Baltic routes. By car in the Baltics: Latvia and Lithuania

The idea to go to the Baltics in our own car has been in our minds for more than half a year, and finally we had the opportunity to put together free time, an excellent crew, all documents and routes. By the way, 3 beautiful ladies and 1 no less beautiful gentleman were driving in the car, and on this occasion, on his way back to Russia, after passing through customs, he had the following conversation:
Customs officer: And you are lucky!
Andrew: Why? Did you cross the border quickly?
Customs officer: No! You are carrying so many beautiful women!

Yahoo suggests that the total length of the route was about 3000 km, which we gradually covered over 9 days. Points: Moscow - Vilnius (2 nights) - Trakai - Kaunas (1 night) - Siauliai - Riga (2 nights) - Pärnu - Tallinn (2 nights) - Narva - St. Petersburg (1 night) - Moscow.

We left on April 30, the first day off before the May holidays, when the whole country suddenly becomes a nomadic tribe, migrating on their wagons, heavily loaded with seedlings, dogs and mothers-in-law, to their dachas. And therefore, leaving Moscow at 6 o'clock in the morning was associated with overcoming a many-kilometer traffic jam, which ended only somewhere in the Odintsovo district. Then like clockwork. The Minsk highway is very good.

It was decided to pass the border of the European Union through Kotlovka (Belarus) - Lavorishkes (Lithuania). This border checkpoint is less loaded than the others, besides, such a route wins in terms of mileage if you are going to Vilnius (after Smolensk, turn to Rudnya, then through Polotsk and Glubokoe to the border). The quality of the road in Belarus leaves much to be desired only in a few places, otherwise it is a normal route.
There are actually no customs between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. In theory, we had to pay some amount for transit through the Republic of Belarus (although I still didn’t understand, what for, if I can say that you are not traveling in transit, but visiting a second cousin from Polotsk, wrapping potato pancakes with sour cream on both cheeks ). In general, we decided to pay at the customs with Lithuania if they find fault (and, of course, no one even asked us anything).

The line of trucks at the customs of the Republic of Belarus - Lithuania is lining up for several kilometers, which is a frightening picture, but it does not concern us. By 3 o'clock Moscow time, we stood in line in front of the checkpoint, somewhere in the twentieth in a row. And prepared to kill time at the border. Oil painting: Tanya and Sveta paint their nails and say that their color suits the car from behind perfectly; Andrei fraternizes with an incredibly charismatic Belarusian who will then gallop us through customs and whom we will later meet by chance in Vilnius; I clean the girls' testicles from the shell, because with painted nails they cannot do this; between the drivers of neighboring trucks, a fight almost begins due to the fact that one drove out of turn; there is a forest around, birds chirping :) We do this garbage for 40 minutes, then another 40 minutes we go through all sorts of inspections (in the style of “open the trunk! Are you carrying personal belongings? Ok, drive through”). No transit fees, no stress, everything is calm. We are in Lithuania!

It is clear that there are no checkpoints between the countries of the Eurozone for a long time, all of them are already even in a dilapidated state. It's funny that there is a shop with wi-fi right on the Latvia-Estonia border, which we urgently took advantage of by making a cool check-in on Twitter))
But we met these guys for the first time in Siauliai, and then on the Ivangorod-Peter highway. Travel light)

Passing customs Estonia (Narva) - Russian Federation (Ivangorod) is a small quest. After reading terrible reviews about how tourists stand there for days, trying to get home, counting the last cents and the time until the end of the visa, we decided to play it safe and choose a paid option. For as much as 2 euros, you can bypass the queue in the general sump, immediately arriving at the checkpoint at the specified time. To do this, you need to call customs at least 12 hours in advance, declare the desired time of departure and pay the fee before the border and provide photocopies of the vehicle registration certificate and the driver's passport (main page and visa page). As a result, we were about tenth in line and went through both customs in an hour.
By the way, the Estonian side in front of the border is a real farce. Fairs, games and other entertainment events are held on the territory 10 meters from the checkpoint. Naturally, everyone is photographed, and the customs officers themselves get into the frame, whether they want it or not)

The Narova River is the border between the countries. On the Estonian side stands the Narva Castle, founded by the Danes in the 13th century (now there is the Narva Museum inside), and on the Russian side there is the Ivangorod fortress, built during the reign of Ivan III Vasilyevich.

Across the river - already Russia.

Fair in the Narva fortress

Russian side, Ivangorod fortress

This bridge is where customs passes.

