Travel to the Baltics. To the Baltics by car: personal experience. Planning time for a trip to Riga
Finally, I got around to writing a text about our road trip route around the Baltics.
The total length of the route is 2975 kilometers, but taking into account trips within cities and to nearby attractions, we covered significantly more - 3672 kilometers. I’ll say right away that you should hit the road only if you have a love for traveling by car, and if you are traveling with a child, it is advisable that he shares this passion.
Our daughter, fortunately, is growing up as a tireless traveler, and perceives long trips more than supportive - after all, during this time you can listen to a whole bunch of fairy tales!
So, the route broken down by day:
In the morning we leave Moscow along the M-1 highway and drive towards Smolensk (380 km). To save time and nerves, I highly recommend using the Odintsovo toll bypass.
We have lunch in Smolensk (I highly recommend the Peter Push cafe @restoran_peterpush on Lenin Street, 14) and move further towards Belarus. There are no borders between countries, even the most formal ones.
We didn’t like any of the hotels in Minsk, so we spent the night in the “Quiet Courtyard” agro-estate in Lagoisk (306 km from Smolensk)
We have breakfast and go to Minsk (distance from Lagoisk - 40 km).
There we went to the zoo @minsk_zoo_official (Tashkent street, 40), had lunch and moved towards the border with Lithuania (191 km to the Benyakoni crossing point)
We cross the border and go to Vilnius (distance from the border - 53 km), where we settle in for the night
The third day takes place in Vilnius - we have already been here, so we did not repeat the inspection of the historical center. Instead we visited:
Museum under open air“Europe Park” (Joneikishku village, LT-15148)
Cafe with a huge game “World of Dwarves” (Laisvės pr. 88)
Interactive “Toy Museum” (Shiltadarzho str., 2)
We begin to move towards the sea. We leave Vilnius towards Trakai, but on the way we stop at a wonderful corn maze (Vilnius–Trakai 16 km)
Having got out of the labyrinth, we go to Trakai and walk around the castle there (the drive is only 11 km)
From there we go to Kaunas for a walk and lunch (the journey is 87 km)
After Kaunas we continue driving to the sea. Our correspondent office on the coast was the town of Sventoja (250 km from Kaunas)
We come to our senses after a busy day and explore the surroundings. We went to the beach in the morning, and then went to the entertainment complex HBH Palanga (Zhibininkai, Lepu 23). You can easily hang out there for the whole day.
In the morning - the sea, and then we go to the dinosaur park DINO.LT (Radailiai, Klaipeda region). After the lizards, you can have lunch and take a walk in Klaipeda or Palanga, they are very close.
We have breakfast and go to the old port of Klaipeda, where we take a ferry to the Curonian Spit. In this part of the spit you must visit the Lithuanian maritime museum, he is beautiful.
We return by ferry, get into the car and drive towards the border with Latvia. Again, there is no border between countries.
We spend the night in the small but wonderful town of Liepaja (from Sventoji to Liepaja - 61 km)
We walk around Liepaja, swim, if the weather permits, and go to Riga (the drive to the capital is 216 km)
There we went to the Latvian Museum of Nature (4 K. Barona St.), had dinner and went to bed
This day takes place in Riga - we dedicated it to a walk through the huge open-air Ethnographic Museum of Latvia (10 Bonaventuras Street).
Then I recommend stopping by for lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants of the Lido chain - it’s delicious, cheap and very colorful
We have breakfast and go wander around historical center Rigi. To appreciate all the beauty of the city, we climb the tower of St. Peter's Church (Skarnu St., 19).
Then we leave the capital and go to Cesis to look at the local castle (88 km)
Afterwards we say goodbye to Latvia and leave for Tallinn (the journey is 300 km)
We walk around Tallinn, although one day here, of course, is criminally not enough.
We went to the Tallinn Zoo @tallinnzoo (Ehitajate tee 150 / Paldiski mnt 145), the medieval restaurant Olde Hansa @olde_hansa (Vene 1) and went to Pirita beach 15 minutes from the city center.
In the morning we walk around Tallinn, and then we move towards the border with Russia - it was more convenient for us to leave through Narva (211 km). Don't forget to sign up for the email queue!
Once at home, we go to rest and sleep in Veliky Novgorod (distance - 272 km)
We have breakfast, walk around the Novgorod Kremlin and head towards Moscow. I would use paid Leningradka as much as possible, because it saves a lot of time.
