Day 1 – Dublin to Vilnius

Depart Dublin for Vilnius. On arrival in Vilnius Airport transfer to your hotel (IBIS VILNIUS CENTER 3*). Overnight at your hotel in Vilnius.

Day 2 – Vilnius & Trakai Castle

Breakfast at the hotel. Vilnius city tour half day – ~2km + walking tour/ max 3 hrs. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania was founded in 1323 when Grand Duke Gediminas built a castle there, nowadays bustling city with one of the oldest and most charming Old Towns in Europe. The splendid architectural blend of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles makes this a wonderful city to explore. During sightseeing tour you will visit Old town, which is included to the UNESCO World Heritage. Visit Cathedral and Cathedral Square and pass by Gediminas Avenue, the Parliament and President’s Palace, Vilnius University and Town Hall. Continue walking narrow old streets, visit St. Anna’s Church – a gem of Gothic architecture, Gates of Dawn and St. Peter-Paul Church.

Afternoon tour to Trakai Castle – ~70 km/ max 4hrs. Trakai, the former capital of Lithuania, which is situated on an island in the middle of a lake. The 14th century red brick castle now houses the Art Museum. The castles of Trakai are the best known works of defensive architecture in Lithuania. The old town of Trakai, which includes the Island and the Peninsula Castles, surrounded by lakes, is one of the most impressive and most picturesque locations in Europe. Here still reside small national minority of Karaites, which is confessing Judaism. It is believed they were brought from the Crimea by the Grand Lithuanian Duke Vytautas. Return to Vilnius, dinner & overnight at the hotel IBIS VILNIUS CENTER 3*

Day 3 – Vilnius

Breakfast at the hotel. Today visit KGB – The Museum of Genocide Victims in Vilnius. For Lithuanians, the KGB Museum symbolises the 50-year-long Soviet occupation. During World War II it was the site of Gestapo headquarters and later of the KGB. It is the only one of its kind museums in former Soviet Union and presents historical documents about the forms of physical and spiritual genocide against Lithuanian people, the ways and extent of the resistance against the Soviet regime. Free afternoon & Overnight at hotel IBIS VILNIUS CENTER 3*

Day 4 – VILNIUS & SIAULIAI & RUNDALE & RIGA~350 km/ 5hrs drive

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Latvia. On the way, stopover at the Hill of Crosses near Sauliai. The Hill of Crosses, Kryžių Kalnas, located 12 kilometers north of the small industrial city of Siauliai (pronounced shoo-lay) is the Lithuanian national pilgrimage center. Standing upon a small hill are many hundreds of thousands of crosses that represent Christian devotion and a memorial to Lithuanian national identity.

Further travel to Rundale Palace, the most magnificent masterpiece of baroque architecture in the Baltic States, lies at a distance of 70 km from Riga. It was built in the first part of the 18th century by the Italian architect F. B. Rastrelli, the baroque genius from Italy who created many of St. Petersburg’s finest buildings including the Winter Palace. The professionally renovated palace interiors are decorated with authentic 18th cent. furniture, paintings and china. The most impressive are the Golden Hall, the White Hall, the bedroom of the Duke of Courland Johan Ernst Biron. The palace boasts a beautiful French-style park.

Further travel Riga. Check in the hotel, dinner and overnight in Riga. (RIXWELL KONVENTA SETA / RIXWELL OLD RIGA PALACE 3*/4* in Riga)

Day 5 – Riga

Breakfast at the hotel. Today Enjoy Riga – Capital of Latvia Sightseeing Tour begins with driving along the central boulevards of Riga, enjoying the view of the City Canal parks, the Bastion Hill, the Powder Tower, the Latvian National Theatre, the Fine Arts Museum, the Art Nouveau buildings of the beginning of the century, the Freedom Monument erected in 1935 to celebrate Latvia’s independence, University of Latvia, the Opera House, and Daugava River with its bridges.

