Back from a 14-day road trip around Estonia and Latvia – mini travel diary
Hi everyone,
A few months ago I asked here for advice about a road trip through the Baltic countries.
I am back now to thank everyone who gave me suggestions, and also to leave a small travel diary of our trip.
We are a couple in our forties, flying in and out of Riga, with 14 full days and a rental car. We didn't want to do only the usual Baltic capitals tour: we also wanted to see smaller towns, rural areas and do some outdoor activities (hiking, cycling, lakes, etc.) in the national parks.
Because of this, we first decided to leave Lithuania for another trip, and then more or less limited Latvia to the Vidzeme region, so that we could spend less time driving and visit places at a more relaxed pace. Lithuania is definitely still on our list for a future trip.
Here is a summary of our itinerary. Maybe it can be useful to someone, especially because it is a bit different from the more typical Baltic trips.
Day 1) Arrival → Riga
- Old Town, St. Peter's Church, Riga Central Market
Day 2) Riga
- Central district, Art Nouveau Museum, Latvian National Museum of Art, Orthodox Cathedral
Day 3) Pick up rental car → Sigulda
- Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, Gutman's Cave
Day 4) Sigulda → Gauja National Park → Sigulda
- Turaida Castle, Sigulda New Castle and Old Castle ruins, walk along the river
Day 5) Sigulda → Tartu
- Cēsis, stop in Valga/Valka, Tartu
Day 6) Tartu → Tallinn
- Stop at Mustvee on Lake Peipus, Rakvere and its castle, then Tallinn: Lower Old Town (Vanalinn)
Day 7) Tallinn
- Kumu Art Museum and Kadriorg Park, Tallinn City Wall, Toompea Hill, evening in the Rotermann Quarter
Day 8) Tallinn → Lahemaa National Park → Tallinn
- Viru Bog trail, coastal viewpoints around Kasispea and Pärispea, Käsmu towards Kuradisaar, Vergi and the lighthouse, Altja village
Day 9) Tallinn → Haapsalu
- Paldiski and Pakri Lighthouse, Rummu Quarry and museum, Haapsalu
Day 10) Haapsalu → ferry → Saaremaa
- Kuressaare and the Bishop's Castle, Kaugatoma beach
Day 11) Saaremaa
- Salme, Sõrve Lighthouse and museum, Leedri village, Panga Cliff
Day 12) Saaremaa → Pärnu
- Angla Windmill Park, Koogova village, cycling around Pärnu
Day 13) Pärnu → Jūrmala
- Vidzeme coast, Saulkrasti and the White Dune, Jūrmala
Day 14) Jūrmala → Ķemeri National Park → Jūrmala
- Outdoor activities around Lake Babīte, Ķemeri, Ķemeri Bog trail at sunset
Day 15) Departure
One more personal note.
After several trips in Northern Europe, often focused quite a lot on landscapes, I was initially a little unsure about what to expect from the Baltic countries. I was used to places like Norway, where spectacular landscapes are often quite easy to come across even without much planning.
The Baltics are different. The landscape is generally less dramatic, but I found that if you take the time to research the area and look for the right places, there is a lot of beauty and, above all, a lot of character and variety.
The wetlands and bogs are something quite unique, but I was also surprised by some of the coastal landscapes. And I particularly liked the rural areas: villages and still-active farms, with buildings, roads and small stone walls that sometimes seem almost unchanged since the late 19th century.
So, at least for me, the main discovery was that the Baltics are not necessarily a place where you just drive around and expect spectacular scenery everywhere. They reward a bit of preparation and curiosity, and the landscapes you find are often interesting precisely because they are different from the more dramatic Northern European scenery.
There is really a lot to see, and also a lot to do, outside the famous capitals.
If anyone wants more details or has any questions about the itinerary, feel free to ask!
EDIT.
Some pictures added.
