Day 1 - Tallinn – The Capital of Estonia

The delicious local coffee will kick start your day in the best preserved medieval city in Northern Europe! Walled Tallinn was founded 1248, it’s Old City still complete with the cobbled square of the town hall and the colorful houses and warehouses of the Hanseatic merchants and artisans, even the oldest still working pharmacy! The best views in town look over the Gothic spires and red tiled roofs down and over the Baltic Sea.

Day 2 – Kadriorg Palace – Pirita Beach

Today is dedicated for exploring surrounding Tallinn. Baroque Kadriorg Palace was built for Catherine of Russia as a summer residence. Pirita offers relaxation on the sandy beach, nearby forested parkland and sunset views of Talinn across the bay.

Day 3 - Latvia – Parnu

On our way to Latvia, we’ll stop at Parnu, an idyllic resort and famous summer destination on the Gulf of Riga. The coast is full of islets, bogs, pine dune forests and natural sand beaches and a vibrant fishing culture. In the summer there are medieval festivals, night clubs and concerts.

Day 4 - Hanseatic and Art Nouveau Riga

History and design lovers will fall in love with Riga. Its 800 years of architecture reflect a prosperous city, one of the most important centers of the Hanseatic League. Architectural gems run the gamut from remarkably intact Gothic and medieval buildings like Dom Cathedral, Riga Castle and Jurgen Tower to exquisite Art Nouveau masterpieces from the early 20th century, the best collection in Europe.

Day 5 - Rundale Palace - Hill of Crosses

On the way to Lithuania we will visit Rundale Palace - the summer residence of the Duke of Courland, designed by court architect Rastrelli (famous for the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and the Catharine Castle in Tallinn.) Rundale is a stunning example of Baroque and Rococo, sculptured, frescoed and gilded, with extensive manicured grounds and gardens.

The Hill of Crosses bristles with crosses of every shape, size and design, some with messages but all bearing testament to religious belief and will. Twice bulldozed during the Soviet era, it continues as a powerful place of pilgrimage as it has for over 200 years.

Day 6 – The Curonian Spit

Established as a National Park to protect the unique ecosystems here, the Curonian Spit is a peculiar patch of land, wild and washed by the Baltic Sea to the west and the Curonian Bay to the east with the Russian border transecting it. Sand dunes and pine forests cover most of the Lithuanian section and we will visit the fishing village of Nida with its wooden cottages and ships and discover its history as part of East Prussia.

Day 7 – Sightseeing Drive to Vilnius, Lithuania

South of the Dane River which flows through Klaipeda, the cobbled streets and red brick castle of its Old Town retains its former German identity as a Prussian capital.

Kaunas is Lithuania’s second largest city, with a compact old town, but it was here in the late 1800’s that the Russian Empire built a fortress, much of it still preserved. More unique is its architecture from the interwar independent period, its major museums and lively cosmopolitan spirit.

Day 8 - Vilnius tour – Medieval Trakai Castle

Vilnius is one of the Baroque capitals of Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its many church steeples, the oldest university in Europe, and cobbled old town anchoring it firmly in the past. New skyscrapers and towers now rise above galleries and cafes, a bustling cosmopolitan capital making the most of its independence once again.

Trakai Castle sits on an island in Lake Galve, just outside of Vilnius. Begun in the 14th c., it was a strategic defense for the Grand Dukes of the region. This Gothic fairy tale site was eventually reconstructed and serves as a museum and concert venue.

Day 9 – Departure