To get to know the Baltics, you need to visit all three countries: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Some of you will say that the Baltics are not only the above countries, but we will only concern them. First of all, we will visit three capitals: Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. It is advisable to visit them in the same weather and with the same mood, so that nothing prevents you from comparing these three cities. Do not listen to anyone who says that this or that is more beautiful or more interesting. They are all interesting, beautiful and, in general, everyone has their own opinion. I have been to the Baltics several times, I liked something more, so I tried to include this in the route. The route program is designed in such a way that it can be completed in a week. So: St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Cesis - Sigulda - Riga - Bauska - Siauliai - Kaunas - Vilnius - Daugavpils - Rezekne - St. Petersburg. These are the key points, now in more detail:
Saint Petersburg - Tallinn
I will not dwell on the preparation of the car, documents, etc. You can't predict everything. However, recently, I take at least two navigators on the road. I trust "booking.com" more and more and, if possible, return to cash. Do not forget that it is difficult to cross the Estonian border back and you have to buy a queue, so we return through Latvia.
The distance from St. Petersburg to Tallinn is 362 kilometers and the estimated travel time is about 5 hours, excluding the time spent at customs. It is best to move around while everyone is asleep, so we leave for an hour at 4 in the morning. At the border we will be about 6, and there we are already as lucky. It takes 4 hours to get to know the Old Town of Tallinn sufficiently. For those who like slower this time is not enough.
Car parks near the Old Town cost 3-4 euros per hour, there are cheaper ones nearby, but it is not a fact that there will be free places on them. If we compare prices for hotels in all three capitals, then Tallinn and Riga are approximately the same, but Vilnius is cheaper, but not worse.
For me, Tallinn is always different in terms of impact. Sometimes I admire him, and sometimes he is boring to me, apparently it depends on the mood, mood and company. In the "Old City", in addition to the main attractions, such as:
City Hall
The Dome Cathedral
Oleviste Church
Niguliste Church
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Fortress towers and walls
Jaani Church
... there are many beautiful and remote streets, corners, courtyards. There are several observation decks offering beautiful views of the city. Lots of shops and interesting cafes. The architecture here is very different, of different eras, styles and "nationalities".
I will never forget the impressions of my first visit to Tallinn. It was on New Year 2007, when they began to try to ride tourists from Helsinki-Stockholm-Tallinn. The first sign was the passenger ship Vana-Tallin, that is, "Old Tallinn", not to be confused with the drink of the same name. And, by the way, it justified its name - built in 1974. That year there was no winter and no ice. In Helsinki on January 1 it was +6, and in Stockholm +8. When we were going from Helsinki to Stockholm, we got into a terrible storm and people, remembering this night, already leaving Stockholm for Tallinn, firmly “got enough” to fall asleep and not hang out on the decks, clinging to everything that was possible and to each other. We arrived in Tallinn all a little rumpled, but in anticipation of new impressions. We were given buses, guides and some time to explore the city. For an hour they gathered and waited for latecomers, then rode all over Tallinn and listened to the guide, who did not really hide her hatred of everything Russian. After dropping us off at the walls of the "Old City" and handing us over to another guide, she left with the bus. The first words of the "new" guide were: "Forget everything she said," "Now they ran, we have little time." We did not seem to lag behind, but at the next turn the guide disappeared. 15 minutes have passed since the beginning of his tour. There were half a group of us, we spat and each went our own way. It was chilly, damp, cold and windy outside. Only in the evening, when the garlands were lit and the wind died down, it became better, warmer and much more beautiful. That's how they were - first impressions.
If you are not going to visit a pub in the evening or just look at the city at night, you can stop for the night on the way towards Riga. I stayed at the Ruunawere Hotel near Tallinn and loved it. There is a small sketch about the hotel in the "Video" section. In general, there are many interesting places to stay for the night: estates; guest houses; cottages, etc. If you are planning your trip 21 days in advance, you can get exclusive deals on hotel reservations, but you probably know that. If you plan to stay in the city, I recommend Kalev Spa Hotel & Waterpark. Comfortable, cozy, next to the "Old Town", a good restaurant and after long walks you can lie in the jacuzzi, relax your muscles or swim.
