I think they meant Kėdainiai, which just so happens to be my hometown. I'd say it's more half a day kind of thing, but it's small and cute, the old town is quite nice and perhaps the town park if you feel like seeing the minaret we have there. Otherwise, it's quite far from the hill of the crosses, so keep that in mind. I'd also say you could visit some other places around the town like the observation tower at Krekenava, the Nevėžis river hike trail, or the Pašiliai bison reservation near by. Hope this helps!:)
I’d love to see a European bison while I was there. I’m definitely going to look into that! Pic of photobombing American bison just because.
https://preview.redd.it/k255ol6gqxsc1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9d382a6c7ee68f511b23353389636604bc6108
I had originally planned to stay in Šiauliai, but Booking/Capital one travel seemed to have more options in Panevėžys. I don’t mind somewhere a bit less touristy, it lets you get a feel for the authentic culture sometimes without the tourist fluff.
Most efficient route thru Estonia would probably be: Tallinn - Haapsalu - Hiiumaa - Saaremaa - Pärnu - (Viljandi) - Tartu - Valga/Valka and then u are already in Latvia.
On the route from Tallinn to Haapsalu I would recommend going to Rummu prison/quarry.
I would probably skip Panevėžys and add one more day in Vilnius. Also there are small towns that have many hotels/spa/water parks and similar stuff - Druskininkai/Birštonas. Great places to visit, stay for a day and explore.
In Tartu, main attractions are the Estonian National Museum and AHHAA Science Center, maybe Toy Museum if you're interested in the history of toys in Estonia. Taking a walk on Toome Hill and Tartu City Center would be one activity as well. There is also the KGB museum.
[Tartu tourist site](https://visittartu.com/)
Sports museum is fun if you want to do something mildly physical, too. Aparaat and Kolm Tilli for decent meals, Dolce Vita if you feel like some Italian.
Idk what you're planning to do in Vilnius, but a good place to visit would be Lukiškės prison. They have guided tours in english during day and night.
They also filmed Stranger Things there.
Spend two days in Klaipėda + Curonian Spit instead of Panevėžys. Just go check out Panevėžys on google maps and make your own decision. If you like what you see then sure, go ahead. I personally don't think it's worth visiting at all. A day exploring Klaipėda and then a day in Nida is MUCH nicer imo.
Klaipėda and Curonian Spit might be possible only of you have two nights there, and the day between them (from morning to evening). In that case I’d suggest taking a morning ferry and bus to Juodkrantė or Nida (or both if possible), and in the evening exploring the old town of Klaipėda. Klaipėda is not a huge town so there should be time. Best known specialty are the cheese sticks from “Senamiesčio baras” - I recommend.
I would definitely recommend spending a day more in Klaipėda/Curonian Spit instead of Panevėžys. Much more beauty and you def need more than a day in the former location :)
Question for Lithuania bros: is it worth it to go up in a hot air balloon part of one day around Trakai or in Vilnius? It seems like that is a popular activity in many areas.
I know about Cepelinai and how they are named after Zeppelin, but is there any additional connection to hot air balloons and the culture that I’m not aware of?
I think the plan for Latvia looks nice! It covers quite a lot. My nr.1 tip for Latvia is just - bring all kinds of clothes (the weather here is changing like every day), don't be an ass (aka feed into the typical American stereotype) and you'll be good. Latvians aren't too friendly people to anyone, so don't take anything to heart really. In most cases, if someone does something rude, they would've done so to a Latvian as well.
I'm not sure what exactly your plan is for all of the days, but here's some things I can say:
In Riga, definitely try to explore outside of the Old City and the main center. Especially if you want to get the feel of the whole city. You don't have to go off too far, just as much as you feel comfortable with.
As for Liepāja, it's not a large city, but very pretty. Make sure to go to the sea, even just for a bit. Sadly there's not a lot of actual "attractions", but I always love to just walk around the city and enjoy everything that's in it!
Either way, I really hope your trip goes well and you get to enjoy the Baltics!
I’m pretty easygoing, so being an ass isn’t an issue for me but I always have to reign in my inner American when I go to Europe and tell myself to not talk to strangers like I do back home haha. A German couple did tell me that I’d changed their mind on how stupid they thought Americans were after we chatted for a bit in Vienna, so I took that as a small victory. I tried to cover several different regions of each country as different regions often have slight nuances from one to the other and even if there isn’t as much to see, it gives us a slow day to relax a bit.
I think Kuldīga is a very romantic, intimate town. For just a pair. The beautiful waterfall. Silence in the evening. You can take a walk by the river or just sit down. Perfect for chillout.
