THE BEST OF THE BALTIC’S

Vilnius - Riga - Tallinn

8 days / 7 nights

Day 1: Arrival in Vilnius and settle in at your hotel.

Day 2: A full day tour to Kaunas, Lithuania’s second largest town and the capital of pre-war Lithuania. Touring Kaunas shows off the main architectural and historic sites of the Old Town, Town Hall Square, the Jesuit Church, the 14^th century Cathedral, Vytautas Church, Perkunas (Thunder) House, courtyard of the Theological Seminary and the ruins of Kaunas Castle. Later in the afternoon a visit to Ciurlionis Picture Gallery conserving and exhibiting works of the famous Lithuanian artist, Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, who painted and composed music at the turn of 20^th century. The tour ends with a visit to the original Devils’ Museum displaying a collection of sculptures and carvings of devils collected by the Lithuanian painter Antanas Zmuidzinavicius which launched a museum now housing several thousand devil figurines both local and from all over the world.

Day 3: In the morning a tour to Trakai, the ancient capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, to visit the 15^th century Island based Trakai Castle now housing a museum of local history and a vast collection of objects d’art including furniture, ceramics, snuff boxes, pipes, etc.

An afternoon tour in Vilnius features places related to the country’s recent history: the KGB Museum - a place where many thousands of Lithuanians were interrogated before being deported to Siberia during the Soviet times and the Parliament building, a symbolic beginning of Lithuania’s courageous fight for freedom in 1991.

Day 4: Departure for Riga with an en route stop at the Hill of Crosses, a unique place of national pride and pilgrimage, and, after crossing the border into Latvia visit the impressive Baroque Rundale Palace created by B. Rastrelli. The professionally renovated palace interiors are decorated with authentic 18^th century furniture, paintings and china. The most impressive are the Golden Hall, the White Hall, and the bedroom of the Duke of Courland, Johan Ernst Biron. Overnight in Riga.

Day 5: A walking tour of Riga Old Town encompasses the most significant sights of this medieval town, the Dome Cathedral, the Church of St. Peter, the old Guild Houses, the Swedish Gate, the architectural ensemble comprising the Three Brothers, St. Jacob’s Church, the Parliament House, Old Riga Castle, the Powder Tower, the Latvian National Theatre, the Art Nouveau buildings from the beginning of the 20^th century.

The afternoon is free to explore Riga on your own.

Day 6: Drive alongside Riga Bay on the way to Tallinn, Estonia with an en route stop in Gauja National Park. The tour enables one to experience a genuine scent of the Middle Ages, a time of romantic legends, castles and heroic figures by visiting the ruins of the 13^th century Turaida Castle, and a local History Museum, viewing “the garden of Gods” from the 30 m high fortification tower, walking to the sandstone grottoes on the ancient river bank. Overnight stay in Tallinn.

Day 7: A morning tour shows off the historical Old Town of Tallinn: Catherine’s Valley Park and Palace, the Song Festival Amphitheatre, the traditional “Old Songs Festival” venue for the past 120-years. You’ll see Tallinn’s most important attractions: Toompea Hill and the Parliament building, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tall Hermann, Kiek in de Kok and Dome Cathedral. The tour ends in Town Hall Square with a view of the Town Hall, a Gothic masterpiece of the 13^th – 14^th centuries.

An afternoon visit takes you to the Rocca-al-Mare Ethnographic Museum boasting a fine collection of 17^th - 19^th century rural architecture from all over the Estonia. Farmhouses, country pubs, windmills, and chapels will be on display and furnished according to the fashion of the period.

Day 8: Departure.