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The Baltic is one of Europe’s most exciting regions for travel at the moment. More and more travellers are realizing the potential of the Baltic States as a destination and are seeing the trio of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in a new light. Not only are the Baltic States closer than you think, they also offer gorgeous nature, complex history, and great value for money. And a Baltic itinerary is the key to seeing it for yourself.
Many people dip their toe into travel in the Baltic with a city break to one of the region’s capitals. It’s easy to do and doesn’t require much planning. Organizing a bigger trip through the Baltic States is more challenging: I should know, with three trips and counting in the region. Having a detailed travel itinerary for your Baltic road trip or vacation makes a huge difference, from knowing how to long to stay there to how plan your itinerary to maximise your time sightseeing.
What are the Baltic States?
If you’re looking for an itinerary for the Baltic, you probably know where the Baltic States are, but let’s cover it to be sure. Generally speaking, the Baltic States refer to the three countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania which together sit along the Baltic Sea.
These three are not the only places on the Baltic Sea; Finland, Sweden, Russia, and the Russian province of Kaliningrad all sit on the Baltic Sea coast. However, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are all much more defined by their connection to the Baltic Sea and each other. They may not share language, but they do have a shared past and often similar geography, to the point that this grouping really makes sense.
Now, many people will innocently talk about the Baltic States as being countries in Eastern Europe. This is largely due to their history under the USSR and because people’s definitions of Europe’s east and west vary so deeply. But if Finland is not in Eastern Europe, I don’t see why Estonia should be. Lithuania is often regarded as being close to the central-most point of the continent, making it seem strange that it isn’t considered central Europe.
Rather than try to make the Baltics fit into another grouping, why not just let it be its own group. It shares similarities with its neighbours, but that’s true of so many places.
Best Time to Visit the Baltic
Travelling to the Baltic states comes with similar challenges to those of going anywhere in northern Europe. Summers are short, winters are cold, and daylight is precious. Weather and the seasons are going to be the biggest factors to handle when timing your visit.
Generally speaking, summer is the best time to visit the Baltic. That’s because summer is the season with the best potential for nice weather, not that it’s guaranteed. I’ve spent many a day during the Baltic summer watching rain bucket down, including most of my first trip to Tallinn.
Visit in summer and you can actually see the Baltic beaches at their best and happily hike through their national parks. It’s also when the Baltic capitals and seaside getaways are at their busiest. Granted, the summer crowds in the Baltic are nothing to compared to the insanity that occurs in so much of Europe. However, you’ll still expect for lines at attractions and higher rates on accommodation.
Winter, especially the lead up to Christmas, can be a popular time to visit too. But people often come for a few days to see Riga or Tallinn covered in snow and then head home. Any more and you’re in for a challenging, but not impossible, trip.
How Many Days in the Baltic is Enough?
Time off for a vacation is almost always limited, so wanting to know the absolute minimum number of days you need for a destination is perfectly understandable. It’s also much harder to gauge on your own when you don’t know a region.
For how many days is enough in the Baltic, my answer might be frustratingly vague – as many as you can afford. We’re talking about three countries, each with loads to see and do. You can make a week in the Baltic work, but you’ll be travelling all that way for a glimpse of what the region is like.
Honestly, if you can muster it, I’d recommend allowing at least two weeks in the Baltic. You may not be familiar with what the Baltic has to offer, but trust me when I say even that will mean missing out on stuff. I’ve visited the region three times so far and still have places I want to check out at some point.
Getting To and Around the Baltic
Two big parts of the logistics of a Baltic trip are how you plan to get there and how you’ll get about.
For your travel to the Baltic, flying is going to be one of your main options. While there are several smaller airports in the region, it’s really better flying into any of the capitals of Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius. There are decent flight routes from these cities with the rest of Europe, but you’re unlikely to find routes from outside Europe.
There are two other common routes for coming to the Baltic. One is taking the ferry from Helsinki, although there are other ferry passages that are possible as well. The other is crossing over from Poland either by car or bus, with the Vilnius to Warsaw route the most common.
As for getting about the Baltic, your choices are car, bus, or train. Renting a car allows for the most freedom, but can create challenges if you’re not returning to the city where you collected the vehicle.
Europe is known for its international train travel, but in the Baltic it’s not as easy. Currently, the train routes between Vilnius and Daugavpils and between Riga and Valga are the only cross-border trains, which aren’t the most helpful routes. Each country has its own train networks though, and are most useful for traveling from their capitals.
Bus travel is really the easiest way to get both between and around countries in my opinion. Not only are buses reasonably priced, they run frequently enough to be useful. Check out my in-development public transport guide of Europe for more information.
