Itinerary
- Day 1
Klaipeda
You'll arrive in Klaipeda either by ferry from Kiel (overnight crossing) or make your own way there. If you're taking the DFDS Seaways ferry, you'll come in the morning after traveling overnight, then have a couple of days to get settled and oriented in this Baltic port city.
- Day 2
Klaipeda to Curonian Spit
Head across by short ferry to the Curonian Spit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with long beaches, clear water, and forests. Check out the Great Dune at about 52 meters high, then go to Nida where you can visit Thomas Mann's former house. The round trip is roughly 110 km and takes about 3 hours total.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ferry to Curonian Spit (approx. 5 min.)
- Visit Great Dune
Optional Activities
- Visit Thomas Mann's former house in Nida
Landmarks/POIs Curonian Spit Great Dune Nida - Day 3
Curonian Spit to Vilnius
Travel along the River Memel toward Kaunas, where a guided tour shows you the castle, the town hall square with its Gothic houses and churches, and the Vytautas Church. You can optionally detour to Trakai (about 30 km from Vilnius) to see the moated castle between three lakes with its wooden bridges. The main journey is approximately 320 km and takes 2.5 hours, then you'll spend two nights in Vilnius.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Kaunas castle visit
- Town hall square and Gothic houses tour
- Vytautas Church visit
Optional Activities
- Trakai castle visit (optional side trip)
Landmarks/POIs Kaunas Castle Vytautas Church Trakai Castle - Day 4
Vilnius
Spend time exploring Vilnius, the capital with its colorful baroque buildings throughout the city. Walk around Cathedral Square and wander through the winding alleyways lined with old churches. The area earned the nickname 'Rome of the East' because of how many cathedrals you'll find there. An optional guided tour covers about 3 hours of the city, and you can grab lunch in the old town afterward.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Approx. 3-hour guided tour of old town with Cathedral Square, winding alleyways and old churches
- Lunch in old town (included with excursion package)
Landmarks/POIs Cathedral Square - Day 5
Vilnius to Sigulda
Head toward Sigulda with a recommended stop in Siauliai to see the Hill of Crosses, a pilgrimage site with thousands of crosses covering the hillside. You can also optionally visit Rundale Castle, known locally as 'Little Versailles', which has 138 rooms with detailed stucco work and extensive grounds. The drive is around 435 km and takes about 5.5 hours, after which you'll stay one night in Sigulda.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Hill of Crosses in Siauliai
- Visit Rundale Castle (Ruhendahl) - described as 'Little Versailles'
Landmarks/POIs Hill of Crosses Rundale Castle - Day 6
Sigulda to Tartu
Explore Gauja National Park near Sigulda, sometimes called 'Latvian Switzerland' for its scenery. Turaida Castle is optional to visit and offers great views of the Gauja River valley. From there, continue through Cesis where you can see the well-preserved Wenden Castle if interested, then move on to Tartu, the university city. The route is roughly 240 km and takes about 4 hours, then one night in Tartu.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Turaida Castle
- Visit Wenden Castle in Cesis
Landmarks/POIs Gauja National Park Turaida Castle Wenden Castle - Day 7
Tartu to Lahemaa National Park
Spend the morning in Tartu, a university and Hanseatic city known as the 'head of Estonia' due to its student population. Walk around the town hall square and check out the restaurants and cafes tucked throughout. Later head along Lake Peipu's shores into Lahemaa National Park, with an optional stop at Palmse Manor House. It's about 200 km and 3 hours of driving, then stay one night in Lahemaa.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore Tartu university and Hanseatic city
Optional Activities
- Visit Palmse Manor House
Landmarks/POIs Tartu Lake Peipu Lahemaa National Park Palmse Manor House - Day 8
Lahemaa National Park to Tallinn
Leave Lahemaa National Park and detour to the fishing villages of Altja and Kasmu before heading to Tallinn along Estonia's Baltic coast. The drive down is approximately 100 km and takes about 1.5 hours. You'll have two nights in Tallinn to settle in and get oriented.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit picturesque fishing villages of Altja and Käsmu
Landmarks/POIs Altja Käsmu - Day 9
Tallinn
Check out Tallinn's city walls and Old Town with its cobbled streets, hidden courtyards, and medieval towers. Take an optional guided tour that includes Cathedral Hill for city views, the castle, and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, followed by lunch in the old town. In the afternoon, you can optionally visit the Estonian Open-Air Museum which has over 100 farmhouses showing Estonia's rural heritage.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Old Town including Cathedral Hill, castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with lunch in old town (approx. 3 hours)
- Visit Estonian Open-Air Museum with over 100 farmhouses
Landmarks/POIs Tallinn Old Town Cathedral Hill Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Estonian Open-Air Museum - Day 10
Tallinn to Riga
Travel along the coast toward Riga with a suggested stop in Parnu. Walk along the golden sandy beaches, explore the extensive parks, and see the historic city center of this coastal resort town, Estonia's favorite vacation spot. The journey is approximately 310 km and takes about 5.5 hours total. Then you'll stay two nights in Riga.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Stopover in Pärnu to explore golden sandy beaches, parks and historic city center
Landmarks/POIs Pärnu - Day 11
Riga
Explore Riga, the largest city in the Baltic States, known for its old town character and striking Art Nouveau buildings throughout the streets. Head to the cathedral, the Schwarzhauperhaus, and the House of the Three Brothers. Albertstrasse has particularly elaborate Art Nouveau facades worth checking out. An optional guided tour runs about 3 hours through the city with lunch afterward.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Approx. 3-hour guided tour of old town including cathedral, Schwarzhäupterhaus, House of the Three Brothers and Albertstraße with lunch included
Landmarks/POIs Riga Cathedral Schwarzhäupterhaus House of the Three Brothers Albertstraße - Day 12
Riga to Liepaja
Drive through Courland, a region with rolling hills, birch-lined roads, well-maintained villages painted in bright colors, and secluded beaches. Pass through the towns of Tukums and Kandava, where you can see remains of old castle walls. The route is approximately 245 km and takes about 4 hours to reach Liepaja, where you'll stay two nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Tukums Kandava - Day 13
Liepaja
Spend the day in Liepaja, a popular destination with a city center full of cultural sites and interesting architecture. The beaches here have unusually white and fine sand where you can relax. Despite being fairly compact, the city has plenty to offer for a vacation day. Make time to visit the Holy Trinity Church, which contains one of Europe's largest organs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Holy Trinity Church with one of Europe's largest organs
Landmarks/POIs Holy Trinity Church - Day 14
Liepaja to Klaipeda
Head back to Klaipeda with a stop in Palanga, a Lithuanian spa town and seaside resort. Spend time on the wide sandy beach lined with dunes and pine trees, then walk along the beach promenade. You can optionally check out the amber museum if interested. The drive is about 100 km and takes roughly 1.5 hours before your final night in Klaipeda.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Amber Museum in Palanga
Landmarks/POIs Palanga - Day 15
Klaipeda
This is your departure day. If you've booked the DFDS Seaways ferry back to Kiel, get to the terminal and check in by 20:30 for the 22:00 departure. You'll cross overnight and arrive back in Kiel the following morning.
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