What else I would like to note: the Ivangorod-Peter and Peter-Moscow highways are now asphalt pavements killed in the trash. Pits, potholes, rutting, sometimes just soil. In general, we had a wheel hernia and a bent disc. It is so symbolic: to drive more than 2000 km across Europe without a single adventure, and in the homeland to enjoy plenty of “maybe lucky” situations. Let's hope they make the road. Nadezhda is such a tenacious woman, she always dies last.

To get acquainted with the Baltics, you need to visit all three countries: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Some of you will say that the Baltics are not only the above countries, but we will only deal with them. First of all, we will visit three capitals: Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. It is advisable to visit them in the same weather and with the same mood, so that nothing prevents you from comparing these three cities. Do not listen to anyone who says that this or that is more beautiful or more interesting. They are all interesting, beautiful and in general everyone has their own opinion. I have been to the Baltic States several times, I liked something more, so I tried to include something in the route. The itinerary is designed in such a way that you can do it in a week. So: St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Cesis - Sigulda - Riga - Bauska - Siauliai - Kaunas - Vilnius - Daugavpils - Rezekne - St. Petersburg. These are the key points, now in more detail:

St. Petersburg – Tallinn

I will not dwell on the preparation of the machine, documents, etc. You can't predict everything. True, recently, I take at least two navigators on the road. I trust booking.com more and more and, if possible, I return to cash. Do not forget that it is difficult to cross the Estonian border back and you have to buy a queue, so we return through Latvia.

The distance from St. Petersburg to Tallinn is 362 kilometers and the estimated travel time is about 5 hours, not counting the time spent at customs. It is best to move around while everyone is sleeping, so we leave for an hour at 4 in the morning. We will be at the border around 6, and there we will be lucky. For a sufficient acquaintance with the Old Town of Tallinn, 4 hours are needed. For those who like to slow down this time is not enough.

Car parks near the Old City cost 3-4 euros per hour, there are cheaper ones nearby, but it is not a fact that they will have free places. If we compare hotel prices in all three capitals, then Tallinn and Riga are approximately the same, but Vilnius is cheaper, but no worse.

For me, Tallinn is always different, in terms of impact. Sometimes I admire him, and sometimes he is boring to me, apparently it depends on the mood, mood and company. In the "Old City" in addition to the main attractions, such as:

City Hall

The Dome Cathedral

Church of Oleviste

Church of Niguliste

Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky

Fortress towers and walls

Church of Jaani

… there are many beautiful and back streets, nooks and yards. There are several observation decks that offer great views of the city. Lots of shops and interesting cafes. The architecture here is very different, different eras, styles and "nationalities".

I will never forget my first visit to Tallinn. It was on New Year's Eve 2007, when they started trying to ride tourists Helsinki-Stockholm-Tallinn. The first sign was the passenger ship Vana-Tallin, that is, "Old Tallinn", not to be confused with the drink of the same name. And, by the way, it justified its name - it was built in 1974. That year there was no winter and no ice either. In Helsinki on January 1 it was +6, and in Stockholm +8. When we were going from Helsinki to Stockholm, we got into a terrible storm and people, remembering this night, already leaving Stockholm for Tallinn, “got hard” to fall asleep and not hang out on the decks, clinging to everything that is possible and to each other. We arrived in Tallinn all a little wrinkled, but in anticipation of new experiences. We were given buses, guides and some time to explore the city. We gathered for a whole hour and waited for latecomers, then rode all over Tallinn and listened to the guide, who did not really hide her hatred for everything Russian. Having dropped us off at the walls of the "Old City" and handed us to another guide, she left with the bus. The first words of the "new" tour guide were: "Forget everything she said", "now let's run, we don't have much time." We did not seem to be lagging behind, but at the next turn the guide disappeared. It's been 15 minutes since the tour started. There were half a group of us like that, we spat and each went his own way. It was dank, damp, cold and windy outside. Only in the evening, when the garlands were lit and the wind subsided, it became better, warmer and much more beautiful. Here they were - first impressions.

If you are not going to visit a pub in the evening or just look at the night city, then you can stay for the night on the way towards Riga. I stayed at Ruunawere Hotel, not far from Tallinn, I really liked it. There is a small sketch about the hotel in the "Video" section. In general, there are many interesting places to stay for the night: estates; guest houses; cottages, etc. If you're planning a trip 21 days in advance or earlier, you can get exclusive deals on hotel reservations, but you probably know that. If you plan to stay in the city, I advise Kalev Spa Hotel & Waterpark. Convenient, cozy, next to the "Old Town", a good restaurant and after long walks you can lie in the jacuzzi, relax your muscles or swim.