Planning a Baltic Itinerary
There’s one unavoidable challenge of visiting all three Baltic countries in a trip, which is working out how to structure your trip. The way the countries are stacked north to south makes it hard to plan a circular route or avoid backtracking.
I’ve tried different approaches to my Baltic trips. My first trip, I flew in and out of Riga, which meant popping in and out of Latvia between going north to Estonia and south to Lithuania. If you’re tight on time, revisiting Riga/Latvia as you go is going to cost you time better spent somewhere new.
The alternative it to go from north to south or south to north to save time and not retrace your steps. This was what I did the second time around, which helped since I was already coming from Poland into Lithuania. But if you’re doing a self-contained trip, you’ll need to book individual flights.
There’s no perfect solution – you just need to think about it and decided on what works for you.
One Week in the Baltic
Let me break the bad news for you; one week in the Baltic is simply not long enough.
With one week spread across three countries, you’re looking at 2-3 days in each country. That’s only enough time to see one destination per country, likely the three capitals. You’ll even lose some of that limited time simply getting from one to the next.
And only having one full day in any of Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn is barely enough. There will still be things you miss in the capitals when going at this pace. I’ve visited each city at least twice now and continue to find new attractions and parts of the cities to explore.
If one week is all the time you have, I do get it. Maybe consider visiting with a guided tour in the case, as they’ll know how to make the most of your time. And if you have to pick one of the three capitals to spend longer in, I’d probably pick Tallinn, as to me it has the most going on.
Baltic Itinerary – 2 Weeks
Two weeks is a much more suitable for actually getting to see what makes the Baltic so special. With 14 days, you can see each of the capitals, do a day trip or two, and experience different aspects of each country.
For the sake of simplicity, we’re going to look at an itinerary that goes from north to south. You can reverse it, turn it into a circuit, or really do whatever you like to it. This is just the easiest way to get the plan across. On the itinerary, we have:
- Time in Tallinn and a day trip to Lahemaa
- See more of Estonia at Tartu and Pärnu
- A visit to gorgeous Riga
- Day trips to Latvian gems Sigulda and Rundale Palace
- A transfer day with a stop at The Hill of Crosses at Siauliai
- Finish in Vilnius with day trips to Trakai and Kaunas
2 Days in Tallinn
Start your Baltic trip off with a bang by visiting Tallinn, Estonia’s quickly captivating capital. Tallinn is famous for its walled old town that has perfectly preserved its medieval charm. And that’s where you really want to spend the start of your time there, touring its cobblestone streets, seeing its churches, and admiring its city walls.
With whatever time you have left in Tallinn, I wholeheartedly recommend going outside the Old Town area. Even if it’s just across the road to the Rotermann Quarter with its hybrid architecture. Kadriorg Palace is another must visit, although a little farther out.
Lahemaa Day Trip
Of the various options for day trips from Tallinn, visiting Lahemaa National Park is the most popular. This is national park is found just east of the city and combines forests, bogs, and coast to magical effect. A day tour is the most stress-free way to get there, but I enjoyed the freedom of doing it solo despite the challenges.
1 Day in Tartu
Compared to Tallinn, Tartu receives barely any attention, which is a real shame for Estonia’s second city. Make the journey out to Tartu and you quickly experience many of the city’s highlights, from its pink town hall to the Ruins of Tartu Cathedral. It may not immediately wow quite like the capital, but when Tartu welcomes you, you should be glad you came.
Tallinn to Tartu Transport – Traveling between Tallinn and Tartu is super easy; you can take the train or hop aboard a bus, with both taking a little over 2 hours to get there.
1 Day in Pärnu
It’s a bit of a trip out to Pärnu on Estonia’s coast. But not only is the resort town a convenient stop for getting to Latvia, it further highlights how diverse Estonia really is. Relax at the spa, pray for sun at its beach, or walk through its coastal meadows; this seaside getaway offers a nice escape from city life.
Tartu to Pärnu Transport – While you can’t get the train for this journey, there are direct buses from Tartu to Pärnu several times of day. The trip will take you just over 2.5 hours, as you’re crossing quite a lot of the country.
2 Days in Riga
Follow the coast down south and you’ll soon find yourself in beautiful Riga. The city’s Old Town is sure to impress with its picturesque squares and grand churches. But you’ll soon realize that the Old Town is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Riga. Art Nouveau buildings liven up the streets to its north, while to the east you find the bustling central market and the phenomenal views from the Latvian Academy of Sciences.