We have lunch and stretch our legs in Tver (387 km from Novgorod)
The last push to Moscow (176 km)
Vilnius - Kaunas - Trakai
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to Kaunas (100km)
Excursion around Kaunas.
Kaunas- the second largest city in Lithuania, located at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Kaunas was founded in 1362 and is the second capital of Lithuania. The city is famous for its medieval square. Here you will see the Town Hall, which is called the “white swan”, and admire all European architectural styles.
You will see the house of Perkunus (Thunder) - one of the most original late Gothic buildings in Lithuania. You will admire the Church of St. Vytautas and see the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and Paul.
The modern street of Kaunas, Laisves Alley, is a boulevard that is called “little Paris” with its cozy shops and cafes. The length of this street is about 2 km, and the panorama is completed by a magnificent church, built at the beginning of the 20th century according to the design of Benoit (now the Church of St. Michael the Archangel).
Kaunas is famous for its K.M. Museum. Ciurlionis. Many tourists from the east and west come here to admire the paintings of this great artist and composer. Also here is the famous Devils Museum, which the whole world knows about.
Transfer to Trakai (86 km).
Lunch at a Karaite restaurant. The menu includes the famous Karaite dish - kibinai, which is a crescent-shaped pastry made from dough stuffed with sliced meat and big amount onions and spices. Lithuania should be grateful to Grand Duke Vytautas for this extremely popular dish. It was he who brought the Karaites to Lithuania 600 years ago, and they brought the “kibinai”. The surprising thing is that no more than two to three thousand Karaites lived in Lithuania, and their “kibinai” peacefully conquered the entire country.
Excursion around Trakai.
Trakai, the ancient capital of the Principality of Lithuania, located just 30 km from Vilnius. Trakai is the ancient capital of Lithuania, a city between three lakes. The main attraction of the city is the famous Trakai Castle, standing on an island in the middle of Lake Galve. It should be noted that this is the only island castle in Eastern Europe, one of the largest medieval defensive structures in Lithuania, it covers an area of 1.8 hectares. To enter the fortress, visitors must cross two wooden bridges. The center of the architectural ensemble of the castle is the princely palace, surrounded by a thick fortress wall with defensive towers. Now it houses a museum, the exhibition of which covers the period from ancient times to the mid-20th century. The exhibition features authentic furniture, dishes, glass and bone items, seals, hunting trophies and archaeological finds discovered during excavations. By the way, this is where the film “The Adventures of Electronics” was filmed.
Return to Vilnius.
Free time.
To get to know the Baltics, you need to visit all three countries: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Some of you will say that the Baltic states are not only the countries listed above, but we will only touch on them. First of all, we will visit three capitals: Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. It is advisable to visit them in the same weather and with the same mood, so that nothing interferes with comparing these three cities. Don't listen to anyone who says that this or that is more beautiful or interesting. They are all interesting, beautiful and in general everyone has their own opinion. I’ve been to the Baltics several times and liked some things better, so I tried to include this in the itinerary. The route program is designed so that you can complete it in a week. So: St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Cesis - Sigulda - Riga - Bauska - Siauliai - Kaunas - Vilnius - Daugavpils - Rezekne - St. Petersburg. These are the key points, now in more detail:
St. Petersburg – Tallinn
I will not dwell in detail on preparing the car, documents, etc. You can't predict everything. However, recently, I take at least two navigators on the road. I trust booking.com more and more and, if possible, return to cash. Don’t forget that it is difficult to cross the Estonian border back and you have to buy a queue, so we return through Latvia.
The distance from St. Petersburg to Tallinn is 362 kilometers and the estimated travel time is about 5 hours, not counting the time spent at customs. It’s best to move around while everyone is asleep, so we leave at about 4 am. We'll be at the border around 6, and then depending on our luck. To sufficiently familiarize yourself with the Old Town of Tallinn, 4 hours are needed. For those who like it slower, this time is not enough.
Car parks near the Old Town cost 3-4 euros per hour, there are cheaper ones nearby, but it is not a fact that there will be free spaces. If we compare hotel prices in all three capitals, then Tallinn and Riga are approximately the same, but Vilnius is cheaper, but no worse.
For me, Tallinn is always different in its impact. Sometimes I admire him, and sometimes I find him boring, apparently it depends on my mood, mood and company. In the “Old Town”, in addition to the main attractions, such as:
City Hall
The Dome Cathedral
Oleviste Church
Niguliste Church
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Fortress towers and walls
St. John's Church
... there are many beautiful and back streets, corners, courtyards. There are several observation platforms that offer beautiful views of the city. Lots of shops and interesting cafes. The architecture here is very different, from different eras, styles and “nationalities”.