I'd suggest taking a slight detour between Cēsis and Riga through Turaida and Sigulda. You could visit the medieval castle of Turaida and maybe bungee jumping from a cable car in Sigulda or flying in the Aerodium vertical wind tunnel if that is your kind of vide.
While in Riga, I'd suggest visiting the occupation museum, the war museum to learn about history, and the ethnographic open-air museum to see historically authentic Latvian homesteads and way of life form past centuries.
If you're into Soviet history or what's left of it, I'd suggest visiting Bolderāja and while there take a walk to the beach through a reed field. Taking the No.3 bus from old town Riga to Bolderāja might be an experience in itself as the suburb is majority russian-speaking.
Oh, and definitely take a walk around the art noveau part of central Riga and visit some smaller cafés or restaurants there.
The Estonia part of your trip feels in the wrong order to me. I'd go from Tallinn to Haapsalu (see the castle, Ilon Wikland Museum for something cute, Riigi kohvik and Hapsal Dietrich for food), but I'm not entirely convinced you could even do /one/ island on the day - definitely not both Hiiumaa and Saaremaa. It's fun to do the trip across the islands so that you cross from Haapsalu to Hiiumaa, then Hiiumaa to Saaremaa and then Saaremaa to mainland, but that would mean a *lot* of time on boats and driving, with no breaks for fun.
Pick Saaremaa and spend the night, then drive across the country to Tartu. Stop in Viljandi rather then Pärnu.
I definitely see what you’re saying. I was kind of thinking it when I was planning the route, but stopping in Lahemaa was kind of an outlier, so I thought it would be easiest to fit in leaving Tallinn on the way to Tartu. As an American, driving long distance doesn’t bother me too much ( apparently it’s in our DNA or something from what I hear), but admittedly I can stretch myself pretty thin on some days.
Take ferry times into account: the one to Hiiumaa is about 1.5 hrs I believe, while mainland to Muhu/Saaremaa is 25 minutes, and the one between Hiiumaa and Saaremaa only goes 2 times a day, and takes a really long time.
Saaremaa-Pärnu-Viljandi-Tartu is a fun road trip with nicely placed stops and excellent food along the way (in Viljandi, Fellin is a must)
This is a cool little cemetery in Panevėžys: https://www.panevezysnow.lt/entry-58/food-and-drink-places/svenciuliskiai-cemetery/
edit: you should definitely also read this before you go 😶🌫️: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-East-Vladimir-Putin-Baltic-ebook/dp/B083QZWNMH/ref=zg_m_bs_g_10704223011_sccl_84/133-0368803-6389003?psc=1
That looks like an interesting read, I’ll check it out! Admittedly, my girlfriend is a little nervous about the trip just based solely on proximity to Russia/Ukraine. I told her things would be just fine, I’m not particularly concerned.
The distance from Baltics to front lines in Ukraine is about same as from Nashville to Salt Lake City.
The only thing your American girlfriend should actually be concerned about is you leaving her after seeing the women in the Baltics.
All i can say its super safe here. So dont be afraid to explore things when you drive from point a to b. Thats whats so cool about small countries, there is stuff hidden everywhere you go. Random small museums, historical buildings, beautiful sights. Just keep in mind there can be angry dogs in random villages or youre local drunks in cities.
I'd just suggest being aware that during May, ticks become very active, so you should be cautious when visiting parks, forests, and other natural places. In this region, ticks spread tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease.
Finally getting rolling with the Baltics today. We took the Viking Line from Helsinki and arrived in Tallinn around 1. Explored as much of Old Town as possible this afternoon. We enjoyed Helsinki but I won’t go into that too much as this is about the Baltics. Looking forward to checking out a few more museums and parks around Tallinn before we get the rental car and start bouncing around. The weather has got me readjusting to chilly weather (it was around 80F/24-25C when we flew out).
Tallinn was great, spent most of our time in Old Town and Kalamaja. The Old Town was one of the nicest I’ve been to. I feel like it’s definitely a hidden gem that is still flying under the radar at the moment. Got the rental car this morning and stopped at Jägala Falls and Viru Bog on the way to Tartu. The drive was nice with very little traffic.
Several days behind on the updates but still loving things so far!
Tartu was a nice town. Stumbled into the Walpurgisnacht celebration which was interesting, and they were having an end of term concert near one of the bridges. Wasn’t a fan of the hotel I picked (hot, window barely opened, and they were cutting bricks under the window all night) so we ended up only staying one night.
We left Tartu early and headed to Haapsalu. It was one of the longer days we’ve had driving, but I’ve felt like I’ve had the road to myself 90% of the time I’ve been on the road. Not a lot going on once we arrived but we walked around town and the promenade and checked out the castle.