Pärnu to Riga Transport – Crossing the border here is seamless thanks to the Schengen Zone. Direct buses from Pärnu to Riga are very frequent as it sits along the route between Tallinn and Riga, giving you lots of flexibility to book this 2.5 hour trip.
Day Trip to Sigulda
Some destinations feel like they’ve been designed explicitly as a day trip and Sigulda is one of them. This relaxed town in the Gauja Valley offers multiple castles to explore, lush forest to get lost in, and one or two surprises – I think bungee jumping from a cable car qualifies, right? It’s easy enough to visit Sigulda on your own, but there are private guided tours if you prefer the convenience.
Day Trip to Rundale Palace
Latvia not only has a bunch of moody castle ruins to visit, it also has its own little slice of Versailles thanks to Rundale Palace. An elegant interior and gorgeous gardens make this palace a popular day trip from Riga and it doesn’t hurt that the nearest town of Bauska is also worth a look; it has its own cute castle ruins and a gorgeous riverfront. Getting to the palace from Riga by bus involves transiting in Bauska anyway and the guided tours take time to see Bauska also.
1 Day in Siauliai or Transfer via Siauliai
Probably the most unusual attraction anywhere on this itinerary is the mystifying Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. Found outside the small city of Siauliai, this site is not to be missed, whether you’re religious or not. The only hassle of visiting the site independently is that you’ll first need to get to Siauliai, drop your bags, and then try to squeeze the short bus ride and reasonable walk that it takes to get to the hill plus the return trip all in an afternoon.
Now, there is an easier way and it presents a massive opportunity if you want to free up a full day for yourself.
Transfer tours between Riga and Vilnius are becoming increasingly common, in part because they let you do sightseeing along the way. The most common option takes you not to the Hill of Crosses but also to Rundale Palace, allowing you to combine the activities of these two days and arrive in Vilnius earlier. It can also be booked in reverse if you choose to travel north.
Riga to Siauliai Transport – If you decide to take public transport to Siauliai, you have a decent amount of options for buses from Riga. Again, it’s a 2.5 hour trip, so if you take an early bus, you’ll have a free afternoon for sightseeing. For convenience and time maximization, it’s hard to compete with the transfer tour though.
2 Days in Vilnius
Last but not least of our Baltic capitals is enigmatic Vilnius, a city that defies stereotypes and keeps you guessing. Start your visit with the city’s Old Town to see its old gates, cathedral, bell tower, and hilltop tower.
What’s nice about Vilnius is that you can quickly leave the historical centre and find all sorts of other things to do there. Check out the independent district of Uzupis, walk up to the Three Crosses Monument for its views or head down Gediminas Avenue to find some of the city’s museums.
Siauliai to Vilnius Transport – Travel to the capital when in Lithuania is never too hard; Trains depart regularly to Vilnius from Siauliai and only take 2.5 hours. Buses to Vilnius aren’t quite as useful only because they tend to take at least 3.5 hours.
Trakai Day Trip
There are a few castles included in this Baltic itinerary, but the one that’s most likely to leave an impression is the Trakai Island Castle. A quick day trip from Vilnius, Trakai is a town surrounded by lakes that’s full of history. The island castle is going to be your main focus, but don’t run off without looking around town and seeing what else is going on.
Kaunas Day Trip
While I enjoyed spending two days in Kaunas, squeezing in a day trip is definitely worth doing if that’s all the time you have. Kaunas is Lithuania’s second city and feels a bit more like your traditional European city; historical old town complete with castle ruins, vibrant student population, and occasional grand architecture found around its modern city centre. What’s less typical is its fascinating Devil Museum, which I never tire of recommending.
Baltic Itinerary – 3 Weeks
If I was limited to two weeks in the Baltic, that above itinerary is looking like a busy and fun trip. But what if you have even more time up your sleeve?
Let’s say you’re lucky enough to have three weeks in the Baltic to travel about. Another seven days lets you add a few more destinations to your trip and flesh out your experience with some wonderful variety.
And yet, the first thing I’d do is simply give yourself an extra day in Tallinn. Two days in Tallinn lets you see the city centre, but there’s always more to explore. Maybe the day is for visiting Pirita for its beach and convent or going over to Kalamaja and hitting up its museums. You won’t have trouble finding somewhere new in Tallinn to go.
Staying in Estonia, let’s spend two days in Saaremaa, Estonia’s largest island. Visit Saaremaa as a side trip from Pärnu and base yourself in Kuressaare. See the town’s awesome castle and then venture out to other parts of the island like Angla with its windmills or discover the island’s coastline.
Continuing with the coastal theme, insert a stop at Liepaja in Latvia after visiting Riga. The city offers beaches, a love of music, and the crumbling forts of Karosta that I absolutely loved. You can even pass through Kuldiga with its architecture and waterfalls on the way there.