I will never forget the impressions of my first visit to Tallinn. It was on the New Year 2007, when they started trying to take tourists from Helsinki to Stockholm to Tallinn. The first sign was the passenger ship Vana-Tallin, that is, “ Old Tallinn", not to be confused with the drink of the same name. And, by the way, it justified its name - it was built in 1974. That year there was no winter and no ice either. In Helsinki on January 1 it was +6, and in Stockholm +8. When we were walking from Helsinki to Stockholm we encountered a terrible storm and people, remembering this night, already leaving Stockholm for Tallinn, “pulled up” tightly so that they could fall asleep and not hang around the decks, clinging to everything they could and to each other. We all arrived in Tallinn a little rumpled, but in anticipation of new impressions. We were given buses, guides and some time to explore the city. We gathered for a whole hour and waited for those who were late, then we drove around Tallinn and listened to the guide, who did not really hide her hatred of everything Russian. Having dropped us off at the walls of the “Old City” and handed us over to another guide, she left with the bus. The first words of the “new” guide were: “Forget everything she said,” “now let’s run, we don’t have much time.” We seemed to be keeping up, but at the next turn the guide disappeared. 15 minutes have passed since the start of his excursion. There were half of us, we spat and went our separate ways. It was dank, damp, cold and windy outside. Only in the evening, when the garlands were lit and the wind died down, it became better, warmer and much more beautiful. This is what they were like – first impressions.
If you are not going to visit a pub in the evening or just look at night city, then you can stop for the night on the way towards Riga. I stayed at Ruunawere Hotel, near Tallinn, and really liked it. There is a small sketch about the hotel in the “Video” section. At all interesting places There are many places to stay for the night: manors; guest houses; cottages, etc. If you plan your trip 21 days in advance or less, you may be able to get exclusive deals on hotel bookings, but you probably already know that. If you plan to stay in the city, I recommend Kalev Spa Hotel & Waterpark. Convenient, cozy, close to the “Old Town”, a good restaurant and after long walks you can lie in the jacuzzi, relax your muscles or swim.
Cesis-Sigulda
From Tallinn to Cesis (Sigulda) is about 300 kilometers. The time is about 4 hours. You can go in three ways, but the easiest way is through Pärnu. After Pärnu the road goes along the coast and if it’s summer outside, you can turn to the sea and swim and sunbathe. Relax in one word. The main attractions of Sigulda and Cesis cannot be seen in one day, even briefly, so plan to spend the night somewhere. Both of these cities are approximately the same distance from Riga, Sigulda is a little closer, where you stay does not play a special role.
The area around these two cities is a real hub of medieval castles, various attractions, and there is a lot to see and do. Residents of Riga think the same thing, which is why it can get crowded on weekends. Draw conclusions.
Let's start with Cesis. Here is the largest and best preserved…
Cessian (Wenden) Castle
A beautiful park at the foot of the castle is conducive to a leisurely walk and relaxation. The castle itself is nothing special, it’s just interesting to touch the history, take the likeness of an old lantern and walk along the dark staircases and alleys. Near the old castle there is
New Cession Castle
There are now ticket offices here, as well as history and art museums. Located almost close to these castles
St. John's Church
This majestic structure is the largest church in Latvia built outside of Riga (13th century). She belonged to the Livonian Order.
In addition to the main attractions, it is very pleasant to stroll through the wooden residential area. Nice houses that have seen a lot interesting stories, provide an opportunity to take a break from the “concrete jungle” of big cities.
Not far from Cesis there is another attraction local region, so-called
Araiši Lake Castle
Here, in the 19th-11th centuries, the Latgalians lived. Enough large area for a walk, where you can get acquainted with ancient life and buildings, the ruins of the Araish Order Castle and the lake settlement.
Here are the must-sees in the area:
Turaida Castle
Old Sigulda Castle
New Sigulda Castle
Of course, there is plenty more to do here besides the castles. Huge park, zoos, cable cars, caves, etc. They work in winter ski slopes. This is one of the best bobsleigh tracks.
In these parts I stayed only in one hotel - Hotel Atputa, it is located in Cesis. Quiet, cozy hotel, good restaurant, friendly service.
