Discover Baltics : Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Baltics : Europe's best kept secret!

When you think of Europe, you usually think of London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome and so on... all those flaring diamonds that sparkle so brightly that the other precious stones of Europe are unfairly outshone. But it only takes polishing a stone to recognize precious it actually is. The same goes with Eastern Europe- a place that is relatively unexplored by the ordinary tourist, and yet, that possesses spots so beautiful, so unique,  and so fresh it only takes an instant to fall in love with them.

You don't tend to hear a lot about travel to the three countries that make up the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, but that may be about to change. Located on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, these formerly Russian province and republics of the former USSR, found their independence a mere  15 years ago. Despite their shared past and geographic grouping, the Baltic States each have a very different character and language. They are sparsely populated countries featuring well-preserved medieval cities, a young population and the main cities offer great cultural opportunities and all the modern amenities. Although they are situated close to Scandinavia and share a similar landscape to Sweden and Finland, they boast a lifestyle that is more reminiscent of Italy or Spain. Rich in culture and history. These venerable old capital cities are waiting to be discovered. Slowly and quietly, these countries have been developing their tourism industry. We met a lot of tourist mostly from Europe,  that are flocking to these affordable, safe, relatively inexpensive and historic yet constantly reinventing themselves destinations. English is widely spoken in the larger cities of the each countries.

Estonia

Tallinn

Ever since i was in Europe, i've always wanted to see Estonia, and what's in it. and finally i did it.

Known for its cobblestone streets, long history and stunning gothic architecture, Tallinn never fails to amaze visitors with its historical charm. Tallinn is comfortably located between St. Petersburg, Stockholm and Helsinki, which are major travel destination worldwide. So, visiting Tallinn seems like an obvious choice. We couldn't get to visit Helsinki and St Petersburg due to limited time, but Tallinn has been awesome. Tallinn is a stunning place in its own right. It has this unique balance between history and modernity, being listed both in the UNESCO World Heritage list and the Top 10 digital cities in the world list. Tallinn is soooo cool!

Kadriorg Palace

This baroque palace was built for Peter the Great in 1718 and it has became the Art Museum of Estonia's foreign collection. A trip to Tallinn isn't a trip to Tallinn without a visit to the northern Baroque palace. This palace was designed by an Italian architect, Niccolo Michetti. Its surrounding manicured gardens are a humbling example of Tsarist (Russian empire) extravagance.

The Medieval Old Town

Tallinn never fails to amaze visitors with its historical charm. At its heart is the Medieval Old Town, an area of cobblestone streets, gabled houses, churches, squares that developed here from the 13th to the 15th centuries when Tallinn boomed as a key Hanseatic commercial hub. Nowadays, Old Town has been the main draw for newcomers; in fact it's so unique that UNESCO added to its. World Heritage List in 1997.

The medieval center of Tallinn is said to be the most beautiful and attractive city center in the Baltic countries. There is a reason for it being one of the most popular destinations in north Europe. It is one of the best preserved medieval towns in northern Europe without architectural influences from each of the countries that ruled it through centuries - Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Russia. You just have to see this for real! :)

Latvia

Riga

Riga is Latvia's capital. Despite being heavily damaged by bombing raids during World War, architecture buffs will note that Riga still has the largest  number of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe and the center of the Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Riga, the past is alive – and complicated. The road that the monument stands on is now called Brivibas bulvaris (Freedom Boulevard), but its previous names – Alexander, Hitler and Lenin – are a clue to the city's history of rule by foreign powers. It was founded in 1201 as a base for crusading German knights, and for three centuries it thrived as one of the Baltic ports in the Hanseatic League. In turn, Riga then became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then the Swedish and Russian empires. You can sense this history in the cobbled streets of Riga's old town, which is bounded by the river Daugava and the city canal (previously a moat), and in its architecture – best expressed in the flowing lines of the largest collection of art nouveau buildings in the world.

Liepaja

Liepaja is situated in the south-west of Latvia, 220km from the capital, Riga. The city is surrounded by water on two sides - the Baltic Sea on the west, Lake Liepaja on the east, and a trade channel in the middle connecting both banks. Its proximity to water has also influenced the historical development of the town. In terms of population, Liepaja is the third largest city in Latvia.

Liepaja is also known as the city of wind. The wind blows over the blue waves of the sea, over the the port, the modern architecture and centuries of history to continue on its way all through Latvia.

Lithuania

Vilnius

Vilnius is the capital and heart of Lithuania. Almost 700 years old, it once again features a combination of eastern and western architecture with monumental buildings, palaces, museums, and a robust nightlife. It was one of the largest cities in Europe during the 16th Century and a crucial part of the vast Polish empire that stretched between the Baltic and Black Seas. Often referred to as the "Baltic Jerusalem", the city enshrines remnants of ancient Lithuanian, Jewish and Polish cultures which can yet be found in the old town. Like its sister capital cities of Riga and Tallinn, the Old Town is also a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.

Kaunas

Kaunas is Lithuania's second largest city with a population of 325 000 people. It is located at the confluence of country's two largest rivers, Neris and Nemunas. For centuries, it has been smaller than Vilnius. What makes Kaunas really unique is, however, its heritage from later eras. It is here where the Russian Empire built a 1^st class fortress (1882 - 1915), its forts, batteries, barracks and redoubts surrounding the entire Kaunas city. The majority of these fortifications can still be seen today and are in fact the best preserved 19th century fortress of this type in the world.

Senamietis (Old Town) of Kaunas
Kaunas medieval Old Town is smaller but more intact than that of Vilnius as it suffered less of the Soviet post-war destruction. It is dominated by the churches at the Rotušės (City Hall) square and a wide Vilniaus street as well as by the restored Kaunas castle near the confluence.

Klaipeda  , the Curonian Spit (Nida)

A trip to the remarkable Curonian Spit that runs along the southeastern coastline of the Baltic Sea is a highlight of any visit to Lithuania. The spit, split between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad province, extends south from the Lithuanian seaport of Klaipėda. It is named after one of the early Baltic tribes that inhabited the region, is a curious place, a 60 mile-long finger of sand that stretches upwards from Russian Kaliningrad to within a handshake of the Lithuanian mainland, separating the waters of the Baltic Sea from the Curonian lagoon.

The northern 32 miles of this peninsula belong to Lithuania, accessed by ferry from the port of Klaipeda. Make the short hop across the strait and you reach a National Park and Unesco World Heritage Site of astonishing beauty.

If you prefer somewhere a little less quiet, more authentic with a European charm then I definitely recommend Lithuania. But, i love all of them. However, Lithuania is more untouched by tourism than Latvia and Estonia and Vilnius is my favorite capital, other than Riga and Tallinn.