Cesis-Sigulda
From Tallinn to Cesis (Sigulda) about 300 kilometers. By time 4 hours. You can go in three ways, but the easiest way is through Pärnu. After Pärnu, the road goes along the coast and if it's summer outside, you can turn to the sea and swim, sunbathe. Relax in one word. The main sights of Sigulda and Cesis cannot be seen in one day, even briefly, so expect to spend the night somewhere. Both of these cities are approximately at the same distance to Riga, Sigulda is a little closer, where you stop, does not play a special role.
In the area of these two cities, there is a real concentration of medieval castles, various attractions, there is something to see and do. Residents of Riga think the same, so it can get crowded here on weekends. Draw conclusions.
Let's start with Cesis. Here is the largest and well-preserved in Latvia ...
Cessian (Vendensky) Castle
A beautiful park at the foot of the castle disposes for a leisurely walk and relaxation. The castle itself is no different, it's just interesting to touch the history, take the semblance of an old lantern and walk along the dark stairs and back streets. Next to the old castle is
New Cessian Castle
There are cash desks, as well as museums of history and art. Almost close to these castles is located
St john's church
This magnificent building is the largest church in Latvia, built outside Riga (XIII century). She belonged to the Livonian Order.
In addition to the main attractions, it is very pleasant to walk around the block of wooden buildings here. Nice houses, which have seen many interesting stories, provide an opportunity to take a break from the "stone jungle" of big cities.
Not far from Cesis is another attraction of the local area, the so-called
Raiši lake castle
Latgalians lived here in the XIX-XI centuries. A large enough area for a walk, where you can get acquainted with the ancient life and buildings, the ruins of the Araiši Order castle and the lake settlement.
Here are the must-sees in the area:
Turaida castle
Old Sigulda Castle
New Sigulda Castle
Of course, besides the castles, there is much more to do here. Huge park, zoos, cable cars, caves, etc. Ski slopes are open in winter. Here is one of the best bobsleigh tracks.
In these parts, I stayed in only one hotel - Hotel Atputa, it is located in Cesis. Quiet, comfortable hotel, good restaurant, friendly service.
Riga
It takes less than an hour to get from Sigulda to Riga. As soon as I enter Riga, I cannot get rid of the feeling that I am driving along the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The building of the Latvian Academy completes the image of a large, Soviet city. Only in the "Old City" you come to your senses and return to the tourist's skin. It is better to park your car from the side of the embankment. Until I forget, the police in Latvia are the same as in Russia. They like to check for alcohol, set up an ambush, “pay on the spot”. If there is something written in Latvian on the parking signs, it is better not to stop there, you will be fined. Alcohol: Estonia (0.2 pr), Latvia (0.5 pr), Lithuania (0.4 pr). I wish not to get caught.
Riga is different! Different than Tallinn. Firstly, there is no elevation difference, and therefore everything is, as it were, on the same plane, along the Daugava embankment. By the way, be sure to visit the other side of the river, from there a beautiful panorama of the "Old City" opens up. All sights are tightly packed. In order to inspect absolutely the entire "Old City", you will more than once go to places that you have already seen. This is not a "running in a circle", but somewhere nearby. Tallinn's architecture is diverse and multinational, and Riga has a certain style.
I noticed for a long time that tourists are equally fond of both large, huge churches or castles, and very small, even tiny "mulks", such as the St. Petersburg "Chizhik-Pyzhik". And everywhere, in any city in the world, the reaction to them is the same. It is imperative to stroke or toss a coin, and, of course, take a picture. One of such Riga "mules" is the monument to the "Bremen Town Musicians", almost a copy of the same one located in his hometown. Here, bouncing is also included in the attraction program. Everyone is trying to stroke the animal located higher. Walking through Old Riga, you will see unusual figures and installations more than once.
