The Magical Baltic States and Poland

Details

Transportation

Service of 1st class public motor coach (reclining seats, TV, wifi and drinks) between Tallinn and Riga, private transfer with driver between Riga and Krakow as well as portage at hotels. Transfer between Vilnius and Riga is a mini-bus small group tour with stops along the way. Transfers from the airport and private transfers from the bus terminals to your hotel.

Included

• 12 x buffet breakfast
• 12 overnights at 4 star hotels
• Service of English speaking private guide in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw and Krakow including 'meet and greet' service in Tallinn and Vilnius
• Walking tour of Krakow
• Tour to Wieliczka Salt Mine (transfer from Krakow without a guide, guided tour in English at the Salt Mine)
• Private tour of Warszawa with Royal Castle, English speaking guide and transport
• 4 hrs tour of Św Lipka, Kętrzyn, Giżycko in Masurian Lakeland with local English speaking guide assistance
• Portage at hotels
• Private airport transfers
• Mini-bus small group tour between Vilnius and Riga, luxury public bus between Riga and Tallinn. Private mini-van between Riga and Warsaw.
• 24-hour emergency service

Not Included

• Flights
• Items of personal nature
• Optional excursions
• Travel Insurance

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive Krakow

Arrival in Krakow, transfer to Queen Boutique Hotel or similar and check in.

Accommodation

Day 2 - Explore Krakow with a sightseeing tour and visit the Wieliczka Salt mines

After breakfast, it is time to head out and explore Krakow. It is said that the city was founded on the defeat of a dragon and, sure enough, walking along the streets of the Old Town, the magical quality of the scenery all around makes one tempted to believe in the myth. The beautiful buildings represent all architectural styles from the early Romanesque to the Modernist periods, making the city one of the most beautiful and outstanding examples of European urban planning.

The morning your private walking tour takes you to the Old Town with the St. Mary's Church, the Jagiellonian University, the Cloth Halls and Wawel with the Wawel Castle and the Wawel Cathedral.

In the afternoon, visit the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine. Only 15kms South-East of Kraków, this is a visit that is sure to impress. The deposit of rock salt in Wieliczka has been mined since the 13th century and today, approximately 300 metres below ground level, there are hundreds of kilometres of galleries with works of art, underground chapels and statues sculpted in salt, making the journey through the underground passages a fascinating pilgrimage into the past. Transfer from/to Krakow is without a guide. The tour at the Salt Mines is guided in english.

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Accommodation

Day 3 - A journey day, travelling through Czestochowa to Warsaw.

After breakfast, leave for Czestochowa, the spiritual heart of Poland, where we visit the Jasna Gora Monastery with the Black Madonna. Through the flat low-laying plain of Central Poland, you will reach Warsaw in the early afternoon. Check-in at Hotel 15 or similar.

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Accommodation

Day 4 - Enjoy a sightseeing tour in Warsaw

Warsaw is essentially a post-war city with a meticulously reconstructed, beautiful Old Town (representing a highly unique example of a near-total reconstruction of architecture that spans from the 13th until the 20th century). Meet your guide for a private sightseeing tour. The tour includes the Old Town with the Royal Castle.

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Accommodation

Day 5 - Journey to the Masurian Lakeland and the quaint town of Ketrzyn

Continue through the well-forested North Poland into the Masurian Lakeland, a myriad of postglacial lakes representing some of the most beautiful nature in the whole of Poland. The afternoon excursion of the Masurian Lakeland takes you to the quaint town of Ketrzyn, to the beautiful Baroque church in Swieta Lipka and to the town of Gizycko, surrounded to all sides by the lakes. In the late afternoon, check-in at Hotel Mercure Mrągowo Resort & Spa or similar.

Meals

Accommodation

Day 6 - Move into Lithuania, to the old town of Kaunas and into Vilnius.

Today continue along the eastern fringe of the Masurian Lakeland with endless blue lakes and attractive resort towns into Lithuania. Stop in Kaunas, the former capital of Lithuania, to admire the beautiful Old Town and the elegant white Baroque Town Hall before we arrive in the late afternoon to Vilnius.

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Restaurants

Day 7 - Enjoy sightseeing tour of the 1200 medieval buildings of Vilnius, then perhaps a hot-air balloon flight over the city for dinner?

