Tallinn Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips

Baltis is a gem!!!! 3 countries in 12 days with fairytale old towns, culture, the music soul of the people, these countries have rich cultural traditions, centuries old folklore, song festivals of voices and UNESCO listed historic centers. All the medieval towers and coloful facades walking through them feel likes stepping back in time. Baltics offer untouched landscapes perfect for breathing fresh air from endless pine forest and serene lakes to the largest sand dune in Europe, the Curonian Spit.

Our trip round the Baltic states far exceeded expectations. Everything ran according to plan and we learned so much about an area of which we knew very little. The itinerary was varied and we particularly enjoyed our stay at the Manor as it was a lovely contrast to what was largely a city based tour. Inna, our leader, was exceptional in that she was aware of the needs of everyone in our lovely group and worked tirelessly to make sure that we all had a good time. She was a mine of information about everything and provided some excellent suggestions for places to eat, even in our free time, thus ensuring that we had the chance to sample lots of local specialities. We had local guides in each country and they were of a very high standard, speaking excellent English and exhibiting real passion for their country. Well done Explore, we would definitely recommend this trip.

The tour leader was very knowledgable and we learned a great deal about the Baltic states culture and history. The day we spent exploring the Curonian Spit National Park in Lithuania was especially interesting. Witches hill with the wonderful wood carvings was amazing.

The Baltics have a rich and complicated history and the area is well worth visiting. Our guide Leva whose home is in Latvia, knows the area extremely well and often took her private time to suggest and lead activities that were not on the official tour itinerary. Three beautiful countries, three languages, and three main religions all combined in a whirlwind tour.

The trip was excellent. I’ve not travelled with such a large group before so found that tricky at times but our leader Margareta managed the different elements in our Group expertly. Always ensuring everyone was included and informed of what we were doing.

The itinerary allowed for a comprehensive look at a variety of sites across the three countries, not just the capital cities. In the cities, the balance between time spent with the group (city walking tour with local guide) and free time to pursue your own interests was just right. The forward arranging of group meals for the evenings in the bigger places by the tour leader was appreciated as a way of sampling local cuisine - you could opt out if you wanted. The hotels were all of a good or excellent quality, often totally refurbished within an older building, and centrally located. The coaches used were very comfortable for a group of 15, though the tinted glass on the Riga-Vilnius coach made for so-so photography of the outside and made the interior a bit dark. For early morning flights from Vilnius on the last day (taxi to airport at 3:20am) it was 'no breakfast!', even though stated on itinerary, not even a mini box thing (as provided on a previous Explore trip. with similar early departure.. on "Silk Road" in Tashkent). The tour leader Margarita was excellent - knowledgeable, enthusiastic, personable - 10/10!