BALTIC – SCANDINAVIAN ROUTE: Finland – Sweden – Estonia – Latvia

BALTIC – SCANDINAVIAN ROUTEmap_baltic_scan
FINLAND – SWEDEN – ESTONIA – LATVIA

This tour offers visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites – Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga, Tallinn, travelling by ferries and cruise ships and adding value to the trip by exploring the Baltic countries beyond capitals.The sites outside cities present traditional folk cultures of Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia and a variety of farms showing today’s life in the countryside. The roundtrip includes two overnights on cruise ships.

 

Duration 8 nights/9 days
Route Helsinki – Lohja – Helsinki – Stockholm – Stockholm archipelago – Riga – Limbaži – Salacgrīva – Pärnu – Tallinn – Helsinki
View on Map map-marker-2-xxl

 

 verde DAY 1:
Arrival to Helsinki, Finland  

 

Overnight in a hotel in Helsinki.

 

 verde DAY 2:
Helsinki – Lohja – Siuntio  		 DRIVING DISTANCE: 80km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 8 h

 

Helsinki city tour.Visit the iconic Marimekko production and design facility in Herttoniemi. Continue to Helsinki centre and check out the must see places of Helsinki. Visit local Punus farm in Siuntio, taste the local food and produce. Hostess Susanne will welcome you to her farm and show you around. A short walk in the forest. Visit the LohjaTytyri mine – experience the working mine and museum and the spectacular light show with Sibelius Finlandia music 100 meters below the surface.

Overnight in Kisakallio. Visit the Finnish nature and the sauna experience while in Kisakallio or Spa hotel Cumulus Resort Siuntio.

 verde DAY 3:
Siuntio – Helsinki –Stockholm 		DRIVING DISTANCE: 45km
CRUISE FERRY – 16.5h

 

Helsinki city tour.The Helsinki Cathedral and the Senat Square, the Parliament, the Old Market Hall and Market Square, the Esplanade park, the Kamppi Chapel of Silence, the Temppeliaukio church, the Design District Helsinki, the Suomenlinna Sea fortress.

Overnight cruise: Helsinki – Stockholmby ferry Silja Serenade/Silja Symphony (17:00 – 09:30).

 verde DAY 4:
Stockholm

 

Stockholm archipelago with more than 30,000 islands, ancient fishing villages and centuries-old towns, inviting coves, cliffs and soft sand beaches

Overnight in a hotel in Stockholm.

 verde DAY 5:
Stockholm – Riga 		FERRY CRUISE – 17 h

 

City tour/free time in Stockholm. Gamla Stan – the Old Town, the Royal Palace, the Stockholm Cathedral, the Vasa museum, the SkyView – the  top of the world’s largest spherical building, Djurgården – the green island.

Stockholm-Riga overnight cruise with Isabelle/Romantikacruise ferry (17:00 – 11:00).

 verde DAY 6:
Riga 		 DRIVING DISTANCE: 30km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 6 h

 

City tour in Riga.The Dome Cathedral with one of the world’s largest pipe organs, St. Peter’s Church with magnificent views of the city from its steeple, the old Guild Houses, the Swedish Gate, the architectural ensemble Three Brothers, St. Jacob’s Church, the Parliament House, Old Riga Castle, Art Nouveau area.  The Historic Centre of Riga is a UNESCO Heritage Site. Latvian Ethnographic open air museum –a collection of 118 historical buildings from all four of Latvia’s provinces.

Overnight in a hotel in Riga.

 verde DAY 7:
Riga – Limbaži – Salacgrīva – Pärnu
 DRIVING DISTANCE: 222km, WALKING: 2.2 km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 12 h

 

Blacksmith’s workshop. Hand-made lanterns, candelabras, hinges, fireplace tools, stair railings and gates.Several exhibits from the 18thcentury. Dzirnupes farm, a traditional Latvian farmstead. The owner makes drums from tree stumps and is prepared to teach how to use a bow and arrow. The lady of the house offers a programme presenting household skills that a Latvian bride should have mastered until wedding. Lunch at Plavas gourmet restaurant. Tolkuse nature trail is a circular trail, partly running on a boardwalk. It passes through the pine forest on the dunes and Tolkuse bog and leads to the largest bog-pool of the bog.2,2km, ca 1.5h. Nurka Tourism Farm. Guided nature hikes in Tolkuse bog, wood-heated sauna, handicraft workshops. Accommodation is possible for a small group.

Overnight in a hotel in Pärnu.

 verde DAY 8:
Pärnu – Tallinn  		 DRIVING DISTANCE: 140km
PROGRAMME DURATION – 8 h

 

The timing allows for a combination of maximum 3 visits. There are the following options en route to choose from:

  • Herbal biological farm.
  • Kännu Alpaca Farm: Guests can pet an alpaca and feed it with treats, see pygmy goats, miniature sheep, Angora rabbits, and chickens.
  • Jaanihanso Cider House and orchard makes cider from natural Estonian apples. Visitors can try five different ciders and take a tour.
  • Luhtre Farm: Luhtre farm serves organic food, using old recipes (possibility to have dinner).

Overnight in a hotel in Tallinn.

 verde DAY 9:
Tallinn – Helsinki  		 FERRY: 2h

 

Tallinn city tour.The tour combines walking and bus. The walking tour includes the Toompea Castle, the 13thcentury Dome church, the 19thcentury Russian orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevskij, the 15thcentury town Hall square, the Old Guild built to celebrate Tallinn’s membership in the Hanseatic League, and St. Olaf’s church. The bus tour includes Tallinn’s suburbs and Song Festival Grounds, St. Brigitte’s monastery and Pirita area.

Tallinn-Helsinki with Tallink Shuttle: Star/Megastar.

Departure.