Cesis-Sigulda

From Tallinn to Cesis (Sigulda) about 300 kilometers. By the time of 4 hours. You can go in three ways, but the easiest way is through Pärnu. After Pärnu, the road goes along the coast, and if it's summer outside, you can turn to the sea and swim and sunbathe. Rest in one word. The main sights of Sigulda and Cesis cannot be seen in one day, even briefly, so expect to spend the night somewhere. Both of these cities are approximately the same distance from Riga, Sigulda is a little closer, where you stay does not play a special role.

In the area of ​​these two cities, there is a real focus of medieval castles, various attractions, there is something to see and do. The inhabitants of Riga also think so, so it can be crowded here on weekends. Draw your own conclusions.

Let's start with Cesis. Here is the largest in Latvia and well-preserved…

Cessian (Venden) Castle

A beautiful park at the foot of the castle, conducive to a leisurely stroll and relaxation. The castle itself is no different, it's just interesting to touch the history, take the likeness of an old lantern and walk along the dark stairs and nooks and crannies. Near the old castle is

New Cesian Castle

There are now ticket offices, as well as museums of history and art. Almost close to these castles is located

Church of Saint John

This majestic building is the largest church in Latvia, built outside of Riga (XIII century). It belonged to the Livonian Order.

In addition to the main attractions, it is very pleasant to walk around the block of wooden buildings here. Pleasant houses that have seen many interesting stories provide an opportunity to take a break from the "stone jungle" of big cities.

Not far from Cesis there is another attraction of the local region, the so-called

Araisi Lake Castle

Here, in the 19th-11th centuries, the Latgalians lived. A fairly large area for a walk, where you can get acquainted with the ancient way of life and buildings, the ruins of the Araisi order castle and the lake settlement.

Here are the must-sees in the area:

Turaida Castle

Old Sigulda Castle

New Sigulda Castle

Of course, besides the castles, there is much more to do here. Huge park, zoos, cable cars, caves, etc. Ski slopes are open in winter. Here is one of the best bobsleigh tracks.

In these parts, I stayed in only one hotel - Hotel Atputa, it is located in Cesis. Quiet, comfortable hotel, good restaurant, friendly service.

Riga

It takes less than an hour to drive from Sigulda to Riga. As soon as I enter Riga, I cannot get rid of the feeling that I am driving along the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The building of the Latvian Academy completes the image of a large Soviet city. Only in the "Old City" do you come to your senses and return to the tourist skin. It is better to park the car on the side of the embankment. Before I forget, the police in Latvia are the same as in Russia. They like to check for alcohol, set up an ambush, "pay off on the spot." If something is written in Latvian on the parking signs, it is better not to stop there, you will be fined. Alcohol: Estonia (0.2 pr), Latvia (0.5 pr), Lithuania (0.4 pr). I wish not to get caught.

Riga is different! Different than Tallinn. Firstly, there is no height difference here, and therefore everything is, as it were, on the same plane, along the Daugava embankment. By the way, be sure to visit the other side of the river, from where a beautiful panorama of the "Old City" opens up. All attractions are quite tightly arranged. In order to see absolutely the entire “Old City”, you will often go to places that you have already seen. This is not "running in a circle", but somewhere nearby. The architecture of Tallinn is diverse and multinational, and in Riga a certain style is sustained.

I have long noticed that tourists equally like both large, huge churches or castles, and very small, even tiny "mulks", such as the St. Petersburg "Chizhik-Pyzhik". And everywhere, in any city in the world, the reaction to them is the same. It is necessary to pat or toss a coin, and, of course, take a picture. One of these Riga “muleks” is the monument to the Bremen Town Musicians, almost a copy of the same one located in his native city. Here, the program of the attraction also includes bouncing. Everyone is trying to stroke the animal, which is higher. Walking through Old Riga, you will see unusual figures and installations more than once.

The Bremen Town Musicians

Now, let's go over the main attractions of the "Old City"

House of the Blackheads

The Dome Cathedral

Church of St. Peter and panoramas from the observation deck.

