Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, cycling 9 days
The Baltic coast and National Parks of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania explored on very scenic routes, including Tallinn and Riga – with their old towns designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Featuring the National Park Lahemaa, which is one of the last unspoiled regions of the Baltic coast, Otepää Lakeland – the so-called “Estonian Switzerland” and the beautiful Gauja River valleys. The tour includes cycling on the Curonian Spit often called the Lithuanian Sahara. Travel from Tallinn, Estonia, in the north, through Latvia and on to Lithuania in the south. Enjoy a great variety of towns, villages and landscapes, and get an excellent feel for the different characters of these distinctive countries.
The tour begins in Tallinn where you get your tour maps with detailed program and route description. Next day your rental bicycles will be ready for your first ride in Lahemaa. This trip is a half-guided tour ie during the whole trip, except Jurmala and the Curonian Spit, our driver with a minibus and bike trailer will be always with you, so that you can take part in city tours (Tallinn, Riga) lead by professional guides. Every day your luggage will be delivered to the next hotel. In case of a breakdown our driver will take care of everything.
Cycling Conditions: We rate this trip as Moderate one. Daily biking routes mainly on low traffic roads and cycle paths range from 20 to 57 km (13-36 miles) each day with a possibility for faster riders to cycle more kilometres on some days like Day 2 (more detours on a circular route in Lahemaa national park), Day 3 (extra distance towards Tartu) and Day 6 (exploring Jurmala Resort). The terrain is varied and rolling with a few gradual hills on some riding days (a few steep ups and downs in Otepää region, the Gauja River valley and on the Curonian Spit) and dead flat most of the tour. The tour covers all three Baltic States and therefore it includes a few long minibus transfers between the most interesting cycling destinations and the capital cities. Our walking sightseeing tours in the capital old towns are along cobbled streets.
Destination: Baltic states
Duration: 9 days
Departure: every Wednesday from May 27 until September 2
Price: 895,00 eur per person in double room; 1235,00 eur in single room
- 8 nights stay in 3* or 4* hotels, including all taxes
- Breakfast daily
- Transfers as per itinerary by air-conditioned minibus
- Luggage transport as per itinerary
- Guided tours in Tallinn and Riga (entrance fees excluded)
- Emergency contact numbers for our English or German speaking representatives
- Individual information package (city guides, maps, programme and route description)
- GPS Tracks
- Arrival and departure transfers
- Lunches and dinners
- Bicycle rent
- ferry from Nida to the mainland
- Entrance fees
- Tips
- Insurance
- anything not mentioned under “the price includes”
Itinerary
Wednesday, arrival in Tallinn, Estonia
Arrive in Tallinn. Individual transfer to the hotel (not included) where you get your tour maps with detailed program and route description. Check-in at the hotel.
18:00 you can join a guided tour of Tallinn. Overnight in hotel.
Thursday: National Park Lahemaa, Estonia (cycling ~53 km/33 miles, by minibus ~90 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. 10:00 meet your minibus driver. After a short transfer you’ll begin your first bicycle trip through National Park Lahemaa which is one of the last unspoiled regions of the Baltic coast. The National park is a nature lover’s paradise. There are dense woods, marshes, lakes and waterfalls to discover. If you prefer wildlife to landscape, you can see moose, wild boars and over 220 bird species. Check-in, free time for dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Friday: Along the Russian border & Lake Peipsi to TARTU, Estonia (cycling ~50 km/31 miles, by minibus ~160 km)
Morning transfer by minibus to Mustvee where you’ll begin a pleasant bicycle trip along Peipsi Lake shore to Varnja. Peipsi is 4th largest lake in Europe, divided in two by the Russian border. En route, you’ll pass many fishing villages. You reach your hotel after a bus transfer to Tartu, a famous, historic university town (the university was founded in 1632). Check-in and overnight at the hotel in Tartu.
Saturday: OTEPÄÄ (“Estonian Switzerland”) & SIGULDA, Latvia (cycling ~28 km/18 miles, by minibus ~235 km)
After a short bus transfer to Otepää, a beautiful place with many lakes, start your cycling through the so-called “Estonian Switzerland” and begin to appreciate the surroundings. Finish your cycling for the day in Sangaste which is famous for its 19th century romantic castle built in the style of Windsor Palace. Transfer to Latvia where your destination is Sigulda, in the Gauja River Valley, which is the most popular resort in Latvia. En route stop in Cesis where you can visit the medieval old town. Check-in and overnight at the hotel in Sigulda.
Sunday: GAUJA National Park & RIGA, Latvia (cycling ~17 km/11 miles, by minibus ~50 km)
Cycling through Gauja National Park, en route enjoy spectacular views of Gauja River valley with the Gutmana Cave and ruins of 13thC Crusaders Castle in Sigulda and Turaida Castle. Afternoon transfer to Riga, the capital of Latvia, where a guided tour of the charming Old Town awaits. After check-in at the hotel exploring the medieval Hanseatic town famous for its Art Nouveau buildings. Overnight at hotel in Riga.
RIGA & JURMALA Seaside resort, Latvia (cycling ~35 km/22 miles, by train ~25 km)
Today you are free to explore Riga on your own and take a cycle ride on a bicycle path to Jurmala, a renowned Latvian seaside resort well known for its long, white, sand beaches, mineral waters and mud with healing properties. We recommend to take the opportunity to bath in the sea and try cycling along the beach – its well worth it! In the evening take a local train back to Riga (30 min; not included). Overnight in Riga.
Tuesday: Hill of Crosses & Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route (cycling ~42 km/26 miles or 32 km/20 miles, by minibus ~290 km)
Transfer by minibus to Lithuanian Seaside. En-route stop at the Hill of Crosses, the unforgettable sight of thousands of crosses on two small hills. Begin your cycle ride to Klaipėda on a beautiful bicycle path, which lies along the Baltic Coast in the Seaside Regional Park. En route pass Palanga, the well-known Lithuanian seaside resort. Enjoy a break here; perhaps visit the renowned Botanical Park, Amber Museum and the 470m pier heading out into the Baltic Sea. Check-in and overnight at the hotel in Klaipeda.
Wednesday: CURONIAN SPIT & the Hill of Witches, Lithuania (cycling ~57 km/36 miles, by minibus ~50 km)
After the breakfast you cross the lagoon by ferry (not included) and start cycling on an asphalt bike path which takes you along the Curonian Spit to Nida, the most beautiful resort in Lithuania, famous for impressive sand dunes, the Amber Gallery, etc. En route you can visit the Hill of Witches which houses almost a hundred whimsical wooden sculptures about Lithuanian legends scattered along a forest path. Or, if you prefer, watch a colony of grey herons and cormorants, explore the “Dead” sand dunes on foot, swim in the Baltic Sea or, simply relax, & take in the sun on golden beaches. Transfer back to Klaipėda and overnight.
Thursday, departure from Klaipeda
Breakfast at the hotel and departure.
Why I love this holiday
Inese Kalnina
