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 Old city and all the attractions. 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.
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 viewing platforms from which to open wonderful views to 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 night city, then you can stay for the night on the road 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 a trip 21 days in advance or earlier, you can get exclusive offers on hotel reservations, but you probably know that. If you plan to stay in the city, I recommend Kalev Spa Hotel & Waterpark. Convenient, cozy, next to the "Old City", 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 now working here. 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 quarter here. wooden buildings... Nice houses that have seen a lot 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. Generally, Riga a beautiful city and I think you will want to come here more than once, see not only it, but also the surroundings, such as 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 Baltics - 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 holy noble princes 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.
It so happened that PRTBRT often broadcasts from the Baltic countries - one of the editorial bases is located in Latvia. We often look at how our friends and acquaintances travel across Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, and grab our heads. Therefore, we decided to write this column on how to truly experience these small countries where you really need to look for color.
Do not take the Tallinn - Riga - Vilnius route at one time
For several days, you just walk around the Old Towns of the three capitals, drink, eat, stare and spend money, and then say: yes I was in this Baltic, everything is the same. Although all three cities are peculiar and very different, you can understand this only by visiting each one separately.
During your trip to the three capitals, you will remember some passages, but everything will stick together into one lump of cathedrals, towers, food and drink. And at the same time, each city has its own face and its own unusual places that you most likely won't see. Simply because, the format "three (five, seven) days - three cities" does not mean anything but an endless race and walks in the Old Town together with British fans to fly cheap to bachelor parties and get drunk, old people and tourists from ferries.
Advice: Don't be fooled by the size of the countries — each is best viewed separately. Therefore, do not seek to go around everything during the allotted vacation time.
Tallinn old town
But if you do, don't spend all your time in the Old Town.
As already mentioned, each city has its own face and its own places of power: in Tallinn, this is the Telliskivi district, which is located outside the Old City. In Riga, for example, the best bars have never been located within the Old Town: just go for a walk along Krisjana Barona Street and turn into small streets. This is where the most interesting places and establishments such as the editorial's favorite bar - Taka or the most up-to-date dance floor of the city - Piens.
In the Old Town there are average entertainment, typical bars and restaurants, of which there are many in any cities of Eastern and Northern Europe from Krakow to Stockholm. This is not why you are going to see the country.
Advice: If you know that there is no life in the Old City, then there is no need to rent housing there either. Look for Airbnb apartments or hotels near places of power: save both time and money.
Telliskivi district in Tallinn
Another cool place outside the old city of Riga - Kaņepes Kultūras center
Don't linger in cities
In cities, you don't see the country, so be sure to plan for visiting alternative or suburban attractions.
From Tallinn, you can easily go to see the quarry in Rumma (there is still where to climb, do not be afraid of the fence), and then go to the island of Saaremaa, where there are almost more attractions than in all of Estonia.
From Riga, you should definitely go to Irbene - a ghost town with a huge radar, spend the night at Cape Kolka, see the seaside Ventspils and Liepaja. Who knows about the existence of the Mark Rothko art center in Daugavpils? Famous artist was born in this city.
From Vilnius, you should definitely go to the Hill of Crosses, visit landscape park Europos Parkas is an analogue of the Russian Nikola-Lenivets, to explore Klaipeda and cross the border with Russia on the Curonian Spit.
In all three countries there are many opportunities for a variety of tourism: alternative attractions, eco-farms and national parks - plan your route in such a way as to visit the capitals for one or two days, get to know the main places and cultural life, and then go inland!
Countries are teeming with craft family businesses for everything from cheese to amber. An annual fair is held in Latvia, where you can buy not just hand-made things, but modern and beautiful accessories and clothes. It is pleasant to use such things not because of their craftiness, but simply because they are comfortable and beautiful.
Hill of Crosses
Quarry in Rummu
But if you are still late, be sure to leave the city at least one of the days.
If it's too late and you stay in each of the capitals for three days, then do not worry: there are many interesting places around each of the cities:
near Vilnius - the beautiful Trakai Castle;
from Riga, you definitely need to go to Jurmala or to national park Kemeri;
from Tallinn, head to Laachema National Park.
By the way, the locations from the previous paragraph are also applicable to this: this is the Baltics, and you can go there and back to any place within the same country! The main thing is not to be lazy and plan. It is quite possible to rent a car for one or two days, or find a driver with BlaBlaCar, use Lux Express buses, or maybe even hitchhike. In the summer, Estonia is flooded with friendly Finns, while Latvia and Lithuania are flooded with Poles and Germans (and less fearful tourists in Russian cars).
Kemeri National Park
Spend more time searching
Not all good hotels, campings and guesthouses are on the usual booking sites. For example, the editorial staff's favorite camping Saulesmājas with barrel houses on Cape Kolka (another chic Latvian location is a meeting place for waves Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga) appeared on booking.com only this May!
