14 / 13days / nights

Cultural Tour of the Baltic States

Tallinn - Tartu - Riga - Klaipeda - Vilnius
A private group journey covering the most interesting culture, architecture, history and nature sites of the whole Baltics - Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Within two weeks you will discover not only the man sights of the charming capitals, but also a local people's life outside of the big towns. The mix of medieval and modern makes the tour very attractive.
Day 1 Welcome to Tallinn! Welcome to Estonia - an amazing place of natural beauty and steeped in colorful history.
Arrival in Tallinn, meeting by our guide at the airport, transfer to the hotel, assistance with hotel check in.
Optional group welcome dinner at restaurant with Estonian folklore show.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Tallinn Old Town.
Day 2 Old Tallinn and Kadriorg Art Museum Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning guided Tallinn Old Town walking tour.
During Tallinn Old Town walking tour you will see the Toompea Castle, the Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin (the Dome Church), the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Town Hall Square, Tallinn Town Hall, the Pharmacy, Niguliste Museum (St. Nicholas Church), St.Olav's Church, House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads, Fat Margaret Tower, Great Guild Hall and walk through St.Catherine's Passage.
Optional group lunch at the local restaurant.
Afternoon we continue with Tallinn guided tour including Kadriorg Palace and Pirita district.
Further you will head to the Kadriorg Palace and park, which were founded by the Russian czar Peter I. According to the designs of the architect Niccolo Michetti, invited from Rome, the Palace was built after the Italian villas, consisting of a main building and of two annexes. After visiting the Kadriorg Art Museum and Mikkel Museum you will drive to see the Russalka monument, Tallinn Song Festival Grounds and Pirita.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Tallinn Old Town.
Day 3 Lahemaa National Park and Manors Breakfast at the hotel.
Full day guided tour to Lahemaa National Park and Manors.
Lahemaa National park was established in 1971, covering an area of 47,410 ha of land and 25,090 ha of sea. Here the forest, swamp and coast ecological systems, historical and architectural memories are preserved. During the Lahemaa excursion will walk on the Viru Bog nature trail, visit three manors (Sagadi, Palmse, Vihula), Altja fishing village and the captain's village of Kasmu.
Optional group lunch at the beautiful Manor of the Lahemaa National park.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Tallinn Old Town.
Day 4 Tartu - the intellectual Capital of Estonia Breakfast at the hotel.
Check out and guided departure to Tartu.
Welcome to Tartu! In Tartu theatre performances, concerts, festivals, conferences happen all year round. Tartu is a hot bed of creative and scientific culture: with high quality promenade concerts, the Emajogi River Summer theatre, the Hanseatic Days and various music events. Tartu is also home to more than 20 museums.
On arrival guided Tartu sightseeing tour.
You will get acquainted with Tartu - the capital of Southern Estonia and a modern city with a rich historical heritage and culture. During the Tartu sightseeing tour you will see Tartu Town Hall Square with “Kissing students” fountain surrounded by buildings built in the classical style, main building of University of Tartu found in 1632 by the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, a gift from Czar Paul first to the Universtiy - Toome Hill, Gothic St. John's Church, Toomemegi hill with Dome Church's ruins and other most interesting sights of Tartu.
Hotel check in, optional group dinner at the local restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel in Tartu city center.
Day 5 Tartu - Araisi Archaeological Museum park - Cesis Castle - Sigulda and Turaida Castle - Riga Breakfast at the hotel.
Check out and guided departure to Riga with en-route stops and sightseeing tours in Araisi, Cesis and Sigulda.
First stop of the day is Araisi Archaeological Museum park - a cultural historical monument situated in the Cesis region. It consists of reconstructed buildings from the Stone and Bronze Ages, ancient Latgalians settlements from the 9th-11th centuries, as well as castle ruins from the Livonian period. Araisi Lake Castle is presently the most extensively studied site of this kind in the whole of northeast Europe.
Further we drive to Cesis - small Latvian town with a history spanning for more than 800 years. Together with the guide you will walk through Cesis tiny streets to get a flavour of this medieval town, see 13th century St. John’s Church - the largest church in northern Latvia and visit Cesis Castle complex.
Optional group lunch or medieval feast.
Afterwards we will continue to Sigulda, which is one of the most picturesque towns in Latvia in the Gauja River valley, situated in the Gauja National Park. During the tour you will visit Turaida Museum reserve including Turaida Medieval Castle and Dainu kalns - the Hill of Folksongs, further to Gutmana cave, Krimulda Medieval castle, Livonian Order Sigulda Castle, the New Castle of Sigulda and the Manor center, Krimulda Manor.
Evening arrival in Riga, hotel check in.
Welcome to Latvia - the pearl of the Baltic States and a multi-cultured state, where the traditions of East, West, North and South have merged, creating a unique environment, the like of which is not to be found anywhere in the world.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Riga Old Town.