The Bremen Town Musicians
Now, let's go over the main attractions of the "Old City"
House of Blackheads
The Dome Cathedral
St. Peter's Church and panoramas from the observation deck.
Town Hall and Town Hall Square
Riga castle
Church of the Grieving Mother of God
In Soviet times, as soon as it was necessary to show "abroad", all film studios went to Riga, here every house, every intersection was visited as scenery. "Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson" lived here, the espionage passions "Seventeen Moments of Spring" were played out, the songs "D" Artanyan and the Three Musketeers were sung
At the expense of having a snack in Riga, the choice is huge and the price tags are already quite democratic. If you have heard about LIDO, then I would not recommend visiting it in the "Old City", you can spoil the impression, it is better to go to the LIDO Recreation Center on Krasta Street 76. The food there is excellent, tasty and not expensive.
LIDO
For tourists with children, I advise you to see the Riga Zoo and its guests. In general, Riga is a wonderful city and I think you will want to come here more than once, to see not only it, but also its surroundings, such as, for example, Jurmala, Jaunmokas Castle, the Daugava Museum. Or spend a summer night in the streets and pubs of the "Old City" that never sleeps.
Bauska-Rundale Palace
If you have already seen everything in Riga and are not going to stay for the night, you can go towards the town of Bauska. More precisely, our goal is the Rundale Palace. It takes about an hour to drive, and I can recommend Hotel Rundale. It is very favorably located just 250 meters from the palace itself.
The town of Bauska is not big at all, but there are many interesting places here too. There are churches, old quarters, Bauska Castle. Delicious Latvian beer is brewed here. On the Town Hall Square, you can have a good and tasty sitting in a cafe. But due to the fact that we visited this city only for the sake of the Rundale Palace, we will go there.
The palace belonged to Duke Ernst Johann Biron. It was built in 1740. In the same year, Biron, after a coup d'état, was arrested and exiled, returning only in 1763. At the same time, by 1768, Rastrelli completed the interior decoration of the premises.
The palace amazes with its sophistication of interiors and richness of decoration. Unfortunately, I was there in winter, and I was not able to see the splendor of the blooming French park, spread over an area of 10 hectares, closed on all sides by a canal, behind which, in turn, stretches a hunting park.
In the palace I constantly do something, restore, decorate, look after, restore, even clothes. Everything shines with cleanliness and you can feel with what love the local workers treat the exhibits. The palace and its decoration left an indelible impression on the memory. I will definitely come in the summer to take a walk in the garden and park.
Cross Mountain. Šiauliai
Frenkel's palace
Now we are heading towards Lithuania, more precisely, towards the city of Siauliai. A little before reaching the city, we make a compulsory stop at Krestovaya Mountain or Mountain of Crosses. This is one of the most unexpected sights of the entire route. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect, but I heard it and was ready to be surprised, but not so much. Crosses from all over the world are really being brought here, and this is really a Mountain of crosses.
The place is shrouded in legends. Under Soviet rule, it was destroyed 4 times, but the Mountain has not gone anywhere, and there are more and more crosses. Even the Pope was "marked" here with a rather impressive cross. Our crosses, like water droplets, melted in the sea of huge waves from the crosses.
Even if this place initially did not carry any energy load, millions of prayers and aspirations that came here have saturated this place with faith. There are no restrictions, orders, statutes, which are so loved in churches of various denominations, here people are one - on - one with their feelings, with God.
The next point of our trip will be the city of Siauliai. We were passing there, stopped for a bite to eat, walk along the pedestrian street, go to the Cathedral. The weather was disgusting, and we were in a hurry towards Kaunas, so I can't say anything special about this town. There was an attempt to visit the cat museum, but just sticking our nose in there, we decided not to waste time.
Now we go to one of the most beautiful cities in the Baltic States - Kaunas, it is called “Beautiful”. And there is even no doubt that it is necessary to stay there for the night.
Kaunas
It so often happens that people go to the capitals, and nearby cities, which are no less interesting, pass by. Kaunas does not complain about the lack of tourists, but the number of tourists going there is undeservedly less than to Vilnius and Trakai. Kaunas is great. IMHO, of course, but even the weather didn't stop me from just falling in love with this city.
