Discover the Baltics: Self-Launched Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

Fly into Tallinn Airport (TLL), which is just 4km from the city centre — take bus 2 or 4 for around €2, or a taxi for ~€8. Check into your hostel or guesthouse in or near the Old Town. Spend the evening wandering the atmospheric medieval streets, grab a beer at a local bar and get your bearings before the adventure begins.

🚌Bus 2 or 4 from airport to city centre (~€2), or taxi (~€8)

🛏Monk's Bunk Hostel or Tabinoya Hostel (Old Town area) — budget ~£20-30/night for a private room or ~£12-16 for a dorm

• →Arrive and settle into accommodation in Tallinn Old Town
• →Self-guided evening stroll of Tallinn's medieval Old Town
• →Dinner at a local Estonian restaurant — try traditional black bread, smoked fish or elk stew

Join a self-bookable walking tour of Tallinn's UNESCO-listed Old Town — there are excellent options on GetYourGuide from around £12-15pp. Visit Toompea Castle, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Dome Church and St Nicholas Church. In the afternoon, explore freely: wander the cobblestone alleys, climb the Patkuli viewpoint for panoramic views, or visit the Viru Gate. The KUMU Art Museum is also worth a visit if culture is your thing.

🚌On foot — Old Town is very walkable

🛏Monk's Bunk Hostel or Tabinoya Hostel

• →Guided walking tour of Tallinn Old Town via GetYourGuide (~£12-15pp)
• →Visit Toompea Castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (free exterior, ~€5 cathedral entry)
• →Climb to Patkuli or Kohtuotsa viewpoint for panoramic views (free)
• →Free afternoon exploring cobblestone alleys, Viru Gate and local cafés

Hire a car for the day (from ~£35) or join a day tour from Tallinn to Lahemaa National Park (available on GetYourGuide ~£30-40pp). Explore the pine forests, sandy beaches, Palmse Manor and the fishing village of Altja. After lunch, drive or take a bus to Tartu (~2.5hrs from Tallinn, Lux Express bus from ~€10). Check into your Tartu accommodation and take a self-guided evening walk along the riverfront and university district.

🚌Lux Express bus Tallinn–Tartu (~€10, 2.5hrs); car hire for Lahemaa day section (~£35 shared)

🛏Hostel Tartu or Antonius Hotel Tartu (~£25-35/night)

• →Lahemaa National Park: walk pine forests, visit Palmse Manor and Altja fishing village
• →Self-guided walk or guided tour of Tartu Old Town, Town Hall Square and Toome Hill
• →Visit the Estonian National Museum (entry ~€12)

Take an early Lux Express bus from Tartu to Riga (~€12, ~3hrs) or change at Valga. Make a stop in Cēsis — accessible by local bus from Riga direction (~€3) or as a detour en route. Explore Cēsis Medieval Castle (entry ~€7), the charming old town with its red-roofed buildings, and take a short walk into the Gauja National Park river valley. Continue to Riga by afternoon — the total bus journey Cēsis–Riga takes ~1.5hrs (~€4).

🚌Lux Express Tartu–Riga (~€12, 3hrs) or via Valga; local bus to Cēsis (~€3-4 each way)

🛏Naughty Squirrel Hostel or Dome Hotel Riga (~£20-35/night)

• →Visit Cēsis Medieval Castle and Museum (~€7 entry)
• →Walk the Gauja River valley in 'Latvian Switzerland' (free)
• →Explore Cēsis Old Town's cobbled streets and café scene

Explore Riga's magnificent UNESCO-listed Old Town, home to over 800 Art Nouveau buildings — the highest concentration in Europe. Book a walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£10-15pp) covering the winding alleys, elegant boulevards, Riga Cathedral and the Freedom Monument. In the afternoon, explore freely: browse the Central Market (one of the largest in Europe), visit the Latvian National Museum of Art, or simply soak up the atmosphere with a coffee in a courtyard café.

🚌On foot — Riga Old Town is very walkable

🛏Naughty Squirrel Hostel or Dome Hotel Riga

• →Guided walking tour of Riga Old Town and Art Nouveau district via GetYourGuide (~£10-15pp)
• →Visit Riga Cathedral and St Peter's Church tower for views (~€9)
• →Explore Riga Central Market — one of the largest in Europe (free entry)
• →Free afternoon strolling boulevards and browsing local shops

Take the suburban train from Riga's central station to Jūrmala (~€2.20 each way, 30 mins). Explore this charming Baltic spa town: walk along Jomas Street, admire the unique wooden Art Nouveau architecture, stroll through pine forests and relax on the wide sandy beach. Catch a return train back to Riga for the evening.

🚌Suburban train Riga–Jūrmala (~€2.20 each way, 30 mins)

🛏Naughty Squirrel Hostel or Dome Hotel Riga

• →Train from Riga to Jūrmala (~€2.20, 30 mins)
• →Walk Jomas Street and explore wooden Art Nouveau villas (free)
• →Relax on Jūrmala's wide sandy Baltic beach (free)
• →Stroll through the pine forest dunes (free)

This is a big travel day crossing into Lithuania. Take a morning bus towards Bauska (~€3, 1hr from Riga), then a local bus or taxi to Rundale Palace (~€6-8 entry). Marvel at this stunning baroque palace and its French-style formal gardens. Continue by bus south across the border to Šiauliai (~2hrs total), then take a short taxi or bus to the Hill of Crosses (~€5 taxi) — a deeply moving and unique pilgrimage site with thousands of crosses. Re-join the road to Klaipėda by bus or shared taxi (~2hrs, ~€10).