Day 6 Old Riga, Latvian National Opera and Art Nouveau architecture Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning guided Old Riga Town walking sightseeing tour including guided Opera backstage tour. This tour will give you a chance to get acquainted with Old Riga and Old Town most famous architectural monuments: the Freedom Monument - the symbol of Latvia's independence and strength, 13th century St.Peter's Church, St.George's Church, St. John's Church, a part of restored city wall and the medieval John's yard, the medieval dwelling houses "Three Brothers", 13th century St.Jacob's Church, 14th century Riga Castle, Convent Yard, the Philharmonic Square, the Saeima building, Jacob's Barracks, the Powder Tower and Smilsu street, the Swedish Gate with its inspired numerous myths and legends and the Latvian National Opera. During the tour you will also visit the Dome Cathedral - to learn about famous 19th century organ, which is one of the biggest organs in Europe.
Optional group lunch at the local Latvian style restaurant.
Afternoon we continue with Riga guided tour including famous Art Nouveau streets of Riga, visit to Riga Art Nouveau museum and Kalnciema Quarter (seasonal markets apply). In Riga, more than one-third of the buildings in the city centre are Art Nouveau in style - no other city in Europe comes close. This style dominated in Riga at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century for a short time and it left behind extraordinary colorful architectural examples. Art Nouveau stresses a complete creative freedom, an expressive flight of fantasy with a tendency to show all utilitarian construction elements as artistic value. Characteristic features of this style are sinuous lines and geometrical ornaments, divided into two main directions in Riga: decorative and romantic nationalistic Art Nouveau. The most beautiful street of Art Noveau in Riga is Elizabetes. In addition to Elizabetes Street, Alberta and Strelnieku Streets are also feature impressive examples of the style.
Kalnciema Quarter is an ensemble of buildings representing 18th / 19th century Western European architecture of late classicism and eclecticism executed in wood. The complex is unique in the European level, as the wooden buildings of this period in other countries, have not survived in such concentration.
Optional evening ballet or opera performance at Latvian National Opera or Optional Organ Music Concert at the Dome Cathedral.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Riga Old Town.
Day 7 Wooden architecture of summer resort Jurmala Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning guided Jurmala sightseeing tour.
Jurmala - the largest resort city in the Baltic States is well-known for its natural treasures-the mild climate, sea, healthy air, curative mud and mineral water and 33 km long white sand beach. In Jurmala you will discover a combination of charming unique wooden houses built in the beginning of the last century and modern resort buildings. During the sightseeing tour of Jurmala you will see Dzintari Concert Hall, Jurmala City Museum, Botanical garden and summer cottage of Kristaps Morbergs, former Swimming Establishment of E.Racene, sculpture "The Turtle", Sea Pavilion, Jurmalas "Globe", House of Aspazija. To feel the typical Jurmala atmosphere you will enjoy a walk along the central pedestrian Jomas Street with its numerous cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and local amusements.
Optional group lunch at the restaurant located directly on the beach in Jurmala, optional tasting of smoked fish.
Optional evening ballet or opera performance at Latvian National Opera or Optional Organ Music Concert at the Dome Cathedral.
Overnight at the hotel in Riga Old Town.
Day 8 Riga Breakfast at the hotel.
Guided tour of Riga Central Market (incl. tasting of local products) and Ethnographic Open Air Museum.
Today we will visit Riga Central Market - one of the largest markets in Eastern Europe, visited daily by 80 000 to 100 000 people. The market is a popular place for shopping, offering almost everything – both products farmed in the Latvian countryside and produced by the farmers themselves and exotic fruit and manufactured goods. It is also possible to buy products made by the local craftsmen here – hand-made knitted socks, scarves, caps and other useful things and souvenirs.
Optional group lunch at the local restaurant.
Afterwards you will visit one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe - Riga Ethnographic Open Air Museum, which was founded in 1924. Historical dwellings, peasants', fishermen's and artisans' homesteads, a tavern and windmills have been gathered here from all over Latvia. Masters of 18 different crafts demonstrate their work: spoon-carvers, bee-keepers, potters and others. The collection contains 100000 items.
Optional evening ballet or opera performance at Latvian National Opera.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Riga Old Town.
Day 9 Riga - Jelgava Palace - Rundale Palace - Bauska Castle - the Hill of Crosses - Klaipeda Breakfast at the hotel.
Check out and guided departure to Klaipeda with en-route stops and sightseeing tours at Jelgava Palace, Rundale Palace, Bauska Castle and the Hill of Crosses.