The "Old Town" of Vilnius is large, spacious, mostly pedestrian, under the protection of UNESCO. I really liked the leisurely stroll along the main streets and squares, but there are a lot of people, but if you turn somewhere to the side, in a couple of minutes it becomes just deserted and you can get lost. I parked my car in one of the parking lots in the southern part of the "Old City", put a mark in the navigator, relying on the technique, and set off for a reckless study, instead of taking chalk and leaving marks on houses and sidewalks. Lost. And parking is paid by the hour, the fines are large, unpleasant. The conclusion is that it is necessary to park the car in the northern part, where the Castle Hill and the Gedemina tower are. If this landmark falls out of your sight, people will help. And I couldn't even explain plainly to passers-by where my car was "next to a church or a church." Yes, they are here…. Now, with the arrival of new gadgets and applications, it has become much easier.
What interesting things can you see in the "Old City"?
Church of St. Kazemir
Presidential palace
Cathedral of St. Nicholas
Church of St. Paraskeva (Pyatnitskaya Church)
Cathedral
Sharp brama
Bernardine Church and St. Anne's Church
In addition, there is also: the tower of Gedemina, the church of St. Teresa, Church of the Holy Spirit, Church of the Holy Trinity, bastion of the Vilnius defensive wall, St. John's Church, St. Michael, the church of St. Anna, St. Ignatius and the Jesuit Monastery, Alumnat, St. Catherine, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Church of St. Nicholas, etc., etc. This is not all, and this is only in the "Old City" itself. Now can you imagine how difficult it was to find the desired church, church or temple?
One of the nicest experiences is the prices. In cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc. Whether in the business center or in the "Old Town" there are many places where you can spend a pleasant evening, night and all the rest of the day. We ate, rested, ate some more and set off. Now in the opposite direction, home. Daugavpils will be an intermediate point and there you can spend the night or see the city and drive to the small town of Rezekne and stop there.
Daugavpils-Rezekne
Daugavpils is the same city in which I was once again convinced how the weather affects perception, first impression, and finally in the photograph. The first time I was there in a terrible, disgusting, dirty weather, passing, and the second - excellent weather, warm, in no hurry, a wonderful hotel, a leisurely promenade. Earth and sky. An excellent town, beautiful and interesting. The most important attraction, or rather the “mountain of sights”, is the “church hill”. Here, literally in meters from each other, there are four temples of different confessions.
Martin Luther Cathedral
Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
Daugavpils Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Boris and Gleb
Novosretensky Church of the Resurrection, Nativity of the Theotokos and St. Nicholas (Old Believers)
In the city itself there is a small pedestrian street where you can just walk and look around. There is a fortress here, it is a definite symbol of the city. In terms of accommodation, I can recommend the Park Hotel Latgola, it is located in the center, modern, not expensive, there are often special offers (double standard - 2,000 rubles), a panorama of the city opens from the upper floors. If you are unlucky with the weather, then it is better to leave the inspection of this city for another time, and go towards the town of Rezekne and stop there to rest.
To see information about Rezekne or Daugavpils (any other object), click on the name. We stopped in Rezekne just to rest before the last dash to the house. We walked, sat well in the restaurant of our Kolonna Hotel Rezekne, and got up early (at 4 am), taking the “breakfast to go”, pre-ordered at the hotel, set off towards the border.
From Daugavpils to the border 2 hours, from Rezekne 40 minutes. Arriving at the border at about 5 am, we found a really sleeping customs, we had to wake up to let us through. It's a nightmare, they could "leak" unnoticed and take out the entire Baltic region. That's basically it. The route, as you understand, is easily changed, for example, you can organize everything with the opposite opposite. And from Tallinn go to Helsinki. 2-3 hours by ferry and you are in the capital of Finland. And there already all of Scandinavia is in front of us.
On my website in the section for tourists there is a "Planner", where you can view the route and description, calculate the mileage, fuel and estimate the time. Have a good time in the Baltics. Get new impressions and just have a good rest.