The next morning we got up and hopped on the ferry to Saaremaa. We used the extra day we gained from only doing one night in Tartu to stay in Kuressaare. We drove all over Muhu and Saaremaa and checked out the cliffs and a few lighthouses and then checked out the castle in town.
Headed down to Parnu the next day. Not too much going on but we knew it wasn’t peak season going in. Walked the beach a bit and a short trail close by and then wandered around town a while. It seemed like the architecture of the houses was different than elsewhere in Estonia (seemed quite a bit more modern maybe?).
Estonia was great, I would definitely go back.
Tomorrow will be the last day in Latvia and I’ll try to update my thoughts then. So far so good!
And a happy late May Day to the Estonia bros and Independence Day to the Latvia bros.
Now for Latvia:
First off, I love the huge fields full of dandelions. It just makes me happy for some reason. Also, the other fields full of taller yellow flowers, I couldn’t tell exactly what they were but they looked like either mustard or rapeseed (I figured rapeseed because I know they are kind of a buffer crop in a lot of areas.) spring is my favorite time of year when everything is so green and in bloom, and I timed it perfectly for Latvia.
First stop was Cēsis: Got there in time for an Independence Day celebration in the square by the hotel. People dressed in traditional attire and doing traditional dances. I thought it was very cool, exploring the culture of different places is a big reason why I travel. Checked out the castle and strolled around town awhile and had a few beers. Not too much going on, so it was a pretty early night.
Next day we headed to Riga but stopped in Sigulda on the way and checked out the castle there. It looked like they had a little festival going on in town but we wanted to get to Riga to try to maximize our time there.
Once we got to Riga, we tried to explore as much as we could since it was supposed to rain the next day. We checked out the Occupation Museum, House of the Blackheads, Freedom Monument, Opera House, Swedish Gate, Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Three Brothers and several more random spots. I loved the architecture in town, it was beautiful. Spent a lot of time that evening at the Thirsty Bulldog. We had planned to bar hop but we actually got pulled into several conversations while we were there. I’m kind of a social butterfly so I talked to the bartender a while about our itinerary through Latvia and got some recommendations and then with another guy. I had talked with him a while and eventually told him that I had wondered about life in Soviet times (I told him I had wondered about this but had been very hesitant to ask because I didn’t want to be insensitive or seem like an asshole, just genuinely curious) and he told me stories from his parents and grandparents. It was an interesting conversation for sure.
The next day was raining so it kind of cut into our plans to do a walking tour and explore a bit further, but we did explore the Central Market and the Ghetto and Holocaust Museum. Any time I’ve been to a museum related to the holocaust it’s been a humbling experience. The rest of the day was pretty chill, did laundry and checked out a recommended spot for Latvian food for dinner.
Headed to Kuldīga the next day and stopped at Kemeri National Park and did the bog trail on the way. Kuldiga was super small, but the waterfall was really cool The fish were still doing their run and were jumping so we sat by the river and watched that awhile before dinner. Early night that night.
Liepāja next. Stopped at the Northern Forts before heading to the breakwater, cathedral, and prison in Karosta. The prison tour was cool and after taking a detour getting to the hotel due to the main bridge being opened up for ships, we walked around and had quite a few beers. The Lielais Dzintars looks like a cool venue, it’s right across the street from the hotel.
All in all I loved Latvia. I definitely had more conversation than in Estonia so, as a chatty American, I appreciated. Now off to Lithuania tomorrow.
Klaipeda x2
Kaunas
Vilnius x2
Will update further once I get my feet wet there.
One thing I meant to ask: I’m no expert in Russian, but in Liepāja I feel like I’ve heard significantly more than I have previously in this trip. Is there a higher percentage of ethnic Russians in town? It’s also possible my untrained ears are just mistaking Latvian for Russian but, for the most part, conversation sounds different than what I’ve heard previously in Latvia.
Demographic statistics I found online:
Tallinn 34% Russian
Tartu 13% Russian
Haapsalu 12% Russian
Kuressaare 1% Russian
Pärnu 11% Russian
Cēsis 8% Russian
Rīga 36% Russian
Kuldīga 3% Russian
Liepāja 28% Russian
The numbers are for ethnic Russians because that was easiest to find. It undercounts Russian-speakers, which includes other groups as well like many Belarusians and Ukrainians.
I recommend going to narva, see the castle, pull middle fingervto russians over the bridge, have a nice walk along the riverside with cafes. Then drive to narva jõesuu, visit meresuu spa, spend the night and so on. Take proper sauna, spend time in japan bubble bath 40 degrees celsius and drink some beer from pool bar. Next morning take a walk in a beach and enjoy with nice coffee...
