Others

Local bike hire Listed activities

Transport

The group is accompanied by a transfer bus with a trailer to carry the bikes. In places, the routes follow cycle paths where the bus is unable to follow, so it is important you are comfortable cycling the distances; however, the routes are not challenging.

Accommodation

On this trip, we stay in two- and three-star hotels, ideally located for our cycling adventures. Below are the properties we typically use. Tallinn: Go Shnelli Hotel (night 1) We begin our adventure by staying near the medieval old town of Tallinn and Balti Jaam Market. When you’re not out exploring, the first-floor hotel restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows with views over both and serves breakfast plus an à la carte dinner menu. Rakvere, near Lahemaa National Park: Hotel Wesenbergh (nights 2-3) A stay at Hotel Wesenbergh provides easy access to our rides in Lahemaa National Park. However, we’re also in the centre of Rakvere, while the hotel has a bistro dishing out traditional Estonian cuisine (Monday to Friday). Tartu: Hotel Tartu (night 4) In the city centre, Hotel Tartu is within walking distance of the old town and the Vanemuine Theatre (the oldest theatre in Estonia). There’s also a 70-seat cafe on the ground floor plus a sauna centre (additional cost) with Finnish and steam saunas. If you plan on using the sauna centre, you need to bring flip flops (or purchase them from the hotel for €3). Riga: Rixwell Old Riga Palace Hotel (nights 5-6) Occupying an art nouveau building in Riga Old Town, this 116-room hotel is our home for two nights in the capital of Latvia. When you want to relax, there’s a bar and a small gym with fitness machines. Klaipeda: Green Park Hotel (nights 7-8) In the port city of Klaipeda, we stay at the Green Park Hotel, which is ideally located for our ferry ride. The rooms are relatively basic and there’s a bar for post-exploration drinks. Vilnius: Comfort Hotel LT – Rock’n’Roll Vilnius (nights 9-10) With an industrial style and music theme, our Vilnius hotel has plenty of personality. The 80 rooms are all air conditioned with underfloor heating in the bathroom, plus the Mellow restaurant serves a menu packed with local produce. Other nice additions are a free-to-use gym and a lobby shop selling beers, snacks, sandwiches and more.

Guide

The group is normally six to 16, plus one local leader and driver.

Meals

All breakfasts included. Breakfast: Taken in the hotels. In most places, these will be buffet style and will offer plenty of choice including cold meat, cheese, eggs, bread, jams and juice. Lunches: On many of the days due to our remote rides there will be the option to buy a picnic from the hotel or get supplies on the way – we can then choose a spot on our ride to stop for a break. This means we can be flexible and choose the best views for lunch. On some days, there will be opportunities to buy lunch in cafes in the towns that we go through such as Palanga. Dinners: Cuisine in this area is often centred around pork, veal, fish, potatoes, sauerkraut and soups such as borsch (beetroot soup with meat; in Lithuania this is served cold). In Trakai, kibinai are popular, these are large savoury baked pastries traditionally filled with lamb or beef.

Not included:

Flights

International flights are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Others

— Travel insurance — Single accommodation (available on request) — Visas or vaccinations — E-bike hire

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Start Tallinn; Transfer To Hotel
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Start Tallinn; Transfer To Hotel

The adventure begins in Tallinn, a historical city with many sites to explore. If you have time after your arrival, we recommend strolling through the streets of the Old Town to Raekoja Plats (Town Hall Square), which is surrounded by elaborate merchant houses and is the perfect setting to enjoy a coffee. Upon arriving at the hotel, head to reception to check in and receive your meeting instructions. Accommodation: Go Hotel Shnelli (or similar)
Day 2 Day 2: Explore Tallinn; Transfer To Lahemaa National Park For A Scenic Ride (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Explore Tallinn; Transfer To Lahemaa National Park For A Scenic Ride (Breakfast)

This morning there is free time to further explore the Estonian capital (timings will be confirmed by the guide in the welcome briefing). In the afternoon, we drive out of the city (approximately one hour) to Lahemaa National Park for our first ride. The park, one of the last unspoilt regions on the Baltic Coast, covers more than 270sqmi (700sqkm). Here you will cycle through thick woods, and past marshes and lakes. Also keep your eyes peeled for moose and wild boar, although they’re difficult to spot, and more than 220 bird species. Accommodation: Hotel Wesenbergh (or similar)
Day 3 Day 3: Full Day Riding Through Lahemaa National Park (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Full Day Riding Through Lahemaa National Park (Breakfast)

Today we have a full day to explore the largest national park in Estonia and one of the biggest in Europe. We will take a bus to Vihula manor, then we cycle through the 400-year-old fisherman’s village of Altja, the popular seaside resort of Vosu and Kasmu village which is home to a fisherman’s museum before we reach Sagadi. From there we take a bus back to our hotel. Accommodation: Hotel Wesenbergh (or similar)
Day 4 Day 4: Transfer To Peipsi And Cycle Along The Lake Shore; Transfer To Tartu (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Transfer To Peipsi And Cycle Along The Lake Shore; Transfer To Tartu (Breakfast)

We start the day with a bus transfer to the shore of Peipsi Lake (approximately 90 minutes), 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 (approximately 30 minutes). Accommodation: Tartu Hotel (or similar)
Day 5 Day 5: Cycle Through ’Estonian Switzerland’ To Otepaa; Transfer To Riga (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Cycle Through ’Estonian Switzerland’ To Otepaa; Transfer To Riga (Breakfast)