Vilnius is known for its more than 1,200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. The city’s origins date all the way back to 1000 AD when the first wooden castle was built in the area. In the 13th century, the castle settlement grew into a town and became the political centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Old Town consists of the areas of the three castles (Upper, Lower and Curved) as well as another area encircled by a wall in the Middle Ages. The historic buildings are in Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical styles, laid out in medieval style, thus giving the city its distinct appearance.

After breakfast, meet your guide again for a walking tour of the Old Town with Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne's Church, Old University and the Gates of Dawn.

In the evening, perhaps you might like a hot air balloon flight over the city for dinner?

Meals

Accommodation

Optional Add Ons

Day 8 - Explore the very best of South-Latvian & North-Lithuania countryside on your way to Riga.

Take a trip from Vilnius to Riga and on the way learn about the history and people of two countries. Join with a knowledgeable local guide taking a small group, maximum of 8 people, for a fun filled 12 hour road trip through Lithuania and Latvia.

Get a glimpse of Lithuanian life outside of Vilnius. You’ll visit Kaunas, the second biggest city in Lithuania, with beautiful churches and picturesque Old Town. You'll discover the Hill of Crosses that is a famous pilgrimage destination and a site of resistance against Soviet occupation.

After crossing the Latvian border you’ll be amazed by the Rundāle Palace that is considered the grandest stately home in the Baltics and a true gem of Baroque architecture and of South-Latvian countryside. Before reaching Riga visit the monumental Salaspils Memorial Ensemble to victims of Fascism to learn about the II World War in the Baltic countries.

On the way, make a stop for lunch so that you can try some of the local food. Kindly let our guides know if you have any special dietary needs that we should take in account. Location of the lunch is subject to availability and the meal is not included in the price of the tour.

Following a guided tour of the palace we travel through the rolling hills of Southern Latvia to reach Riga late afternoon. Check-in at your hotel and head out for a stroll.

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Accommodation

Day 9 - Discover the Old Town of Riga

Today is your day to discover the centre of Riga. Your private guide will meet you after breakfast in the lobby and will escort you around this beautiful, ancient Hanseatic city with its Old Town full of picturesque cobble-stone streets dating back to the 13th-15th centuries. Since the 19th century, the medieval core has been expanded with the construction of imposing wooden buildings in neoclassical style, and later the construction of elaborate Art Nouveau style stone buildings. In fact, the quantity and quality of Riga’s amazing Art Nouveau architecture remains unparalleled anywhere in the world even to this very day. It is no wonder that Riga is often called ‘the Paris of the Baltics’.

The Old Town of Riga can be seen as a beautiful open-air museum in itself; it is a living illustration of European history. Our walking tour of the Old Town includes Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter's Church, the Swedish Gate, the Three Brothers, the Large and Small Guilds, and the Freedom Monument.

The afternoon is a free afternoon but you could add a visit to Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian sea resort, famous for its wooden architecture and sandy beaches.

In the evening, why not enjoy a Latvian dinner at the stylish Restaurant La Boheme.

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Day 10 - Direct bus from Riga to Tallinn and then 'meet and greet' with your local guide in Tallinn

This morning, you will transfer to the main bus station to board your LUX bus to Tallinn. Enjoy a private area with water, free Wifi, TV and reclining seat during your 4-hour journey. On arrival, you will be meet and transfered to your hotel. Once you have settled in, your private guide will meet you in the lobby for a short welcome chat about suggestions for your afternoon.

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Accommodation

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Optional Add Ons

Day 11 - Enjoy Tallinn's charming blend of medieval tranquility and modern urban life

After breakfast, your guide will meet you in the lobby for a private walking tour around Tallinn’s Old Town – a charming blend of medieval tranquillity and modern urban life. The town was founded in the 13th century and still retains its medieval urban plan of narrow winding streets and impressive public and private buildings. The Old Town is a busy place, especially in the summer, with its many shops, galleries, souvenier markets, outdoor cafes and restaurants.

In the afternoon, you can visit Kadriorg Park with a visit to the Kadriorg Palace and its art collections. Alternatively, you might like to join a local food tour.

In the evening, you can eat medieval at Restaurant Maikrahv or wander the back streets for something more local.

Meals

Accommodation

Restaurants

Optional Add Ons

Day 12 - Depart from Tallinn

Transfer to the airport or head off by ferry to Helsinki for further adventures.

Meals

Important Information

For a Nordic Value option, you can transfer between Riga, Warsaw and Krakow with luxury buses, instead of the private transfer.