Latvia, BALTIC BLUES TRAVEL, Riga

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Castles & fortresses

• From Vilnius to Tallin, Agrocultural Tour - 8 days
• From Vilnius to Tallin, Cycling tour - 15 days
• From Vilnius to Tallin, Pilgrim Tour - 8 days
• From Vilnius to Tallin, Trekking & Walking- 9 days
• The Baltic Discoverer: 10 days/9 nights
• The Baltic tours classics: 7 days/6 nights
• Weekend in Riga : 3 days / 2 nights
• Weekend in Riga : 4 days / 3 nights

The Baltic Discoverer: 10 days/9 nights

 DAY 1 : Vilnius
Arrival to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Bus transfer to the hotel.

Free time in Vilnius. Many tourists after visiting Vilnius and its region tend to fall in love with Vilnius, pegging it as their favorite Baltic city of them all. Vilnius Old Town is one of the biggest in Eastern Europe, there  more than 1500 buildings which remained from various centuries: city boasts the most wonderful architectural styles of Southern and Western Europe, Gothic and Renaissance, as well as the original “Lithuanian” Baroque, also called the last vivid flash of Baroque in Europe.

Overnight in Vilnius. .

DAY 2 : Vilnius - Trakai
Morning City Tour, the 3-hour acquaintance with Vilnius Old Town where you can feel the atmosphere of the city's history of the 16-19th centuries while walking along its narrow winding streets or visiting the most exiting architectural and historic monuments: Vilnius Cathedral erected on the historic site where pagan gods were worshipped and where Vilnius was founded as far back as the 13th c., a nearby Gediminas Castle on the hill rising above the city centre, a gem of the Lithuanian Gothic’s - the 16th c. St. Anne's Church, the Vilnius University, a famous centre of science and enlightment since its very foundation in 1579, Vilnius Town Hall, Jewish Quarter and the Dawn Gate with a miraculous icon of Virgin Mary.

Afternoon 4-hour-tour to Trakai, former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 27 km to the west of Vilnius, is a favourite place for an outing. The Trakai Castle situated on an island in the midst of Lake Galve is the most famous and most photographed 15th cent. castle.  Standing on an island in Lake Galve, the Castle now houses an interesting museum telling its history, famous in the times of the Grand Duke Vytautas when the country borders were stretching from the Baltics till the Black Sea. Enjoy a small  town -Trakai,  located on a 2-km-long peninsular with attractive old wooden houses, mostly built by Karaites, a Judaist sect brought by Duke Vytautas from the Crimea and still living here.
Transfer back.

Overnight in Vilnius.

 DAY 3 : Vilnius – Pazaislis Monastery - Kaunas - Klaipeda
Departure to Klaipeda (312 km from Vilnius).

Stop at the Church and Monastery of Pazaislis, one of the most wonderful mature Baroque architectural masterpieces in north-eastern Europe. The monastery is located on the picturesque bank of the Kaunas Lagoon.

Stop in Kaunas and City Tour. Kaunas is the second major city in Lithuania, known for its beautiful Old Town. The Old Town of Kaunas is a concentration of the most important, ancient architectural monuments: the 13th century Castle, the Old Town Hall, nicknamed the "White Swan", the Archicathedral Basilica, the Church of St. Francis Xavier and the Jesuit monastery, Perkunas House and Vytautas Church. The green and flowering pedestrian street Laisves Aleja is the main business and leisure area of Kaunas.

Arrival to Klaipeda. The third biggest city in Lithuania, an important port. It has a long history since the times of a fishing village of ancient Balts and later arrival of German Crusaders who built their castle here in 13 cent., later known as Memel.

Klaipeda City Tour. With a distinctive architecture that is quite unique in Lithuania, influenced by the styles of its northern neighbours, Klaipeda City Tour offers a delightful chance to explore a small but very cozy Old Town with quaint, reconstructed merchants’ houses and converted warehouses that have kept their original exterior timber beams. You will also see magnificent ruins of Klaipeda Castle, Theatre Square with the fountain in the centre of which there is a delicate statue named after a girl, Ann from Tharau, the heroine of a famous German wedding and love song, created by the 17th century German poet Simon Dach, born in Klaipeda.

Overnight in Klaipeda.

 DAY 4 : Klaipeda - Curonian Spit - Klaipeda
Departure to the Curonian Spit  (5km by ferry + 50km from Klaipeda). The Spit lies between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea, with the biggest sand dunes in Europe. The Curonian Spit National Park is the most protected area in Lithuania. Chains of North Europe’s highest dunes, the soughing of the sea and rustling of sand as well as old Curonian houses smelling of fish accompany a traveller all along the spit, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.
Visit to the Hill of Witches in Juodkrante.
Excursion to Nida, the Lithuanian sea resort includes a climb up the Great Dune to see breathtaking view.
Visit to the Amber Gallery – Museum in Nida. The group will be introduced of the history of amber in this region, willobserve, how amber jewelry is made or even try make the own one!

Transfer back to Klaipeda. Overnight in Klaipeda.

DAY 5 : Klaipeda – The Hill of Crosses - Rundale Palace - Riga
Departure to Riga (292 km from Klaipeda), the capital of Latvia.