Or another great option - Klaukas glamping in the Sigulda region and national park Gauja. And that's just that there are dozens of such places on the surface, but you have to prepare well and look.
Camping Saulesmājas
Do not forget that these are different countries for a long time
If in the heads of the older generation this is still a homogeneous Baltic, then modern traveler striking differences are striking: Estonia and especially Tallinn are full-fledged Northern Europe, Lithuania gravitates towards Poland, and Latvia is still at an undecided crossroads, but with European features. Moreover, in each of these countries, unique distinctive places and cultural features have been preserved. Understanding this simple fact will help you to look differently at these neighboring countries and choose the one that is closer in spirit for a full-fledged trip!
Check tickets to Tallinn, or maybe Riga or Vilnius
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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 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, Personal car, finally. There are also a lot of hotels in Riga (about 200), however, in high season fullness 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. When absolutely 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 we want to wish you to spend unforgettable vacation in the very beautiful city Baltics!
Are you planning to travel to Europe with your family or company, and ticket prices are so expensive? Don't be in a hurry to get upset - consider caravan tourism. It has many benefits.
Firstly, by car, you can move along any trajectory and are not limited in time. Secondly, if there are at least two of you, gasoline will come out much cheaper than tickets (accordingly, the more you are, the more profitable!). And thirdly, you don't have to worry about overweight luggage.
And if you are still in doubt, read below. real story about how we went to travel in the Baltics.
For the first time, we decided to start small and go for a few days to the Baltics - Latvia and Estonia. It must be said here that we had at our disposal only cars with studded tires, and far from all EU countries it is possible to drive on such tires - check this point when planning a route.
To travel to Europe by car, you will need ...
1. Reliable car.
2. A green card for a car (like our OSAGO) - costs about 2,500 rubles, you can get it both in advance, at any insurance company in your city, or just before leaving the Russian Federation. As you approach the border, you will now and then begin to meet points with appropriate signs, and cards are also drawn up at some border gas stations.
3. Schengen visa. Here a surprise awaited us. It turns out that now almost all embassies are moving to work with intermediaries. That is, of course, you can do without them, but then you will have to make an appointment with the consulate to submit documents for two or three weeks and plus 10 days for obtaining a visa, but you will save 25 euros on Pony Express services.
4. Navigator. We downloaded Sygic, which took us from house to house, that is, to rented apartments. In addition to the basic functions, it can be used in pedestrian mode - it will show the nearest attractions and give brief information about them.
5. Good company. After all, you will have to spend a lot of time nose to nose: if in the city you can still scatter across different places, and on the plane to sit at different ends, then in the car you cannot get away from each other. And it’s even better if this company has a second driver whom you trust - the road goes much easier if you change driving every two to three hours.
By the way, about the road. There are several options for how to travel to Europe: the choice depends on the specific route. Our first destination was Riga, so we chose Novorizhskoe highway with the border crossing at Burachki (Russia) - Terekhovo (Latvia). Judging by the reviews of friends and internet blogs, the highway was reconstructed just a couple of years ago. We did not have a single complaint: neither to the quality of the coating, nor to the markings, nor to the signs. There was only one imperfect, but also short-lived site in the Pskov region, it did not cause any serious inconvenience.
Leaving Moscow at 4 am, already at 11 we were at the checkpoint. On the way there was a feeling that we were alone on the track. Only in the rear-view mirror were sometimes someone's headlights visible, and once every five minutes, oncoming cars rushed. We were the third in the line at the border, but ten minutes later there was already a decent tail of cars behind us - it’s not even clear where all these people came from. When passing the control, the driver has to fuss mainly: he takes all the passports, and shows the car, and draws up the documents. The maximum number of passengers may be asked to get out of the car, and even then not always. Having settled the formalities in about an hour, we moved on.
On the other side of the border, the asphalt became noticeably worse, but still of acceptable quality. By the way, fill a full tank before the border - a liter of 95th gasoline in Latvia costs about 1.8 euros. The next 300 km to the capital of Latvia took us about 5 hours - a lot settlements on the highway and the speed drops to 50, and sometimes to 30 km / h. That is, the entire road, taking into account the passage of the border, stops at gas stations and lunch, took about 13 hours. For comparison, the train Moscow - Riga takes 16.5 hours.
Parking in the center of European cities is paid, so think ahead about where to store your car. We had an agreement with the owners of the rented apartment that they would give us the keys to the courtyard of the house, which helped us save a lot and not worry about the safety of transport. By the way, the apartment itself with all amenities for four people, 10 minutes walk from the Old Town, cost about 50 euros per night.
