Best of the Baltics

Welcome to Latvia and the capital Riga. Upon arrival at Riga airport you'll be met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the city. The rest of the day is at leisure. A welcome meeting will be held this evening, in the hotel lobby, at around 7pm.

Today we explore Riga, the largest of the Baltic capitals it boasts a fantastic array of architectural styles and practices. Riga's foundation dates back to 1201 when the German bishop Albert arrived. On our walking tour of the Old Town this morning we'll see Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter's Church and the Swedish Gates along with other fascinating parts of the city which demonstrate its rich history.

This afternoon is free for you to further explore Riga independently or join an optional excursion to the Ethnographical Open Air Museum, a spacious exposition of 18th century country life.

Riga - Parnu - Tallinn (Estonia). Departing Riga we travel along the coastal highway and across the border to the pretty Estonian summer resort of Parnu. We have a short tour of the resort before continuing our journey through the North Estonian land of forests to Tallinn, arriving early afternoon. Spend the rest of the day at leisure in Estonia's enchanting capital.

The capital city of Estonia is an alluring combination of the old and the new. Its fairytale-like Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with beautiful medieval architecture, cobbled streets and a wonderful array of shops, galleries and cafes. Our sightseeing tour today starts by exploring the old city walls before we head into the heart of the Old Town where we see Toompea Castle, the Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the medieval Old Town Hall and the Great Guild Hall.

This afternoon is free for you to further explore Tallinn independently or to join an optional visit to Kadriorg Park and the newly built KUMU. This evening there's the opportunity to join an optional medieval dinner.

Enjoy a free day in Tallinn or take an optional excursion to Lahemaa National Park. Located just 70km from the Estonia capital this national park encompasses 475 sq km of stunning pine forest, lakes and cultural attractions. On the excursion visit Palmse Manor, a beautiful baroque mansion which dates back over 300 years with a fascinating history, a memorial to the von Pahlen family and Sagadi Manor. The tour ends with a visit to the charming 16th century Vihula Manor and the Vodka Museum.

Tallinn - Tartu. Bidding farwell to Tallinn we travel on to Tartu this morning, a university town which holds great significance in Estonian history. Here we see the charming Old Town as well as the university which was founded in 1632.

Spend the afternoon at leisure and explore Tartu.

Tartu - Grasi (Latvia). Departing from Tartu, we head south into Latvia and our first stop is in Aluksne. From there soon we reach Stameriena - the pearl of European romanticism having close links with Italian writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. After the visit, we continue to Cesvaine where we visit the small, private Cesvaine beer brewery and are invited to test the produce. Later in the afternoon we arrive to Grasi Manor, a picturesque classicism style estate in the middle of Latvia. This evening we enjoy dinner at Grasi Manor.

Grasi - Daugavpils. Departing Grasi we travel on to Aglona this morning to visit the baroque Aglona Basilica and a ceramics workshop. Then we continue our journey to Latvia's second largest city, Daugavpils. Here we enjoy a tour of the historical city centre, visit the 19th century Daugavpils Fortress and the Mark Rothko Art Centre where we can see original masterpieces of the famous founder of abstract expressionism. This evening we stay at the lovely Sventes Manor just outside the city.

Daugavpils - Vilnius (Lithuania). We travel south across the border into Lithuania, our second Baltic country today. Around midday we arrive at picturesque Aukstatija National Park with its many lakes, rivulets and streams scattered between forests and hills. Here we enjoy a leisurely walk and visit the pretty lakeside town of Paluse, famous for its wooden church. Late afternoon we continue our journey to Vilnius, Lithuania's capital.

Known for its medieval architecture and home to over 1,200 buildings and 48 churches that date back to this period, Vilnius is a beautiful capital and one that's bursting with fascinating history. This morning we enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town, where we see Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, the Peter and Paul Church, St Anne's Church, the Old University and the Gates of Dawn.

This afternoon there's a optional tour of The Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania where you will learn about the fortifications and the collection of armaments of the castle and palace.

Our tour ends today with a transfer to Vilnius airport.