Don't let the rising currency rate scare you. If you plan your trip well, the trip will cost you a fraction of the cost. I was convinced of this once again during my last trip to the Baltic countries, now I am sharing with you my advice.
1. Buses between Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn for 3 euros
The capitals of the Baltic countries are connected by a bunch of bus routes with great service (toilet, heating, Wi-Fi and even free monitors).
The carrier SimpleExpress throws out 5 promotional tickets for each flight exactly six months before departure. Travel Vilnius-Tallinn, Vilnius-Riga, Riga Tallinn and back for only 3 euros.
There are also ongoing promotions in the bus companies LuxExpress, Ecolines, and Eurolines.
Discounts can be up to 70% and a ticket for an international route costs around 5 euros.
2. Discounts on railways and buses.
There is a 15% discount on Lithuanian railways when buying a round-trip ticket. Remind the cashier about this. In Latvia, travel by electric trains on weekdays during working hours is a quarter cheaper. Between Estonian cities it is better to travel by SuperBus. The ticket costs 2 euros (the cunning ones indicate the price in Eureka, but you can't get away from paying for the reservation).
3. Do not overpay for travel in cities.
The cost of travel in public transport for our money is crazy. For example, in Riga, a ticket when bought from a driver costs as much as 2 euros! However, the same ticket in the machine will cost you 1.15 euros. If you will use transport more than 4 times in 24 hours (from the date the coupon is broken through), then it is more advisable to buy a travel card for 5 euros.
In Tallinn and Vilnius, you should buy a special plastic card for multiple trips. They cost 2 and 1.5 euros, respectively. In the capital of Estonia, it can be returned (but only at the customer service center), Lithuanians do not return money.
4. Get free cards at tourist centers.
Each tourist information center provides a free paper map of a city, region or the entire country. As a rule, they are located in the main squares of cities, train stations and airports. Do not hesitate to ask travel agency workers about the events that take place in the city, free museums and where inexpensive but tasty food.
5. Business lunches, canteens and fast food.
On weekdays at lunchtime (usually from 11 to 15), many restaurants offer set meals (or business lunches) at a significant discount. For example, in the center of Tallinn in the Karja Kelder restaurant, minced meat soup (this is how it was presented to us) and the main dish (pictured) cost us only 3.7 euros.
There are still Soviet canteens in Vilnius. Lithuanian they will be Valgykla.
If the goal is to satisfy hunger, then in Riga fast foods you can buy a complex: burger, french fries and cola for 2.65 euros.
6. Where is it more profitable to refuel?
The cheapest gasoline among the three Baltic countries is in Estonia. A liter of the 95th costs a little more than euros. You will have to pay the most in Latvia. The difference in the price of fuel between states is within 10 cents.
7. No money for the museum and parliament.
There are a number of interesting museums where admission is absolutely free or the fee is purely symbolic. For example, these are museums of money at banks in Estonia and Lithuania. It's not boring here - it's very modern and interactive. You can even print your own money or treat yourself to a bank-branded candy.
Also in the Baltic countries there is a great opportunity to visit local parliaments. You can sign up for an excursion to the Lithuanian Sejm or the Estonian Parliament in advance.
Art museums in Tallinn have the so-called "One Euros of Wednesday". Entry once a quarter on Wednesdays for only 1 euro. Check the museum website before you travel!
Some museums have free admission with a press ID. And it doesn't matter if it's "Zhmerynsky worker" or "Forbes Ukraine". For example, in the interesting Maritime Museum Tallinn. Employees of other museums (including ours) also have a similar benefit.
8. Shopping from catalogs in supermarkets.
The lowest supermarkets in Lithuania. We're mad about their chocolate curds! Price from 0.2 eurocents. Citrus fruits - like ours. Please bring your promotional price brochure before entering the supermarket. Sometimes the discount can be up to 50%. Of course, everything that is cheaper is not worth buying, but in this way we bought ourselves delicious Riga sprats or double snickers with coffee in an IKI supermarket for 1 euro.
