Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Upon your arrival at the Tallinn Airport (TLL), you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative, and you will be transferred to your hotel.

Note: There will be only 2 group transfers upon arrival, and their respective timings will be announced closer to date. You may choose the most convenient one, depending on your flight details, or arrange an additional one at an extra cost.

If the whole group assembles early enough, you will embark on a walking exploration around Tallinn. If there is no time for this tour today, it will take place tomorrow morning. The tour (around 2 hours) will offer you the opportunity to connect with the medieval aura of the capital city of Estonia, strolling through a maze of medieval walls, churches, and towers. You will pass by the city’s main landmarks like the Toompea Palace and Castle, the Town Hall Square, the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Tallinn Dome Church.

The day will end with a welcome dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel L’ Ermitage (4-star) or similar, Tallinn.

After breakfast, you will start your day with a visit to a nearby farm where you will have the opportunity to learn about the production of several, delicious local products while tasting some of them and exchanging stories with the friendly owners.

You will then proceed to Lahemaa National Park – the best and largest park of the country – and you will spend the next few hours discovering its secrets, from the pristine sandy beaches to the cascading waterfalls and the mossy pine forests. Soon, you will realize that this, apparently simple, walking activity is nothing less than an adventurous exploration: you can observe 200 species of birds and animals inhabiting there, visit an elegant Estonian manor and the beautifully preserved 400-year-old fishing hamlet of Altja, follow the ‘Beaver Trail’ in search of beavers, or walk along the Oandu riverbank.

Hiking details:
Hiking distance: 4-5 km.
Hiking time: approx. 2 hrs.
Terrain: Hilly then flat, forested.

Accommodation: Hotel L’ Ermitage (4-star) or similar, Tallinn.

After breakfast, you will check-out and cross the borders into Latvia. You will head to the town of Cesis (approx. a 3.5-hour drive), passing through the Gauja National Park: Latvia's biggest park, also known as 'Latvian Switzerland,' due to its rolling landscapes. The park includes the valleys of the Gauja River and its tributaries, and over 500 historical sites like hill forts, stone castles, churches, watermills and windmills.

Cesis is a beautiful medieval town, over 800 years old, and its 13th-century castle was the main stronghold of the Livonian knights who ruled most of Latvia and Estonia during the medieval era.

In the afternoon, you will enjoy a pleasant walk along a forested trail that leads to Gauja River and Gauja Rocks: a site famous for its serenity and natural beauty and a beloved destination for locals and visitors alike.

Hiking details:
Hikind distance: 5-6km.
Hiking time: approx. 2 hrs.
Terrain: Hilly then flat, forested.

Accommodation: Hotel Cesis (3-star) or similar, Cesis.

After breakfast, you will check-out, preparing for a full day of exploration around Latvia.
You will first drive towards Sigulda to hike on a nature trail that will take you through the forests and river valleys of the Gauja National Park. You will walk past the ruins of several Livonian medieval fortresses and a neo-gothic castle, you will take a cable car to enjoy the views from above, and you will finish at the 13th-century Turaida Castle, from where you will continue your trip towards Riga.

Hiking details:
Hiking distance: 8-9 km.
Hiking time: approx. 3.5 hrs.
Terrain: Hilly, forested.

You are expected to arrive at Riga, the Latvian capital, in the afternoon, just in time for a brief orientation tour around the city (1-2 hrs, around 3 km). Lying at the mouth of the Daugava River on the Gulf of Riga, Riga’s 'Old Town' is also a UNESCO Heritage Site, particularly known for its Art Nouveau and 19th-century wooden architecture. You will pass by the Freedom Monument, the Gunpowder Tower, Saint Jacob's Church and the city's cathedral, before choosing one of the picturesque restaurants or cafes for dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Wellton Riga Hotel & Spa (4-star) or similar, Riga.

After breakfast, you will drive west to the Kemeri National Park that was founded in 1977 to preserve the local wetlands, coastal lakes and dunes. You will enjoy an easy hike on a raised boardwalk above the wetlands, discovering the distinctive mosses, bog pine trees, small pools and lakes.

Hiking details:
Hiking distance: 4-5 km,
Hiking time: approx. 1.5 hrs.
Terrain: Flat.

You will then return to the seaside and the spa town of Jurmala, known for its curative mineral waters, therapeutic mud, and impressive, multi-style architecture.

In the afternoon, you will enjoy one of the most authentic experiences you can have in Latvia: you will visit the well-known Laci Bakery for a bread-baking workshop (around 2hrs), some bread-tasting, and a lot of bread-related traditions. The specific bakery is one of the most traditional places in Latvia, where you can taste real, hand-made bread, learn about the ancient traditions that are still followed there, and relax with several fun activities.

Accommodation: Hotel Jurmala Spa (4-star) or similar, Jurmala.

Today you will spend the entire day in Jurmala: the largest seaside and spa resort in the Baltic States, with 33 km of white sandy beaches waiting for you to enjoy them. The town is known for its unique natural resources such as its curative mineral waters, medicinal mud, pine forests and dunes. At the same time, all visitors are impressed by the local architecture that combines many styles, including the unique wooden architecture of the late 19th-early 20th c., classicism, Art Nouveau, and national romanticism.

Accommodation: Hotel Jurmala Spa (4-star) or similar, Jurmala.

After breakfast, you will leave Latvia behind, heading to the third Baltic country and the final destination of this road journey: Lithuania.

On the way, you will briefly stop at the Hill of Crosses (near Siauliai, around a 2-hr driving distance from Jurmala): a mystical pilgrimage site with more than 100 000 crosses from all around the world. Its uniqueness led to its inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records.

Your next stop will be Trakai (a 2.5-hr drive from the Hill of Crosses): the former formal capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Located on a peninsula in Lake Galve, Trakai is now famous for its 15th-century castle which sits on a small island outside the town.

After a scenic walk around the lake and a visit to the castle, you will continue towards Vilnius, the present capital of the country (a 30-min driving distance).

There, you will go on a walking tour around the Old Town – another UNESCO World Heritage Site – to visit the old university founded by the Jesuits, the cathedral, the Church of the Dawn, and the modern districts of the city with the shopping streets, the opera house, the parliament building, and numerous, picturesque cafes. You will end the day with a delicious, Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant.

Accommodation: Artis Centrum Hotel (4-star) or similar, Vilnius.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Vilnius airport for your flight back home.

Note: There will be only 2 group transfers to the airport, and their specific timings will be announced closer to date. You may choose the most convenient one, depending on your departure details, or you may arrange an additional one at an extra cost.