Vilnius

Highlights: Vilnius Old Town.

Arrival to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Bus transfer to the hotel.

This is you evening free – and you free to do some own explorations in the city, without any plans, just following your eyes and heart. Prepare your questions – as they can be answered by the guided tour on the next day.

Remember to have some proper rest and free time as your grand unforgettable travel is about to start!

Overnight: Vilnius.

Vilnius – Trakai

Highlights: Vilnius Old Town, Trakai Castle.

Morning starts with a guided City Tour, the in-deep acquaintance with Vilnius Old Town where you can dive in the city lively atmosphere, while walking along its old winding streets or visiting the most exiting architectural and historic monuments. Learn about the city’s rich history, listening to stories and legends, which almost every building of a peculiar “Lithuanian” Baroque can tell you.

In the afternoon you will travel an old heart of Lithuania – the city of Trakai (~ 27 km from Vilnius). The former capital, nowadays Trakai attracts people with a stunning medieval castle staying in the very midst of the lake, with narrow streets and old wooden houses, and of course – with the traditional meals, its specialty. Bike ride on winding roads will show you another side of Trakai region – wide panoramic views of forest hills and lakes, local villages and a manor house.

Cycling: ~30 km

Meals: B

Overnight: Vilnius

Vilnius – Dzukija National Park - Druskininkai

Highlights: Dzukija villages, Druskininkai.

Transfer by bus to Dzukija National Park, the largest protected area in whole Lithuania, is the kingdom of ancient legends, stories, songs, pinewoods and mushrooms. There are also several forest villages, hidden deep in the park – some dating back to the 16th century, where the filling of “time stopped here” sounds so trustfully. Cycling and passing through unique ancient villages, pine forest, streams and lakes will perfectly help to catch the mood and spirit of this area.

Transfer to Druskininkai town, a famous recreation and SPA resort, known for its combinations of healing salt and mud treatments, healthy pine forest air and spa procedures.

Cycling: ~40 km

Meals: B

Overnight: Druskininkai

Druskininkai - Grutas Park - Kaunas

Highlights: Druskininkai pine forest, Grutas Park, Kaunas.

We will continue cycling by following a well-developed network of cycling and hiking trails in the surrounding pinewoods, which Druskininkai is known for.

The thrilling memories of this day will be born in Grutas Parkas, where the dozens of the Soviet monuments are placed along narrow paths in the shadowy pine forest. The monuments were dismantled in 1989 and brought here from cities and towns all over Lithuania. Such a large concentration of monuments and sculptures of ideological content in a single outdoor exposition is a rare and possibly unique phenomenon in the world.

After a busy day you transfer to Kaunas, the second biggest city of Lithuania.

Cycling: ~30 km

Meals: B

Overnight: Kaunas

Kaunas – Seaside regional park - Vente Cape - Klaipeda

Highlights: Kaunas Old Town, Ornithological station in Vente Cape, Klaipeda.

The walking city tour in the morning will show you unique nature of Kaunas. With its compact and vivid Old City, Kaunas has a proper menagerie of historical, artistic and educational spots. Gothic architecture, defensive fortresses, footprints, left by various ethnical groups that used to live there, Kaunas as the capital of the First Lithuanian Republic– these are the possible routes for acquaintance with Kaunas.

Departure to Ltithuanian seaside (212 km from Kaunas).

On the way to Klaipeda, the only sea port of Lithuania, we will make a stop for the cycling trip through the Seaside region park towards the Vente Horn. This remarkable place is ideal for rides and offers a breathtaking view of the Curonian lagoon and shining sand dunes of the Curonian Spit. The Ornithological station is placed here, as thousands of birds are passing via this important migration route.

This day ends in Klaipeda, old Hanseatic city, where atmosphere of sea winds and trades is felt all around on its streets, stones, buildings and sights.

Cycling: ~30 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Klaipeda.

Klaipeda - Curonian Spit – Klaipeda

Highlights: Dunes of the Curonian Spit, Nida and Juodkrante villages, Hill of Witches.

Morning transfer by ferry to the Curoninan Spit. The Curonian Spit is the most protected area of whole Lithuania. Formed uniquely through ages, it lies between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea, and the most extensive sand dunes in Europe appeared here. Bike ride will give a great chance to discover this area in full diversity of its cultural and historical objects, peculiar landscapes, endemic flora and fauna.

From top of the Dead Dunes you will see a splendid panoramic view on “the sea of sand” and the real Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon right beside it. Another natural gift on your way – observation of the busy life of a colony of grey herons and cormorants, and as a nice ending of this day’s trip – go up the Hill of Witches, and have a walk in the open-air museum of woodcarvings.

Cycling: ~55 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Klaipeda.

Klaipeda – Seaside Regional Park - Palanga - The Hill of Crosses - Riga

Highlights: Dutchman’s Cap cliff, Palanga pier, Palanga Amber Museum, Hill of Crosses.

We will start cycling from Klaipeda towards Palanga resort passing through the Seaside Regional park, and watching a local variety of sea sights and forests landscapes. We will make a break for a striking view from the top of the Dutchman’s Cap – a 24-meter-high coastal cliff.

Arriving to Palanga visit the largest in the Baltics Amber Museum and the Botanical Garden, and then just take a calm ride along city’s main walking street, which will lead you to the 470 m long pier straight into the Baltic Sea.

From Palanga we depart to Riga, the capital of Latvia. But before we get there let us stop at a one-of-a-kind cultural and historical place and the UNESCO heritage sight – the Hill of Crosses. More than 500,000 differently shaped and sized crosses are placed on the hill by individuals as a pleace for grace or an expression of gratitude since the ancient times. This is definitely the view, which should be experienced to stay in your memories forever.

