Itinerary

Day 1, 2. Vilnius

Arrival in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. Pick up of the car at the airport. Accommodation. We recommend an excursion through the city, starting with the old city, where you can feel the atmosphere of the history of the city of the 16th and 19th centuries while walking through its narrow and winding streets or visiting the most exciting architectural and historical monuments: Vilnius Cathedral, built on a historic site, where pagan gods were worshiped and where Vilnius was founded around the 13th century; a nearby Gediminas castle on the hill that rises above the city center, the gem of the 16th Lithuanian Gothic architecture - the church of Santa Ana, Vilnius University, a famous center of science and the Enlightenment from its Foundation in 1579, the town hall, the Jewish quarter and the Gates of Dawn with the beautiful miraculous image of the Virgin Mary. Some recommended activities: Visit the KGB museum. The most important part of the museum, the pretrial detention prison, which is located in the basement of the building in 1940 almost immediately after Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union. There were more than 50 cells. In the early 1970s, most were used to store the KGB files. In the remaining ones, dissidents and human rights fighters continued to be imprisoned. The prison is now, as it was in August 1991 when the KGB left the building. Kayak ride - a unique experience through the river Vilnelė, a small river in the city, passing along the bohemian neighborhood of Uzupis. The visit ends in the city centre. Professional instructors will make this trip safe and fun. Cepelinai show - a pleasant mix of Lithuanian cuisine and good fun in a cozy local restaurant outside busy downtown Vilnius. The host will teach you how to make the most popular Lithuanian dish "Cepelinai" in a traditional way. To make the cooking class more fun we offer you a tasting of traditional Lithuanian drinks. Be sure to visit Trakai, which is located 27 km west of Vilnius, the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It is a favorite place to go for a walk. Trakai Castle is located on an island in the middle of Lake Galve, it houses an interesting museum that tells its history, famous in the time of Grand Duke Vytautas, when the country's borders extended from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. You will also enjoy the small town-Trakai, located on a peninsula 2 km long, with beautiful old wooden houses, mostly built by the Karaims who were invited by Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania to settle there in the years 1397-1398. To this day, they remain and delight us with their traditional Karaim cuisine, which is based on meat and dough dishes, among which the KYBYN stands out - a crescent-shaped baked yeast dough pie stuffed with lamb or beef. The Karaims also cannot do without their national drink - Krupnik. NOTE: You can book Kybyn preparation class and tasting.

Day 2. VILNIUS – KERNAVE – KAUNAS – KLAIPEDA

Departure to Klaipeda, port of Lithuania. Visit Kernave, a historical and archaeological site located 37 km from Vilnius. In summer Kernave comes alive. Celebrations and festivals of folk music are organized. Archaeological expeditions have been held for more than 20 years, involving Lithuanian and foreign archaeologists, students and school children. Continue with a visit to Kaunas, the second most important city in Lithuania, known for its beautiful old town. It houses several architectural monuments: the 13th-century castle, the town hall - known as "the white swan", the archbishop's basilica, the Church of St. Francis Xavier, the Jesuit Monastery, the Perkunas house, the Vytautas church. The pedestrian street Laisves Aleja (The Alley of Freedom), full of plants and flowers -the main business and leisure area of Kaunas. We recommend visiting the "Devil's Museum" - it is the only one in the world with such a large collection (more than 3000 objects). Here we will see how some characters from the Soviet era were interpreted. Continue towards Klaipeda - with a distinctive architecture that is quite unique in Lithuania, and influenced by the styles of its northern neighbours, the walk through Klaipeda offers an opportunity to explore a charming old town: small but very cozy with picturesque, reconstructed houses and converted into shops maintaining their original wooden exterior beams. You can also see the magnificent ruins of Klaipeda Castle, the Theater Square with the fountain in the centre, where there is a beautiful statue dedicated to Ana de Tharau, the heroine of German weddings and love songs, created by the German poet Simon Dach, born in Klaipeda in the 17th century. Accommodation in Klaipeda.

