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Are you a first-time visitor to the three Baltic States – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia? Our Baltic itinerary is designed for independent travellers who want to explore Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (ideally by public transport) and experience a bit of everything: the capital cities, historic sights, national parks, and coastal and inland highlights. Starting in Vilnius and finishing in Tallinn, it follows a practical south-to-north route that can also be done in reverse. Use it as a framework for planning a three-week Baltic trip and adjust it as needed to suit your interests, budget and travel style.
The flags of the three Baltic countries (from left to right): Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Why the Baltics are worth visiting
While they have a young, dynamic feel, the Baltics have a lot of history waiting to be discovered. From Teutonic Knights to Russian Tsars and both Fascist and Socialist dictatorships, the Baltic countries had (more than) their fair share of invaders. The remnants from those times are everywhere: Quaint medieval old towns sit side by side with austere Soviet-era architecture, Catholic and Protestant churches next to the onion-shaped domes of Eastern Orthodox edifices. Even the Baltic cuisine can tell you stories.
Baltic food is hearty, with influences from the foreign forces that invaded and occupied the Baltics over the centuries
If that’s not enough, the Baltic Way was a remarkable moment in history, when 2 million people joined hands to form a human chain stretching from Vilnius through Riga to Tallinn, a powerful symbol of unity and a pivotal step towards independence. After over four decades of Soviet occupation, all three nations regained their independence in the early 1990s – a moment celebrated with great pride by Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians every year.
These days, the Baltics are a peaceful place (fingers crossed it stays that way, given what is going on in Ukraine). Travelling around Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia feels safe. People are friendly, albeit often a bit shy: many people over 50 don’t speak English.
2019 markes the 30th Anniversary of the Baltic Way, which ultimately led to the Baltics regaining their independence
If you’re more into nature and the outdoors, the Baltics have you covered, too. Firstly, there are several thousand kilometres of Baltic coastline (Estonia alone has more than 2,000 islands), over 10,000 lakes and more than 5,000 kilometres of rivers. So, if anything water-related is your thing, you’re spoilt for choice. Likewise, if you love hiking or cycling, you can choose between 15 National Parks – 5 in Lithuania, 4 in Latvia and 6 in Estonia. We have incorporated a few of them into this itinerary.
The Baltics are home to 15 national parks | Photo by MrDucktail on Pixabay
The countries are also still relatively unspoilt when it comes to tourism (at least compared to other European countries). Most visitors seem to focus on the UNESCO-protected historic old towns of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn which are advertised in every tourism marketing brochure. But there is so much more to the Baltics than the capital cities and their medieval hearts. And given their compact size, even regional sights are in easy reach.
When is the best time to travel to the Baltic States?
While our favourite travel time of the year is usually Spring (mid-March to end-May) and Autumn (mid-September to mid-December), the three Baltic countries are best visited in Summer (June to September), when the temperatures are in the low 20s (centigrade that is), and the days are long. If you want to experience the Baltics in the Winter, come in February or March, when snow is still likely, but the days are (getting) longer.
The Baltics are best visited in summer when the temperatures are warm and the days are long
Stay connected the moment you land
We use Airalo eSIMs on (almost) every trip to avoid roaming charges and the hassle of buying a local SIM. You can install your eSIM before you travel and get online as soon as you arrive. Airalo works in 200+ countries (we've used it across the Americas, Europe and Asia), but not everywhere - so check coverage before you buy.
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3 countries in 3 weeks: Lithuania – Latvia – Estonia
We’ve put together an itinerary that shows you a bit of everything: historic cities, National Parks and the Baltic Sea. While our itinerary starts in Vilnius (south) and finishes in Tallinn (north), it can easily be done the other way around.
All the places we recommend are reachable by public transport. Although, to make things a bit easier for you, we do recommend one-day car rentals for some of our day trips. Don’t worry: we provide you with all the resources you need to organise your transportation.
While this itinerary is built around a week in each country – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – you can easily add days here and there if you’ve got more time. Likewise, if you can only visit one country, pick the one that sounds most interesting to you (and come back for the other two another time).
Let’s have a look which places we have in mind for you.
Map of Accommodation, Points of Interest, Eateries and Transport
Below is a map of the recommended accommodations, points of interest, eateries, and transport terminals or stops mentioned in this article.
| Suggested Duration | Destination |
|---|---|
| LITHUANIA Arrival Airport: Vilnius (VNO) | |
| 2 days | Vilnius and surrounds |
| 2 days | Kaunas and surrounds |
| 2 days | Klaipėda and the Curonian Spit (optional: Palanga) |
| 1 day | Šiauliai (Hill of Crosses) |
| LATVIA | |
| 2 days | Riga |
| 1 day | Jūrmala and Ķemeri National Park |
| 2 days | Bauska and Rundāle |
| 2 days | Sigulda, Cēsis and Gauja National Park |
| ESTONIA | |
| 2 days | Tartu and surrounds |
| 3 days | Tallinn and surrounds |
| 2 days | Saaremaa |
| Departure Airport: Tallinn (TLL) |
To delve deeper into each country’s individual one-week itinerary, click on the country in the table above or the respective tile below.
What language is spoken in the Baltic States?
As neighbours that share a common history, you might think that the people in the Baltics speak the same language. It couldn’t be further from the truth. While some words are the same in Lithuanian and Latvian (for example, Hello = Sveiki), the three languages of the Baltics are VERY different:
- Lithuanian and Latvian originate from the same Eastern Baltic language branch, but their development diverged from around 800AD.
- As a Finno-Ugric language, Estonian is closely related to Finnish (and distantly to Hungarian).
| Word/Phrase | Lithuanian | Latvian | Estonian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | Sveiki | Sveiki | Tere |
| Goodbye | Sudie | Visu labu | Hüvasti |
| Please | Prašau | Lūdzu | Palun |
| Thank You | Ačiū | Paldies | Aitäh! |
| How much is it? | Kiek tai kainuoja? | Cik tas maksā? | Kui palju see maksab? |
Want to learn more about the Baltics?
Wonder what the food is like in the Baltics? Check out our article about the Traditional food and drinks you must try when visiting the Baltics. Want to learn some interesting facts about what makes Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia unique? We’ve collated 12 surprising insights from our travels through the Baltics.
How to get around the Baltics (by public transport)
With good public transport systems in each country (and a high-speed rail network that connects the three countries with the rest of Europe due to open in 2030), travelling around the Baltics by train and/or bus is super easy. And we’ve made it even easier for you – by listing the modes of transport that are the fastest and/or most convenient between the destinations on our itinerary:
| From | To | Best Mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vilnius | Kaunas | Train | Frequent trains take less than 1.5 hours |
| Kaunas | Klaipėda | Coach | Coaches take 2.5-3 hours (and are frequent) |
| Kaunas | Šiauliai | Train OR Coach | Direct trains take around 2 1/4 hours (but are limited), direct coaches are more frequent (but take 2.5-3 hours) |
| Klaipėda | Šiauliai | Train | Frequent trains take about 2 hours |
| Šiauliai | Riga | Train | Frequent trains take just under 2 hours |
| Riga | Sigulda | Cēsis | Train OR Bus | Frequent trains and buses take ~1 hour (to Sigulda) and another 30-45 minutes (to Cēsis) |
| Cēsis | Tartu (via Valga) | Train from Cēsis to Tartu (or Valga) | Train from Valga to Tartu | Trains take around 2.5 hours (most require a change in Valga) |
| Tartu | Tallinn | Train | Frequent trains take just over 2 hours |
| Tallinn | Kuressaare | Bus/Ferry OR Plane | Coaches take just under 4 hours (including ferry crossing) | Planes take around 40 minutes |
Train travel in the Baltics
In Lithuania, you can buy your train tickets via the Lithuanian Railways website or app or using the ticket machines in the stations. In Latvia, train tickets can be purchased at the train station (from staffed ticket offices or machines) and through the Latvian Railways website or app. In Estonia, you can only buy train tickets online on the Estonian railway website or app.
While Rail Baltica is still being constructed, there are already some direct trains that connect Vilnius with Riga (and Tallinn). These trains can be booked via any of the Railways’ websites/apps of the countries they are travelling through. Additional trains travel between Valga (near the Estonian/Latvian border) and Tartu/Tallinn (north) as well as Riga (south). While these trains tend to be synched with each other (so you won’t wait long in Valga), connections are only shown on the websites of the Estonian and Latvian Railways, respectively (and tickets need to be bought separately for each train).
Also note: Some trains sell out in peak season (especially the direct international trains), so if you travel during the Summer, buy your tickets in advance.
And in case you’re wondering: Most trains in the Baltics have (reasonably good and) free Wi-Fi. So, if you need to catch up on some emails or travel with kids who find looking out of the window boring, no problem.
Trains in the Baltics are clean, comfortable, affordable and reliable - with free Wifi
Bus travel in the Baltics
Bus tickets in Lithuania can be purchased here. This includes intraregional buses (for example, between Kaunas and Birštonas or Klaipėda and Palanga), intercity coaches (for example, between Kaunas and Klaipėda), as well as intercountry coaches (for example, between Šiauliai and Riga – as an alternative to trains).
Bus tickets in Latvia can be bought here. On intraregional buses (for example, Riga – Bauska or Bauska – Rundāle), you can also purchase tickets as you enter the bus. Cards are generally accepted but do bring some cash in case the machine doesn’t work.
In Estonia, you can purchase intercity bus tickets through the Tpilet website (an aggregator that lists connections of all the providers covering a specific route). Lux Express in Estonia offers bus connections between Tartu and Tallinn (as alternative to trains), Tallinn and Kuressaare (on the island of Saaremaa, which includes the ferry ride from/to the mainland) and many other routes (including intercountry options between all three Baltic countries).
There are reliable bus connections pretty much everywhere in the Baltics
Hiring a car in the Baltics
While you don’t really need a car to explore the Baltics, we know some of you prefer your own wheels (and we do recommend hiring one for some of our day trips).
How to find the best deals on rental cars
While we use public transport wherever possible, occasionally hiring a car or scooter makes it easier or gets us to places we couldn't reach otherwise. Whenever we do hire a vehicle, our first point of call is local providers. A quick Google Maps search shows who's near us. We then check the reviews and only contact those other travellers who had good experiences with. If we can't find anyone we're comfortable with, we search for car rental deals on Booking.com. They partner with trusted brands like Hertz, Avis, Budget or Europcar (and, in some locations, local providers, too).
While all destinations on our Baltics itinerary can be reached by public transport, for some day trips, we recommend hiring a car | Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash
Have you explored the Baltics? What other tips would you add?
I created this Baltics itinerary based on our own experience. If you have been to the Baltics recently, and you have something to add, please feel free to contact me.
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