Baltic Country Holidays ACTIVE TOURS www.countryholidays.lv Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku ceļotājs Kalnciema Str. 40, Riga, LV-1046, Latvia, T: +(371) 67617600, [email protected] www.countryholidays.lv About Baltic Country Holidays Baltic Country Holidays is a small incoming operator based in Latvia and established in 1993. The company grew out of the Association of Countryside Travel (in Latvian: Lauku Celotajs) which united small family-run accom- modation providers in the Latvian countryside and offered nature tours. Baltic Country Holidays team on one of the inspection trips All our staff are passionate outdoor and nature enthusiasts. All our routes and of- fers are tried and tested by our people. We know personally all our suppliers and have established great relationships with them during many years of coop- eration. Baltic Country Holidays is focussed on small businesses providing a personal touch and detailed local expertise. We specialize in outdoor activities and wild- life tours. Our services: • Creation of personalised packages for groups and individuals • Reservation of accommodation and related services: hotels, guest hous- es, manors, self-catering as well as farms. • Booking of specialist guides and tour leaders Cycling tour - Northern Vidzeme, 2010 Boating tour - The river Gauja, 2007 • Car, bus, bike and boat hire • Our publications, professional maps and route descriptions • Luggage trasfer between accomo- dation • Support transportation for groups We’ll be pleased to work with you! Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku ceļotājs Kalnciema Str. 40, Riga, LV-1046, Latvia, T: +(371) 67617600, [email protected] www.countryholidays.lv About Our Itineraries None of our tours are particularly difficult and most routes are suitable for beginners. The Baltic landscape is gentle rolling hills. The greatest attraction here is untouched nature with old forests, meadows full of flowers, long wild sea shore, provincial towns, medieval castles and manors as well as carefully kept local traditions. Our routes often pass national parks, local produce. If you travel with children, quiet country roads, go along the sea we will give you the best advice on the shore and small attractive towns. There routes to take and accommodation to Symboles are several hundred kilometers of river to choose since we actively travel with our be explored in the Baltics. Either during own kids. springtime flooding, when the bird-cher- Price. All prices featured are only indic- walking ries blossom or in the colorful summer ative to give you an idea about the costs or the golden autumn, each river offers involved. They can change depending of exciting adventures. There are beautiful the nature of the tour, type of accommo- sandstone cliffs and old forests alongside dation, season and services required. many of the rivers. The best time for cy- canoeing cling, canoeing and walking in the Baltic BirdwatchingFor enquiries and bookings States is from May to September. welcome to contact us Planning. In our manual you will find via e-mail: [email protected] or call + 371 67617600. various basic tour samples and more can cycling be found on our website: www.tours. With all reservations we provide detailed countryholidays.lv. But we would like to maps and information packs of the route: stress our flexibility. Tours can be tailor- made to each clients individual needs, wishes and fitness level, various other self-drive services can be added. We cater also for groups. The group’s size starts from four persons. We can provide experienced tour leaders/guides for your groups scienic views or arranged specialist guides for some parts of the itinerary. Activities can be mixed together in one tour. For exam- ple, cycling and canoeing, walking and birdwatching and insects, self-drive with family mushrooming. Baltic Country Holidays has huge list of local people who does various crafts, culinary products, organic farming etc. In order to put an extra ex- heritage perience in your tours, we encourage to visit the workshops, farms, arrange tast- ings of wine, bread, lamprey and other www.countryholidays.lv SELF - DRIVE / INDIVIDUAL Grand Tour of the Three Baltic States Tallinn This tour gives a good insight into the three Baltic states, featuring their bustling capital cities, tranquil nature parks, white sandy beaches, pine forests, charming provincial towns, varied landscapes, local traditions and historic sites. Highlights: three Baltic capitals - Rīga, Tallinn, Vilnius with their enchanting Old Towns; three National Parks - Gauja in Latvia, Lahemaa in Estonia and Austaitija in Lithuania; Picturesque Trakai Lake Castle; Majestic sand dunes of the Curonian Spit; Saaremaa island with its intact Bishop’s Castle, medieval churches and windmills; Historic university town of Tartu; Un- spoiled Latgale lake district with traditional pottery wokshops and gastronomy; Liepāja, Vilnius a city with a great atmosphere and distinctive military heritage. approx 2,600 km (12 days) General Route: Rīga – Cēsis – Valmi- Day 4 era – Saaremaa – Tallinn – Tartu – Saaremaa island ferry – Haapsalu island – Daugavpils – Vilnius – Kaunas – Klaipe- Tallinn (280 km) da – Rīga Sites and attractions en route: Panga cliff – the tallest cliff in Estonia, Haapsalu – charming Day 1 seaside town with the castle, open–air ethno- Arrival in Rīga. Pick up a car at the airport. graphic museum. Free time in Tallinn. Attrac- Maps and detailed itinerary will be at your tions include: Old Town, Kadriorg Park, KUMU hotel’s reception. Free time in Riga. Attrac- art museum, Overnight at the hotel in Tallinn. tions include: Hanseatic Old Town, the Art Nouveau district, the wooden buildings of Day 5 Pardaugava, Ethnographic open-air museum Tallinn – Lahemaa – Tartu (280 km). and an excellent opera house. Overnight at Breakfast. Sites and attractions en route: Jag- Turaida castle museum complex the hotel in Rīga. ala juga waterfall, Kolga Landgut – one of the leading examples of estate architecture Day 2 in Northern Europe, Jaani-Tooma kivi – typi- Rīga – Cēsis – Valmiera (170 km). cal landscape of the Lahemaa National Park, Breakfast. Sites and attractions en route: Sigul- Käsmu fishing village, Rakvere castle ruins. da - Latvia’s most beautiful landscapes in the Overnight at the hotel in Tartu Gauja National park and the Turaida castle museum complex. Numerous well-marked Day 6 walking trails along the Gauja river valley. Tartu – Aluksne – Rezekne – Preili – Aglona Wild animals at Ligatne Nature Park. Cesis – (330km) a charming medieval town with impressive Free time in Tartu. Attractions include: the old- medieval castle ruins. Free time in Valmiera. est Baltic university, the old observatory, Tartu Attractions include: St. Simon’s church, origi- Dome church and the Toomemägi hill. Return nal Soviet cinema, castle ruins and the river to Latvia. Sites and attractions en route: Aluk- Curonian Spit national park with sand dunes Gauja. Overnight at the hotel in Valmiera. sne town - Bible museum and the castle ruins on the island of Lake Aluksne, Latgale region, Day 3 which is famous for its lakes and pottery.Visit Valmiera – Parnu – ferry to Saaremaa island to the workshop of the traditional “black ce- (330 km) ramics” and see the pottery process. Aglona’s Breakfast. Head to Estonia. Sites and attrac- Basilica is one of the most popular pilgrimage tions en route: Parnu, historic Estonian seaside destinations in the Northern Europe, Overnight spa resort, the ethnographic Koguva village of at the hotel in Aglona. Muhu island, Valjala church and hill fort, Kaali meteorite lake – perhaps the most impresive Day 7 meteorite crater in Europe. Free time at Kures- Aglona - Daugavpils – Vilnius (270km). saare. Attractions include: impressive medi- Sites and attractions en route: Daugavpils eval Bishop’s Castle, art galleries, craft shops - the second largest city in Latvia and birth- and cafes, beach and spas. Overnight at the place of the world famous artist Mark Rothko. hotel in Kuressaare. Daugavpils fortress is one of the mightiest in The Beach on Nida Island Europe. Cross the border to Lithuania. Auk- Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku ceļotājs Kalnciema Str. 40, Riga, LV-1046, Latvia, T: +(371) 67617600, [email protected] www.countryholidays.lv Grand Tour of the Three Baltic States Tallinn Old Town TRIP DETAILS Package price from EUR 445.00 per person in a shared double room INCLUDES: • 11 overnight stays at hotels or guest houses (double or twin rooms, en suite, breakfast) • Maps and detailed itinerary EXTRA COSTS: • Single supplement • Extra meals • Tickets and entrance fees for attractions and sites • Any transfers required • Car hire for 12 days Vilnius Old Town • Road tax in Lithuania Medieval Bishop’s Castle in Kuressaare staitija National Park - Palusee church and eth- nographic villages. The Centre of Europe – the spot that claims to be the geographical centre of the continent. European Park. Overnight at the hotel in Vilnius Day 8 Vilnius – Kaunas (120km). Breakfast. Free time in Vilnius. Sites and at- tractions en route: Vilnius Old Town with its numerous churches, university buildings and Gediminas Hill, Trakai – picturesque castle Overnight in Klaipeda. Cross the border to Latvia. Sites and attrac- built on an island, Rumsiske - open-air mu- tions en route: Nature trails of Lake Pape with seum of country life in Lithuania. Overnight at Day 10 several bird observation towers and wild the hotel in Kaunas. Klaipeda - Nida - Klaipeda (110 km). horses. Sightseeing in Liepaja with many nice Breakfast. Ferry to the Curonian Spit. Drive cafe’s, white sand beach and military heritage. Day 9 through the Curonian Spit national park with Overnight in the hotel in Rīga. Kaunas – Jurbarka – Silute – Rusne – Vente - sand dunes up to 60 m tall. Sites and attrac- Klaipeda (~350km). tions en route: Juodkrante - hill of witches. Day 12 Breakfast. Free time in Kaunas - the former Dolphinarium. Ferry back to Klaipeda. Over- Rīga Lithuanian capital with a charming Old Town. night at the hotel in Klaipeda. Return the car at Rīga International Airport. Sites and attractions en route: Valley of the Departure.