Stay : 15-day tour, 3 Baltic countries and Saaremaa Island
a 15-day vacation full of Baltic impressions, at your own pace. How does that sound? Thanks to our customizable itinerary dedicated to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the island of Saaremaa, you'll benefit from our expertise in the field, with complete freedom to choose from among the many sights on offer. Car rental, small, comfortable and well-placed 3* accommodations, 24/24 English-speaking assistance.
Summary of the stay
Possible departure at these times
How to get there?
SEAGULL TRAVEL
15 days
From 0 € / person
€€ - Charm and comfort
Detail of the stay : 15-day tour, 3 Baltic countries and Saaremaa Island - 15 days
Day 1: Vilnius
Steps: Vilnius
Arrival at Vilnius airport, transfer to downtown hotel.
Overnight in Vilnius, 3*
Day 2: Discover Vilnius
Steps: Vilnius
The Baroque capital of Northern Europe, Vilnius has a wealth of cultural and architectural influences to explore, including the Old Town, the Gediminas Tower, the Old University and the Cathedral, first built in the 13th century by the first Lithuanian king Mindaugas and later rebuilt in different architectural styles.
Must-sees: Aurora Gate, a sacred site for thousands of Catholics, the Jewish Quarter, pedestrian Pilies Street and Town Hall Square, Vilnius University, one of the oldest in Europe, with its historic library, inner courtyards and St. John's Church.
Overnight in Vilnius.
Places of interest : PORTE DE L'AURORE (AUŠROS VARTAI), UNIVERSITÉ DE VILNIUS, RUE PILIES (PILIES GATVĖ)
Day 3: From Vilnius to Kaunas: lakes, castles and monasteries
Steps: Trakai, Monastėre De Pažaislis
Your rental car is delivered to your hotel.
You leave for Trakai, a small town surrounded by lakes with a beautiful red-brick island castle. A stroll along the lake leads you to the colorful wooden houses inhabited by the Karaites ethnic minority.
You're back on the road, heading for the Užutrakis manor house, the elegant villa of Count Tyszkiewicz, and then on to Pažaislis to discover a most impressive Baroque-style monastic complex.
In the late afternoon, arrive in Kaunas, check into your downtown hotel and take a stroll to explore the city's many sights.
Places of interest : CHÂTEAU ET MUSÉE DE TRAKAI, MONASTÈRE DE PAŽAISLIS (PAŽAISLIO VIENUOLYNAS)
Day 4: Route du Niémen
Steps: Kaunas
Leaving Kaunas, head for Aleksotas Hill for a breathtaking view of the city.
Cross the Niemen by cable ferry, then follow the river along which you'll find numerous manor houses and castles.
Then set off to discover Memelland and the Niemen Delta. We recommend a stroll through the old town of Klaipeda.
Overnight in Klaipeda.
Day 5: Curonian Spit - discovery and rest
Steps: Juodkrantė, Nida
This morning, after breakfast, take the ferry to the Curonian Spit and spend the day discovering this long spit of land, almost 100 km long, separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea.
Day 6: Palanga and Samogitie National Park
Steps: Palanga
This morning, continue on to Palanga, the locals' favorite seaside resort.
The botanical park and the majestic Tyszkiewicz Palace, now the National Amber Museum, are a must-see.
You leave the coast on a country road, heading for Zemaitija National Park (Samogitie in French). This was once a secret USSR military site, and is now a Cold War museum.
You'll reach the ethnographic village of Beržoras, where you'll stay in a small country cottage by the lake.
Day 7: From Lithuania to Latvia via the Hill of the Crosses
This morning, we continue to Varniai, a picturesque village and center of the Samogitian diocese: don't miss the wooden churches of St. Peter and St. Paul and St. Alexander, as well as the lake, which from time to time throws off small shards of amber (the only intracontinental site in the country with this phenomenon).
You'll then discover the famous Hill of Crosses (Kryžiu Kalnas), 2 twin mounds planted with thousands of crosses that attract pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. In the late afternoon, continue on to Rundale, famous for its extravagant castle in the midst of bucolic nature. After visiting the castle and its park, you'll head for Riga.
Day 8: Welcome to Riga
Capital of Latvia and metropolis of the Baltic States, Riga has a population of almost 800,000. Founded in 1201, it boasts a World Heritage-listed medieval old town, a loop of gardens and elegant boulevards, a picturesque canal and the famous Art Nouveau quarter.
Explore the old town and its monuments: the house of the Têtes-Noires brotherhood, the Episcopal castle, the house of the 3 brothers, the Liberty monument, the National Opera, the ancient ramparts, the Swedish gate and St. Jacob's barracks, the churches of St. Peter, St. James and St. John. Interior visit to the Cathedral of the Dome, with its huge central nave, one of the world's largest organs and historic cloister. At midday, the Dome offers a small organ concert to feel the power of its 6718 pipes.
Don't miss the small courtyards of Konventa and Jana, the synagogue on Peitavas street and the Livonian square (Livu laukums).
Overnight in Riga.
Day 9: Riga at your own pace
Free days.
A few ideas:
o Travel by train to Jūrmala (25 km from Riga), a famous seaside resort with 150 years of holiday traditions, romantic "Jugendstil" wooden houses, wide white beaches, pine forests...
o Spend the afternoon exploring Riga off the beaten track.
o The charming Kalnciema district is characterized by its romantic wooden houses.
o Stroll through the Art Nouveau district, Riga's dominant architectural style with over 800 impressive facades.
Day 10: La Suisse letonne - Gauja National Park
Discover the Gauja National Park, located 50 km from Riga in a picturesque valley. The area is known as "Latvian Switzerland".
Founded in 1972, the park protects the deep valley of the Gauja River with its medieval castles, unusual villages and natural monuments.
Day 11: Discover Parnu and Muhu Island
Continuation to Estonia, along the Baltic Sea.
Stop in Pärnu, a seaside town on the Baltic. Continuation to the island of Muhu. The ferry between the mainland and the island leaves Virtsu for Kuivastu, crossing time approx. 30 min.
Visit the village of Koguva with its ethnographic museum.
Overnight on the island, in a guesthouse
Day 12: The island of Saaremaa
Day of discovery on the island of Saaremaa - lighthouses, Kuressaare castle, windmills, ancient church, Kaali craters..
Return to Muhu for the night.
Day 13: The Estonian coast and route to Tallinn
Back to the mainland, heading for Tallinn.
Pass through Haapsalu, a typical western Estonian town and former spa and seaside resort.
Stop off in the village of Padise to visit the ruins of the 14th-century Cistercian monastery and head for Tallinn.
We recommend a detour to Paldiski, a former USSR military port town. In 1962, Paldiski became a training center for the Soviet Navy's nuclear submarines.
Take the direct route to Tallinn. Return your rental car on arrival.
Overnight in Tallinn, hotel located in the city center.
Day 14: Stroll in Tallinn
Stroll through the old town, discovering the essential sights: Town Hall Square with its historic facades, St. Catherine's impasse with the handicraft guild made by 14 local women, the Viru gate and ramparts, St. Esprit church, the old pharmacy dating from 1492. Climb up to the Toompea fortress with Hermann's tower, the Alexander Nevsky Orthodox cathedral with its icons, the belvederes opening views over the red rooftops, the Dome church with its impressive collection of carved wooden coats of arms and tombstones.
Day 15: Back to reality
Departure, transfer to Tallinn airport from hotel.
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