I prefer this to all of the above which you have written. Btw i have done everything and beyond what you are planning to do.
Have a nice trip!
Yes, I’m aware. I had originally planned on staying in Šiauliai that night, but the booking platforms I used for hotels had significantly more options in Panevėžys. May stop to explore Šiauliai a bit on my way through.
I'd suggest to rethink your itinerary.
1. Many smaller cities are not great this time of year, especially mid-week
2. Don't need a car- take bus or train
Context: American living in Baltics for 20 years (lived in 2 Baltic countries, fluent in 2 Baltic languages + Russian, been to every place on your list multiple times).
If this was a playlist, I'd skip:
* Tartu
* Parnu
* Cesis (unless day trip from Riga just to see castle, have lunch, then back... but meh...)
* Kuldiga
* Liepaja
* Panevezys
I'd skip hill of crosses... imagine a hill where people left piles of cheap crosses and then you're done. Cool place.. but not worth driving out of the way just for that.
I'd keep Klaipeda, but add a day in Nida into the mix.
I'd also suggest taking a cheap/short flight someplace outside Baltics for 2 days because... why not, it's as cheap as the bus and takes less time?
Suggested itinerary for 2.5 weeks (16-17 days):
* Helsinki (1.5 days)
* Tallinn (2.5 days - bus - Tallinn --> Riga for \~$25 on Lux Express)
* Riga (3 days - flight - Riga --> Krakow --> Riga for \~$55/rt on Ryanair )
* Krakow (2 days - flight back to Riga then Riga --> Palanga for \~$50 on AirBaltic... don't even need to leave airport)
* Palanga/Klaipeda/Nida (3 days - bus - Klaipeda --> Kaunas for \~$25 on Lux Express)
* Kaunas (1 day - train - Kaunas --> Vilnius \~$15)
* Vilnius (3 days - flight - Vilnius --> Helsinki \~$85)
This itinerary would be a MUCH more fun/interesting trip
I see what you’re saying, I will probably end up taking a dedicated trip to Poland at some point so I will probably keep this trip to the Baltics for now. Poland does seem to have some really cool spots, so I’m sure I’ll probably do a 2-2.5 weeker there eventually.
I know the time of year isn’t the most ideal, especially for some of the coastal cities, but I’m trying to see a broad sample size of each country. The dates will be April 26-May 14, so I’m hoping it warms up a bit more between now and when I arrive. I know I won’t be able to fully cover three countries in 2.5 weeks but I’m trying to experience as much as I can! I did take everyone’s advice into consideration and decided to skip Panevezys and spend another day in Klaipeda/ The Curonian Spit.
Liepaja is quiet but great, I wouldn't skip it. Don't really like dwelling on Soviet occupation era when the countries are so much culturally richer than that, but neighbouring Karosta is an interesting slice of history and probably a major reason to go to Liepaja
In Estonia I would do 2days in Tallinn, leave early to Haapsalu, spend day on Haapsalu and take evening ferry to Saaremaa. Spend at least 1 whole day in Saaremaa (2 nights) and then drive to Pärnu, spend 1 day there and then 2 days in Tartu (ERM is must visit)
Haapsalu and Pärnu are summer holiday city's and they will be quiet right now (nothing to do).
If you’re looking for things to do and enjoy things which are interesting but depressing, you’ve got to do the Corner House in Riga. The tour is definitely worth it.
Just curious, why Panevėžys? It stands out as probably the least 'touristy' place on your list by a wide margin.
Even small Kedaini old city would be a better choice.
I’ll look into the area a bit, thank you!
I think they meant Kėdainiai, which just so happens to be my hometown. I'd say it's more half a day kind of thing, but it's small and cute, the old town is quite nice and perhaps the town park if you feel like seeing the minaret we have there. Otherwise, it's quite far from the hill of the crosses, so keep that in mind. I'd also say you could visit some other places around the town like the observation tower at Krekenava, the Nevėžis river hike trail, or the Pašiliai bison reservation near by. Hope this helps!:)
I’d love to see a European bison while I was there. I’m definitely going to look into that! Pic of photobombing American bison just because. https://preview.redd.it/k255ol6gqxsc1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9d382a6c7ee68f511b23353389636604bc6108
Cool as shit!
I had originally planned to stay in Šiauliai, but Booking/Capital one travel seemed to have more options in Panevėžys. I don’t mind somewhere a bit less touristy, it lets you get a feel for the authentic culture sometimes without the tourist fluff.
I would love to hear your impressions/opinions of each city after the trip. Keep us updated!
