Baltic Express

Overnights: Tallinn – Pärnu – Riga – Klaipeda – Kaunas – Vilnius

Via – Haapsalu, Sigulda (Gauja National Park), Šiauliai, Nida, Trakai

Period: March-October

Length: 7 days / 6 nights

Day 1, Arrival – Tallinn

Arrival to the airport and transfer to the hotel.Full day dedicated to the free visit of Tallinn. It is a charming blend of medieval tranquillity and modern urban life. One can start at the ‘newer’ parts of Tallinn, visit its scenic coastline. En route you will see the ‘green’ district of Pirita, the Estonian Song Festival Ground, and the soviet-built Lasnamäe district. A visit to the Kadriorg Park is recommended. Nearby there is the KUMU, the new award-winning Estonian museum of contemporary fine art. Visit the Old Town. Walk leisurely around the busy Old Town streets where many outdoor cafes, shops, galleries, souvenir markets and restaurants blossom during the summer. Visit the Toompea Castle, now housed by the Estonian Parliament, the Town Hall and merchant houses, the Russian-Orthodox Cathedral Alexander Nevsky, the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Dome Church and the Great Guild Hall.

Day 2, Tallinn – Haapsalu – Pärnu (225 km)

Car delivered in the morning at the hotel. Drive westwards to Haapsalu. The striking Haapsalu castle is the town’s star attraction along with a handful of galleries and museums. Visit Haapsalu’s rustic Old Town, with its narrow streets and old wooden houses. Stroll along the slender promenade. On the way to Pärnu, take a detour through the Matsalu National Park, a bird watchers paradise. Drive south towards Pärnu, Estonia’s ‘Summer Capital’ and prime spa resort. Pärnu offers an alluring beach front, a charming Old Town and structural curiosities like the St. Catherine’s Church. Overnight in Pärnu.

Day 3, Pärnu – Sigulda (Gauja National Park) – Riga (180 km)

Leave Pärnu to cross the border into Latvia. Discover the medieval Latvia near Sigulda. Listen to the medieval Latvian legend of the Rose of Turaida and see the ruins of the Episcopal Castle and the Castle of the Knights of the Sword. Drive to Cēsis and stroll around its well-preserved Old Town. Drive to Riga via the Gauja National Park. Riga, founded in 1201, is the largest of the three Baltic capitals. It boasts a real kaleidoscope of architectural styles. We suggest visiting the Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, the Swedish Gate, the Three Brothers, the Large and Small Guilds and the Freedom Monument. Overnight in Riga.

Day 4, Riga – Šiauliai – Klaipeda (335 km)

Drive west from Riga to Jūrmala. Jūrmala, Latvia’s answer to the French Riviera, is a 20 km long stretch of small towns and resorts. The recently cleaned beaches of Majori and Bulduri are safe for swimming, albeit with cold waters. Head south, cross the border into Lithuania. Near Šiauliai, visit the symbol of Christian faith, the ‘Hill of Crosses.’ Drive to Klaipeda for the overnight.

Day 5, Klaipeda – Nida – Kaunas (320 km)

The city of Klaipeda has a long history as a Prussian capital called Memel and its Germanic flavour and architecture reflect this. Klaipeda was destroyed during WWII, but a small part of the Old Town and a tower of its red brick castle survived. Klaipeda is also the gateway to the Curonian Spit, a sword shaped sliver of sand covered land that runs parallel to Lithuania’s southern coast. This was a favourite haunt of Nobel Laureate Thomas Mann. Drive south to Nida to see the Thomas Mann house/museum. En route to Nida, stop over near Juodkrante, to marvel at the playful and grotesque wooden statues on the Witches’ Hill. Drive to Kaunas for the overnight stay.

Day 6, Kaunas – Trakai – Vilnius (110 km)

Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania, is a thriving industrial and cultural centre. An interesting feature is its old town and museums. On the way to Vilnius, stop to admire the gothic-medieval Trakai Castle. The castle is located on a pristine island of the Lake Galve. From the medieval capital of Lithuania travel to its current capital, Vilnius. Vilnius is a architectural treasure trove with more than 1200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. Visit its Old Town, the Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne’s Church, the University form the XVI century and the Gates of Dawn. Drop off of the car at the hotel in the late afternoon.

Day 7, Vilnius – Departure

Free time for additional visits and shopping in Vilnius. Transfer to airport. Departure from Vilnius or optional additional days.