinn, or add extra nights in any of the cities.

You can choose between standard or superior accommodation.

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