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I haven't been to any of these countries, but I have been to Helsinki and I think it deserves more than a day-trip. Why not spend a night or two there? There's great bars and restaurants and friendly people, plus it's a great mix of Scandi and Eastern architecture. I went over Easter once and most things were closed, but I still loved it.

I've only been to Latvia, and only to Riga. This is a very interesting city deserving a couple of days. My highlights would be the Museum of Occupations and a walk around the Art Nouveau area. Forget the "Open Air Museum" - it's a long, awkward bus ride and when we went there almost all the buildings were closed! We would have liked to visit Rundale palace but it was too far for an easy day trip from Riga.

Were I to visit Estonia, I would want to visit the islands, which according to the Rough Gide should be doable in the time you have spare.

When I went through the Baltic republics (several years ago I should add), I stayed in Parnu to break up the journey between Tallinn and Riga. As I recall it was very picturesque but also very quiet even though I was there in the middle of August; the beach was lovely. If I'd had more time I'd've liked to have visited the islands off Estonia.

Just a suggestion, but Sigulda can be done as a day trip from Riga, it's less than an hour away by train.

Hello Sheffa,

I'm just coming to the end of a 7-week stint in the Baltics and have had a great time, it's a really interesting place to visit and the people are also very friendly. Most younger people are very proficient in English which is useful if you aren't able to master the local languages in the time you're there..!

Anyway your itinerary looks fine with some interesting visits - I've been using Rough Guide's Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and it's been extremely useful, not just for practical information such as maps etc but also for ideas on where to go.

Public transport is fairly straightforward - the following websites are useful for timetables etc:

Estonia bus: http://www.bussireisid.ee/index.html?MENU=&KEEL=en
Estonia train: http://www.edel.ee/home
Latvia bus: http://159.148.86.171/eticket/races.jsp
Latvia train: http://sirius.ldz.lv/sari/?lngg=en
Lithuania bus: http://www.autobusubilietai.lt/index.php?cl=planning&lang=1
Lithuania train: http://bit.ly/l9FRUc

Strangely trains in the Baltics are generally cheaper than bus but are less extensive and can be slower.

Have a good trip!

I'd thoroughly recommend a trip to the Curonian Spit in Lithuania but it's a long way from Vilnius.  In Vilnius make sure you visit the Museum of Genocide Victims - it's in the former KGB headquarters and is very sobering. http://www.genocid.lt/muziejus/en/

There is a bus from Vilnius to Trakai (from the coach station which is behind the bus station which is next to the train station!) and there is an excellent train from Siauliai to Vilnius.

Enjoy - it is a great country!

Hi Anthony, 

I spent 2 weeks exploring the Baltic States a few years ago (2008). We flew Ryanair to Kaunas from where we had pre-booked a hire car online (very cheap). Our itinerary was:

Kaunas

Vilnius

Sigulda

Tartu

Lake Peipus

Tallinn

Helsinki

Saaremaa

Riga

Palanga

Nida (on the Curonian Spit)

Kaunas

We stayed 1 or 2 nights at all these places apart from Lake Peipus and Nida, which we went out of our way to visit en route, and Helsinki which was a day trip from Tallinn.

All these places really warranted far more time but it was fascinating to get an overview of all three countries – they all have their own distinctive characters and seem to be developing independently in different ways.

The places you choose to visit, to fill in the gaps in your itinerary, will depend on your particular interests. I loved Tartu for its history and architecture – it is Estonia's main university town. And nearby Lake Peipus is like an inland sea – we went for a swim from the beach at Mustvee.

The Estonian island of Saaremaa in the Baltic Sea was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Our hostel there was actually a farm - Praakli Farm, near Kärla, in the centre of the island (book through hostelworld.com). We went cycling in the surrounding forests, swimming in forest lakes, and swimming in the sea - from beautiful empty sandy beaches. The castle in the island's capital, Kuressaare, is well worth a visit too.

As a map enthusiast and amateur geographer the Curonian Spit in Lithuania was beckoning to me. We drove right down it as far as the Russian border. From there we were originally going to drive back to Kaunas via the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad but, in the end, since I was travelling with my 3 sons on a tight budget, I decided I couldn't afford the additional cost (and hassle) of 4 Russian visas. We did peer across the border though.

The 3 capital cities are a must for your itinerary, and then Helsinki is so accessible from Tallinn it would be a shame to pass up the oportunity to go there. We got day return tickets for 19 Euros each (as foot passengers) from Linda Line ferries. They often have offers – check out www.lindaline.fi/en/

We bought our tickets the day before we sailed, and got them direct from a Linda Line bureau in one of the department stores in the newer part of town.

A hire car was great for flexibility and exploring off the beaten track. I'm sure you could get a good deal if you booked beforehand on line. I've just checked on travelsupermarket.com, using your travel dates. A medium-sized family car would cost you £292 for 14 days – picked up from, and returned to, Tallinn airport. (You would need to check with the hire company for drop-off at Vilnius.)

Anyway, good luck with your travel plans and have a great trip.

You have read my mind I am planning the same trip at the same time.  I am using Lux Express and Eurolines to travel around the balkans.  My trip is only for a week so just doing the three capitals.  I am really looking forward to it.

Hi Sheffa, I did a very similar trip about 3 years ago. Flew to Tampere, then to Helsinki,ferry to Tallin where I rented a car, to coastal Lithuania and dropped the car off in Riga. It was a great trip and I found the car hire worth the cost in terms of time saving and ability to get off the beaten track when I needed. Road conditions and driving were fine too. I used Sixt and found the cost quite reasonable for a one way rental between countries, especially if you take Finland out of the equation- not sure how much they are now, but worth checking.

If you go for the self drive option, check out my website www.driverabroad.com which covers driving in all the Baltic countries (and rest of the world!).