Stop at the famous Hill of Crosses  near Šiauliai (200 km from Vilnius). The Hill of Crosses, a unique historic place in the world. It is probably the best place to get aquinted with cross-making, a branch of Lithuanian folk art, which was inscribed on the UNESCO Non-material and Verbal Heritage Masterpiece List. On this hill more than 100 000 crosses have been discontinuously put up to plead for grace or to express gratitude since the ancient times. It is the only place of its kind in the world, included to the Guinness Book of Records for its uniquenes.

After crossing the border of Latvia, you will visit the Rundale Palace  (30 km from Hill of Crosses), Rundale Palace (18th cent.) is the most outstanding monuments of Baroque and Rococo art in Latvia. The palace is an example of the early work of Italian-Russian architect Rastrelli who also designed the famous Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. You will be impressed by the authentic beauty the Golden Hall, the White Hall, private quarters of the Duke of Courland Johan Ernst Biron. Interiors are decorated with authentic 18th century furniture, paintings and china. To complete your impressions have an enjoyable walk in a beautiful French-style park.

Arrival to Riga. Overnight in Riga.

 DAY 6  : Riga

After the breakfast Riga City Tour  by bus and walking tour. Riga has hundreds of ways for enticing visitors – its rich history, architecture, spacious gardens and parks, museums, art galleries and world-class opera…and daily treats like a walk in the enormous colorful central market or going to a cozy café, club or pub...

The tour includes the most significant sights of Riga and begins along the central boulevards of Riga, enjoying the view of the City Canal parks, the Art Nouveau buildings of the beginning of the 20th century, the Opera House. In Old Riga you will see the Dome Cathedral, the Church of St. Peter, the old Guild Houses, the Swedish Gate, the architectural ensemble Three Brothers, St. Jacob's Church, the Parliament House, Old Riga Castle, and view the many wonderfully restored buildings, now housing cozy restaurants, cafes, bars and souvenir shops.

Free afternoon in Riga.
Overnight in Riga.

 DAY 7 : Riga – Cesis - Sigulda – Tartu
Departure to Tartu, summer capital of Estonia (229 km from Tallinn).
Stop in Cesis (180 km from Tartu), the beautiful Latvian Hanseatic town. In Cesis enjoy a stroll through narrow streets and feel the amiable small town atmosphere. You will see the 13th century Order of Knight's Castle and the soaring Gothic tower of the 13th century of Church of St. John. You will visit the local History Museum dispalyed in the New Palace and enjoy a walk in the Palace park. Short drive through the countryside will take you to the picturesque Gauja River banks at the highest sandstone cliffs in Latvia-Erglu Klints.

Stop at the Gauja National Park, Sigulda city (50km from Riga) often referred to as the Latvian Switzerland.  Gauja National park includes the valley of the Gauja River and together with its tributaries it forms a particularly original landscape. The territory comprises more than 500 monuments of archeology, architecture, history starting with 11th century.
Enjoy beautiful vistas of the Gauja River Valley, visit the 13th century Turaida Castle, now housing a small History Museum, and relax walking in the adjoining Sculpture Park, featuring works of Latvian sculptors.

Late evening arrival to Tartu. Overnight in Tartu.

 DAY 8 : Tartu - Tallinn
After breakfast you will have Tartu City Tour. Tartu is a historic and a young city, Estonia’s second-largest town and the capital of beautiful Southern Estonia. This charming old University City is cosily small, yet big enough to offer a lot to a traveller - the glory of once well-known Hansa-town, the ancient Dome Hill, academic atmosphere with oldest in the Baltic countries University (1632) buildings and merry student festivals, a rich cultural life of concerts, theatre and exhibitions.

Departure to Tallinn (195 km from Tartu), the capital of Estonia.
Overnight in Tallinn.

 DAY 9 : Tallinn
Morning City Tour by bus and walking tour takes you to the surroundings of Tallinn and its Old Town. Unlike most European cities, which have ancient buildings mixed in between modern ones, Tallinn's Old City is complete. You leave bustling modern life behind when of cobblestones and dim alleys, sputtering torches and secret stairways. The Old City holds new surprises around every corner, even for its old inhabitants.
City tour includes a visit of the Upper Town - Toompea (Cathedral Hill) with the impressive Russian Orthodox Church, the 13th century Gothic style Dome Cathedral. The Upper Town viewing points offer excellent bird's eye views of the Lower Town. The tour continues in the Lower Town. Among its highlights - the Gothic Town Hall (early 15th century), the pharmacy, opened in 1422 and still functioning, the Great Guild and Blackheads Fraternity Houses - both from the 15th century.

Overnight in Tallinn.

DAY 10 : Tallinn
Free time in Tallinn.
Departure. Transfer to the airport. 

Itinerary includes:

- 9 Overnights in 3 or 4-stars centrally located hotels in Vilnius, Klaipeda, Riga, Tartu and Tallinn;
- 9 Breakfasts in the hotels;
- Transfers according to the programme with 35-50 seats bus;
- Ferry to Curonian Spit (Nida) and back;
- Tour leader escort during whole tour;
- Entrance to Vilnius University, Trakai Catsle, Rundale Palace, Rigas Dome, Turaida Castle, Tallinn Dome, Pazaislis monastery, Tartu University;
- 13 guided excursions: City Tours in Vilnius, Kaunas, Riga, Tartu, Cesis, Klaipeda and Tallinn, Trakai and Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace, Turaida Museum, Curonian Spit, Pazaislis Monastery.