Day 3

Departure to Klaipeda, port of Lithuania. Visit Kernave, a historical and archaeological site located 37 km from Vilnius. In summer Kernave comes alive. Celebrations and festivals of folk music are organized. Archaeological expeditions have been held for more than 20 years, involving Lithuanian and foreign archaeologists, students and school children. Continue with a visit to Kaunas, the second most important city in Lithuania, known for its beautiful old town. It houses several architectural monuments: the 13th-century castle, the town hall - known as "the white swan", the archbishop's basilica, the Church of St. Francis Xavier, the Jesuit Monastery, the Perkunas house, the Vytautas church. The pedestrian street Laisves Aleja (The Alley of Freedom), full of plants and flowers -the main business and leisure area of Kaunas. We recommend visiting the "Devil's Museum" - it is the only one in the world with such a large collection (more than 3000 objects). Here we will see how some characters from the Soviet era were interpreted. Continue towards Klaipeda - with a distinctive architecture that is quite unique in Lithuania, and influenced by the styles of its northern neighbours, the walk through Klaipeda offers an opportunity to explore a charming old town: small but very cozy with picturesque, reconstructed houses and converted into shops maintaining their original wooden exterior beams. You can also see the magnificent ruins of Klaipeda Castle, the Theater Square with the fountain in the centre, where there is a beautiful statue dedicated to Ana de Tharau, the heroine of German weddings and love songs, created by the German poet Simon Dach, born in Klaipeda in the 17th century. Accommodation in Klaipeda.

Day 4. KLAIPEDA

We recommend visiting the Coronian Spit (5 km by ferry + 50 km from Klaipeda). The Spit is located between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea, with the largest sand dunes in Europe. The Curonian Spit National Park is the most protected area in Lithuania. The chains of highest dunes in Northern Europe, the whisper of the sea, as well as old houses with the aroma of fish accompany the travelers along the route, which was included in the UNESCO Heritage List in 2000. Visit the Hill of the Witches in Juodkrante. Visit Nida, the summer resort of Lithuania that includes climbing to the Great Dune to enjoy a spectacular view. Some recommended activities: Visit the Amber Gallery-Museum in Nida. You will be introduced to the history of amber from this region, while observing how the amber jewels are made or trying to make your own. Visit the Amber Museum in Palanga, a resort located 28 km from Klaipeda.

Day 5. KLAIPEDA - HILL OF CROSSES – RUNDALE – RIGA

Departure to Riga, capital of Latvia (located 292 km from Klaipeda). Recommended visits on the way to Riga: Visit the famous and unique Hill of Crosses, near Siauliai (located 165km from Klaipeda). This is a unique historical place in the world. It is probably the best place to appreciate the carving and art of crosses, a branch of Lithuanian folk art, which was inscribed on the list of UNESCO's oral and intangible heritage. On the top of the hill there are more than 100,000 crosses that have been placed to express gratitude or to make a request, since ancient times. It is the only place of its kind in the world, included in the Guinness Book of Records for its uniqueness. Visit the Audruvis deer farm, where the famous Lithuanian hunter raises 700 deer, in addition to mouflons and pheasants. After crossing the border with Latvia, visit Rundale Palace (located 30 km from the Hill of Crosses). It is the most outstanding monument of Baroque and Rococo art in Latvia. The palace is an example of the first works of the Italian-Russian architect Rastrelli, who also designed the famous Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. You will be impressed by the authentic beauty of the Golden Hall, the White Hall, the private rooms of the Duke of Courland -Johan Ernst Biron. The interiors are decorated with authentic furniture of the eighteenth century, paintings and porcelain ornaments. Continue to Riga. Arrival. Accommodation.

Day 6, 7. Riga

In the old town of Riga, you can see the Dome Cathedral, the church of St. Peter, the buildings of the Guild, the Swedish Gate, the architectural ensemble Three Brothers, the Church of St. Jacob, the House of Parliament, the old Castle of Riga, as well as the wonderfully restored buildings, which now house cozy restaurants, cafes, bars and souvenir shops. Some recommended visits: The Latvian Open-Air Ethnographic Museum (located 5 km from Riga) is one of Latvia's cultural heritage sites, founded in 1924. This is one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe. Located in a pine forest on the shore of Lake Jugla, the museum consists of about 90 traditional rural buildings dating back to the 17th century: historic homes, residences, a tavern and windmills that have been gathered here from all over Latvia. The Central Market of the City, the largest internal market in Eastern Europe. You will experience the atmosphere of the Central Market of Riga, chat with friendly people and try Latvian specialties. Jurmala (located 25 km from Riga) - the largest spa resort in the Baltic States. The city is known for its unique natural resources as well as for its healing mineral waters, its medicinal mud, pine forests and sand dunes. The architecture of the city is represented by many styles: the only wooden (late nineteenth-early twentieth century) Classicism, Art Nouveau, National Romanticism, as well as Functionalism.

