Private Tour of the Baltics & Belarus in 10 Days from Minsk
In this 10 days tour you will get an insider’s view to all three Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and spice up your travel experience with a visit to Belarus - a real undiscovered gem of Eastern Europe.
Highlights
Food tour in Hales market
Forest stay or homestay in Trakai
Hill of Crosses
Riga Castle
Gutman’s Ala Cave
Mira Castle
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Description
Start the journey from Minsk, where you will get to visit the famous Mir Castle among other famous sites. Visit Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn Old Towns – 3 UNESCO World heritage sites in one trip. Spend a night at a local homestead and enjoy the hospitality of the locals. Savour homemade breakfast and dinner, and taste local flavours and specialities at the food market in Vilnius. Explore nature in Gauja National Park, and visit the holy site of Hill of Crosses.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrival in Minskexpand_more
Arrive in Minsk, and get optional transfer to your hotel. Check-in and join the welcome meeting with a guide.
Overnight in 3* Hotel in Minsk.
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Day 2: Explore historic Mir Castle and Minsk cityexpand_more
This day will be full of discoveries and contrasts. In the morning you will have a hundred km drive to Mir Castle complex, one of the greatest treasures of Belarus, a UNESCO world heritage site. A spectacular complex consists of the residence-fortress, a picturesque park in the English style, the Italian garden, a pond, a chapel-tomb, and roadside chapels. Shaping the architecture of the Mir castle occurred under the influence of three styles: Gothic, Renaissance, and Rococo. During the day trip, you will be introduced into the history of all Baltic regions as all the countries are very tightly interconnected.
In the afternoon, you will be back in Minsk where you will have a sightseeing tour. With the European and Soviet background nowadays it’s a meeting point for West and East – situated right in the heart of Belarus. Sightseeing tour of Minsk includes the main avenues (Independence avenue, Victory avenue) and the architectural monuments of the XVIIth - XXth centuries (the Upper Town with the City Hall, Holy Spirit Cathedral and the Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary, old streets of the Trinity Suburb). The Victory Monument and the National Library (included in the list of the most outstanding buildings of the world) are waiting to be explored.
Overnight in Minsk 3* Hotel.
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Day 3: Travelling to Lithuaniaexpand_more
In the morning, you will travel from Minsk to the Belarusian/Lithuanian border crossing point. There follow passport control and customs procedures after which you will arrive at Lithuania and Vilnius in the afternoon.
The second half of the day is free for you to discover Vilnius at your own pace. For a good introduction to Lithuanian history and cuisine, we suggest trying out historical Lithuanian dinner at Restaurant Ertlio namas (optional)
Overnight in 3* hotel in Vilnius
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Day 4: Sightsee in Vilnius and enjoy tastingsexpand_more
Vilnius is known for its more than 1.200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. The walking tour (2,5-3 hours) includes visiting the Old Town with Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, St. Anne’s Church, Old University, the Gates of Dawn, Užupis district which is known as the independent republic of Vilnius city.
After the sightseeing, the guide will lead you to the famous and oldest Vilnius food market – the Hales market, where you will have an opportunity to meet local food producers and sellers, ask them questions, and bring home the real flavour of Lithuania.You will visit 4 or 5 different places and try the best taste of Lithuanian handcrafted cheese, rustic meat products, bagels, and juice. Keep in mind that all products are created according to authentic recipes and tastes cherished by Lithuanian farmers. An experience takes around 1-1,5 hours.
In the evening you will have an option to try our best local beers during the beer tasting (OPTIONAL)
Overnight in 3* hotel in Vilnius.
Walking time 4-4.5 hours
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Day 5: Trakai and local forest stayexpand_more
After breakfast, we will drive to Trakai town - a historic, picturesque place with a castle in the middle of the lake. Locals take a day trip there, and we invite you for one as well. See Trakai Castle, lakes, and beautiful views around. For lunch (optional), try out the special Karaim dish ‘kibinai’ which is only typical for Trakai town because it is a home for the oldest ethnic group of Karaims living to this day in Lithuania. Trakai trip takes around 3.5-4 hours, including a lunch break.
After visiting Trakai, we will go to your local homestay or forest stay. The evening is free for you to decide whether to stay cosy inside the house or take a walk in the surroundings, explore the forest, and discover a hidden bog. The bog is a unique, natural, and untouched nature around us with lots of undiscovered beautiful plants. Bog walk will take around 1 hour. After the walk coming back to your local stay will be even more pleasurable as the warm dinner will be waiting for you.
After the long day of sightseeing, you will be able to use a sauna (OPTIONAL) to warm up and refresh yourself.
