Treasures of the Baltic States tour
The Baltic States are three countries that reward those who resist the urge to rush - here is a journey that gives each one the time it deserves.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia sit side by side between the Baltic Sea and Russia's western border, each with its own architecture, landscape, language, and cultural character, and a shared history that makes travelling between them feel like reading consecutive chapters of the same story. Centuries of occupation by successive empires were followed by independence, then Soviet rule from 1940, and finally the restoration of independence in 1991. That history is visible everywhere you look, in the architecture, the museums, and in the way these countries have spent the past three decades asserting and celebrating their own distinct identities.
Our Treasures of the Baltic States independent journey covers all three over ten days, with 4-star hand-picked accommodation, private transfers by car, private guides and walking tours in each capital, and carefully chosen inclusions such as Trakai Castle, the Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace, Sigulda National Park, a spa overnight in Pärnu, and a full day in Lahemaa National Park.
The journey at a glance:
- Day 1: Arrive in Vilnius, transfer to hotel
- Day 2: Guided city tour of Vilnius
- Day 3: Half day private excursion to Trakai Castle
- Day 4: Transfer to Latvia, stopping at the Hill of Crosses and Rundale Palace en route to Riga
- Day 5: Private city tour of Riga by car and on foot
- Day 6: Transfer to Pärnu via Sigulda National Park
- Day 7: Morning in Pärnu, then transfer to Tallinn
- Day 8: Day tour of Tallinn by car and on foot
- Day 9: Day trip to Lahemaa National Park
- Day 10: Departure
Lithuania
There is the baroque and neoclassical beauty of the capital Vilnius, a city of more than 1,200 medieval buildings and 48 churches, whose Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beyond the capital, Kaunas, Lithuania's second city and former interwar capital, rewards a detour, its streets lined with one of Europe's most concentrated collections of modernist architecture, now UNESCO-listed, and its cultural confidence still evident from its year as European Capital of Culture in 2022. Lithuania is also a country of lakes, wetlands, and forests, with the extraordinary Hill of Crosses, a pilgrimage site since the 1830s now carrying an estimated 200,000 crosses and rosaries from around the world, and the Curonian Spit, a stretch of coastal dunes, lagoons, and wind-shaped trees recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Latvia
Riga is the largest of the three Baltic capitals and one of the most architecturally rich cities in Northern Europe. Its Art Nouveau quarter is the largest and finest in Europe, its Old Town a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its Central Market, housed in five former Zeppelin hangars, one of the largest in the continent. Beyond the capital, Latvia is a country of fields, forests, and manor houses, with national parks and nature reserves within easy reach of the main roads between cities.
Estonia
The medieval Old Town of Tallinn, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is among the best-preserved Hanseatic cities in Europe, its guild halls, limestone towers, and winding streets largely intact. Estonia's coastline is scattered with more than 2,000 islands, giving it a distinct island culture found nowhere else in the Baltics. Further afield, Tartu, Estonia's lively university city and European Capital of Culture 2024, makes a rewarding extension for those with extra time.
Getting around and when to go
The distances between the capitals are manageable: Vilnius to Riga is around four hours by road, Riga to Tallinn around four to five hours, and Tallinn to Helsinki is a straightforward two-hour ferry crossing, making the Baltic States a natural fit for a linear journey with an easy onward connection to the wider Nordic region.
The Baltics work well across multiple seasons. Summer brings long days, outdoor markets, beach culture in Pärnu, and festivals across all three capitals. Spring and autumn offer quieter streets and softer light, particularly rewarding in Lahemaa National Park and along Latvia's manor house trails. Winter is cold but atmospheric, with Christmas markets in the Old Towns and far fewer crowds.
Food in the Baltics
All three capitals have developed confident food scenes in recent years, with a new generation of restaurants drawing on local ingredients and rediscovered culinary traditions. Tallinn in particular has attracted international attention for its creative dining, and Priori Art & Restaurant is one worth seeking out. Riga's Central Market is a good place to graze before an afternoon in the city.
Further reading
You can read more of our articles on the Baltic States or explore our existing travel packages to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for further inspiration.