©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania #_ Helsinki (FINLAND) p181 Estonia p50 Latvia p193 Lithuania p288 Kaliningrad #^ (RUSSIA) p406 Anna Kaminski, Hugh McNaughtan, Ryan Ver Berkmoes PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to Estonia, ESTONIA . 50 The Southwest . 128 Latvia & Lithuania . 4 Tallinn . 51 Western Estonia Estonia, Latvia & the Islands . 141 Around Tallinn . 87 & Lithuania Map . 6 Haapsalu . 141 Keila-Joa . 87 Estonia, Latvia & Muhu . 146 Padise . 87 Lithuania’s Top 17 . 8 Saaremaa . 148 Kaberneeme . 88 Need to Know . 18 Hiiumaa . 158 Northern Estonia . 88 What’s New . 20 Vormsi . 165 Lahemaa If You Like… . 22 National Park . 88 Understand Estonia . 166 Month by Month . 25 Rakvere . 96 Survival Guide . 178 Itineraries . 30 Ontika Nature Reserve . 99 HELSINKI Road Trips . 34 Narva . 99 EXCURSION . .181 Outdoor Activities . 37 Narva-Jõesuu . 101 Sights . 183 Family Travel . 44 Southern Estonia . 101 Activities . 187 Regions at a Glance . .. 47 The Southeast . 102 SARAH COGHILL/LONELY PLANET © PLANET COGHILL/LONELY SARAH © PLANET MUNRO/LONELY MATT BARTENDER AT LABIETIS (P223), RĪGA, LATVIA SCULPTOR: VYTAUTAS KAŠUBA DKORWOOD/BUDGET TRAVEL © © TRAVEL DKORWOOD/BUDGET KAŠUBA VYTAUTAS SCULPTOR: STATUE OF GEDIMINAS OLD TOWN (P55), (P293), VILNIUS, LITHUANIA TALLINN, ESTONIA Contents Tours . 187 Around Daugavpils . 273 KALININGRAD Festivals & Events . 188 Rēzekne . 275 EXCURSION . 406 Sleeping . 188 Around Rēzekne . 276 Sights & Activities . 408 Eating . 188 Understand Latvia . 278 Sleeping . .. 409 Drinking & Nightlife . 190 Survival Guide . 285 Eating . 411 Entertainment . 190 Drinking & Shopping . 190 LITHUANIA . 288 Nightlife . 412 Understand Vilnius . 289 Entertainment . 413 Helsinki . 191 Around Vilnius . 320 Understand Survival Guide . .191 Trakai . 320 Kaliningrad . 413 Kernavė . 323 Survival Guide . 414 LATVIA . 193 Europos Parkas Sculpture Park . 326 Rīga . 196 SURVIVAL Eastern & Southern Around Rīga . 227 Lithuania . 327 GUIDE Jūrmala . 227 Aukštaitija Ķemeri . 232 National Park . 328 Directory A–Z . 416 Western Latvia Visaginas & Transport . 424 (Kurzeme) . 233 Ignalina Nuclear Language . 433 Power Station . 331 Kurzeme Gulf Coast . .. 235 Index . 442 Labanoras Cape Kolka Map Legend . 455 (Kolkasrags) . 235 Regional Park . 332 Northern Baltic Coast . 238 Druskininkai . 332 Ventspils . 239 Dzūkija National Park . 336 Pāvilosta . 241 Central Lithuania . 338 Liepāja . 242 Kaunas . 338 Kuldīga . 246 Kėdainiai . 352 Alsunga . 249 Birštonas . 354 Sabile . 250 Šiauliai . 355 Southern Biržai . 359 Latvia (Zemgale) . 250 Anykščiai . 360 Bauska . 251 Western Lithuania . 362 Rundāle Palace . .. 252 Klaipėda . .. 362 Dobele . 253 Curonian Spit Around Dobele . 253 National Park . 372 Daugava River Valley . 254 Nemunas Delta . .. 382 Northeastern Palanga . 384 SPECIAL Latvia (Vidzeme) . 255 Around Palanga . 389 FEATURES Vidzeme Coast . 255 Žemaitija Road Trips . 34 Gauja National Park . .. 258 National Park . 389 Southeastern Understand Outdoor Activities . 37 Latvia (Latgale) . 270 Lithuania . 391 Family Travel . 44 Daugavpils . .. 270 Survival Guide . 402 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 30 Itineraries TALLINN #_ É #÷ Lahemaa National Park É ESTONIA •# Tartu GOTLAND É •# RUSSIA Sigulda Cēsis É •# RĪGA #_ LATVIA •# Rundāle É LITHUANIA •# Hill of Crosses Curonian Spit •# É É •# Kaunas RUSSIA #_ VILNIUS BELARUS P O L A N D 2 WEEKS Best of the Baltic If you’ve got limited time but you’re keen on seeing the best that each of the Baltic States has to offer, this itinerary captures many of the big-ticket destinations. Begin your tour in Tallinn and roam the magnificent medieval streets of the Estoni- an capital’s Old Town. Delve into the city’s treasure trove of gastronomic delights before trekking out to Lahemaa National Park. The electric university town of Tartu awaits; then skip south into Latvia to take in the crumbling castles of Cēsis and Sigulda in Gauja National Park. Spend the night at one of the posh manor houses (muižas) nearby, then plough through to reach Rīga, home to a dizzying array of decorated facades. Next, head south to Rundāle to visit the opulent palace – the Baltic’s version of Versailles – built by the architect responsible for St Petersburg’s Winter Palace. From Rundāle, hop the border into Lithuania and stop for a poignant look at the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai before shooting west to Curonian Spit. Spend some time amid the traditional cottages, shifting sand dunes and endless pine forest before a stopover in lively Kaunas and end- ing your trip in flamboyant, baroque Vilnius. 