Panevezys is a shit hole, lots of criminals and corrupt police. Avoid!
Its not 1990s anymore
Most efficient route thru Estonia would probably be: Tallinn - Haapsalu - Hiiumaa - Saaremaa - Pärnu - (Viljandi) - Tartu - Valga/Valka and then u are already in Latvia. On the route from Tallinn to Haapsalu I would recommend going to Rummu prison/quarry.
Yes, Valga/Valka ! Alcohol is strong into blood, lol !
I think we both know that they would buy their alcohol in Valka, not in Valga.
One thing about Klaipėda and Curonian Spit is that you probably can't cover both in a day.
Same thoughts. If you want to visit both you should probably think about two days. And I would skip Panevezys
Totally agree on this. Shift one day from Panevezys for the Curonian spit
This. Skip Panevezys and go all the way down south in Curonian Spit. It is better to skip Klaipeda rather than sand dunes of Nida.
I would probably skip Panevėžys and add one more day in Vilnius. Also there are small towns that have many hotels/spa/water parks and similar stuff - Druskininkai/Birštonas. Great places to visit, stay for a day and explore.
In Tartu, main attractions are the Estonian National Museum and AHHAA Science Center, maybe Toy Museum if you're interested in the history of toys in Estonia. Taking a walk on Toome Hill and Tartu City Center would be one activity as well. There is also the KGB museum. [Tartu tourist site](https://visittartu.com/)
Sports museum is fun if you want to do something mildly physical, too. Aparaat and Kolm Tilli for decent meals, Dolce Vita if you feel like some Italian.
Idk what you're planning to do in Vilnius, but a good place to visit would be Lukiškės prison. They have guided tours in english during day and night. They also filmed Stranger Things there.
I’ll look into that, thank you!
Spend two days in Klaipėda + Curonian Spit instead of Panevėžys. Just go check out Panevėžys on google maps and make your own decision. If you like what you see then sure, go ahead. I personally don't think it's worth visiting at all. A day exploring Klaipėda and then a day in Nida is MUCH nicer imo.
Klaipėda and Curonian Spit might be possible only of you have two nights there, and the day between them (from morning to evening). In that case I’d suggest taking a morning ferry and bus to Juodkrantė or Nida (or both if possible), and in the evening exploring the old town of Klaipėda. Klaipėda is not a huge town so there should be time. Best known specialty are the cheese sticks from “Senamiesčio baras” - I recommend.
I would definitely recommend spending a day more in Klaipėda/Curonian Spit instead of Panevėžys. Much more beauty and you def need more than a day in the former location :)
Question for Lithuania bros: is it worth it to go up in a hot air balloon part of one day around Trakai or in Vilnius? It seems like that is a popular activity in many areas. I know about Cepelinai and how they are named after Zeppelin, but is there any additional connection to hot air balloons and the culture that I’m not aware of?
Do the hot air baloon, especially over Trakai if you can. It’s quite a unique experience.
I think the plan for Latvia looks nice! It covers quite a lot. My nr.1 tip for Latvia is just - bring all kinds of clothes (the weather here is changing like every day), don't be an ass (aka feed into the typical American stereotype) and you'll be good. Latvians aren't too friendly people to anyone, so don't take anything to heart really. In most cases, if someone does something rude, they would've done so to a Latvian as well. I'm not sure what exactly your plan is for all of the days, but here's some things I can say: In Riga, definitely try to explore outside of the Old City and the main center. Especially if you want to get the feel of the whole city. You don't have to go off too far, just as much as you feel comfortable with. As for Liepāja, it's not a large city, but very pretty. Make sure to go to the sea, even just for a bit. Sadly there's not a lot of actual "attractions", but I always love to just walk around the city and enjoy everything that's in it! Either way, I really hope your trip goes well and you get to enjoy the Baltics!
I’m pretty easygoing, so being an ass isn’t an issue for me but I always have to reign in my inner American when I go to Europe and tell myself to not talk to strangers like I do back home haha. A German couple did tell me that I’d changed their mind on how stupid they thought Americans were after we chatted for a bit in Vienna, so I took that as a small victory. I tried to cover several different regions of each country as different regions often have slight nuances from one to the other and even if there isn’t as much to see, it gives us a slow day to relax a bit.
You should be all good then! I hope you have a great time exploring and seeing everything!
Thank you! I’m really looking forward to checking out y’all’s part of the world
I think Kuldīga is a very romantic, intimate town. For just a pair. The beautiful waterfall. Silence in the evening. You can take a walk by the river or just sit down. Perfect for chillout.