While it would be nice to spend more time in Kaunas, it’s just too easy to combine Liepaja with Klaipeda down in Lithuania. Two days in Klaipeda lets you see its assortment of attractions before getting to the headline, a day trip to the gorgeous Curonian Spit. Climb sand dunes, wander forest trails, and admire cute village homes in this special part of the country.
Baltic Itinerary Ideas and Other Inclusions
The main problem with itineraries like the ones I’ve provided is that they’re inflexible. They don’t account for your personal interests or your past travel experiences. Maybe you’ve already visited some of the Baltic capitals, so you don’t need to visit them or spend as long there.
Which is why, I’ve added this section in. You could always just look around my blog for more ideas on Baltic destinations, but let me save you the hassle. Below are ideas for some easy or worthwhile inclusions that simply didn’t make the final cut of the itineraries.
Add to Your Estonia Itinerary
Maybe because it’s the Baltic country I most recently visited, but I just can’t get enough of Estonia. It feels like there’s still so much for you to see, even if you’re already able to spend one week in Estonia.
While Tallinn and Tartu are the largest cities, there are plenty more cities and towns in Estonia to check out. Narva, way out on the border with Russia, is a big one. The city’s castle is iconic and overall it feels much more like the former-Soviet world that people sometimes expect from the Baltic.
In terms of natural beauty, the town of Viljandi is a stand out for me. Everywhere I looked around town was a lush green, from the castle ruins to its viewpoints over the nearby lake. There’s also a quaintness to Viljandi, from its brick and wood architecture to the cobblestone streets and cosy cafes that’s hard to resist.
I will say, there are also loads of places I haven’t been in Estonia. Sillamäe, once a closed city with lots of Soviet architecture and monuments, sounds fascinating. I’ve barely been to any islands so far, with the likes of Prangli, Hiiumaa, and Kihnu all high on my list.
Add to Your Latvia Itinerary
To me, Latvia doesn’t get enough credit as a destination. It’s where I’ve spent the most time in the Baltic I think and I’m consistently delighted by how much there is to see and do. If you like castles, palaces, and nature, you’re in luck.
While I favour Sigulda, Cesis is another destination in the Gauja Valley that’s really worth visiting. Not only does it have a fun castle ruin to explore that’s bordered by a grand park and manor museum, the town itself is pleasant to wander around.
Destinations like Jelgava and Jekabpils hit similar notes actually; both are a combination of nice natural scenery and cultural landmarks. In Jelgava you have a converted castle and town hall, while Jekabpils features a well-preserved castle. Both offer gorgeous riverfront views, although the horses on the island in Jelgava give it the edge.
There are plenty more places in Latvia that you can look at too. Daugavpils has its fortress, while little Ludza and Rezekne were interesting to explore. Madona, Valmiera, and Ventspils all remain on my to do list, but Ķemeri National Park may be the most prominent place in Latvia I’ve yet to go.
Add to Your Lithuania Itinerary
The Baltic country that’s most grown on me as I’ve travelled there has to be Lithuania. It was the country I knew the least about, partly because I don’t think it’s talked about all that often. Finding new places to visit in Lithuania can be the hardest part, so hopefully this helps you make a start.
While it’s not massive, Ankysciai is a town that I highly recommend. Not only does the town have a few neat landmarks to check out, including an Angel Museum, but the treetop walk through the nearby forest is such a good time.
Look at eastern Lithuania and you’ll see Aukstaitija National Park and a whole bunch of lakes. Whether you want to hike or cycle around the park, it’s a great choice for a simple day in the outdoors. Plus, there are some cultural attractions too, from the church at PalÅ«Å¡Ä— to the carved wooden statues scattered about.
I have to admit, I’m a little light on other places to go in Lithuania. I do know that Druskininkai in the south is said to be a spa town, which I admit sounds interesting. Then there’s the Pažaislis Monastery outside Kaunas which is meant to be quite important. The archaeological site at KernavÄ— also piqued my attention and could be another good day trip from Vilnius.
Before You Go
With your plans to visit the Baltic, you’ll likely want as much as information as you can find before you go. Below you’ll find advice for visiting each of the countries, as well as other Baltic posts that may be useful:
- 9 Things to Know Before Visiting Estonia
- 9 Helpful Things to Know Before Visiting Latvia
- 9 Things to Know Before Visiting Lithuania
- Day Trips from Riga to See More of Latvia
If you’ve visited the Baltic what was your own Baltic travel itinerary like? How long did you spend in the region and was it long enough? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
