Baltic Fly & Drive

Vilnius - Kaunas - Vente Cape - Klaipeda - Mezotne - Riga -Tartu - Narva - Lahemaa - Tallinn
15 days /14 nights

Take your time and explore the Baltics in depth and at your own pace. The suggested itinerary combines all the atmosphere of buzzing city life with the relaxation of the beautiful countryside full of amazing castles and manors.

Day 1 Arrival to Vilnius, pick up car at the airport

Day 2 Vilnius 
A day to explore Vilnius on one’s own. The historical Old Town of Vilnius with its Cathedral and the square, Vilnius University – one of the oldest universities in Eastern Europe, Pilies street with the 16th –18th historical and architectural monuments, Gothic corner of Vilnius with St Anne and Bernardine’s churches is a living museum where modern life and comfort goes hand in hand with picturesque charm of Middle Ages. Take a chance to visit a few of numerous museums, art galleries and craft shops, climb up Gediminas Hill for a panoramic view of the city and enjoy dining at one of many excellent restaurants catering to every taste.

Day 3
Vilnius – Trakai – Rumsiskes – Kaunas

Trakai, located 28 km from Vilnius, the ancient capital of Lithuania is now famous for its 15th century island castle housing an exhibition on prehistoric findings and the 17th-18th century applied art, the way of life of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes, and the Karaites, a Judaic sect brought by grand Duke Vytautas from the Crimea. Rumsiskes Open Air Country life Museum offers acquaintance with the 18th- 19th century architecture, traditions, crafts and the way of life of farmers at the end of the 18th – 19th centuries. The museum boasts a collection of old houses, farms, schools, pubs and mills representing the major regions of the country, complete with the flora specific to these regions. Kaunas, the second biggest town and once Lithuania’s capital has preserved is famous for its Old Town, original museums, pedestrian street - Freedom avenue - bustling with street vendors, musicians, full of cafes and souvenir shops.

Day 4
Kaunas - Raudondvaris - Jurbarkas -
Vente Cape

Upon leaving Kaunas take the road along the Nemunas River dotted with Raudondvaris, Veliuona and Raudone castles. In the Nemunas River Delta Park visit bird ringing station operating since 1929 which keeps track of the many coastal migrants. Time permitting do not miss a lighthouse that has been working for more than 100 year and Polder Museum.

Day 5
Vente Cape - Klaipeda

Klaipeda, Lithuania’s main town on the coast, has a venerable history dating back to 1252 and differs greatly from inland cities, as it shows the influence of Germanic architecture of the Hanseatic period reflected in many lattice-work buildings. Interspersed between these buildings are narrow alleyways with attractive courtyards, art galleries, cafes and small boutiques. Browsing through these labyrinths in search of interesting art objects could take a whole day.

Day 6 Klaipeda – Curonian Spit - Klaipeda After a short crossing the Curonian Lagoon by ferry, you reach the Curonian Spit (UNESCO site), a sandy stretch of land, 98 km long and varying in width from 400 m to just a few kilometres, between the waters of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea, a great holiday site, full of the sweet scent of pines, water and ozone. Formed some 6000 years ago as sand accumulated in shallow waters near the coast, it's an extremely romantic area today with its fishing villages developed as resorts, such as Juodkrante, famous for the Hill of Witches where one can see wooden statues of legendary heroes in a dense pine wood or Nida, the resort of serene beauty, the main destination noted for its magnificent dunes 50-60 m high, the Lithuanian Sahara. The German writer Thomas Mann had a summer house built here which now houses a museum and has remained a meeting place for writers and intellectuals ever since.

Day 7 Klaipeda - Palanga - Hill of Crosses (near Siauliai) - Mezotne (Latvia)

Palanga, Lithuania's prime sea resort, (25 km from Klaipeda), is noted for the Amber Museum housed in the former mansion of Count Tyszkiewicz surrounded by an elegant park created by French dendrologist Andre. About 4,500 amber pieces are found on display in the 15 rooms of the museum. Visitors are acquainted with the formation, processing, practical application, and morphological variations of amber. The museum has a wealth of amber pieces with trapped insects or plants, a collection of unique pieces of amber, and examples of fossilized tree resin brought from all over the world. Hill of Crosses near Lithuanian-Latvian border, a unique place of national pilgrimage and an unforgettable emotional site. It is located 12 km north of Siauliai on the road to Meskuciai. Despite the Soviets attempt to destroy the site, thousands of crosses stand on this sacred spot. The crosses, with their handwritten messages, reveal much about the history of the Lithuanian people and testify to their strong will and faith. Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at the site in 1993. Mezotne village was made famous by Mezotne Palace built at the end of the 18th century. A beautiful English style park, an exclusive hotel and a café await visitors today.