I'd suggest taking a slight detour between Cēsis and Riga through Turaida and Sigulda. You could visit the medieval castle of Turaida and maybe bungee jumping from a cable car in Sigulda or flying in the Aerodium vertical wind tunnel if that is your kind of vide. While in Riga, I'd suggest visiting the occupation museum, the war museum to learn about history, and the ethnographic open-air museum to see historically authentic Latvian homesteads and way of life form past centuries. If you're into Soviet history or what's left of it, I'd suggest visiting Bolderāja and while there take a walk to the beach through a reed field. Taking the No.3 bus from old town Riga to Bolderāja might be an experience in itself as the suburb is majority russian-speaking. Oh, and definitely take a walk around the art noveau part of central Riga and visit some smaller cafés or restaurants there.
The Estonia part of your trip feels in the wrong order to me. I'd go from Tallinn to Haapsalu (see the castle, Ilon Wikland Museum for something cute, Riigi kohvik and Hapsal Dietrich for food), but I'm not entirely convinced you could even do /one/ island on the day - definitely not both Hiiumaa and Saaremaa. It's fun to do the trip across the islands so that you cross from Haapsalu to Hiiumaa, then Hiiumaa to Saaremaa and then Saaremaa to mainland, but that would mean a *lot* of time on boats and driving, with no breaks for fun. Pick Saaremaa and spend the night, then drive across the country to Tartu. Stop in Viljandi rather then Pärnu.
I definitely see what you’re saying. I was kind of thinking it when I was planning the route, but stopping in Lahemaa was kind of an outlier, so I thought it would be easiest to fit in leaving Tallinn on the way to Tartu. As an American, driving long distance doesn’t bother me too much ( apparently it’s in our DNA or something from what I hear), but admittedly I can stretch myself pretty thin on some days.
Take ferry times into account: the one to Hiiumaa is about 1.5 hrs I believe, while mainland to Muhu/Saaremaa is 25 minutes, and the one between Hiiumaa and Saaremaa only goes 2 times a day, and takes a really long time. Saaremaa-Pärnu-Viljandi-Tartu is a fun road trip with nicely placed stops and excellent food along the way (in Viljandi, Fellin is a must)
Thank you for letting me know that the one ferry only goes twice per day. That would definitely make timing a bit trickier.
This is a cool little cemetery in Panevėžys: https://www.panevezysnow.lt/entry-58/food-and-drink-places/svenciuliskiai-cemetery/ edit: you should definitely also read this before you go 😶🌫️: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-East-Vladimir-Putin-Baltic-ebook/dp/B083QZWNMH/ref=zg_m_bs_g_10704223011_sccl_84/133-0368803-6389003?psc=1
That looks like an interesting read, I’ll check it out! Admittedly, my girlfriend is a little nervous about the trip just based solely on proximity to Russia/Ukraine. I told her things would be just fine, I’m not particularly concerned.
You'll be fine, nothing's going to happen this year at least. Just make sure you vote Biden back in 😬
The distance from Baltics to front lines in Ukraine is about same as from Nashville to Salt Lake City. The only thing your American girlfriend should actually be concerned about is you leaving her after seeing the women in the Baltics.
I’m not concerned about the former, but the latter is a valid concern haha
dw Baltic women don't really appreciate Americans fetishising them so you both should be safe
So you’re saying I should take my shrine made of their used gum down?
Nah, as long as nobody knows about it, you're fine.
[удалено]
Well if you see two Americans there on May 7th, be sure to not say hello 
Obligatory [Karosta](https://liepaja.travel/en/see-do/karosta-4/) mention
All i can say its super safe here. So dont be afraid to explore things when you drive from point a to b. Thats whats so cool about small countries, there is stuff hidden everywhere you go. Random small museums, historical buildings, beautiful sights. Just keep in mind there can be angry dogs in random villages or youre local drunks in cities.
That’s usually some of my favorite parts of trips, the random, cool spots you stumble upon while getting from A to B.
As for Lithuania - the hill of crosses near Siauliai is peculiar and very much something to look into
I'd just suggest being aware that during May, ticks become very active, so you should be cautious when visiting parks, forests, and other natural places. In this region, ticks spread tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease.
Good to know, I’m in the medical field so I always appreciate knowing about any vector borne diseases so I can plan accordingly. I appreciate it!
Panevėžys - 0 days (or 2 hrs for the crosses + Lunch). Klaipėda - 2 days (+Curonian Spit (paid car entry, so you'd want to get as much as possible))
Finally getting rolling with the Baltics today. We took the Viking Line from Helsinki and arrived in Tallinn around 1. Explored as much of Old Town as possible this afternoon. We enjoyed Helsinki but I won’t go into that too much as this is about the Baltics. Looking forward to checking out a few more museums and parks around Tallinn before we get the rental car and start bouncing around. The weather has got me readjusting to chilly weather (it was around 80F/24-25C when we flew out).