🚌Bus Riga–Bauska (~€3); taxi/local bus to Rundale (~€6); bus to Šiauliai (~€7); taxi to Hill of Crosses (~€5); bus Šiauliai–Klaipėda (~€10)

🛏Old Mill Hotel Klaipėda or Hostel Klaipėda (~£20-30/night)

• →Visit Rundale Palace and its baroque gardens (~€6-8 entry)
• →Stop at the Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai (free entry, deeply moving experience)
• →Self-guided walk around Klaipėda Old Town and the remains of Klaipėda Castle (free)

Take the short ferry from Klaipėda Old Ferry Terminal to the Curonian Spit (~€1 each way, 5 mins). Once across, hop on a local minibus to Nida (~€3-5). This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of Europe's most striking landscapes — towering shifting sand dunes meeting the Baltic Sea. Climb the Great Dune (Parnidis Dune) for spectacular views, wander through the quirky Hill of Witches sculpture trail, and explore the charming fishing village of Nida. Return ferry to Klaipėda by evening.

🚌Ferry Klaipėda–Curonian Spit (~€1 each way); local minibus along the spit to Nida (~€3-5)

🛏Old Mill Hotel Klaipėda or Hostel Klaipėda

• →Ferry from Klaipėda to Curonian Spit (~€1 each way)
• →Explore the shifting sand dunes — climb Parnidis (Great) Dune for panoramic views (free)
• →Walk the Hill of Witches outdoor sculpture trail in Juodkrantė (free)
• →Explore Nida village: amber museum (~€3), fishermen's cottages and seafront

Head to the extraordinary Plokštinė Soviet Missile Base Museum — one of the most unique Cold War sites in Europe, housed in a real former secret launch facility. Getting there independently requires a bus to Plungė (~€8, 1.5hrs from Klaipėda) then a taxi into the forest (~€10-12 return). Entry to the museum is ~€5. Afterwards, take a bus to Kaunas (~2hrs, ~€8) and take a self-guided walk of Kaunas Old Town: the 13th-century castle, Old Town Hall ('White Swan'), Cathedral Basilica and Church of St Francis Xavier.

🚌Bus Klaipėda–Plungė (~€8, 1.5hrs); taxi to Plokštinė (~€10-12 return); bus Plungė–Kaunas (~€8, 2hrs)

🛏Apple Economy Hotel Kaunas or Kaunas Hostel (~£20-30/night)

• →Visit Plokštinė Cold War Museum in former Soviet missile base (~€5 entry)
• →Self-guided walking tour of Kaunas Old Town: castle, Town Hall and cathedral (free–€3)
• →Explore Kaunas' Laisvės Alėja (Freedom Avenue) — the longest pedestrian street in the Baltics

Take an early bus from Kaunas to Vilnius (~€5, 1.5hrs), then immediately jump on a local bus or marshrutka to Trakai (~€1.50, 30 mins from Vilnius bus station). Explore the fairy-tale 14th-century Trakai Island Castle, set on an island in the middle of a lake — entry is ~€10. Try a traditional Karaite dish called kibinai (savoury pasties) at one of the lakeside restaurants. Return to Vilnius by bus in the afternoon and check into your accommodation.

🚌Bus Kaunas–Vilnius (~€5); local bus Vilnius–Trakai–Vilnius (~€3 return)

🛏Jimmy Jumps House Hostel or Dvaras Boutique Hostel Vilnius (~£20-35/night)

• →Bus Kaunas–Vilnius (~€5, 1.5hrs)
• →Local bus Vilnius–Trakai (~€1.50, 30 mins)
• →Visit Trakai Island Castle (~€10 entry) — one of Lithuania's most iconic sights
• →Try Karaite kibinai (traditional savoury pastries) at a lakeside restaurant

Enjoy a full day in Vilnius, one of Europe's most underrated capitals. Book a morning walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£10-12pp) covering the Cathedral Square, Royal Palace, Gediminas Tower and the beautiful baroque Old Town. In the afternoon, explore at your own pace: duck into the bohemian Republic of Užupis (check out the Užupis Constitution on the wall), browse the artsy galleries, visit the Vilnius University courtyard, or relax in Bernardine Gardens.

🚌On foot — Vilnius Old Town is very walkable

🛏Jimmy Jumps House Hostel or Dvaras Boutique Hostel Vilnius

• →Guided walking tour of Vilnius Old Town via GetYourGuide (~£10-12pp)
• →Visit Gediminas Tower for panoramic views (~€5)
• →Explore the quirky Republic of Užupis and its constitution wall (free)
• →Visit Cathedral Square, Royal Palace and Vilnius University courtyard (free–€5)

Enjoy a final breakfast in Vilnius before heading home or extending your trip. Vilnius Airport (VNO) is just 7km from the city centre — take bus 1 or 88 for ~€1, or a taxi for ~€10-12. If you have time before your flight, grab a final coffee in the Old Town and pick up some amber jewellery or linen as souvenirs.

🚌Bus 1 or 88 to Vilnius Airport (~€1) or taxi (~€10)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final breakfast in Vilnius Old Town
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping — amber, linen and Lithuanian honey products
• →Airport transfer via bus 1 or 88 (~€1) or taxi (~€10-12)