Cycling the Baltic States

Our tour begins in Lithuania's vibrant capital, Vilnius. With its blend of Medieval and Baroque architecture and its cosmopolitan nightlife, the city offers the perfect introduction to the duality of the Baltic capitals. For those arriving in time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting, followed by dinner for those who fancy it. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive at any time. Should you miss the meeting, our tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Vilnius International Airport (VNO), around a twenty-minute drive away from our hotel. Arriving earlier in the day? You might like to get acquainted with Vilnius' old town, with its network of quaint, cobbled streets, or head for lunch in the trendy Naujamiestis (Uptown) neighbourhood. Food in the Baltic States is traditionally hearty, influenced by Russia and Germany, and favours comforting soups and casseroles. The capital cities are known for their thriving food and drink scenes, offering up dishes from around the world. There's a focus on homegrown cooking, using local produce, which doesn't stop at the food - you'll stumble upon locally brewed beer at every turn, too.

This morning, we drive 28 kilometres from Vilnius to Trakai Historical National Park. As we leave the capital, the landscape becomes more rural with abundant forests, lakes, rivers and farmsteads to look out on. There's the option to visit Trakai Castle, set on an island in Lake Galve. The 14th-century Gothic castle was built by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and now houses various exhibits on Lithuania's history. We'll marvel at the stunning architecture and unique setting before heading inside(note, if there is a function taking place, we might not be able to go inside). We'll continue to Senieji Trakai (or Old Trakai), to prepare our bikes for our first ride. We'll get acquainted with our bikes with a ride through town, where there are plenty of cafes for a lunch break. After lunch, we'll pedal on around the shores of the lake and along roads and cycle paths that take us up to Uzutrakis Manor House. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 13 kilometres/8 miles.

This morning, we'll see more of Lithuania's verdant countryside with a four-to-five-hour drive towards the Baltic Sea and Kintai village. We'll stop here for lunch before pedalling off on a 10 kilometre/6.2 mile ride. We'll cycle beside the Curonian Lagoon, along a quiet, paved road to Vente Cape. Vente Cape is a small peninsula on the eastern side of Curonian Lagoon which attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year thanks to the region's bird migration. We'll visit Ventes Ragas, the 19th-century lighthouse, and the Ornithological Station where the migration pattern of many birds are tracked and recorded. Afterwards, we'll cycle back the same 10 kilometre/6.2 mile route to Kintai village. From here, we'll join a forest bike track and continue along the bumpy route through the fishing villages of Priekule and Surmai to Dreverna, where our vehicle will meet us to transfer us to Klaipeda. Klaipeda is the third biggest city in Lithuania, an important port and Lithuania's chief gateway to the Baltic Sea. Like much of Lithuania, it has a varied history, evident today in its architecture, from the German-style wood-framed houses to the neoclassical buildings that make up the city's old town. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 39 kilometres/24.1 miles.

Today, we'll take a short bus ride to the harbour, followed by a five-minute ferry to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Curonian Spit National Park before continuing with a one-hour drive to Nida. We'll stop en-route to see the Hill of Witches in Juodkrante, home to a colony of grey herons and cormorants. Nida is a charming fishing village with golden dunes and old wooden fishermen's houses. We'll take to our bikes for a peaceful cycle around the village, continuing along the spit through hundred-year-old pine forests and alongside the giant dunes. Eventually, we'll leave our bikes behind and take a short walk up the Dead Dunes to enjoy the panoramic view of the Baltic Sea and Curonian Lagoon. After relaxing in Juodkrante, we'll have the choice to take the bus back to our hotel or go by bike. The journey involves a 12 kilometre/7.5 mile cycle from Juodkrante to Smiltyne, then take the ferry back to Klaipeda harbour before pedalling the final 2-4 kilometres/1.2-2.5 miles to our hotel. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 36 kilometres/22.3 miles, with an optional 22 kilometre/13.6 mile ride back to the hotel.

A short drive from our hotel in Klaipeda will drop us at our next cycling route. We'll join a dedicated path along the coastline and through the Giruliai Forest to the popular summer resort of Palanga. Along the way, we'll visit the Seaside Regional Park, including the Dutchmen's cap - a 24-metre-high cliff, the fishing village of Karkle, Plaze Lake and the former lifeguard station in Nemirseta. Before lunch, we'll explore Palanga Botanical Park and the biggest Amber Museum in the Baltics. Palanga is a popular holiday destination in Lithuania thanks to its beautiful sweeping beach. From Palanga, we'll continue to cycle a further 15 kilometres/9.3 miles, finishing in Sventoji where we'll meet our bus to drive to Riga - around a four-to-five-hour drive. The capital of Latvia, Riga is a charming city known for its Art Nouveau buildings and bustling old town. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 37 kilometres/23 miles.

After breakfast this morning, we'll drive to Jurmala. On the coast of Riga, Jurmala has 32 kilometres of sandy shores fringed with pine forests and old wooden summer cottages. The city has had a reputation as a spa destination since the late 18th century and many people venture here to take advantage of the sea breeze, pine aroma and mineral springs. We'll spend some time exploring the city on our bikes, followed by free time to relax with a coffee or ice cream. There'll then be the option to return to Riga by bus or cycle the 25 kilometres/15.5 miles back and the rest of the day is free to discover more of Riga. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 12 kilometres/7.4 miles, with a further optional 25 kilometres/15.5 miles.

This morning, we'll drive around 6 hours to Lahemaa National Park, Estonia's first and largest national park. It's an interesting mix of coastal bluffs, dense forest and 7000-year-old bogs, 18th-century manor houses, fishing villages and plenty of lakes and rivers, too. The rocky coastline is strewn with erratic boulders that were carried here by glaciers thousands of years ago. Most of our cycle ride will be on well-paved routes with little traffic. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 41 kilometres/25.4 miles.

This morning, we'll continue to explore the vast natural beauty of Lahemaa National Park by bike. There are four large peninsulas in Lahemaa and one of them constitutes the northernmost point of continental Estonia. The park is home to moose, boars, brown bears, lynxes, foxes, beavers and the Ural Owl and Black Woodpecker. We'll cycle a circular route before rejoining our bus. When we've finished in the park, we'll have lunch at a local café before driving around one and a half hours to Tallinn. We aim to arrive in Tallinn in time for a free afternoon exploring the city. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 37 kilometres/23 miles.

Our tour of the Baltic states ends at our hotel in Tallinn. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (TLL), around a ten-minute drive from the hotel.