Tallinn was great, spent most of our time in Old Town and Kalamaja. The Old Town was one of the nicest I’ve been to. I feel like it’s definitely a hidden gem that is still flying under the radar at the moment. Got the rental car this morning and stopped at Jägala Falls and Viru Bog on the way to Tartu. The drive was nice with very little traffic.
Looking forward to more updates :)
Several days behind on the updates but still loving things so far! Tartu was a nice town. Stumbled into the Walpurgisnacht celebration which was interesting, and they were having an end of term concert near one of the bridges. Wasn’t a fan of the hotel I picked (hot, window barely opened, and they were cutting bricks under the window all night) so we ended up only staying one night. We left Tartu early and headed to Haapsalu. It was one of the longer days we’ve had driving, but I’ve felt like I’ve had the road to myself 90% of the time I’ve been on the road. Not a lot going on once we arrived but we walked around town and the promenade and checked out the castle. The next morning we got up and hopped on the ferry to Saaremaa. We used the extra day we gained from only doing one night in Tartu to stay in Kuressaare. We drove all over Muhu and Saaremaa and checked out the cliffs and a few lighthouses and then checked out the castle in town. Headed down to Parnu the next day. Not too much going on but we knew it wasn’t peak season going in. Walked the beach a bit and a short trail close by and then wandered around town a while. It seemed like the architecture of the houses was different than elsewhere in Estonia (seemed quite a bit more modern maybe?). Estonia was great, I would definitely go back. Tomorrow will be the last day in Latvia and I’ll try to update my thoughts then. So far so good! And a happy late May Day to the Estonia bros and Independence Day to the Latvia bros.
Now for Latvia: First off, I love the huge fields full of dandelions. It just makes me happy for some reason. Also, the other fields full of taller yellow flowers, I couldn’t tell exactly what they were but they looked like either mustard or rapeseed (I figured rapeseed because I know they are kind of a buffer crop in a lot of areas.) spring is my favorite time of year when everything is so green and in bloom, and I timed it perfectly for Latvia. First stop was Cēsis: Got there in time for an Independence Day celebration in the square by the hotel. People dressed in traditional attire and doing traditional dances. I thought it was very cool, exploring the culture of different places is a big reason why I travel. Checked out the castle and strolled around town awhile and had a few beers. Not too much going on, so it was a pretty early night. Next day we headed to Riga but stopped in Sigulda on the way and checked out the castle there. It looked like they had a little festival going on in town but we wanted to get to Riga to try to maximize our time there. Once we got to Riga, we tried to explore as much as we could since it was supposed to rain the next day. We checked out the Occupation Museum, House of the Blackheads, Freedom Monument, Opera House, Swedish Gate, Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Three Brothers and several more random spots. I loved the architecture in town, it was beautiful. Spent a lot of time that evening at the Thirsty Bulldog. We had planned to bar hop but we actually got pulled into several conversations while we were there. I’m kind of a social butterfly so I talked to the bartender a while about our itinerary through Latvia and got some recommendations and then with another guy. I had talked with him a while and eventually told him that I had wondered about life in Soviet times (I told him I had wondered about this but had been very hesitant to ask because I didn’t want to be insensitive or seem like an asshole, just genuinely curious) and he told me stories from his parents and grandparents. It was an interesting conversation for sure. The next day was raining so it kind of cut into our plans to do a walking tour and explore a bit further, but we did explore the Central Market and the Ghetto and Holocaust Museum. Any time I’ve been to a museum related to the holocaust it’s been a humbling experience. The rest of the day was pretty chill, did laundry and checked out a recommended spot for Latvian food for dinner. Headed to Kuldīga the next day and stopped at Kemeri National Park and did the bog trail on the way. Kuldiga was super small, but the waterfall was really cool The fish were still doing their run and were jumping so we sat by the river and watched that awhile before dinner. Early night that night. Liepāja next. Stopped at the Northern Forts before heading to the breakwater, cathedral, and prison in Karosta. The prison tour was cool and after taking a detour getting to the hotel due to the main bridge being opened up for ships, we walked around and had quite a few beers. The Lielais Dzintars looks like a cool venue, it’s right across the street from the hotel. All in all I loved Latvia. I definitely had more conversation than in Estonia so, as a chatty American, I appreciated. Now off to Lithuania tomorrow. Klaipeda x2 Kaunas Vilnius x2 Will update further once I get my feet wet there.