9. We book accommodation earlier.
We booked a hotel in Riga a couple of months in advance. In addition to discounts for early booking, we used a promotional code on the hotel website. Won over € 10 A friend of mine was using Airbnb. Had a private room in Tallinn for 9 euros.
We have been planning a trip to Latvia for a long time. And then somehow all the cards came together. I wanted to change the scenery, but to go close and the sea was.
I'll start with a pleasant one - a visa. I heard that Latvians are harmful in this regard, and you shouldn't count on a long-term visa. But here the brothers did not let us down: they opened a six-month "cartoon" to all the members of our trip. I will not write about the whole process, documents, etc. I will only say that the Pony express delivery service surprised me. This service is provided free of charge at the visa application center and the passports are delivered straight home.
We went on a trip by car. It came out more budgetary and on the spot we had our hands untied, that is, our legs. The whole trip took 13 hours, taking into account the border. There were no problems at the border control. Everything is fast and clear. But here the main thing is to calculate the time and not get into the border guard shift. Usually it is from 8 to 9 and from 20 to 21.
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Riga welcomed us with wonderful weather. Despite the fact that it was August, it was good luck to find +30 degrees in the Baltics. I can confidently add Latvia to the list of cities where I would like to return. Therefore, I will write down the points how and what and answer the main questions.
What to see?
Of course, the most important asset and charm of Riga is the old city. You can safely park your car on the outskirts and go sightseeing on foot.
- The Dome Cathedral is the country's main cathedral and a must-see. This is a fairly ancient structure. The first stone was solemnly laid already in 1211. Since then, it has been rebuilt many times, but it has not lost its greatness.
Unfortunately, when we were there, the spire and tower were completely in the forests, so there are no particularly beautiful photos. But then we went to the historical museum. The ticket cost 3 euros.
The main asset of any Catholic cathedral is its organ. We were not lucky and it was restored, but now not only services, but also concerts are regularly held in the Dome Cathedral. The poster can be viewed on the official website. If there is an opportunity to hear the music of this particular organ, then it should not be missed. It is not for nothing that he was recognized as sounding wonderful in the world.
The interior decoration is not particularly luxurious, but how calm it is ...
Stained glass is an integral part of all Catholic cathedrals.
There is an observation deck at a height of 72 m, where an elevator will take you. A bird's eye view offers an excellent view of the city on the banks of the Dvina. The observation deck is open every day, except Monday.
- Main Dome Square. She seemed a little typical to me. It is very similar to the squares where the Gothic style is preferred, as in Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary. The same neat gingerbread houses.
- Cat house. I used to think that Egypt is a country of cats, but it turns out that it is Latvia. They are everywhere and all black! Superstitious people would go crazy. But as a desperate cat lover, I wanted to see this particular house.
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The story goes: the house belonged to Mr. Blumer, who really dreamed of joining the guild, which was located opposite his house, but was not accepted in any way. In protest, he set up black cats on the roof and turned them around with their priests towards the guild. As a result, comrade Blumer was nevertheless accepted into the coveted state, and the cats were turned in the opposite direction. But since then they have been symbols of Riga.
- Narrow streets of Riga. Back in the days of the USSR, if it was necessary to film "abroad" in a movie, then we went to Riga, because even then it resembled Europe as much as possible. Such film masterpieces as Sherlock Holmes and 17 Moments of Spring were filmed here.
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- Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians.
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The monument was cast by the Bremen sculptor Christa Baumgartel. The moment is depicted when the musicians look into the window to the robbers, and judging by their worn noses, everyone believes in the magical power of these guys. But they look creepy.
Within walking distance from Old Riga, or as the locals affectionately call it - an old woman, there are also several attractions.
- Powder Tower.
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- Lyme clock. In Latvia there is Laima not only Vaikule, but also watches, and even sweets. By the way, Lyme is translated into Russian as "happiness". An invariable meeting place for all citizens. They are located opposite the Freedom Monument.
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Riga National Opera. Quite a significant place in the city.