Town Hall and Town Hall Square

Riga castle

Church of Our Lady of Sorrows

In Soviet times, as soon as it was necessary to show "abroad", all film studios went to Riga, here every house, every intersection was used as scenery. “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson” lived here, the spy passions of “Seventeen Moments of Spring” were played out, they sang the songs “D" Artagnan and the Three Musketeers "

At the expense of having a bite to eat in Riga, the choice is huge and the price tags are already quite affordable. If you have heard about LIDO, then I would not recommend visiting it in the "Old Town", you can spoil the impression, it is better to go to the LIDO Recreation Center on Krasta Street 76. The food is excellent, tasty and not expensive.

LIDO

For tourists with children, I advise you to see the Riga Zoo and its guests. In general, Riga is a beautiful city and I think you will want to come here more than once, to see not only it, but also the surroundings, such as Jurmala, Jaunmokas Castle, the Daugava Museum. Or spend a summer night in the streets and pubs of the "Old Town" that never sleeps.

Bauska Rundale Palace

If you have already looked at everything in Riga and are not going to stop for the night, you can go towards the town of Bauska. More precisely, our goal is the Rundāle Palace. It takes about an hour to drive, and I can recommend the Hotel Rundale. It is very advantageously located just 250 meters from the palace itself.

The town of Bauska is not at all big, but there are many interesting places here. There are churches, old quarters, Bauska Castle. Delicious Latvian beer is brewed here. On the Town Hall Square you can sit well and tasty in a cafe. But due to the fact that we visited this city only for the sake of the Rundale Palace, we will go there.

The palace belonged to Duke Ernst Johann Biron. It was built in 1740. In the same year, Biron, after a coup d'état, was arrested and exiled, returning only in 1763. Then, by 1768, Rastrelli completed the interior decoration of the premises.

The palace impresses with its sophistication of interiors and richness of decoration. Unfortunately, I was there in winter, and I did not manage to see the splendor of the flowering French park, spread over an area of ​​10 hectares, closed on all sides by a canal, behind which, in turn, a hunting park extends.

I am constantly doing something in the palace, restoring, decorating, caring for, restoring, even clothes. Everything shines with cleanliness and you can feel the love with which local workers treat the exhibits. The palace and its decoration left an indelible impression in my memory. I will definitely come in the summer to take a walk in the garden and park.

Cross Mountain. Siauliai

Frenkel Palace

Now we are heading towards Lithuania, more precisely, towards the city of Siauliai. A little before reaching the city, we make an obligatory stop at the Cross Hill or the Hill of Crosses. This is one of the most unexpected sights of the entire route. Honestly, I did not know what to expect, but I had heard a lot and was ready to be surprised, but not so much. Crosses from all over the world are really brought here and this is really a Mountain of crosses.

The place is shrouded in legends. Under the Soviet regime, it was destroyed 4 times, but the Mountain has not gone away, and there are more and more crosses. Even the Pope "marked" himself here with a rather impressive cross. Our crosses, like droplets of water, melted in a sea of ​​huge waves of crosses.

Even if this place initially did not carry any energy load, then the millions of prayers and aspirations that came here saturated this place with faith. There are no restrictions, orders, statutes, which are so loved in churches of various denominations, here a person is alone - on-one with his feelings, with God.

The next point of our trip will be the city of Siauliai. We were passing through there, stopped for a bite to eat, stroll along the pedestrian street, go to the Cathedral. The weather was disgusting, and we were in a hurry towards Kaunas, so I can’t say anything special about this town. There was an attempt to visit the museum of cats, but, only sticking their nose in there, they decided not to waste time.

Now we are going to one of the most beautiful cities in the Baltic States - Kaunas, it is called just that - "Beautiful". And there is no doubt that it is necessary to stay there for the night.

Kaunas

It often happens that people go to the capitals, and nearby cities, in which there is no less interesting, pass by. Kaunas does not complain about the lack of tourists, but unfairly fewer people go there than to Vilnius and Trakai. Kaunas is great. IMHO of course, but even the weather did not stop me from just falling in love with this city.

The "Old Town" of Vilnius is large, spacious, mostly pedestrian, under the protection of UNESCO. I really enjoyed walking slowly along the main streets and squares, but there are a lot of people there, but if you turn somewhere to the side, after a couple of minutes it becomes just deserted and you can get lost. I parked my car in one of the parking lots in the southern part of the "Old City", put a mark in the navigator, relying on technology, and went on a reckless study, instead of taking chalk and leaving marks on houses and sidewalks. Lost. And parking is paid and by the hour, the fines are large, unpleasant. The conclusion is that it is necessary to park the car in the northern part, where the Castle Hill and Gedemin's tower are. If this landmark falls out of your sight, people will help. And I couldn’t even explain to passers-by where my car was “next to a church or church.” Yes, they are here .... Now, with the advent of new gadgets and applications, it has become much easier.