Riga
It takes less than an hour to travel from Sigulda to Riga. As soon as I enter Riga, I can’t get rid of the feeling that I’m driving through the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The building of the Latvian Academy completes the image of a large, Soviet city. Only in the “Old Town” do you come to your senses and return to the tourist skin. It is better to park the car on the embankment side. Before I forget, the police in Latvia are the same as in Russia. They like to test for alcohol, set up an ambush, and “pay off on the spot.” If there is something written in Latvian on the parking signs, it is better not to stop there, you will be fined. Alcohol: Estonia (0.2 volume), Latvia (0.5 volume), Lithuania (0.4 volume). I don't want to get caught.
Riga is different! Different than Tallinn. Firstly, there is no difference in heights, and therefore everything is located, as it were, on the same plane, along the Daugava embankment. By the way, be sure to visit the other side of the river, from there a beautiful panorama of the “Old City” opens up. All the attractions are quite tightly packed. In order to explore absolutely the entire “Old City”, you will more than once go to places that you have already seen. This is not “running in circles,” but somewhere close. The architecture of Tallinn is diverse and multinational, and in Riga a certain style is maintained.
I have long noticed that tourists equally like both large, huge churches or castles, and very small, even tiny “cartoons”, such as the St. Petersburg “Chizhik-Pyzhik”. And everywhere, in any city in the world, the reaction to them is the same. You should definitely pet them or throw a coin, and, of course, take a photo. One of these Riga “muleks” is the monument to the “Bremen Town Musicians”, almost a copy of the same one located in hometown. Here, the attraction program also includes bouncing. Everyone tries to pet the animal that is higher up. Walking around Old Riga, you will see unusual figures and installations more than once.
The Bremen Town Musicians
Now, let's go over the main attractions of the "Old City"
House of the Blackheads
The Dome Cathedral
Church of St. Peter and panoramas from the observation deck.
Town Hall and Town Hall Square
Riga Castle
Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
In Soviet times, as soon as it was necessary to show “abroad”, all film studios went to Riga, here every house, every crossroads was used as scenery. “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson” lived here, the spy passions “Seventeen Moments of Spring” were played out, and the songs “D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers” were sung.
When it comes to having a bite to eat in Riga, the choice is huge and the price tags are already quite affordable. If you have heard about LIDO, then I would not recommend visiting it in the “Old Town”, you can spoil the impression, it is better to go to the LIDO Recreation Center on Krasta Street 76. The food there is excellent, tasty and not expensive.
LIDO
For tourists with children, I advise you to see the Riga Zoo and its guests. In general, Riga is a wonderful city and I think you will want to come here more than once, to see not only it, but also the surrounding area, such as Jurmala, Jaunmokas Castle, and the Daugava Museum. Or spend a summer night on the streets and in the pubs of the “Old Town”, which never sleeps.
Bauska Rundāle Palace
If you have already seen everything in Riga and are not going to stay overnight, you can head towards the town of Bauska. More precisely, our goal is Rundāle Palace. The drive is about an hour, and I can recommend the hotel Hotel Rundale. It is very advantageously located just 250 meters from the palace itself.
The town of Bauska is not big at all, but there are many interesting places here. There are churches, old quarters, Bauska Castle. Delicious Latvian beer is brewed here. On the Town Hall Square you can have a nice and tasty meal in a cafe. But due to the fact that we visited this city only for the Rundāle Palace, that’s where we will go.
The palace belonged to Duke Ernst Johann Biron. It was built in 1740. In the same year, Biron, after a coup d'etat, was arrested and exiled, returning only in 1763. At the same time, by 1768, Rastrelli completed the interior decoration of the premises.
The palace amazes with its exquisite interiors and rich decoration. Unfortunately, I was there in the winter, and I was not able to see the splendor of the blooming French park, spread over an area of 10 hectares, closed on all sides by a canal, behind which, in turn, lies a hunting park.
I am constantly doing something in the palace, restoring, decorating, caring for, restoring, even clothes. Everything is sparkling clean and you can feel the love with which the local workers treat the exhibits. The palace and its decoration left an indelible impression in the memory. I will definitely come in the summer to take a walk in the garden and park.
Cross Mountain. Siauliai
Frenkel Palace
Now we are heading towards Lithuania, more precisely, towards the city of Siauliai. A little before reaching the city, we make an obligatory stop at Krestovaya Gora or the Mountain of Crosses. This is one of the most unexpected sights of the entire route. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect, but I had heard a lot and was ready to be surprised, but not that much. Crosses from all over the world are actually brought here and this is truly a Mountain of Crosses.