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This is a fast food cafe. The specialty of this institution is spicy dishes. Every day the menu changes and in front of each dish there are hot chili peppers, which determine the sharpness of the sensations. Maximum 10. On the day we were there, the hottest thing was with 3 peppers. I must say right away that tears come from a dish with 2 peppers, and with 3 you breathe fire. It is scary to imagine the level of extreme with 10 points.
The prices are very nice. You can take both the whole dish and half of the serving. This establishment is closed on weekends! And on weekdays it works from 11 am to 8:30 pm.
Address: Gertrudes iela, 6
2nd place. Lido restaurant. A fairly well-known restaurant with unusually beautiful decorations! I advise you to first walk around the territory and take a couple of pictures, and then go inside. There is a buffet restaurant on the ground floor. Take a tray and fill it with whatever your heart desires. I must say right away, everything is delicious! Especially the desserts. There is a bar on the -1 floor. They also have their own mini-brewery, where they brew beer and immediately serve it to guests. And on the 2nd floor there is a restaurant, a banquet hall. There is already dinner à la carte. The choice is yours. But the interior is incredible! And how beautiful it is here at Christmas, I can't even imagine.
It doesn't matter if you are an experienced traveler or if you are in Europe for the first time, you are quite capable of organizing your trip to Riga on your own. Without dwelling on the merits of the city, which we have written about many times, here are five stages of planning a trip on our own.
Time planning for a trip to Riga
Riga is a very popular city among tourists, it is visited by over a million guests a year, and the city hall plans to bring this figure to 1.5 million tourists a year. And this is with a population of 700 thousand inhabitants, that is, there are 1.5 tourists per one resident of Riga.
But all the same, we hasten to reassure you, even during the peak periods, tourists are absorbed in Riga and Jurmala in such a way that for Muscovites the city may seem deserted.
The best period to visit Riga is from May to August, as well as during the Christmas and New Year holidays. If you are planning a trip at this time - take care of hotel reservations and transport tickets 2-3 months in advance.
If you prefer a calm atmosphere, then we advise you to come in the second half of April, or from September to mid-October.
The tourist flow decreases, but the weather often gives warm sunny days. Plus, hotels at this time reduce their prices for accommodation, so you can save up to 30-50% of the summer room rate. Below we will share the secret of how to book a hotel in Riga most profitably.
Registration of an entry visa to Latvia
Latvia is included in the countries of the Schengen zone, which means that if you have a Schengen visa in your passport, you can skip this item - the road to Riga is open to you.
If you don't have a visa, you will have to apply for it.
We have described this process in sufficient detail on our website in the section ““, here you can read about the necessary documents, the procedure for filling out the questionnaire, etc.
We book a hotel in Riga
Yes, we start with the hotel.
There are several reasons for this - you can get to Riga by various means of transport, the number of only flights per day reaches five (Aeroflot, Transaero, Utair and Airbaltic). But there is still a train, a bus, a private car, finally. There are also a lot of hotels in Riga (about 200), however, in the high season, the occupancy reaches 100%. Finally, hotel reservations can be canceled, but plane tickets can be problematic.
With booking, everything is very simple, without further ado, it is enough just to go to one of the on-line services for booking hotels.
The risk at this stage is minimal, because no one forbids it later.
We plan how we will get to Riga
We have already done an overview of the most economical ways to travel, which you can read by following this link ().
In our understanding, the best solution is an airplane. With completely reasonable prices, you do not waste a night on the train (with a mandatory rise at three in the morning for customs control), do not waste your nerves crossing the border by car and do not shake on the bus for fifteen hours.
Getting ready and dreaming about the trip
The worries are over, it's time to plan your trip. To begin with, we search the Internet for travel guides around Riga.
You can't, there are sites, and so to download to your phone? And you don't want to buy books - carry them around the city with you later?
Well, it’s quite a reasonable desire, which we are meeting halfway - on our website you can download (and, free) four parts of the Riga City Guide -
No copyright infringement - the guide has been prepared by the site and we give you all the rights to use and distribute it! (just don't change anything in the text) In the near future, the fourth part will be released - "Riga - the pearl of Art Nouveau". We can promise that it will not be the last.