What interesting things can be seen in the "Old City"?

Church of St. Casemir

Presidential palace

Cathedral of St. Nicholas

Church of St. Paraskeva (Pyatnitskaya Church)

Cathedral

sharp brama

Bernardine Church and Church of St. Anne

In addition, there is also: the tower of Gedemin, the church of St. Teresa, Church of the Holy Spirit, Church of the Holy Trinity, Bastion of the Vilnius defensive wall, Church of St. John, Church of St. Michael, Church of St. Anna, Church of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit Monastery, Alumnat, St. Catherine, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Church of St. Nicholas, etc., etc. This is not all, and this is only in the "Old City" itself. Now can you imagine how difficult it was to find the right church, church or temple?

One of the most pleasant impressions is the prices. In cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc. Even in the business center, even in the "Old City" there are many places where you can have a pleasant evening, night and the rest of the day. We ate, rested, ate some more and went on our way. Now back home. The intermediate point will be Daugavpils and there you can spend the night or see the city and drive to the small town of Rezekne and stay there.

Daugavpils-Rezekne

Daugavpils is the very city in which I was once again convinced how much the weather affects the perception, the first impression, and, finally, the photograph. The first time I was there in terrible, vile, dirty weather, passing through, and the second - excellent weather, warm, in no hurry, a wonderful hotel, a leisurely promenade. Earth and sky. Great town, beautiful, interesting. The main attraction, or rather the "mountain of attractions" is the "church hill". Here, literally meters from each other, there are four temples of different faiths.

Cathedral of Martin Luther

Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Daugavpils Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Princes Boris and Gleb

Novosretensky Church of the Resurrection, the Nativity of the Virgin and St. Nicholas (Old Believer)

In the city itself there is a small pedestrian street where you can just walk around and look around. There is a fortress here, it is a certain symbol of the city. In terms of accommodation, I can recommend the Park Hotel Latgola, it is located in the center, modern, not expensive, there are often special offers (double standard - 2000 rubles), a panorama of the city opens from the upper floors. If you are unlucky with the weather, then it is better to leave the tour of this city for another time, and go towards the town of Rezekne yourself and stop to rest there.

To view information about Rezekne or Daugavpils (any other object), click on the name. We stopped in Rezekne just to rest before the last drive home. We walked, sat well in the restaurant of our hotel Kolonna Hotel Rezekne, and got up early (at 4 am), taking the “breakfast to go”, pre-ordered at the hotel, set off towards the border.

From Daugavpils to the border 2 hours, from Rezekne 40 minutes. Arriving at the border around 5 in the morning, we found a really sleeping customs, we had to wake up to let them through. A nightmare, they could “leak” unnoticed and take out the entire Baltic. That's basically it. The route, as you understand, is easily changed, for example, you can organize everything with a mirror opposite. And from Tallinn go to Helsinki. 2-3 hours by ferry and you are in the capital of Finland. And there is already the whole of Scandinavia in front of us.

I have a “Planner” on my website in the tourist section, where you can view the route and description, calculate mileage, fuel and estimate time. I wish you a good time in the Baltics. Get new impressions and just have a good rest.

The Baltic States in autumn acquires a special harmonious beauty, thanks to the natural change of colors. For those wishing to go on a trip abroad on their own, an interesting route has been developed through three countries.

Journey through the Baltics by car is a dream of many tourists that can become a reality. A comfortable trip on weekends or holidays, vacation days with numerous campsites for cars and motorcycles of tourists, allows visitors to reduce the cost of accommodation and tours in general.

Lithuania in autumn

It is optimal to start a trip around the Baltics on your own from the capital, the old and one of the largest European cities. The capital is saturated with three characteristic styles for it:

• gothic;
• Renaissance;
• baroque.

The next destination, thirty kilometers from the capital, is Trakai, the ancient capital of the Principality of Lithuania. The main attraction of the city in the form of a single castle (Trakai), located on an island in Eastern Europe.

Traveling through the city of Kaunas by car, allows tourists to get acquainted with many architectural sights and cultural monuments: the house of Perkunas in the Gothic style and churches. Also noteworthy: the town hall in the form of a White Swan and museums dedicated to Mickiewicz and Čiurlionis.

