Itinerary
- Day 1
Vilnius
You'll arrive in Vilnius at your own pace, and your tour leader meets you at the hotel at 7pm for a welcome meeting. Dinner afterward is optional. If you get there earlier in the day, the cobbled streets of Old Town are right there to walk through, or you could grab lunch in Naujamiestis, the newer part of the city with a more contemporary vibe.
Optional Activities
- Explore Vilnius Old Town with its cobbled streets
- Lunch in Naujamiestis (Uptown) neighbourhood
- Dinner with tour leader at 7pm
Landmarks/POIs Vilnius Old Town - Day 2
Vilnius
A walking tour takes you through Old Town's narrow cobbled streets, passing the Jesuit university, the cathedral, and the Gate of the Dawn chapel. After that you'll head to the main shopping area, seeing the opera house and parliament building along the way. In the afternoon, you'll visit the KGB Museum, which is housed in the former KGB Headquarters and covers the city's Soviet history.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Vilnius Old Town
- Visit Vilnius Cathedral
- Visit Gate of the Dawn chapel
- Walking tour through main shopping street with opera house and parliament building
- Visit KGB Museum in former KGB Headquarters
Landmarks/POIs Vilnius Cathedral Gate of the Dawn chapel Vilnius Old University KGB Museum Vilnius Opera House - Day 3
Vilnius to Pakruojis
This is a full day heading out to Pakruojis with several stops. First you'll see Trakai Castle sitting on an island in Lake Galve, a 14th-century Gothic structure you'll view from outside since the interior is being renovated. Then it's on to Kaunas for lunch, Lithuania's former capital with buildings dating back to the 1600s. By late afternoon you reach Pakruojis Manor, a living museum with 34 buildings in a park setting. Dinner is traditional Lithuanian food, and afterward there's a tasting of beers made onsite.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional dinner followed by a tasting session of beers brewed onsite)
Included Activities
- View Trakai Castle exterior on Lake Galve
- Stop in Kaunas
- Explore Pakruojis Manor and its 34 buildings
- Traditional dinner at Pakruojis Manor
- Beer tasting session of onsite brewed beers
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Kaunas
Landmarks/POIs Trakai Castle Lake Galve - Day 4
Pakruojis to Riga
Before leaving Lithuania, you'll visit the Hill of Crosses near Siauliai, a small hill covered in thousands of rosaries and crosses that have been rebuilt many times throughout history. Later in the afternoon you head into Latvia, arriving in Riga. A walking tour shows you the main sights including the Freedom Monument, Gunpowder Tower, Saint Jacob's Church, and the cathedral.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Stop at Hill of Crosses near Siauliai
- Walking tour of Riga
- Visit Freedom Monument
- Visit Gunpowder Tower
- Visit Saint Jacob's Church
- Visit Riga Cathedral
Landmarks/POIs Hill of Crosses Freedom Monument Gunpowder Tower Saint Jacob's Church Riga Cathedral - Day 5
Riga
Your morning starts at Riga's Central Market, housed in former Zeppelin hangers along the River Daugava, where you'll find stalls with smoked fish, sauerkraut, pickled garlic, and cheeses. The rest of your day is unscheduled, so you could visit the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum or Riga Castle, walk the skyline to see the spires and towers, or spend time at local restaurants. This evening includes a visit to the site of the first Christmas tree from the 1600s and the Riga Christmas Market, followed by a three-course dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Three-course meal at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Riga's Central Market
- Visit site of the first Christmas tree
- Visit Riga Christmas Market
- Three-course dinner at local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Visit Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum
- Visit Riga Castle
- Lunch at local restaurants
- Glass of Riga Black Balsam
Landmarks/POIs Riga Central Market River Daugava Riga Christmas Market Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum Riga Castle - Day 6
Riga to Tallinn
Christmas morning you depart Latvia for Tallinn, Estonia, about five hours away. On the way you'll stop in Parnu, a seaside spa town on the Gulf of Riga known since the 1830s for its mud baths. After lunch there, you continue to Tallinn and explore the compact, walkable capital with its Gothic town hall, 15th-century Kiek in de Kok tower, Medieval Old Town, and well-preserved Hanseatic center. You'll end the day with a three-course Christmas meal.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Three-course Christmas meal)
Included Activities
- Stop in Parnu
- Explore Tallinn's compact city
- Visit Gothic town hall
- Visit Kiek in de Kok defence tower
- Explore Medieval Old Town
- Three-course Christmas meal
Optional Activities
- Parnu Mud Baths
- Lunch in Parnu
Landmarks/POIs Kiek in de Kok Tallinn Old Town Tallinn Town Hall - Day 7
Tallinn
Your day focuses on Tallinn's Old Town, starting with a walking tour through streets with colorful houses showing German, Scandinavian, and Russian influences. You'll walk the cobbled streets to the old merchants' quarter and town square with its pavement cafes. Sites include the Gothic town hall, pink Parliament buildings, Toompea Castle, and the yellow Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. In the afternoon you visit the Bastion Tunnels from the 1670s, built as military defenses and later used as WWII bomb shelters. If an event is happening at the tunnels, you'll visit the Dominican Monastery instead for a candlelit tour and monastery liqueur tasting.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Tallinn Old Town
- Visit Gothic town hall
- Visit Parliament buildings
- Visit Toompea Castle
- Visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- Visit Bastion Tunnels or Dominican Monastery
Landmarks/POIs Tallinn Old Town Tallinn Town Hall Toompea Castle Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Bastion Tunnels Dominican Monastery - Day 8
Tallinn
Your tour ends at the hotel in Tallinn. You can depart whenever you're ready, and luggage storage is available if your flight leaves later in the day.