Finally, we have available advice on where and how to pay for parking .. oh, it's not good to praise yourself, so let's stop here and wish you an unforgettable vacation in the most beautiful city in the Baltics!
I want to tell you how my friend and I ourselves, without agencies, visited the Baltics. I will not talk about the sights, only about the case. How to go yourself. This is my first independent trip.
At the time of our trip, such a tour of the three capitals of the Baltic countries cost 44,000 per person per week, but we got 23,000. Almost two days in each city. There is a difference!!! TIP: I always buy books from the Orange Guide series. A wonderful series. I take it with me on all trips when I go myself.
VISA. I must say right away that we decided to submit documents to the visa center. A little more expensive, but easier: if something goes wrong, they will still reprint the documents on their forms. For money. Documents are submitted to the embassy or visa center of the country where you will spend more time, namely nights, regardless of the sequence of visiting countries. We started from Lithuania, but we applied for a visa to the visa center of Latvia, because there were two days in Vilnius, but one overnight stay, and in Riga and Tallinn for two nights. The list of documents can be found on the websites. Along with the documents, be sure to bring copies of hotel reservations and copies of all tickets, insurance is required. Read carefully. For example, at the time of our registration, they did not accept hotel reservations from booking in Lithuania. Maybe something has changed. We booked on Hotels.com. There were not many people in the center, they handed over an hour and a half. We waited longer for the documents to be retyped. After 10 days my husband arrived and took the passports with visas. When submitting documents, you mark who will pick it up. Very comfortably.
MOVING BETWEEN COUNTRIES: we chose the bus. Tickets were booked on the website.
Very user-friendly site. Buses take 4 hours on average. There is not much to see on the road. The buses were empty. Maybe it's not a tourist season, or maybe so lucky. We chose the afternoon, left at 5 pm, arrived at 9 pm, slept, and in the morning with fresh strength to walk around the city. Hotels were chosen closer to the center and to the bus stations, so as not to spend extra money on the road ..
HOTELS. We chose inexpensive ones with the expectation of only spending the night. Breakfast.
VILNIUS. Arrived on an airBaltic plane. The plane is tiny: rows of 15, two seats across the aisle.
We flew perfectly. From the airport we took a bus to the Comfort Vilnius 3 * hotel. There are two hotels with a similar name in Vilnius and the locals misinformed us a little, but from the same hotel
to our extra 15 minutes on foot. Found. The hotel is small but cute. For a night or two, no more. There was not even a closet in our room.
We took only breakfast in all hotels. The food was decent, the linen was clean. All attractions are within walking distance. They did not spend money on the road anywhere.
We arrived in Vilnius at 10 am, the bus to Riga was the next day at 16.30. From the hotel to the bus station on foot 10 min. Almost two days were enough to see the main attractions and just walk around the city. But the review is not about that. Travel yourself, fear nothing.
RIGA. From the bus station to the hotel 4 * on foot 10 minutes. The hotel is very good. We got a discount when booking. Breakfast for slaughter, there was even champagne. There is no such breakfast in Turkish fives. Clean, quiet, 5-7 minutes to the center. The room even had an ironing board with an iron, kettle, tea, coffee. Bus to Tallinn at 17.00. Everywhere we went on foot, we did not spend on transport.
TALLINN. In Tallinn, from the bus station to the hotel 3 * by tram 10 min and walk 5 min. The hotel is not bad, but there is no shower tray in the shower, and water almost did not go into the hole in the floor and flooded the entire floor in the bathroom. But in a mock there was a mop, you know, with such an elastic band to collect water. But across the road is the Old Town and all the sights. Back to Moscow by airBaltic. By taxi 15 euros and in 20 minutes on the spot.
CONCLUSION: By yourself it is twice cheaper, you are your own masters, travel yourself and everything will be fine. We walked in all cities, I can’t say anything about the prices for transport.