The place is shrouded in legends. Under Soviet rule, it was destroyed 4 times, but the Mountain has not gone away, and there are more and more crosses. Even the Pope “marked himself” here with a rather impressive cross. Our crosses, like droplets of water, melted into a sea of huge waves of crosses.
Even if this place initially did not carry any energy load, the millions of prayers and aspirations that came here imbued this place with faith. There are no restrictions, orders, regulations that are so loved in churches of various denominations; here a person is alone - face to face with his feelings, with God.
The next destination of our journey will be the city of Siauliai. We were passing through there, stopped to have a snack, stroll along the pedestrian street, go to Cathedral. The weather was disgusting, and we were in a hurry towards Kaunas, so I can’t say anything special about this town. There was an attempt to visit the cat museum, but after sticking our nose in there, we decided not to waste time.
Now we are going to one of the most beautiful cities in the Baltics - Kaunas, it is called “Beautiful”. And there is no doubt that you should stop there for the night.
Kaunas
It often happens that people go to capitals, but nearby cities, which have no less interesting things, pass by. Kaunas does not complain about the lack of tourists, but undeservedly fewer people go there than to Vilnius and Trakai. Kaunas is great. IMHO, of course, but even the weather didn’t stop me from just falling in love with this city.
The "Old Town" of Vilnius is large, spacious, mostly pedestrian, under UNESCO protection. I really enjoyed walking leisurely along the main streets and squares, but there are a lot of people there, but if you turn somewhere to the side, after a couple of minutes it becomes simply deserted and you can get lost. I parked my car in one of the parking lots in the southern part of the “Old City”, put a mark in the navigator, relied on the technology, and went on a reckless exploration, instead of taking chalk and leaving marks on houses and sidewalks. Got lost. And parking is paid and by the hour, the fines are large, it’s unpleasant. The conclusion is that you need to park the car in the northern part, where the Castle Hill and Gedeminas Tower are. If this landmark falls out of your sight, people will help. And I couldn’t even really explain to passers-by where my car was parked “next to the church or church.” Yes, there are them here... . Now, with the advent of new gadgets and applications, it has become much easier.
What interesting things can you see in the “Old Town”?
Church of St. Casemir
Presidential palace
Cathedral of St. Nicholas
Church of St. Paraskeva (Pyatnitskaya Church)
Cathedral
Sharp gate
Bernardine Church and St. Anne's Church
In addition, there is also: Gedemin's Tower, the Church of St. Teresa, Church of the Holy Spirit, Church of the Holy Trinity, bastion of the Vilnius defensive wall, Church of St. John, Church of St. Michael, Church of St. Anne, Church of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit monastery, Alumnat, the Church of St. Catherine, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Church of St. Nicholas, etc., etc. This is not all, and this is only in the “Old Town” itself. Now can you imagine how difficult it was to find the right church, church or temple?
One of the most pleasant impressions is the prices. In cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc. Whether in the business center or in the “Old Town,” there are many places where you can pleasantly spend the evening, night, and the rest of the day. We ate, rested, ate some more and hit the road. Now in the opposite direction, home. The intermediate point will be Daugavpils and you can spend the night there or see the city and drive to the small town of Rezekne and stay there.
Daugavpils-Rezekne
Daugavpils is the same city in which I was once again convinced of how much the weather influences perception, first impressions, and, finally, photographs. The first time I was there in terrible, disgusting, dirty weather, I was passing through, and the second time - excellent weather, warm, no rush, wonderful hotel, leisurely promenade. Earth and sky. Great town, beautiful, interesting. The most important attraction, or rather “mountain of attractions” is the “church hill”. Here, literally meters from each other, there are four churches of different faiths.
Martin Luther Cathedral
Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Daugavpils Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb
Novosretensky Church of the Resurrection, Nativity of the Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas (Old Believers)
In the city itself there is a small pedestrianized street, where you can just walk around and look around. There is a fortress here, it is a certain symbol of the city. In terms of accommodation, I can recommend the Park Hotel Latgola, it is located in the center, modern, not expensive, there are often special offers (double standard - 2000 rubles), the upper floors offer a panoramic view of the city. If you are unlucky with the weather, then it is better to leave exploring this city for another time, and go towards the town of Rezekne and stop to rest there.