31 Helsinki Lahemaa É National Park D #_ #÷ •#Rakvere É É TALLINN É Hiiumaa •# •# Haapsalu ESTONIA É •# Mustvee•# Saaremaa•# Muhu É •#Pärnu •# Tartu PLAN YOUR TRIP Cape É GOTLAND •#Kolka É Ventspils•# É •# Valga/ É Cēsis Valka •# Kuldīga •# Gauja RUSSIA É É •##÷ •# National Park Pāvilosta•# Jūrmala #_• Sigulda Liepāja•# RĪGA LATVIA É IT Palanga Žemaitija •# #÷ National Park I Klaipėda •# NERAR É LITHUANIA Curonian Spit •# É Aukštaitija National Park •#Visaginas I #÷ ES É É RUSSIA #_ BELARUS Traai •# Castle VILNIUS P O L A N D 4 WEEKS The Grand Tour With a month, you can roster in beach time, hiking excursions and visits to the region’s little towns – and even fit in a side trip to Helsinki. Start in Lithuania’s beautiful capital Vilnius, spending two days wandering the cobblestone streets, checking out Gediminas Hill and taking in the city’s historical charms. If nuclear tourism is your bag, do a day trip to Visaginas and the Ignalina nuclear power station, then spend a day or two cycling and paddling in Aukštaitija National Park. Visit Trakai Castle before heading west towards the sea. Stop at Žemaitija National Park for a quick lesson in Soviet missile tactics, before relaxing along the dune-filled shores of Curonian Spit. Follow the Baltic Sea up through the port city of Klaipėda and family-friendly Palanga resort to reach the Latvian border. Over the border is Liepāja, famous for its gilded cathedral and hulking Soviet tene- ments. Weather permitting, head north to surfside Pāvilosta before detouring inland to the picturesque village of Kuldīga. Continue to the lovely long sands of Ventspils, stay- ing overnight before hitting windy and wild Cape Kolka. Follow the coast as it snakes past forests and quiet villages to the spa retreat of Jūrmala – a hotspot for Russian tycoons and an excellent pit stop. From here Rīga is only a short hop. After two days in the Latvian capital, cross into Estonia to sunbathe in Pärnu. Move west to hop between the forested islands of Muhu, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. Stop for lunch and a castle visit in Haapsalu before continuing to Tallinn. Allow at least three days to take in the Estonian capital’s treasures before ferrying over to Helsinki for a night. Back in Estonia, stop overnight in Lahemaa National Park before heading through spa-heavy Rakvere and Mustvee, on the shores of Lake Peipsi, to Tartu for a night or two. Check out the oddball border town of Valga/Valka, and stop in the charming Latvian town of Cēsis to wander among the fortress ruins. Sample Gauja National Park, and in Sigulda go bobsledding and bungee jumping. End your Baltic odyssey in Rīga or return to Vilnius. 32 TALLINN #_ É #÷ Lahemaa National Park ESTONIA ESTONIA PLAN YOUR TRIP Cape É Kolka •# Ventspils •# É •# É Cēsis •# RĪGA É Līgatne •#Sigulda •# É Kuldīga •# •# #_ Sigulda Jurmala •# #_ Jūrmala RĪGA É É LATVIA LATVIA •# •# Liepāja Rundāle Lake IT É Rāzna •# I Latgale NERAR É •# É LITHUANIA Daugavpils LITHUANIA I ES RUSSIA RUSSIA VILNIUS #_ Trakai •# BELARUS BELARUS POLAND POLAND 1 10 WEEK Absolute Latvia DAYS Capital Drop-In A full week in Latvia offers time to explore Ten days in the Baltic is just the right a good number of the nation’s treasures amount of time to get a feel for each of beyond the attention-stealing capital. the region’s capitals. After exploring Rīga, visit the forests Start in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, and imposing castle near Sigulda before exploring the sumptuous baroque archi- moving on to the secret Soviet bunker at tecture amid the curving cobbled streets. Līgatne and the stone fortress of Cēsis. Take two or three days to snap photos of Swing through to Lake Rāzna in the Gediminas Hill, savour the dining scene peaceful Latgale Lakelands, then stay the and absorb the rich Jewish history. night in arty . Walk the his- Daugavpils Make a side trip to the picturesque toric centre and see how the city honours castle at Trakai before visiting Rīga, native son Mark Rothko. Latvia’s capital and the Baltic’s largest city. Loop back to Rundāle to take in the Haggle for huckleberries at the Central opulence of the palace before blasting on Market and crane your neck to savour the to the coast at Liepāja, home to Latvia’s soaring art nouveau architecture. When garage-band scene, a lively music festival it comes to day trips, you’ll be spoilt for and the strikingly dour Karosta district. choice. Try cavorting with the Russian Detour inland to Kuldīga, one of the elite in Jūrmala, Latvia’s spa centre; or country’s quaintest towns, then stop over- cranking up the adrenaline in Sigulda, night in beachy Ventspils. Then it’s on to with its clutch of adventure sports. Next Cape Kolka, where the Gulf of Rīga meets it’s on to Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, where the Baltic Sea in dramatic fashion. you’ll be treated to a fairy-tale kingdom of medieval architecture, cobbled streets and Follow the coastline through the con- centuries-old fortifications. Sample the stellation of lonely seaside