Walks of the Baltics and Finland

We begin in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and our tour starts at the hotel. If you arrive in good time you may want to walk around the baroque old town – said to be the largest of its kind in eastern Europe. This evening, say sveiki (hello) to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner together. Want to explore Vilnius further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We start with a tour of the Vilnius highlights, taking in the old town and its main churches; historic monuments, such as the Gates of Dawn; Vilnius University, the oldest in Lithuania; and Cathedral Square. There’s free time for lunch in Vilnius, then we hop in a transfer (approximately 50 minutes) to Kernavė, a city alive with myths and legends. It’s home to five hill forts and we enjoy an impressive view of the winding Neris River. We then have time for a walk in Neris Regional Park. We take the White Hill Educational Trail, the beginning of which has an observation platform on White Hill itself with views over the picturesque twists of the Neris. Never straying far from the river, it leads us to a designated resting area and, beyond that, through a beautiful forest to the hill forts. We finish by driving to Trakai, where we see a fairytale island castle on Lake Galvė, before returning to Vilnius.

Take a 185mi (300km) transfer (approximately four hours) to Zemaitijos National Park for a walking adventure. Our hike takes us to Plokstine, a one-time Soviet missile base and now the Cold War Museum. Here, we can see inside underground bunkers and learn about the Cold War in the Baltics. After, we cross the border into Latvia as we transfer to the port city of Liepaja, where we stay overnight.

This morning, we drive to Kuldīga, said to be the prettiest town in the country. Here we see the Venta Rapid, a wide cascade of water, and enjoy a walk along its width. In spring and autumn, when spawning fish migrate upstream, you can watch from the banks as flying fish try to jump over the rapid. An impressive brick bridge, built in 1874, runs parallel to the waterfall and is an excellent place to admire the site. Then we take a transfer (approximately one hour) to a vineyard for a wine/cider tasting, in which the winemaker will explain their wine-making process. We visit the wine cellar and learn about the history of wine making. During the tasting, different kinds of wines, cheese and snacks are served. For those who do not wish to or cannot consume alcohol, we offer juices. We then drive to Riga, where have a walking tour of the capital taking in the riverside Riga Castle, Riga Cathedral, late-medieval fortifications, the Latvian parliament building and a district of art nouveau buildings.

Enjoy a more relaxed pace today, discovering Riga on foot. A guided walking tour of around 2hr 30min-3hr introduces us to the city’s Art Nouveau district, where early 20th-century prosperity left a bold architectural legacy. Along streets such as Alberta Street, we take time to study sculpted facades, mythological figures and finely worked floral and geometric details, learning how the Jugendstil movement shaped Riga’s identity at the turn of the century. With one of Europe’s largest concentrations of Art Nouveau buildings, this walk offers valuable insight into the city’s cultural history. The afternoon is free to spend as you wish, perhaps unwinding in nearby parks, stopping at a cafe or browsing shops in the city centre.

We depart today for Estonia, with a transfer (approximately five-hour drive and 30-minute ferry) to Saaremaa, the largest of more than 2,200 islands in the country. Around 28mi (45km) from Riga, we stop in the town of Saulkrasti, where we walk along the seashore boardwalk and across dunes. If the weather’s playing nicely, we may be able to extend our walk. After, we stop in the coastal resort of Parnu for lunch. We then finish our transfer, staying overnight in Kuressaare, the capital (and only town) on Saaremaa.

Today, we explore the second largest island in Estonia, Hiiumaa, which forms part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is devoid of noise or light pollution. After a one-hour ferry transfer and bus trip, we start our trail to the end of Sääretirp, a thin headland with honeysuckle, alder buckthorn, buckthorn, sea kale and snowball trees. If you want to swim here, please note the shore is rocky: water shoes for walking on the stones will enhance the experience. We then drive to Kardla (approximately 30 minutes), the only town on the island. It’s a tranquil spot built within a crater formed by a meteorite strike about 455m years ago. We then walk to two lighthouses: Tahkuna, which at 140ft (42m) is the tallest in Estonia, and Kopu, which is among the oldest functioning lighthouses in the world. At the latter, we climb the tower for panoramic views. It’s then back to Saaremaa.