To view information about Rezekne or Daugavpils (any other object), click on the name. We stopped in Rezekne only to rest before the final rush to the house. We walked around, had a good time in the restaurant of our hotel Kolonna Hotel Rezekne, and got up early (at 4 am), took “breakfast to go”, pre-ordered at the hotel, and headed towards the border.
From Daugavpils to the border it takes 2 hours, from Rezekne 40 minutes. Arriving at the border at about 5 am, we found the customs office really sleeping, we had to wake up to let them through. It’s a nightmare, they could “infiltrate” unnoticed and take out the entire Baltic states. That's basically it. The route, as you understand, can easily change; for example, you can organize everything with a mirror opposite. And from Tallinn go to Helsinki. 2-3 hours by ferry and you are in the capital of Finland. And there is already all of Scandinavia in front of us.
On my website in the section for tourists there is a “Planner”, where you can view the route and description, calculate mileage, fuel and estimate time. I wish you a good time in the Baltics. Gain new impressions and just have a good rest.
I want to tell you how my friend and I visited the Baltic states ourselves, without agencies. I won’t talk about the sights, just about the business. How to go yourself. This is my first independent trip.
At the time of our trip, such a tour of the three capitals of the Baltic states cost 44,000 per person for a week, and it cost us 23,000. Almost two days in each city. There is a difference!!! TIP: I always buy books from the Orange Guide series. Wonderful series. I take it with me on all my trips when I go on my own.
VISA. I’ll say right away that we decided to submit our documents to the visa center. A little more expensive, but simpler: if something goes wrong, they still reprint the documents on their own forms. For money. Documents are submitted to the embassy or visa center of the country where you will spend the most time, namely nights, regardless of the sequence of visiting countries. We started from Lithuania, but we submitted visa documents to the Latvian visa center, because... in Vilnius there were two days, but one overnight stay, and in Riga and Tallinn two nights each. You will find a list of documents on the websites. Along with your documents, be sure to bring copies of hotel reservations and copies of all tickets, and insurance is required. Read carefully. For example, at the time of our registration, they did not accept hotel reservations from booking in Lithuania. Maybe something has changed. We booked on Hotels.com. There weren't many people in the center, it took about an hour and a half. We waited longer for the documents to be reprinted. After 10 days, my husband arrived and took our passports with visas. When submitting documents, you indicate who will pick them up. Very comfortably.
TRAVEL BETWEEN COUNTRIES: we chose the bus. Tickets were booked on the website.
Very convenient site. Buses take an average of 4 hours. There’s not much to see on the road. The buses were empty. Maybe it’s not the tourist season, or maybe I’m just lucky. We chose the second half of the day, left at 5 pm, arrived at 9 pm, slept, and in the morning walked around the city with fresh energy. We chose hotels closer to the center and bus stations so as not to spend extra money on travel.
HOTELS. We chose inexpensive ones with the intention of only spending the night. Breakfast.
VILNIUS. We arrived on an airBaltic plane. The plane is tiny: 15 rows with two seats per aisle.
They flew perfectly. From the airport we took a bus to the Comfort Vilnius 3* hotel. There are two hotels in Vilnius with a similar name and we were a little misinformed by the locals, but from one hotel
It's an extra 15 minutes walk to ours. Found. The hotel is small but nice. For a night or two, no more. There wasn't even a closet in our room.
We took only breakfast in all hotels. The food was decent, the linen was clean. All attractions are within walking distance. We didn’t spend any money on travel anywhere.
We arrived in Vilnius at 10 am, the bus to Riga was the next day at 16.30. From the hotel to the bus station it's a 10 minute walk. Almost two days were enough to see the main attractions and just walk around the city. But that's not what this review is about. Travel on your own, don't be afraid of anything.
RIGA. From the bus station to the 4* hotel it’s a 10 minute walk. The hotel is very good. When you booked, you got a discount. The breakfast was amazing, there was even champagne. There is no such breakfast in Turkish fives. Clean, quiet, 5-7 minutes to the center. The room even had an ironing board and iron, a kettle, tea and coffee. At 17.00 bus to Tallinn. We walked everywhere and didn’t spend money on transport.
TALLINN. In Tallinn from the bus station to the hotel 3* by tram 10 min and on foot 5 min. The hotel is not bad, but there is no tray in the shower, and the water almost did not go through the hole in the floor and flooded the entire floor in the bathroom. But as a joke, there was a mop, you know, with a rubber band to collect water. But across the road Old city and all the sights. Return to Moscow on an airBaltic plane. By taxi 15 euros and in 20 minutes on the spot.