The route continues through the port on the Baltic Sea - Klaipeda. Tourists are recommended to visit: a dolphinarium, a museum-aquarium, small and large yacht clubs.

Near Klaipeda there is a famous coastal resort - Palanga, with places to stay for the night for different budgets: Zydrozhi Liepsna, Ostedzha, Gabidzha, Kerpe. In this area, tourists continue their journey through the Baltics on their own and enjoy the atmosphere.

Autumn Latvia

It is better to continue your journey through the Baltics through Liepaja - the musical city of the country, where the royal family loved to relax. In this city, celebrations in honor of flowers, various events dedicated to music are held annually, and a zoo is open all year round for everyone. Visiting the Rundel Castle, tourists enter the city of water tourism and fishing - Saldus, in the suburbs of which the Kalnsetas park and the Ciecere river are located.

The most famous Baltic resort with the scent of the air of centuries-old pines - Jurmala, is also worthy of attention. The Baltics are beautiful not only in autumn, but also in winter. The most popular holiday destination is the legendary Wellness Oasis. Hotels that are popular and well-established, according to tourists: Semarah Hotel Lielupe, Kurshi, Villa Joma, Amber Sea Hotel & Spa, Beltes Street.

You can finish your tour of Latvia in the city of legendary historical castles - Sigulda. After a couple of hours of traveling around the Baltics by car, you will find yourself in a country that completes a long trip.

Autumn fairy tale Estonia

From now on, a car trip around the Baltics is affordable for every Russian. Previously, the highest strata of the population, the emperors of Russia, poets and other creative people, went to the city of Tartu, the university capital of the country with a century-long history. The romance of the area and the mystery of the Middle Ages are intertwined in the park with bridges in the form of a devil and an angel - Toomemägi.

After visiting local attractions and the Dome Cathedral of the 15th century, it is recommended to head towards the capital - Tallinn. There, tourists can relax in the following hotels: Braavo Spa Hotel, Meriton Old Town Hotel, Rixwell Gotthard Hotel, Three Crowns Residents.

Going on a trip to the Baltics on your own, take care of the places where you can stop and relax in advance. Well-known hotels in Tallinn with a positive reputation are Tallink Express Hotel and Laulasmaa.

Returning to Russia, after visiting the city of Rakvere, make a stop in Kuremäe, pay attention to the nunnery, which holds many legends and was built at the end of the 19th century.

The majority of tourists complete the route with the city of Toila and the wonderful park located in it.

careful preparation

The Baltics are incredibly beautiful in autumn. If you manage to get into the warm autumn period, you can create many colorful photographs for a long memory of the trip. To make the trip go smoothly, study the rules for staying in each of the countries and be sure to follow the main ones:

• observe the speed of movement (outside the city, 90 km / h is permissible, in settlements - 50 km / h);
• headlights must be turned on around the clock;
• if there will be a child in the car, a car seat is required;
• use seat belts in all seats;
• think about getting a Green Card in advance and prepare a Technical Inspection for taking with you;
• prepare the car, it should be free of cracks on the glass and damage to the body.

Having a great time in the Baltics and enjoying local sights, going on a trip on your own is a great solution for a Russian tourist!

It so happened that PRTBRT often broadcasts from the Baltic countries - one of the editorial bases is located in Latvia. Often we look at how our friends and acquaintances travel around Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, and clutch our heads. Therefore, we decided to write this column about how to really feel these small countries, where you really need to look for color.

Do not take the route Tallinn - Riga - Vilnius at a time

For several days, just walk around the Old Towns of the three capitals, drink, eat, stare and spend money, and then say: yes, I was in this Baltic, everything is the same. Although all three cities are unique and very different, you can understand this only by visiting each separately.

During a trip to the three capitals, you will remember some passages, but everything will stick together into one lump of cathedrals, towers, food and drink. And at the same time, each city has its own face and its unusual places that you most likely will not see. Simply because, the format “three (five, seven) days - three cities” does not mean anything but an endless race and walks in the Old City along with British lovers to fly cheaply to bachelor parties and get drunk, old people and tourists from ferries.

Advice: Don't be fooled by the size of the countries - each is best viewed separately. Therefore, do not try to go around everything in the allotted vacation time.

Tallinn old town

But if you do go, don't spend all your time in the Old Town

As already mentioned, each city has its own face and its own places of power: in Tallinn, this is the Telliskivi district, which is located outside the Old Town. In Riga, for example, the best bars have never been located within the Old Town: just go for a walk along Krishjan Baron Street and turn into small streets. It is there that the most interesting places and establishments will be, such as the favorite bar of the editors - Taka or the city's most up-to-date dance floor - Piens.