During the walking part of the tour you will enjoy the beauty of the ancient Hanseatic city, while strolling through the cobble-stone, picturesque streets of the Old Town. In Old Riga you will see the Dome Cathedral which boasts one of the world’s largest pipe organs, St. Peter’s Church with magnificent views of the city from its steeple, the old Guild Houses, the Swedish Gate, the architectural ensemble Three Brothers, St. Jacob’s Church, the Parliament House, Old Riga Castle, and view the many wonderfully restored buildings, now housing cozy restaurants, cafes, bars and souvenir shops.

Continue to Art Nouveau area, once home to many of Latvia’s most famous artists, writers, and scholars. You will see why Riga came to be known as one of Europe’s leading exponents of the late 19th and early century architectural style of Art Nouveau. Riga boasts greatest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe, which are among the finest and best-preserved in the world.

Free afternoon to enjoy Riga city at leisure. Overnight at hotel * RIXWELL KONVENTA SETA / RIXWELL OLD RIGA PALACE 3*/4* in Riga

Day 6 – RIGA & SIGULDA & TURAIDA & PARNU & TALLINN ~ 360km/ 5hrs20 min drive

Breakfast at the hotel. Route to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. On the way visit of beautiful Gauja National Park.

One of the most picturesque towns in Latvia – Sigulda, often called the Latvian Switzerland, is located about 50 km from Riga in the Gauja River valley. Sigulda is situated in the Gauja National Park and is known as the most popular tourist and leisure destination as well as a famous winter sports resort in Latvia because of its bob-sleigh track and the down-hill skiing routes.

Experience a genuine whiff of the Middle Ages, a time of romantic legends, castles and heroic figures, visiting the ruins of the 13th cent. Crusader Castle, and the 19th cent. Kropotkin’s Palace in the outskirts of Sigulda. By coach you will travel down into the river valley, enjoy the landscape and the walk to the sandstone grottoes on the ancient river bank.

The Turaida Museum Reserve is the historical centre of Turaida and comprises archaeological, historical and art monuments that tell us about the events that have taken place since the 11th century. Turaida church, one of the oldest wooden churches built by the local rural craftsmen, is situated here. A graveyard was established here for the first baptized Liivs. Under an old linden tree is the legendary tomb of Roze that commemorates a girl who sacrificed herself in the name of love. The “Folk Song Garden”, containing 25 sculptures by Indulis Ranka, is situated on the site of a former ancient Liiv village. It is dedicated to Latvian folk songs and to the lifelong work of their collector Krisjanis Barons.

Next stop in Parnu:

Pärnu is the best known Estonian resort and also a Hanseatic city, a harbour city and a university city. The sleepy rhythm of Pärnu changes completely when the flag of the Estonian summer capital starts flying high on the summer equinox – life on the beach, dozens of festivals, night clubs and the big party crowd that have moved here. The city is very charming and it contains a nice 19th century shopping district. While walking in the city enjoy its parks and the streets. Further travel to Tallinn.

Check in the hotel, dinner and overnight in Tallinn.(PARK INN by RADISSON MERITON / HESTIA EUROPA 4*)

Day 7 – Tallinn

Breakfast at the hotel. Tallinn City tour. City tour of Tallinn, a picturesque old city, where whole districts date back to the Middle Ages. You will visit the Old Town with its quaint narrow streets and beautiful merchants’ houses exemplifying the best of Gothic architecture. The tour includes Toompea Castle, the 13th century Dome church, the 19th century Russian orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevskij, the 15th century town Hall square, the Old Guild built to celebrate Tallinn’s membership in the Hanseatic League, and St. Olaf’s church. On Driving part visit Tallinn’s suburbs and Song Festival Grounds, St Brigitte’s monastery and Pirita area.

Free afternoon. Overnight at the hotel in Tallinn. * PARK INN by RADISSON MERITON / HESTIA EUROPA 4*

Day 8 – Free Day 

Breakfast at your hotel. Today, enjoy some free time for shopping and sightseeing of your choice. Overnight at your hotel in Tallinn.

Day 9 – Tallinn to Dublin

Breakfast at your hotel and check-out. Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Dublin.