CONCLUSION: It's half the price, you are your own boss, travel by yourself and everything will be fine. We walked in all cities; I can’t say anything about the prices for transport.
Hello dear readers and guests of the site. In previous posts, I promised to tell you about my recent trip to the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), which I managed to go on without planning at all.
After I managed to achieve my goal for 2012, namely to go to the Black Sea, which I described in the article “”, it was decided that there would be more than enough vacation for the next year. However, it turned out completely differently...
Trip to the Baltic States (Talin - Sigulda - Riga - Jurmala - Vilnius)
At our work, the “trade union committee” organized a tourist trip to the Baltic cities, and only four of them were allocated to our site. Naturally, everyone wants to travel for a modest price, since half a trip or even most paid by the company. 
It’s clear that I didn’t get the ticket right away, because I hold a modest position, and there are other people who are offered first. But at the last moment, someone, for unknown reasons, refused the trip and then it was my turn. Of course, I did everything quickly, which included submitting photographs, money and a passport for a Schengen visa, also filling out an application form and getting insurance.
Since I understood that I would be gone for about a week, which meant that the blog would not be updated for about 10 days, since it’s time to come to your senses after rest, and you also need to write an article at the same time. It was decided to write the article “” in advance, but I planned to publish it on April 13, thanks to the WordPress engine for allowing me to do this.
Estonia – excursion around Tallinn
Since we live in a small town called Luninets, and the bus departed from Baranovichi, we had to get there by our favorite transport - a “diesel train”.
There we all boarded a bus together and went to the city of Lida, because we needed to pick up the remaining people there.
Then, as always, we crossed the interstate border with Lithuania, where we had to stand for about one hour. It’s good that there wasn’t a long queue, and checking documents always takes some time, especially since we were entering the territory of the European Union.
Then, while I was sleeping, in 9 hours we drove through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. At about 10 o'clock in the morning the beauty of the city of Tallinn appeared before us.
After breakfast at the hotel, which was served as a buffet (the food is in plain sight and you can eat as much as you want), we went on a tour of Tallinn.
To tell everything where we went, I simply don’t have the patience to write, since there were a lot of places, and I took even more photos.
First we drove along the coast Baltic Sea, namely Tallinn Bay, where you could see several famous monuments (to the Mermaid, the Singing Stage). We looked at the Pirita area and the Olympic sites.
But most of all I was impressed by the Baltic Sea, since our country does not have it at all, and we really like to contemplate the unusual views of the water receding beyond the horizon.
Usually you go to the sea in the summer, but here it’s a completely different matter to see the sea in winter period, despite the fact that it was the middle of spring.
After everyone was completely cold, we went to warm up on the bus and were taken to the Old Town, the most historical part of Tallinn.
On the way, we were greeted by Estonian youth who were walking along the city streets and simply “fooling around.”
The Estonians were the luckiest of all, since they had the most towers and the fortress wall that protected the city from enemies.
We visited Town Hall Square, which is very different from our Lenin Square. Almost all cultural and public events take place here. We also visited the largest Orthodox Church— Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
The old town is divided into Lower and Upper. If you want you can climb observation deck and see the city from a bird's eye view.
There really is a lot to see in Tallinn; I was very impressed that everything was done for the convenience of tourists. Although there is nothing to be surprised about here, because tourism replenishes the city treasury.
Various souvenirs and trinkets are sold at every turn. For a simple refrigerator magnet you will have to pay from 2 euros. In Estonia, only euros are used in currency circulation.
Their standard of living is much better than in our Belarus, this can be seen even in the cars they drive, including law enforcement agencies.
Then, a little tired, we went to the hotel where we still had to check in. I’m probably very far behind civilization, but it was surprising to me that everything in the room worked only with a plastic card: the door lock and the light.
If you compare their elevator with ours, it’s absolutely heaven and earth; after riding in ours, you can definitely get motion sickness.
After checking in, we went to see Tallinn by moonlight. Although the town is small, there is plenty to take a walk there.
There are a lot of bars, discos and restaurants. We sat in some bar and were even treated to homemade liqueur. The people are very kind and friendly, although they speak Russian very poorly.
We did not have to resort to the services of public transport, since we can get everywhere on our own two feet... After an overnight stay, breakfast and check-out from our room, three hours later we were already in Latvia.