In the Old Town, there are average entertainment, typical bars and restaurants, which are abundant in any cities of Eastern and Northern Europe from Krakow to Stockholm. That's not what you're going to see the country for.

Advice: If you know that there is no life in the Old Town, then there is no need to rent a house there either. Look for apartments on Airbnb or hotels near places of power: save both time and money.

Telliskivi district in Tallinn

Another cool place outside the old town of Riga - Kaņepes Kultūras centrs

Don't linger in the cities

You won't see the country in cities, so be sure to plan on visiting alternative or out-of-town sights.

From Tallinn, you can easily go to see the quarry in Rummu (there is still where to climb through, do not be afraid of the fence), and then go to the island of Saaremaa, where there are almost more sights than in all of Estonia.

From Riga, you should definitely go to Irbene - a ghost town with a huge radar, spend the night on Cape Kolka, see the seaside Ventspils and Liepaja. And who even knows about the existence of the Mark Rothko Art Center in Daugavpils? The famous artist was born in this city.

From Vilnius, you should definitely go to the Hill of Crosses, visit the Europos Parkas landscape park - an analogue of the Russian Nikola-Lenivets, explore Klaipeda and cross the border with Russia on the Curonian Spit.

In all three countries, there are many opportunities for diverse tourism: alternative attractions, eco-farms and national parks - plan your route in such a way as to stay in the capitals for one or two days, get acquainted with the main places and cultural life, and then go deeper!

The countries abound with craft family productions of everything from cheese to amber. A fair is held annually in Latvia, where you can buy not just handmade things, but modern and beautiful accessories and clothes. Such things are pleasant to use not because of their craftiness, but simply because they are comfortable and beautiful.

Mount of Crosses

Quarry in Rummu

But if you are still delayed, be sure to leave the city at least one of the days

If it’s already late and you stay in each of the capitals for three days, then don’t be sad: there are many interesting places around each of the cities:

near Vilnius - the beautiful Trakai castle;

from Riga you should definitely go to Jurmala or to the Kemeri National Park;

From Tallinn, head to Laakhema National Park.

By the way, the locations from the previous paragraph apply to this one too: this is the Baltic States, and you can go back and forth to any place within the same country! The main thing is not to be lazy and plan. It is quite possible to rent a car for one or two days or find a driver using BlaBlaCar, use Lux Express buses, or maybe even give up hitchhiking. In the summer, Estonia is flooded with friendly Finns, while Latvia and Lithuania are flooded with Poles and Germans (and less fearful tourists in Russian cars).

Ķemeri National Park

Spend more time searching

Not all good hotels, campsites and guesthouses are on the usual booking sites. For example, Saulesmājas, the editorial staff's favorite campsite with barrel houses on Cape Kolka (another chic Latvian location - the meeting point of the waves of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga) appeared on booking.com only in May of this year!

Or another great option is Klaukas Glamping near Sigulda and the Gauja National Park. And this is just what is on the surface - there are dozens of such places, but you will have to prepare well and look.

Camping Saulesmajas

Do not forget that these are already different countries for a long time

If in the minds of the older generation it is still the homogeneous Baltic, then the modern traveler is struck by striking differences: Estonia and especially Tallinn are full-fledged Northern Europe, Lithuania gravitates towards Poland, and Latvia is still at an undecided crossroads, but with European features. At the same time, unique original places and cultural features have been preserved in each of these countries. Understanding this simple fact will help you take a different look at these neighboring countries and choose the one that is closer in spirit for a full-fledged trip!

Check tickets to Tallinn, or maybe Riga or Vilnius

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Soon, very soon, the New Year holidays. Where would you like to go for the holidays? The A-Renta company is ready not only to provide you with really inexpensive prices for renting a car from Moscow, but also to give you ideas for the holidays. For instance, why don't you arrange a romantic car trip around the Baltics?

Many treat the Baltics with disdain: they say, the countries of the former USSR, which zealously rushed to Europe, although there is no smell of Europe there. There is nothing to see there, zero service, and the attitude of the Balts towards us, Russians ... to put it mildly, leaves. However, those who think so are fundamentally wrong. Let's try to destroy the prevailing stereotypes by driving around the Baltic States in a car.

