Baltic Countries Panorama | Helsinki Cruise

We enjoy a good breakfast and it is time for another tour of the capital, beginning with the Old Town, one of the best preserved in our continent. Spread across a plain crossed by the Daugava River, the city “responds” to the picturesque charm of Vilnius with its own impressive Art Nouveau architecture, the historic old district of Vecriga, and the large, beautiful, lush green parks stretching along the old medieval moat, to which Riga owes much of its fame. We will walk through the Old Town, see magnificent Gothic monuments, buildings in various architectural styles, Town Hall Square, as well as Cathedral Square. We will finish with a walk through the newer part of the city, where we will admire works of the Art Nouveau movement. Our tour will end with a fantastic optional cruise on the Daugava River and through Riga’s beautiful canals! Transfer to the hotel, check-in at the rooms, and free time to relax. In the evening, a walk through the city to collect nighttime images straight out of a knightly fairytale!

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Riga behind and head toward Vilnius, the fairytale-like capital and largest city of Lithuania. The route is wonderful, a true taste of the Baltics, full of unique natural scenery and magnificent palaces. An important stop is Rundale Palace, exceptional in its contents and beautiful gardens. In Baroque style, it was built in the 18th century for the Dukes of Courland. Sculptors and painters from Germany and Italy were brought in to work on the palace, and its luxurious details remain the centre of attention. Most of the rooms are furnished as they were then, while you can also see a fully restored suite that once belonged to a duchess. Admire the Gilt Hall and take a walk through the Grand Gallery. We continue to the country’s second largest city, the former temporary capital, medieval Kaunas. It is located at the confluence of the country’s two largest rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris, in the lagoon of the same name. The Old Town, the important architectural landmarks of the interwar period that make it a reference point for modernism, several excellent museums, as well as abundant street art and cultural options in general (after all, it was a European Capital of Culture in 2022) give the city its own charm. We simply must taste an amazing chocolate pastry… necessary for continuing this superb route through the fir forests. This day brings, beyond a sweet kind of tiredness, one of the most beautiful days of our trip… because you truly feel enchanted by the thousands of images you are unable to fully process! Evening walk in Vilnius.

After breakfast at the hotel, and without wasting any time, we begin getting to know the city, which is built at the confluence of the Vilnele and Neris rivers. Like most medieval cities, Vilna developed around the town hall, which is of Renaissance style. We will walk along the main pedestrian street, Pilies Street, to reach the first historic university of Vilna, officially named “V. Kapsukas University”, which was built in 1579. Then we will visit the Cathedral of the Theotokos, pass through the Gate of Dawn with its unique carved image of the Virgin Mary, and end up in the Uzupis district on the other side of the river. You will be impressed by the church of St Peter and Paul as well as St Anne’s, while you will be charmed by the lush green surroundings that embrace the city. After our tour of Vilnius, we will visit the area of Trakai, a town literally built on water, surrounded by 200 lakes and 21 small islands. Its foundation year is considered to be 1337, when it was first mentioned by the Teutonic Knights, while another important feature of Trakai is its multiculturalism, since alongside Lithuanians, Russians, Tatars, Poles and Jews have lived here for centuries. The three medieval castles located in its wider area are associated with numerous local legends and traditions. The most important is considered to be the one located on the island in Lake Galve, dating from the 15th century. Walking across a wooden bridge, you reach the castle gate (free entrance). It has a large courtyard where some people reenact executions and duels, displaying certain instruments of torture. There are various exhibits from different periods in special rooms. We end up in the centre of Vilnius for one last stroll, and from there we depart for the airport and our flight to Tallinn. Check-in at the hotel and overnight stay.
On the Tuesday 26 May departure, the flight from Vilnius to Tallinn operates at 14:20. (Arrival in Tallinn at 15:30).

We are now on the 5th day of the trip; we have seen so many wonderful places, but we are certainly not finished yet. Today we have a morning sightseeing tour of Tallinn, during which we will walk on Toompea Hill, where we will see the old castle with the tallest tower in the city, the Baroque palace (today’s parliament), and the exquisitely preserved churches of the 13th century, while also enjoying the unique view over the old and modern city, the port, and Tallinn Bay. The Old Town – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is made up of two levels and has exceptionally well-preserved medieval walls and towers. Dominating the market square are the unique medieval town hall and the oldest pharmacy in Europe. We will walk through Kadriorg Park, dedicated to Tsarina Catherine, with its wonderful flowers and Swan Lake, and we will visit the adjacent museum of European painting, formerly Peter the Great’s summer palace. Since Estonia’s independence, Kadriorg Palace has housed Tallinn’s Ethnographic Museum and still operates today as the Art Museum of Estonia. Its large collection includes more than 900 paintings by Western European and Russian painters from the 16th to the 20th century, sculptures, and precious stones. Another attraction is the beautiful gardens in front of the palace, covering an area of about 1,000 stremmas with flowers and two facing lakes. We will also see the ruins of Pirita Monastery, dedicated to St Birgitta. The rest of the day is at your disposal in a city that is truly worth it.