Day 1 – To Tallinn: Fly from London
Heathrow to Tallinn (via Warsaw) with LOT
Polish Airlines. Afternoon walking tour of
Tallinn’s old town, including the gothic town
hall and square, Toompea Castle, the seat of
Estonia’s government, the Cathedral of St Mary
and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Continue
to Pirita harbour, the Song Festival grounds,
Kadriog Park and the Russalka Monument,
finishing with the Kumu Art Gallery where a
private talk with a curator has been arranged.
Transfer to the Hotel Von Stackelberg for 2
nights. Evening welcome dinner. (D)
Day 2 – Tallinn: Drive to Lahemaa National
Park, a beautiful expanse of land along the
Gulf of Finland that is a habitat for lynx,
wolves and brown bears. See the charming
18th-century manor houses of Palmse, Sagadi,
Kolga and Vihula, formerly home to wealthy
land barons. (B)
Day 3 – Tartu: Morning visit to Tallinn’s Open
Air Museum, with the largest collection of national architecture in Estonia. Continue with
a pleasant drive through rural Estonia, passing
traditional farmsteads en route to Tartu. Spend
2 nights at the Hotel Antonius. (B)
Day 4 – Tartu: Full-day tour exploring the
city, regarded as the cultural heart of Estonia,
whose thriving university blends seamlessly
with 19th-century streets, old wooden
houses, green parks and a peaceful riverfront.
Visits will include the town hall, the Dome
Cathedral, Art Museum and the Estonian
National Museum. (B)
Day 5 – Riga: Drive to Sigulda to see the
13th-century honey-coloured castle. Stop in
Cesis to visit the church and majestic castle
built in 1209. Continue to the pretty village
of Straupe and transfer to the Opera Hotel &
Spa in Riga for 3 nights. (B)
Day 6 – Riga: Morning walking tour of Riga,
including the cathedral, the largest medieval church in the Baltic, gothic St Peter’s Church
and Blackhead’s Brotherhood Building.
Afternoon visit to MentzendorffHouse, a
restored merchant’s house, now a museum. (B)
Day 7 – Riga: Drive to Rundale to visit the
magnificent baroque palace, built by Rastralli
and filled with rococo furnishings. Afternoon
visit to Riga’s art nouveau district, visiting
the Art Nouveau Museum and the Museum
of Decorative Applied Art where a private
curator talk has been arranged. (B)
Day 8 – Vilnius: Drive to Jelgava and visit the
palace. Continue to Siauliai and see the Hill of
Crosses. Continue to the Europe Royale Hotel
in Vilnius for 3 nights. (B)
Day 9 – Vilnius: Morning walking tour of
Vilnius with its charming cobbled alleys, 18th-century
townhouses and baroque churches.
Visit the Gate of Dawn, the sole survivor of
nine city gates that once studded the walls of
Vilnius. See the 15th-century twin-towered
Church of St Peter & St Paul, and the off -
white colonnaded cathedral. Afternoon drive
to Trakai, home to an imposing lakeside castle
dating from around 1400, built by Gediminas,
the founder of Vilnius. (B)
Day 10 – Vilnius: Drive to Kaunus, Lithuania’s
second largest city. The tour will include the
merchant’s houses around the pretty square,
the 18th-century city hall, Kaunus Castle
and cathedral, George’s church and the Holy
Trinity church. Evening farewell dinner. (B, D)
Day 11 – To London: Morning transfer
to the airport for return flight to London, via
Warsaw, with LOT Polish Airlines. (B)
Meal Basis: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals
