LITHUANIA
LATVIA
ESTONIA
FROM KAUNAS TO SILLAMÄE ACROSS THE SOVIET REMNANTS OF THE BALTIC STATES
Far from the postcard-like alleys of central Tallinn, tucked away from Vilnius’ hipster cafés, hidden behind Riga’s polished Art-Nouveau façades, there is a different Baltic awaiting to be (re)discovered. The Soviet legacy of the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) still lives on in a vast plethora of grandiose architectural shapes, melancholic seaside resorts, imposing war memorials, powerful monuments, and poignant artworks.
JULY 11 ⇾ JULY 23
DAY 1•WELCOME to the BALTiC
Meet-and-greet at Vilnius International Airport and hotel transfer.
Rest of the day at your own leisure to get acquainted with the relaxed atmospheres of Lithuania’s tranquil capital.
Late-afternoon introductory lecture on the Soviet architectural and cultural heritage of the Baltic States.
Traditional Lithuanian dinner and night out on the town in the company of our local guides.
Overnight in Vilnius.
DAY 2•SOVIET Vilnius
Full-day Soviet-themed architectural and historical tour in and around Vilnius and visit to both Žvėrynas, a leafy and classy neighbourhood known for its ornate timber houses from the early 1900s, and Fabijoniškės, the USSR-era pre-fab district that rose to fame as one of the main filming locations in the historical tv miniseries Chernobyl.
Overnight in Vilnius.
DAY 3•MODERNIST Kaunas
Transfer to Kaunas via the historical city of Trakai, home to a splendid island castle and a thriving Jewish-Karaite community, and Elektrėnai, a Soviet planned town erected around the namesake power plant.
Half-day architecture tour around and about Kaunas and visit to the imposing USSR-era sculptural complex located at the nearby 9th Fort Memorial.
Overnight in Kaunas.
DAY 4•Curonian Spit
Morning scenic drive towards the Baltic shores and along the UNESCO-listed Curonian Spit, a thin and curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the main Baltic coastline.
The southern portion of the Curonian Spit lies within Kaliningrad Oblast, in Russia, whereas its northern end belongs to the Klaipėda County, in Lithuania.
De rigueur visit to the Curonian Sand Dunes and traditional sea-food dinner in graceful Nida.
Overnight in Nida.
DAY 5•BALTIC RUINS
Soviet-themed visits to the elegant resort towns Klaipėda and Palanga with their rich heritage of USSR-era stained glass artworks and murals.
Guided tour of the unmissable Amber Museum, afternoon transfer to Liepāja, in neighbouring Latvia, and Soviet tour around the former naval base of Karosta.
Dinner-time arrival in the placid provincial town of Ventspils and short walk around its picturesque historical centre.
Overnight in Ventspils.
DAY 6•SOMBER MEMORIES
Transfer to Riga with en route stops in Tukums, home to an interestingly dynamic sculptural complex honouring the Soviet-led liberation of the country, and in Jūrmala, a large seaside resort town full of eclectic architectural gems.
Compulsory visit to the Soviet-era Salaspils Memorial Ensemble, erected on the site of a Nazi labour camp, and traditional Latvian dinner in the capital.
Overnight in Riga.
DAY 7•SOVIET Riga
Half-day Soviet-themed tour in and around Riga, visit to the once run-down neighbourhood of Maskavas Forštate and late-afternoon stroll in the old town.
Traditional Russian-Latvian dinner to conclude our last day in the most ethnically diverse capital of the Baltic States.
Overnight in Riga.
DAY 8•LIVELY TARTU
Early-morning transfer to Estonia with en-route stops at the Soviet planned cities of Vangaži and Seda.
Visit to the divided city of Valka/Valga on the Latvian-Estonian border and afternoon arrival in Tartu, a history-rich university city with a thriving cultural life and a few Soviet-era monumental and architectural highlights.
Overnight in Tartu.
DAY 9•REMOTE ISLANDS
Full-day excursion to Piirissaar, a remote island located in Lake Peipus, the largest trans-boundary lake in Europe, lying on the border between Estonia and Russia.
Piirissaar cultural tour with a member of the local Russian-speaking community of elderly (former) Soviet citizens still inhabiting the island.
Traditional Russian luncheon on Piirissaar and transfer back to Tartu in the late afternoon with a short detour to the lighthouse hamlet of Mehikoorma.
Overnight in Tartu.
DAY 10•NEOCLASSICAL GEMS
Long overland drive towards Russian-speaking Eastern Estonia via the lakeside townlets of Mustvee and Vasknarva.
Visit to the Soviet-era modernist resorts of Jõesuu and afternoon arrival in Narva, a large Soviet-shaped city lying right on the border with the Russian Federation.
Monumental tour in and around Narva and transfer to the USSR-planned town of Sillamäe.
Overnight in Sillamäe.
DAY 11•SOVIET TALLINN
Morning visit around Sillamäe, a true jewel of socialist neoclassical architecture and urbex tour around the dying mining town of Kohtla-Järve.
Arrival in Tallinn in the early afternoon after a last detour to the former Soviet submarine base at Hara and half-day Soviet-themed tour in and around Tallinn.
Overnight in Tallinn.
DAY 12•RUSSIAN ECHOES
Day-trip to the Russian-speaking town of Paldiski and the nearby crystal clear waters of the limestone quarry near Rummu.
Free afternoon at your own leisure in Tallinn’s old town.
Overnight in Tallinn.
DAY 13•AWAY WE GO
Shuttle service to Tallinn International Airport for your return or transfer to the bus station to catch a coach to yet another exciting destination in the region.
Possible tour extensions to this itinerary include: East Germany and/or Belarus.
End of the tour.
1995 €
INCLUSIONS
Double/twin room accommodation (breakfast included), private ground transportation in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (car/minivan), ferry tickets, entrance fees, English-speaking guiding and translation service, 24/7 on-site and remote assistance.
EXCLUSIONS
Single supplement, international flights, main meals (lunches and dinners), extra drinks, visa fees (if required), tips, travel insurance.