Our first stop will be at magnificent Jelgava Palace - a former residence of the Duke of Kurzeme, but at present, the Latvia University of Agriculture is located here. Further you will visit the Rundale Palace - one of the most outstanding monuments of Baroque and Rococo art in Latvia. During the tour of the Palace you will see a set of the staterooms for receptions and festivies (the White Hall, Gold Hall, Grand Gallery), the Duke’s former living quarters and staterooms, the Duchess’ apartments and exhibition “Seventeenth to Nineteenth Century Fashion in Latvia”. Afterwards you will walk to the Rundale Palace Park, which is an essential part of the palace complex and has retained its original layout without any significant changes.
Optional group lunch at the local restaurant.
Afterwards we will continue to the Bauska castle, located in Bauska town on the land strip between the rivers Musa and Memele, not far from the place where the rivers meet to form the river Lielupe.
On Lithuanian side we will visit the Hill of Crosses, where you will see a thousands of crosses, which people from all over the world have put here for a couple centuries. This is an expression of a spontaneous religiousness of the people, and is a symbol of Faith, Love and Sacrifice. From here the Pope blessed all people of Lithuania and all of Christian Europe.
Evening arrival in Klaipeda, hotel check in.
Welcome to Lithuania - experience the green surroundings, hear the soughing of the sea, discover Lithuanian history and art, take a bite of brown bread!
Overnight stay at the hotel in Klaipeda Old Town.
Day 10 The Curonian Spit – UNESCO World Heritage Site Breakfast at the hotel.
Guided morning short tour of Klaipeda – gateway to the Curonian Spit.
During the tour you will see the best of Klaipeda’s Old Town with its “Fachwerk” and neogothic buildings.
Short cross by ferry and guided full day sightseeing tour of the Curonian Spit.
At this beautiful place of the world - the Curonian Spit - you will discover the Great Dune, with its magnificent panoramic view, the old fishermen’s cottages in Nida, the “Hill of Witches”, Nobel laureat Thomas Mann's cultural centre.
Optional group lunch at the local fish restaurant.
Evening ferry back and return to the hotel.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Klaipeda Old Town.
Day 11 Klaipeda - Kaunas - Pazaislis Monastery - Rumsiskes Open Air Museum - Vilnius Breakfast at the hotel.
Check out and guided departure to Vilnius with en-route stops and sightseeing tours in Kaunas, Pazaislis Monastery and Rumsiskes Open Air Museum.
During the sightseeing tour of one of the most significant cities of Lithuania, you will get acquainted with the city history and see the remarkable Kaunas Old Town which is a collection of ancient architectural monuments: the remnants of the 14th century with remains of Kaunas castle, the buildings of the Middle Ages in the Gothic and the Art Deco styles. It is interesting that during the early 20th century Kaunas was the home of the Lithuanian Government and the capital city; a period considered by many as the golden age of the city...
Optional group lunch at the local restaurant.
Afterwards we will continue to Pazaislis Monastery - a unique monument of the late Baroque, the mystic attraction and unmatched charm of which has been exciting human imagination since long ago.
In Rumsiskes you will visit the open-air museum, which was opened in 1974 and covers the total area of 175 ha. In the museum is exposition of 140 buildings from the 18th–19th century with the restored original interiors and surroundings. The museum also displays the heritage of Lithuanian rural life in a vast collection of authentic re-erected buildings where the Lithuanian people lived and worked.
Evening arrival in Vilnius, hotel check in.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Vilnius Old Town.
Day 12 Marvellous Trakai Island Castle Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning half day guided Trakai Island Castle sightseeing tour.
In Trakai you will visit the legendary Trakai Island Castle, which was a cradle of the Lithuanian statehood, an important military and political centre, headquarters of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes, and the capital of Lithuania. Trakai is also known for the Karaimes, who have lived there since the 14th century and have preserved their traditions. The houses of Karaimes have survived in Trakai, and the national dishes (the most popular is kybyn – a small pasty stuffed with minced meat) of this ethnic group can be tasted at the Karaime Restaurant.
Optional group lunch at the Karaime traditional restaurant and boat ride on the Galve lake around the Trakai Castle.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Vilnius Old Town.
Day 13 Old Vilnius Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning half day guided Vilnius sightseeing tour.
During the tour you will see Vilnius Cathedral and its square, Vilnius University ensemble, Pilies street with the 16 – 18th century historical and architectural monuments, Gothic corner of Vilnius with St. Anne’s and Bernardine churche, the former Town Hall square, the Dawn Gate with a miraculous icon of Virgin Mary, Gediminas Tower, Uzupis, the 17th century Baroque church of St. Peter and Paul.
Optional evening group gala dinner at the local Lithuanian restaurant with a folklore show.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Vilnius Old Town.
Day 14 Departure from Vilnius Breakfast at the hotel.
Check out and transfer to Vilnius airport and return back home.

Please feel free to contact us anytime: info@baltictour.com