After breakfast, we have a 25mi (40km) transfer to Otepaa. This area is known as the Estonian Switzerland because of its stunning scenery and pine forests. As you might expect, there are a few hills on today’s ride, though nothing too challenging with the gradient not passing seven percent. 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 We then continue cycling to Valga city, and from here we transfer by bus to Riga (approximately 2hr 30min), our base for the next two nights. Accommodation: Rixwell Old Riga Palace (or similar)
Day 6 Day 6: Cycle To Jurmala; Transfer To Riga For The Night (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Cycle To Jurmala; Transfer To Riga For The Night (Breakfast)

Our journey today will start in bustling Riga, the capital of Latvia. The city has a Medieval old town with wooden buildings and art nouveau architecture. We then follow cycle paths to the beautiful town of Jurmala, which has more incredible wooden buildings and 19th-century Russian villas. Jurmala is also one of the largest seaside resorts in Latvia – it has a 21mi (33km) stretch of white sandy beach for us to explore on our bikes. There will be plenty of time to swim in the sea before we transfer back to Riga for the night. Accommodation: Rixwell Old Riga Palace (or similar)
Day 7 Day 7: Transfer To Sventoji; Cycle To Klaipeda (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Transfer To Sventoji; Cycle To Klaipeda (Breakfast)

After breakfast, we leave Latvia and transfer directly to Lithuania (approximately four hours). 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 sandy stretch. It’s a fun place for a wander and sea dip, and one of the most favoured seaside towns among Lithuanians. There are numerous cafes where we can lunch and enjoy the atmosphere before we set off for our final destination of Klaipeda, our base for two nights. Accommodation: Green Park Hotel Klaipeda (or similar)
Day 8 Day 8: Transfer To Curonian Spit National Park; Explore By Bike (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Transfer To Curonian Spit National Park; Explore By Bike (Breakfast)

We transfer to the resort town of Nida (approximately 90 minutes including the ferry ride), which is known as a hub for artists. From here, we explore the 61mi (98km) long Curonian Spit. The high dunes (up to 197ft/60m) running along the spit have encouraged the local people to refer to the area as the Lithuanian Sahara. During our ride, we will 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 carvings representing characters from Lithuanian folklore. We 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. Accommodation: Green Park Hotel Klaipeda (or similar)
Day 9 Day 9: Transfer To Zapyskis; Explore Kaunas; End The Ride In Pažaislis; Transfer To Vilnius (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Transfer To Zapyskis; Explore Kaunas; End The Ride In Pažaislis; Transfer To Vilnius (Breakfast)

We start the day with a bus transfer (approximately 2hr 30min) to Zapyskis, a centuries-old small town in the Kaunas district. Here we jump on our bikes and cycle past old villages, beaches and the Nemunas, the largest river in the country. Halfway through our ride, we stop to explore Kaunas city, a European Capital of Culture in 2022. Our end point is Pažaislis Monastery, where a 17th-century baroque church dominates the grounds. After, we’ll transfer to Vilnius by bus (approximately 1hr 30min). Accommodation: Comfort Hotel (or similar)
Day 10 Day 10: Transfer To Trakai; Cycle Around Town And Visit Trakai Castle; Return To Vilnius (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Transfer To Trakai; Cycle Around Town And Visit Trakai Castle; Return To Vilnius (Breakfast)

After breakfast, we transfer by bus to Senieji (Old) Trakai. From here, we have a picturesque ride to Galve Lake (with possibility to have a lakeside picnic and a swim in the lake). Here sits Trakai Castle, as if floating on its own island in the lake – it’s a truly magical place. After we explore the area and visit the castle, we continue our ride to Užutrakis Manor Park while enjoying the scenery. Here we finish our cycling for today and transfer back to Vilnius for the night. Accommodation: Comfort Hotel (or similar)
Day 11 Day 11: End Vilnius (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: End Vilnius (Breakfast)

We have a free morning in Vilnius before the trip ends. If you’d like to spend a bit longer in this special city, perhaps exploring the Unesco-recognised old town, then you can speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

11 days tour

Cycle The Baltics

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Cycle The Baltics

Day 1: Start Tallinn; Transfer To Hotel

Day 2: Explore Tallinn; Transfer To Lahemaa National Park For A Scenic Ride (Breakfast)

Day 3: Full Day Riding Through Lahemaa National Park (Breakfast)

Day 4: Transfer To Peipsi And Cycle Along The Lake Shore; Transfer To Tartu (Breakfast)

Day 5: Cycle Through ’Estonian Switzerland’ To Otepaa; Transfer To Riga (Breakfast)

Day 6: Cycle To Jurmala; Transfer To Riga For The Night (Breakfast)

Day 7: Transfer To Sventoji; Cycle To Klaipeda (Breakfast)

Day 8: Transfer To Curonian Spit National Park; Explore By Bike (Breakfast)

Day 9: Transfer To Zapyskis; Explore Kaunas; End The Ride In Pažaislis; Transfer To Vilnius (Breakfast)

Day 10: Transfer To Trakai; Cycle Around Town And Visit Trakai Castle; Return To Vilnius (Breakfast)

Day 11: End Vilnius (Breakfast)

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