Cycling: ~25 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Riga.

Riga

Highlights: Riga Old Town, City Market, Canal tour.

After the breakfast we invite you to get the most from the Riga City Tour both by bus and walking. Being the largest of the Baltic capitals, Riga is a true pearl of architecture – you can see churches that were built at 13^th century, the city’s very origin, and the medieval buildings of the Old City, the unique Art Nouveau examples, as well as wooden architecture which have survived for centuries. The well-organised Old City and surroundings has a great number of museums, art galleries, bars and open-air cafes with live music.

Free afternoon to explore the city on your own. Once you get to know Riga a bit – look for more unusual ways to learn it better, for example, visit the Central Market, which found its home in ex-zeppelin angars, or discover the city riding a boat on the City channel or along the river coast.

Meals: B

Overnight: Riga

Riga – Gauja National Park – Cesis

Highlights: Turaida Castle, Cesis Old Town

Departure to Gauja National park (60 km from Riga), often referred to as the “Latvian Switzerland” due the distinct landscape, with wooded hills, river curves and cliffs. After a relaxing walk around the medieval Turaida Castle and the Sculpture park with works of the Latvian artists, we will move on with our cycling way through hills, caves and valleys and forests. On the way we will have a chance to see the Latvia’s oldest church.

In-between transfer for the final ride of the day to Cesis, one of the Latvia’s oldest and most beautiful Hanseatic towns.

Cycling: ~40 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Cesis.

Cesis – Gauja National Park - Tartu

Highlights: Cesis Castle and Old Town, Gauja National Park.

In the morning the truly medieval Cesis castle, the residence of the master of the Livonian Order, will open its gates. Cesis has a special charm and ambiance of a cozy old city with its steep and narrow medieval streets, wooden houses and stone walls, green parks and little cafes. As we go on with bike riding in the Gauja National park, the route is taking us along ancient forests and hills, fields and meadows, with old castles ruins, Lutheran churches and the Livonian Order castle on the way.

After the full day in the Gauja National Park we depart to Tartu, Estonian second largest city.

Cycling: 47 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Tartu.

Tartu – Lahemaa National Park

Highlights: Tartu, Lake Peipsi, Alatskivi castle, authentic villages of Russian Old Believers.

We start to discover Tartu with a morning city tour. This city is proud of its oldest University in the Baltics, and now it is keeping the academic atmosphere and merry student festivals, as well as a rich cultural life of concerts, theatre and exhibitions. Walking in Tartu will create as a colorful mosaic of the university buildings, “modern” part of the city built in 18^th-19^th centuries, as well as the ruins of a largest 15th century dome church.

Leaving Tartu, you will start cycling through the typical Estonian countryside towards the biggest in Estonia lakes – Lake Peipsi, and the route unwinds along its sandy beaches and sandstone rocks. The highlight of the route will definitely be a magnificent fairy tale Alatskivi castle, Alatskivi Castle is a fairy tale castle built by the designs of the first owner in the so-called Scottish barons style. One of the most beautiful neo-gothic building in the Baltic States, the castle is surrounded by the huge park worth to visit.

The East Estonian region also was the one where the Russian Old Believers were settling after fleeing Russia, thus on the way you can learn more about this culture and some of these old churches.

Evening transfer to Lahemaa National Park.

Cycling: 40 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Lahemaa National park.

Lahemaa National Park

Highlights: Lahemaa’forest trails, Altja village, airtime museum in Soviet Coast Guard barracks.

Transfer by bus to Lahemaa National Park, the biggest Estonian National Park and the place of most developed cycling trails in Estonia. Lahemaa holds the most diverse landscapes and sceneries, with its virgin sandy beaches, waterfalls cascade, mossy pine forests, which hides over 200 species of birds and almost 900 different species of plants. There are several educational trails to learn more about rich flora and fauna of the Park.

The park also offers a variety of cultural sites, such as perfectly preserved 400-year-old fishing hamlet in park. And next to it – as the region was always on the borderline – nowadays the old Soviet Coast Guard barracks gave a space to the airtime museum with excellent exhibits on the Soviet era.

Cycling: 30 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Lahemaa National park.

Lahema – Tallinn

Highlights: Palmse museum

The day starts with a biking tour in the Lahemaa National Park, exploring various historical objects and the Manor house the park is rich with, including Palmse manor, the 18^th century baroque house and the showpiece of Lahemaa. On your way between the cultural sites, you still will receive a full pleasure of bike trails through forests and fields.

Afternoon departure to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.

Cycling: 40 km.

Meals: B

Overnight: Tallinn.

Tallinn - Kadriorg Palace - Tallinn

Highlights: Tallinn Old Town, Kadriorg Palace.

We will discover Tallinn with the original bike tour. The Tallinn’s Old Town managed to keep its whole unity, staying mystic and charming medieval city. You will find well-preserved completeness and authentic Hanseatic architecture, enchanting atmosphere, and terrific panoramic views from the Upper Town. At the same time, the Old Town is pretty much alive and a lot of cafes, shops, art galleries and original souvenirs places are inviting for a visit.

For more easy ride we will see Kadriorg park ensemble, with the 18^th century summer palace for the family of Russian tsar Peter I. The palace is now home to the Kadriorg Art Museum, and besides the nation’s collection of foreign art, visitors can see the room that served as president’s office in the 1930s.

Cycling: 15 km

Meals: B

Overnight: Tallinn

Departure

Transfer to the Tallinn airport. Departure.