Of course, we immediately went to the Old Town. Having reached the Church of St. Peter and assessed its scale, we realized that we were getting hungry from the road. Having looked around, we went into a cafe of local cuisine - what a knuckle there was! To be honest, it was the most delicious dinner of the whole trip. I wanted to order mulled wine, but the waiter suggested trying a hot drink based on Riga balsam and blackcurrant juice - delicious! The bill for dinner in a restaurant in the center is about 20 euros per person - this is meat with a side dish and a drink. Some, but not all establishments automatically include a service charge of 10%.
You can save a lot on food if you eat at home or in establishments similar to our "Mu-mu", for example. In the latter case, a very hearty dinner will cost about 10 euros. But we figured that we would lose some of the flavor without exploring the local cuisine.
After walking a little more in the evening center and carefully tasting mulled wine in the central square, we went to rest.
The next morning, we left the car and went to Jurmala by train. The fact is that the station is located right next to the Old Town, the train takes only 20 minutes, and we decided not to bother. And the price of gasoline again ... Jurmala is a resort on the coast of the Gulf of Riga. In the very center is the Majori station, where we got off. Previously, it was here that " New wave", KVN and other festivals. A very cozy town with beautiful architecture and pine trees. On the beach in winter, the wind, of course, knocks you down, but on the streets themselves it is quiet and nothing interferes with the walk. I can imagine how great it is here in summer! This place is especially suitable for families.
Returning to Riga and armed with a guidebook, we headed back to the Old Town. If you wish, you can hire a personal guide on the square near the House of Blackheads who will take you around the city and tell you everything in detail. Unfortunately, we were not able to climb observation deck St. Peter's Church: Due to heavy snowfall, it didn't make sense. The next morning we wanted to go for a 20-minute organ concert in the Dome Cathedral. So we stopped by to buy tickets. As it turned out later, it was a very correct decision - there is a huge queue at the box office immediately before the concert. Proceeding further and looking into the Cathedral of St. James, we got to the end of the service and was just playing the organ. "Eh, my 10 euros were crying, I wasted nothing," I thought. True, it turned out nevertheless that the organ of the Dome Cathedral sounds much cleaner, even in my amateurish opinion. But if you want to save money, this is quite an option.
The day after the concert we went to Tallinn. There are about 300 km between the cities, and this journey took about five hours. Crossing the border is purely formal: you pass without stopping at a low checkpoint speed, and that's it - you are in Estonia. The track immediately noticeably changes - the road surface is getting better, there are much more cameras, and gasoline is cheaper (about 1 euro per liter). In Tallinn, we also parked in a closed courtyard of the house with the prior permission of the owners. The price of an apartment is comparable to that of a dwelling in Riga - 50 euros for a spacious apartment within walking distance of the historic center.
On the Town Hall Square, following a very tasty smell, we found ourselves in the medieval tavern "Three Dragons". In all seriousness, no electricity or cutlery - the soup must be drunk from a cup-bowl! The choice of dishes is limited to one type of soup, wild boar ribs and hot sausages; there are also pies with various fillings and drinks. Affordable prices for tourist center: dinner with sausages - 12 euros, with ribs - 20 euros. Of course, I wanted to try something unusual, and I chose wild boar ribs. The portion is oh-oh-very large and it is quite enough for two young ladies. Objectively, the meat is cooked well - not tough, very juicy. But he has a very specific marinade, it gives off sweetness. And sweet meat is ... not mine in general. Although the surrounding men ate beer with pleasure.
In the morning we decided to catch up and went to the observation deck in the Fat Margarita tower in the Old Town. To get upstairs, you need to buy a ticket to the Maritime Museum for 6 euros. Good news - if you are traveling as a family, the ticket will cost you 12 euros for everyone. The prospect of walking around a boring specialized museum did not please us at all, but what a surprise it was when it turned out to be extremely fascinating. There are interactive exhibitions, real masts with sails from sunken ships, and ship models. In general, it will be interesting for both big and small, for boys - in general, paradise. You can also go to the Hydrogavan, the second part of the museum, and climb there on a real submarine!
In principle, a couple of days is enough to inspect historical part both capitals. If you want to go out of town or delve into the study of museums in more detail, of course, it is better to allocate more time.
The way back to Moscow took us about the same 13 hours through the checkpoint Luhamaa (Estonia) - Shumilkino (Russia). A couple of differences from the Latvian border: it is better to book the time of crossing the border in advance - spend about an hour. How long will have to stand in a queue is unknown. And you also have to pay a service fee of about 5 euros per car.
Total:
In total, it took us about 12 thousand rubles for the road on gasoline for a sedan with a 1.6 engine on the machine. For three people it turned out much cheaper than tickets.
Green card (insurance) - 2500 rubles.
Service fee at the Estonian border - 5 euros.