Day 8
Mezotne - Rundale - Bauska - Riga

Rundale Palace is considered to be the most beautiful baroque style building in Latvia. It is located near the town of Bauska (66 km south of Riga). The palace built in the 18th century is an outstanding example of the early work of Italian - Russian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli who also designed the famous Winter Palace in St.Petersburg. The professionally renovated palace interiors are decorated with authentic 18th century furniture, paintings and china. Bauska Castle, the medieval Livonian Order fortress, was built in the mid 15th century. Ruins of the castle, a viewing tower, a small exposition on local history are open for a visit.

Day 9 Riga
Enjoy the beauty of this Hanseatic city. A stroll through the cobble-stone, picturesque streets of the Old Town will lead you to the Dome Cathedral, St Peter’s Church, the Old Guild House, Riga Castle, the Powder Tower, the Opera House. Do not miss Art Nouveau architecture from the beginning of the 20th century which made Riga as the Art Nouveau Capital of Northern Europe.

Day 10 Riga - Sigulda - Gauja National Park – Cesis – Valmiera - Tartu (Estonia)
The city of Sigulda, often referred to as the Latvian Switzerland, marks the beginning of the Gauja National Park which includes the remains of Turaida Castle, the medieval cemetery, the legendary grave of the Rose of Turaida, sandstone grottoes and the Sculpture garden dedicated to Latvian Folklore Cesis, the heart of Vidzeme region, is a small amiable Hanseatic town with numerous yellow–and-white buildings dating back several centuries, 13th century Castle ruins and the Church of St John. Valmiera has an ancient castle and St Simon’s Church which is one of the oldest stone buildings in Latvia. Tartu – Estonia’s intellectual and architectural centre- hosts the country’s main liberal arts university. Tartu has an impressive old quarter and many other fine sights worth seeing.

Day 11 Tartu – Peipsi Lake - Narva
Peipsi Lake, Estonia’s largest lake, and the fifth largest lake in Europe. On the way to Narva worth a short visit are small towns of Kalaste, Mustvee, Vasknarva. Narva, this ancient outpost, which skirts the river border between Estonia and Russia, is a place where two cultures meet and mingle creating a fascinating mix of East and West. The gorgeous Narva Castle is a hallmark of the region testifying to northern Estonia’s rich and sometimes tragic history.

Day 12 Narva - Rakvere – Lahemaa Park
Rakvere is an ancient town which has preserved the castle dating from the 13th century, ruins of Franciscan monastery (16th c.) and several charming streets of the late 19th century buildings. On the way to Estonia’s largest national park, you can stop to visit old fishermen villages: Vergi, Vosu, Kasmu, and Loksa.

Day 13 Lahemaa Park – Tallinn
Lahemaa Park is an interesting mix of coastal bluffs, dense forest, 7000 year old bogs, 18th century manor houses, and numerous lakes, rivers and waterfalls that cascade down some of the 56m (184ft). Palmse manor is the showpiece of Lahemaa. The 18th century baroque house, open to the public, is filled with period furniture, and you can wander the landscaped grounds to see the 17th century distillery, hotel and granary. A few kilometers north of Palmse, on Käsmu Bay, are the old Soviet Coast Guard barracks at Käsmu, which now house a maritime museum with excellent exhibits on the Soviet era and the history of the village. The 400-year-old fishing hamlet of Altja, in the north-western corner of the park, has been beautifully preserved.

Day 14 Tallinn Spend your day by acquainting yourself with many interesting sights in and around the city centre. The main attraction is the Old Town which is a compact maze of cobblestone streets, historical buildings and great views. The Old Town is easy to cover on foot. To fully get a grip on medieval Tallinn, you might consider walking around the walls and fortifications. The city used to have 66 towers of which 19 remain. Some are restaurants or shops, other are offices. Tallinn is full of museums, covering a range of fields from history and nature to art and architecture. For art lovers, museums show a range of established artists, but the city’s art scene is also alive with constantly changing exhibits in galleries and halls.

Day 15 Drop off car at the airport. Departure