Cycle the Baltics

Fly to Tallinn; transfer to start hotel.
On arrival there should be some time to explore Tallinn. Tallinn is a
fascinating historical city with many sites to explore. We recommend
strolling through the streets of the Old Town to Raekoja Plats (Town Hall
Square), the square is surrounded by elaborate merchant houses and is the
perfect setting to enjoy a coffee. Historically it served as a market and
meeting place. If you find the round stone with a compass rose in the middle
of the square you will be able to see the 5 church spires of the old town.
The Cathedral of Saint Mary, St. Alexander Nevsky and St. Olav's Church have
long characterised the skyline of the old town and are well worth a visit, as
are the old town walls.
**

Day 2

This morning there is some free time to further explore Estonia's
capital (timings will be confirmed by the guide in the welcome briefing).
In the afternoon we leave Tallin behind and drive out of the city (approx.
1h), we will begin our first ride through National Park Lahemaa. The park,
one of the last unspoilt regions of the Baltic Coast, extends over 700 square
kilometres. Its nature is rich and unique. Here you will cycle through thick
woods, marshes and lakes. Above all, the coastline is what makes this area so
distinctive. It is also a rich environment for wildlife with moose and wild
boar, although difficult to spot, and over 220 species of bird – keep your
eyes open! Our accommodation for the evening is situated in the national park
itself and is in a spectacular setting in the grounds of an old distillery.*
*

Park Hotel Palmse or similar

Day 3

Today we have a full day to explore the largest national park in Estonia and
one of the biggest in Europe. We will embark on a circular route taking in as
many of the parks wonderful attractions as possible. Starting from Palmse
Hotel (the former park manor house), we will pass Sagadi manor, the 400 year
old fisherman’s village of Altja, the popular seaside resort of Vosu, and
Kasmu village which is home to the fisherman’s museum. We finish the loop
cycling back through Estonian forests and meadows until we arrive at the
hotel.
*Park Hotel Palmse or similar*

Day 4

We start the day with a bus transfer to the shore of Peipsi Lake (approx.
1.5h), then start cycling from the 17th Century fisherman’s village of
Mustvee. From here we pass through ancient towns and churches. Following an
old Russian tradition, villages in Peipsi only have one street. Because of
this, the shore of Peipsi Lake is one long street with lots of small
settlements dotted along it. We continue cycling into Varnja and then
transfer to Tartu (approx. 30min).
*Tartu Hotel or similar *

Day 5

After breakfast, we have a 40km transfer to Otepaa. This area is known as
‘Estonian Switzerland’ because of its stunning scenery and pine forests.
As you would expect, there are a few hills on today’s ride, though nothing
too steep and challenging with the gradient not going above 7%. Once over the
hills, we cycle through beautiful forest and meadows and past Lake Puhajarve
on our way to Sangaste town. We will visit the park and castle in
Sangaste – walking up the castle tower gives us a great view over Otepaa
and the surrounding green natural areas. After visiting the castle we
continue cycling to Valga city, and from here we transfer by bus to Riga
(approx. 2.5h), our base for the next two nights.
*Ibis Centre Riga or similar*

Day 6

Our journey today will start in the bustling town Riga, Latvia’s largest
town and capital city. The city has a mediaeval old town which is famous for
its wooden buildings and art nouveau architecture. We will then follow the
cycle paths to the beautiful town of Jurmala, which is famous for its
incredible wooden buildings and 19th Century Russian villas. Jurmala is also
one of Latvia’s largest seaside resorts – it has a 33km stretch of
white sandy beach for us to explore on our bikes. There will be plenty of
time to have a swim in the sea before we transfer back to Riga for the night.
**Ibis Centre Riga* or similar *

Day 7

After breakfast, we leave Latvia and transfer directly to Lithuania (approx.
4h). We begin our ride in Sventoji on a beautiful cycle route to Klaipeda,
which lies along the Baltic Coast. On the way we pass Palanga, a traditional
bucket and spade seaside town with a long stretch of sandy beach. It's a
really fun place to stop, have a wander around, a dip in the sea, and see one
of the most favoured seaside towns among Lithuanians. We will visit the
Palanga Botanical Gardens and manor house which is now home to the amber
museum. There are numerous cafes to sit and enjoy the atmosphere and have
some lunch before we set off again for our final destination of Klaipeda, our
base for two nights. Our hotel is close to the Old Town, so a good spot from
which to explore.
*Amberton Hotel Klaipeda or similar *

Day 8

We transfer to Nida (approx. 1.5h including the ferry ride), known as the
town of retreat, and an artist’s resort. It was home and inspiration for
two summers to the author Thomas Mann and its affluent feel and tranquillity
encourages the feeling that you are on a holiday within a holiday. From here
we explore the 68km long Curonian Spit. The high dunes (up to 60m) running
along the spit have encouraged the local people to refer to the area as the
'Lithuanian Sahara'. During our ride we will make a stop in Juodkrante and
admire the bizarre wooden carvings on what is known as Witch Hill. The
sculpture park was started in 1979 and now has more than 70 wooden carvings
representing characters of Lithuanian folktale and legend. We will then
continue along the spit with the Baltic Sea extending far into the distance.
We finish the ride at the ferry port, and from here we take the ferry across
the lagoon then transfer back to the hotel in Klaipeda for the night.
*Amberton Hotel Klaipeda or similar*

Day 9

We start the day with a bus transfer to Kintai village (approx. 45mins), and
from here we cycle through dense green forests and beautiful meadows to Vente
Cape. There is a lot of wildlife at Vente Cape as it is a popular resting
place for birds on their migration, and it's home to one of the first bird
ringing stations in Europe. We will visit the 11m high lighthouse which
offers breathtaking views of the lagoon and golden sand dunes of the Curonian
Split; the lighthouse is a fascinating place, built in 1863 when the cape was
still part of Germany. We continue cycling to the town of Silute where we get
on the bus and transfer to Vilnius (approx. 4h).
*Comfort Hotel or similar *

Day 10

After breakfast, we transfer by bus to the small village of
Semeliskes(approx. 1h). From here we have a picturesque ride over undulating
terrain to Galve Lake. Here the magical and famous Trakai Castle sits, as if
floating on its own island in the middle of the lake – it’s a truly
magical place. We will explore the surrounding areas of the lake and visit
the Castle before transferring back to Vilnius for the night.
*Comfort Hotel or similar*

Day 11

Transfer to Vilnius airport; fly to London.
**