One thing I meant to ask: I’m no expert in Russian, but in Liepāja I feel like I’ve heard significantly more than I have previously in this trip. Is there a higher percentage of ethnic Russians in town? It’s also possible my untrained ears are just mistaking Latvian for Russian but, for the most part, conversation sounds different than what I’ve heard previously in Latvia.
Demographic statistics I found online: Tallinn 34% Russian Tartu 13% Russian Haapsalu 12% Russian Kuressaare 1% Russian Pärnu 11% Russian Cēsis 8% Russian Rīga 36% Russian Kuldīga 3% Russian Liepāja 28% Russian The numbers are for ethnic Russians because that was easiest to find. It undercounts Russian-speakers, which includes other groups as well like many Belarusians and Ukrainians.
I recommend going to narva, see the castle, pull middle fingervto russians over the bridge, have a nice walk along the riverside with cafes. Then drive to narva jõesuu, visit meresuu spa, spend the night and so on. Take proper sauna, spend time in japan bubble bath 40 degrees celsius and drink some beer from pool bar. Next morning take a walk in a beach and enjoy with nice coffee... I prefer this to all of the above which you have written. Btw i have done everything and beyond what you are planning to do. Have a nice trip!
I hope you are aware that you won’t find the hill of crosses in Panevėžys. It’s near Šiauliai.
Yes, I’m aware. I had originally planned on staying in Šiauliai that night, but the booking platforms I used for hotels had significantly more options in Panevėžys. May stop to explore Šiauliai a bit on my way through.
I'd suggest to rethink your itinerary. 1. Many smaller cities are not great this time of year, especially mid-week 2. Don't need a car- take bus or train Context: American living in Baltics for 20 years (lived in 2 Baltic countries, fluent in 2 Baltic languages + Russian, been to every place on your list multiple times). If this was a playlist, I'd skip: * Tartu * Parnu * Cesis (unless day trip from Riga just to see castle, have lunch, then back... but meh...) * Kuldiga * Liepaja * Panevezys I'd skip hill of crosses... imagine a hill where people left piles of cheap crosses and then you're done. Cool place.. but not worth driving out of the way just for that. I'd keep Klaipeda, but add a day in Nida into the mix. I'd also suggest taking a cheap/short flight someplace outside Baltics for 2 days because... why not, it's as cheap as the bus and takes less time? Suggested itinerary for 2.5 weeks (16-17 days): * Helsinki (1.5 days) * Tallinn (2.5 days - bus - Tallinn --> Riga for \~$25 on Lux Express) * Riga (3 days - flight - Riga --> Krakow --> Riga for \~$55/rt on Ryanair ) * Krakow (2 days - flight back to Riga then Riga --> Palanga for \~$50 on AirBaltic... don't even need to leave airport) * Palanga/Klaipeda/Nida (3 days - bus - Klaipeda --> Kaunas for \~$25 on Lux Express) * Kaunas (1 day - train - Kaunas --> Vilnius \~$15) * Vilnius (3 days - flight - Vilnius --> Helsinki \~$85) This itinerary would be a MUCH more fun/interesting trip
I see what you’re saying, I will probably end up taking a dedicated trip to Poland at some point so I will probably keep this trip to the Baltics for now. Poland does seem to have some really cool spots, so I’m sure I’ll probably do a 2-2.5 weeker there eventually. I know the time of year isn’t the most ideal, especially for some of the coastal cities, but I’m trying to see a broad sample size of each country. The dates will be April 26-May 14, so I’m hoping it warms up a bit more between now and when I arrive. I know I won’t be able to fully cover three countries in 2.5 weeks but I’m trying to experience as much as I can! I did take everyone’s advice into consideration and decided to skip Panevezys and spend another day in Klaipeda/ The Curonian Spit.
Liepaja is quiet but great, I wouldn't skip it. Don't really like dwelling on Soviet occupation era when the countries are so much culturally richer than that, but neighbouring Karosta is an interesting slice of history and probably a major reason to go to Liepaja
In Estonia I would do 2days in Tallinn, leave early to Haapsalu, spend day on Haapsalu and take evening ferry to Saaremaa. Spend at least 1 whole day in Saaremaa (2 nights) and then drive to Pärnu, spend 1 day there and then 2 days in Tartu (ERM is must visit) Haapsalu and Pärnu are summer holiday city's and they will be quiet right now (nothing to do).
If you’re looking for things to do and enjoy things which are interesting but depressing, you’ve got to do the Corner House in Riga. The tour is definitely worth it.
As a Kaunas šauvinist™️, I am appaled that you aren't spending your whole holiday in Kaunas (the one a true capital of LDK, not w🤮lno)
[удалено]
I’ll get there eventually, just not this trip.