Latvia - Riga, Sigulda and Jurmala
The first thing we did in Latvia was the city of Sigulda. It is also called Latvian Switzerland - this is favorite place recreation for tourists and residents of Riga.
We started our tour from Sigulda Castle, the passage to which lies through the New Castle, in other words, a palace or manor. It is a pity that only a small part of the castle has survived to this day.
Then we went to Gutman's cave. This is one of the largest caves in Latvia, from the base of which flows a source of pure healing spring water.
Then we visited Turaida Castle. Only one tower has survived to this day, the bottom of which is made of stone, and then turns into red brick. After I climbed the 5 floors of the tower, I was treated to a beautiful winter view of the castle from above.
Then we also visited the museum and walked around the landscapes of the estate. Beauty, and only if in such a way bad weather the landscapes were simply mesmerizing, I can imagine how everything looks there in the summer.
After the end of the excursion, we went to Riga, where we had to check into a hotel and go for a walk around Riga at night.
Of course, Riga impressed me very much, as I like big and beautiful cities. We decided to walk around the old part of it in the evening. Songs flow all around, music plays, which fills and charges tourists with a good mood.
We continued our tour of Baltic Riga in the morning. Even though the weather was damp, it still didn’t spoil our holiday.
We visited a lot beautiful places and looked at all the main attractions of the city. I can’t help but mention the Church of St. John and the House of the Blackheads - some of the most beautiful Gothic buildings.
And also many other attractions: Riga Castle, Dome Cathedral, Swedish Gate, Powder Tower and much more.
By the way, Latvians are very fond of pets, especially cats. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are even used as decoration for buildings and other structures.
They say that if you rub a monument "Musicians of Bremen" and make a wish, then it must come true.
So I also decided to wish for it, and to find out whether it came true or not, I will tell you at the end of this year in a report on the work done for the whole year. So stay tuned and don't miss new articles on the blog.
Having seen enough of Riga, we went to Jurmala, a city that I often heard about on TV, as various New Wave festivals are held there, as well as the well-known KVN-Voting Kivin and others.
Of course, I tried to look at concert hall"DZINTARI", however there was construction work going on there and there was no good access to it.
But most of all I was again impressed by the Baltic Sea, or rather Gulf of Riga. For the first time in my life I saw a sea that was practically frozen. I threw a coin for luck to return there again.
After Jurmala, we all boarded the bus and went on our final tour of Lithuania.
Lithuania - travel to Vilnius
Arriving in the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, we stayed at a hotel for the night. If we compare this hotel with Tallinn or Riga, then I would give it 2 out of 5. It can be seen that before it was very poor, but minor renovations have made some adjustments.
After spending the night, we went on a bus and walking tour of the city. I really liked the Cathedral, which is of great value both for Lithuania and for the whole world.
The walls of the cathedral are decorated with paintings and frescoes from the 16th century, and in the dungeon there is a museum.
It was also fascinating to look at the monument to Gediminas, the Church of St. Anne, three crosses, and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul.
After sightseeing tour in the old town everyone wanted to go to the Akropolis shopping center. This is the so-called entertainment center, where you can buy absolutely everything and also have a great time.
You can really find anything here. Starting as a designer Lego and ending with a cool car.
What’s most interesting is the opportunity to buy some goods at good discounts, but I didn’t pick up anything for myself, since the prices were no different from ours in Belarus. But it's really worth visiting...
After shopping center we went to our homeland, and 10 hours later I was already sharing my impressions with my relatives and friends.
Let's sum it up
To be honest, of the three countries, I liked Estonia and Latvia the most. And if we consider cities, Riga, perhaps, has no equal. So historical and modern city In one place. However, Tallinn is more modern in terms of development.
It felt like you were not in Estonia, but some Czech Republic. In a word, Tallinn struck me with its modern way of life, which cannot be said about Lithuania (Vilnius), which reminded me more of my country.
As for prices, Estonia turned out to be the most expensive country, where prices are cheaper in Latvia, and Lithuania became the most affordable.
If I sum up my expenses, they turned out to be very modest.
1) Insurance + travel package (travel, accommodation, breakfast and guide) + visa cost me and my wife $400 for two.
2) Well, the rest of the expenses amounted to another 300 dollars for two.
The total is 400 + 300 = 700 divided by 2 = $350 per person. I think it’s very cheap, so if you have the opportunity, be sure to go on an excursion to the Baltics.
I will be glad to hear from everyone in the comments who has already visited these countries, what impression do you have?
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