As you might have seen on my Facebook or Instagram (If you are not following me then, start right now 😀 ), in May I spent some time traveling in the Baltic’s. It was my first time there and I really had a good time.
I flew from France to Estonia to meet the best host ever (@Ekaterina) then, I went to Latvia and I finished in Lithuania.
First of all, thank you to my dear friends who spent time with me; who showed me their cities. I am so thankful to me able to travel around the world and meet friends. It is soooo cool to be international.
Exploring the Baltic’s was insane. 😀 I have been living in “old countries” with a lot of history so, visiting theses 3 countries was a very different experience. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have gained their independence from Russia in the 90’s. Thus, we are talking about “very young countries”. It was very interesting to see how each of these countries are building their identity.
Why to visit the Baltic countries and What do you have to see there?
I visited Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius in one week. The three cities are quite small so, it was doable.
Tallinn
The old town in Tallinn is quite small and unfortunately almost everything was in reconstruction. I could not take great pictures.
You cannot miss the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. I also advise you to visit the Bastion tunnels. The Bastion Tunnels were use by the soldiers during the war. If you have time, take a guide tour (cost: 6€) to show you the tunnels.
Here, I saw the greatest sunset from the Radisson hotel.
Riga
Riga’s old town is nice but my favorite place in the city was the garden close to the Liberty monument. I even went for a running there.
The cafes are quite fancy and the food is good and cheap. Take a look in one of the typical Latvian meals.
I also visited a little village, Ligatne, where a friend of mine was living. Visiting Ligatne was a really immersion in the culture and history of the country. My friend guided through old caves, desert buildings and unknown lakes.
Thanks again Nathalia!
Here, I tasted the best pink soup and the best bread ever.
Vilnius
The new city! You can feel it. The euro arrived last year in the country and even if the Lithuanians say things are difficult… You can see a city with a lot of potential.
Vilnius was definitely my favorite city in the Baltic’s. You can see Vilnuis is a very young city growing quite fast. There are many green places and churches everywhere.
♣ I think in Vilnius, Russian influence is less present than in Riga or Tallinn. In these last two almost everybody could speak Russian. In Vilnius, almost no one of the new generation speaks Russian.
Here, I got the best vibes, the most beautiful smiles (girls are gorgeous here) and the greatest street music moments.
Budget
I was a “low budget traveler” since I am not working anymore. In one week, I spent less than 300 € (food, accommodation and transports).
Accommodation
Accommodation is quite cheap in the Baltic’s (you can easily find hostels for less than 10€ per night).
In Tallinn, I friend hosted me so I cannot recommend any place, neither in Riga. I had a very bad experience in the hostel where I stayed (Big Bed Hostel).
However, I strongly recommend Pilies 16 in Vilnius. The hostel is very well located and it is clean.
Transports
I took a flight with Airblatic (Paris-Tallinn) but you can get better deals with Ryanair or Wizz Air.
In the cities, I did not use much the public transports but everything is much cheaper than in Western Europe (a part from the wine ahahah).
The distance between the 3 cities is about 3 to 4 hours by bus. Yes! I did the three countries by bus. Why?
- It is the cheapest way (I pay between 10€ to 16€ each trip and I did not book in advance. When you book in advance, you can find very good deals… 5€ each way).
- I took Lux Express buses. The company is very known is the Baltic’s and the buses are comfortable – you have got wifi inside, wc, water, coffee and tea for free.
- Bus schedules are flexible and they drop you out in the city center.
To sum up, visit the Baltic’s!
Looking for a destination for your next vacation? Pick: Vilnius! It is a city with a lot of charm and it is cheap cheap cheap!
Tallinn was just crazy! I had so much fun with my Russian friends. If you plan to visit Tallinn, you can also stop by Finland. There are boats from Tallinn to Helsinki quite often and the trip is about 2 hours). You can always go to Russia (Tallinn – Saint Petersburg: 4 hours by bus).
Finally Riga. Riga is a beautiful city but I really had a bad hostel experience (as I said before). This situation affected negatively my impression of the city. I hope I will visit it again and change my opinion.
Hope you enjoyed this post. 😛
Have you visited these cities? What do you think about them? Give me your feedback…
Beijinho,
Daniela