Overnight in a home (or forest) stay near Trakai. Please note that the homestay, the bathroom may be shared between a few rooms.
Walking time 4.5-5 hours
Driving 1 hour (55 km) -
Day 6: Journey from Trakai to Rigaexpand_more
After breakfast at the homestay (forest stay), we will drive to Riga. On our way will stop at the Hill of Crosses, one of the holiest sites of Catholic Lithuania. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 100.000. The tour will last up to 1 hour.
After crossing into Latvia, we soon reach the magnificent Rundale Palace, our second stop. The former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. Following a guided tour (2 hours) of the palace, we travel through the rolling hills of Southern Latvia to reach Riga late afternoon.Evening at your leisure in the capital of Latvia.
Overnight in 3* Hotel in Riga.
Walking time 3 hours
Driving 5 hours (410 km) -
Day 7: Sightsee in Rigaexpand_more
Founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert, Riga is the largest of the three Baltic capitals and boasts a true kaleidoscope of various architectural styles. The walking tour (2 hours) of the Old Town includes Riga Castle, Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, Swedish Gates, Three Brothers, Large and Small Guild House and the Freedom Monument.
The afternoon is reserved for an optional visit to Jurmala and a picturesque Kemeri bog (4-5 hours), Jurmala is the vibrant Latvian sea resort, famous for its wooden architecture and sandy beaches. In contrast, Kemeri bog is a real gem for nature lovers with its undersized pine trees, deep pools, tiny dark lakes and the flavour of wild rosemary.
Optional dinner in Riga Restaurant Forest.
Overnight in 3* Hotel in Riga.
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Day 8: Travel through Riga- Gauja National Park- Tallinnexpand_more
After breakfast, we will go to Tallinn with a stop in Gauja National Park, the largest national park in Latvia. The guide takes you to the stunning scenery of the Gauja river valley around the town of Sigulda.
You will visit Gutman’s Ala, the largest sandstone cave in the Baltic states where you will hear the medieval Latvian legend of the Rose of Turaida which will lead you to explore the ruins of the Turaida Castle and the Museum-Reserve.
We will have a guided walking tour in the park and the castle (1.5- 2 hours).
After the stop, we will continue our trip to Tallinn which we reach in the late afternoon.
Overnight in 3* Hotel in Tallinn.
Walking tour 1.5 - 2 hours
Driving 5.5 hour (360 km) -
Day 9: Explore Tallinnexpand_more
Tallinn is a charming blend of medieval tranquillity and modern urban life. The medieval Old Town is a busy place in the summer with its many shops, galleries, souvenir markets, outdoor cafés, and restaurants. The sightseeing tour (2-2.5 hours) takes us around the old medieval city walls and into the Old Town where we see Toompea Castle, Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, medieval Old Town Hall, and Great Guild Hall.
In the afternoon, an optional excursion (3 hours) is offered to Kadriorg Park and visit Kumu, the award-winning new Estonian Art museum, with its collections of classic and contemporary fine art.Overnight in 3* Hotel in Tallinn.
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Day 10: Departureexpand_more
Goodbye and hope to see you in future!
Optional transfer to the airport.
What's Included
8 nights in Hotel 3*
8 breakfasts
1 night in a homestay near Vilnius
1 homemade breakfast and dinner at the homestay
Transportation with a comfortable minivan to all locations as per itinerary
English speaking guide/tour leader during the trip
Welcome meeting with a drink on your arrival
Lithuanian food tasting at Hales Market in Vilnius
Information package
Itinerary and places according to the program
Entrances to Mir Castle, Trakai Castle, Rundale Palace, and Turaida museum-reserve
City tax in Vilnius
What's Excluded
Plane tickets to Baltics or Belarus
Arrival/departure transfers
Other meals during the trip
Optional tours and services
Entrance to museums and attractions not mentioned in the itinerary.
Personal travel insurance
Visa to Belarus
Paperwork and documents for Belarusian visa
What to bring
Comfortable clothes
Know before you go
Belarusian visa is not included in the tour price, and we do not issue a visa. You need to apply on a visa in the nearest Belarusian consulate to you.
During the tour, you will be travelling by land crossing the Belarusian/Lithuanian border so you will need to obtain a visa.
Visas are issued at Minsk airport for 5 days visa-free travel is not valid for crossing the border by land. We may provide supporting documentation (10EUR per person) for your visa application.
Meeting Point
Pick up options can be selected at check out
Language
English, French, German, Japanese, Lithuanian, Russian
Activity Level
Easy