Traveling to the Baltic States by car

Taking care of the documents in advance is a must:

1. For those who go on a trip by car, it is necessary to issue a so-called Green Card, which will need to be presented when crossing the border.
2. And do not forget that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are part of the European Union, so passports must have valid visas.

How to get there?

There are two ways to get to the Baltic states: through Belarus and through the Leningrad region. Residents of central Russia, as a rule, get just through Belarus. Therefore, if you need a car to the Baltic states from Moscow, then you can also take a look at one of our former ones from the corner of your eye, as they say.

Customs testing

The first and, perhaps, the only thing that overshadows the journey by car is the incredible queues at the border with Lithuania. You can stand 6, 8, 12 hours. It's for anyone's luck. You need to be prepared for the fact that impudent drivers in cool cars with thieves numbers pass without a queue. And for some reason they are missed.

Before the trip, it is better to “scour through” the forums of auto travelers, where people share their observations and thoughts about the best time to cross the border.

The procedure for screening a car and passports takes a little time.

Traveling in the Baltics...

Lithuania

And here are the treasured stamps about crossing the border in the passports: you are in Lithuania.

The most famous Lithuanian city of Vilnius is a must to visit. Don't let the old five-story buildings of the Khrushchev era fool you. Yes, yes, they will meet you at the entrance to the city. But the so-called Old Town in Vilnius is incredible:

• cozy atmosphere,
• little streets,
• beautiful architecture of ancient buildings,
• paved paths,
• hospitable cafes - that's why you should visit Vilnius!

In addition to visiting the sights in Lithuania, you should definitely take a ride along the coast. Both Klaipeda and the little-known Palanga are wonderful for relaxing on the sea. Palanga, by the way, is the largest resort city on the Lithuanian coast. And the prices for housing, as well as for food, bite very much there.

Latvia

You don't have to cross any borders to get to neighboring Latvia. It takes about four hours to travel from Lithuania to Latvia.

Naturally, the first city to see is the stunning Riga. The Old Town in Riga is one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. Incredible ancient buildings, cathedrals, squares are at every step. An ideal place for romantic walks for two, and for visiting with the whole family.

There are cozy cafes here and there in small streets. The prices are truly European. A fairly modest dinner for three will cost at least 50-60 euros.

The most important thing that you need to know about Riga traveling by own car is paid parking in the Old Town itself. You can leave the car for free only in specially designated places and only for a few hours. Usually at night.

When booking a hotel, it is important to clarify whether there are free parking spaces, which, most likely, will not be included in the price. In addition to Riga, auto travelers are advised to look into Jurmala, Cesis and Liepaja.

Estonia

Last in line, but not the last in beauty, Estonia.

By tradition, start your acquaintance with the country from the Old Town in Tallinn. There are a lot of incredibly beautiful towers, town halls, fortresses and cathedrals. The center of the Old Town is the famous Town Hall Square. The place is truly amazing: once you find yourself there, it is as if you are transported to the Middle Ages. It seems that a little bit more and a knight will ride on horseback from the neighboring street to the square.
By the way, many cafes, which are located in the Old Town at every step, are decorated in the medieval style. Prices are quite high. The closer to the Town Hall Square, the more expensive.

Another must-see place in Estonia is Tartu. A very beautiful city that hosts one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe. Do not be too lazy to get to Haapsalu - the "Venice of the North" of Estonia. Haapsalu will amaze you with small streets and cute wooden houses.

We share our impressions

So, the general impression of the Baltics:

1. Incredible, beautiful, atmospheric.
2. The trails and roads are perfect, everywhere is very clean and comfortable.
3. The old buildings and churches are amazing.
4. Our compatriots are treated very well, they are always ready to help suggest a route or any other question.
5. Cafes and restaurants have menus in Russian. The waiters are very welcoming and friendly. They are constantly interested in whether everything is fine and whether the ordered dishes were pleasant.
6. Almost everyone speaks excellent Russian. The only exception is youth. She hardly speaks Russian.
7. Hotels for every taste and budget, and there are almost always free places. (It is better to book the room you like for the night, if you wish, you can always extend it).
8. Be sure to bring warm clothes with you. Even in summer it can be very cold in the Baltics. Nature is especially capricious in Estonia: it often rains there, the temperature in July-August can reach only +16-17 degrees.
9. Of the minuses: a long passage of the border from Russia and back. And also the prices in the cafe: they are quite high, designed for wealthy Germans and French, who, by the way, are very numerous there.