Day 8. RIGA – SIGULDA – CESIS - TARTU

Departure to Tartu (located 220 km from Riga) - the second largest city in Estonia. Stop in the city of Sigulda (located 50 km from Riga) for an excursion to Gauja National Park, usually called “Latvian Switzerland”. Gauja National Park comprises the Gauja river valley and together with its tributaries they form a very original landscape. The territory houses more than 500 monuments of archaeology, architecture, history, beginning from as early as the 11th century. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Gauja River Valley, you can visit the castle of Turaida, which dates back to the 13th century, where it now houses a small history museum and you can relax walking through the nearby sculpture park, where you will appreciate works by the sculptors of Latvia. Visit Ligatne's secret Soviet bunker. Arrival in Tartu. Night in Tartu.

Day 9. Tartu - Peipsi - Lahemaa

Tartu is the second largest city and the capital of South Estonia. This lovely city is small but cozy. It has the oldest university in the Baltic countries (1632) and also has a rich cultural life of concerts, theater and exhibitions. Visit the University of Tartu, built in the late 18th-early 19th century, as well as the wooden houses of Karlova and Supilinn, the beautiful gardens in Tahtvere and Tammelinn and also the ruins of the 15th-century church on the hill of Toome. Continue towards lake Peipsi (located 47 km from Tartu). Continue to Lahemaa National Park – located 143 km from Peipsi. It is the largest park in Estonia (72,500 hec). Lahemaa National Park attracts people with its pristine sandy beaches, waterfalls, mossy pine forests and more than 200 species of birds and almost 900 different species of plants. The park also offers a variety of landmarks such as Palmse Manor, the jewel of Lahemaa. This 18th century baroque palace is open to the public with a sample of excellent furniture from the period. A few kilometers north of Palmse, you can see the former Soviet Coast Guard headquarters, which today is a museum with excellent maritime exhibitions from the Soviet era and about the history of the town. Enjoy a walk through the very well preserved 400-year-old fishing village of Altja, located in the western part of the park. Accommodation in Lahemaa or Tallinn.

Day 10 . Lahemaa - Tallinn

Return from Lahemaa National Park to Tallinn (approx. 60 km)

Day 11, 12 . Tallinn

Visit the Upper City - Toompea (Cathedral Hill) with the impressive Russian Orthodox Church, in the 13th century Gothic style. The viewpoints offer excellent views of the lower city. Among the most prominent places are the Gothic Town Hall (15th century), the Pharmacy, which opened in 1422 and is still in operation, the Great Guild and the Blackheads Fraternity, both from the 15th century, among others. Some recommended visits: Rocca al Mare, the Estonian open-air museum, located approximately 10 km from the centre of Tallinn in a beautiful park near the sea. Known by its former Italian name Rocca al Mare - Rock by the sea, the museum exhibits a collection of rural architecture from all over Estonia that dates between the 15th and 19th centuries. Rural houses and bars, windmills and chapels are on display decorated with furniture from the period. In summer, on Saturdays and Sundays a lively popular dance program is staged in the courtyard of one of the farms, where visitors are invited to witness and enjoy. You can also buy typical Estonian handicrafts. Visit to Kadriorg (located 5 km from Tallinn) famous for its baroque palace and the park complex, built in 1718 as the summer palace of the family of Russian Tsar Peter I. The palace is now home to the Kadriorg Museum of Art. You can see the collection of foreign art, in addition to enjoying the ornate Great Hall and the upper room that served as the president's office in the 1930s. A few meters from there is also the KUMU museum of modern art, highly recommended. We also recommend a day visit to Helsinki - departing by ferry (approximately 2-hour cruise through the Baltic Sea). Helsinki is located at a crossroads of western and eastern cultures, which is reflected in all parts of the Finnish capital so green and so alive. Enjoy a walk through the ports and visit the city´s main streets and monuments: Central street of Mannerheim , the Parliament Headquarters, the Palace of Finland, the market square and the Sibelius monument. Be sure to see the famous Church on the Rock.

Day 12 Tallinn

Breakfast. Return the car to Tallinn´s airport