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Helsinki, Finland
Optional Pre Tour - Arrival Helsinki one day prior to main tour
Take airport shuttle to hotel.
Next day 9 am: Embark on a three-hour sightseeing tour includes a walking tour plus a panoramic tour by car. The tour takes us around the harbors and the Senate Square with the Lutheran Cathedral, up central Mannerheim Street and by the Parliament Building, the Finlandia Hall, and the Sibelius Monument and for a visit to the famous Church-in-the-Rock.
The tour ends at the ferry terminal where you can put your luggage into lockers (the guide will assist you). Have lunch and time to stroll the area. Take the 3:30 pm ferry to Tallinn, arriving at 4 pm.
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Estonia
Day 1 Tallinn
Those on Helsinki tour will arrive approx 4 pm.
Those arriving by flight into Tallinn are met at airport and transfer to hotel.
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Day 2-3 Tallinn
We enjoy two full days touring picturesque old city, where whole districts date back to the Middle Ages; and also visit the wonderful KUMU Museum.
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Day 4: Parnu-Cesis
Pärnu is a well known Estonian resort and also a Hanseatic city, a harbor city and a university city. It has a very charming and sleepy rhythm.
We will tour the 13th century Old Town of Ceisis.
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Latvia
Day 5: Cesis-Sigulda-Riga
We begin our day with a stop in historically rich town of Sigulda touring the Gutmanis Cave and the Turaida Museum Reserve.
After lunch, we continue the short drive to the Ethnographic Open Air Museum, located on the banks of the picturesque Lake Jugla and one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe. This will be a refreshing walk in nature to view the homes, household articles and community of ancient Latvia.
Afterwards, we arrive in Riga- capital of Latvia and a medieval Hanseatic town. We enjoy a city tour including St. Peter's Cathedral from whose steeple will be the best views in the city, Riga Castle with its three wonderful museums, Dome Cathedral, which boasts one of the world’s largest pipe organs.
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Day 6: Riga-Jurmala-Riga
This morning we start with a visit to the old small Guild house.
Afterwards, the Art Nouveau Museum, housed in a ground floor apartment with all the furniture and décor of that era, some original to that apartment. And then a driving tour of the picturesque Boulevard circle.
Onward to the Jewish Ghetto Museum.
In the afternoon we embark on an excursion to Jurmala, a town with a 150-year-old resort tradition with romantic wooden houses in art nouveau style (Jugendstil).
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Lithuania
Day 7: Riga-Klaipeda
On the way to Klaipeda, we visit Rundale Place.
Klaipeda, often called "Gateway to The Sea" because it is the main Seaport of Lithuanian State. and wonderfully charming!
Upon arrival, check in and dinner in old town.
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Day 8: Klaipeda
A full day tour including the Old Post Office, historical Old Town full of handicraft shops, the Old Theatre, Simon Dach Square and a visit to the oldest brewery in Lithuania-Svyturys.
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Day 9: Klaipeda
An excursion to Curonian Spit visiting the Hill of Witches in Juodkrante and the charming town of Nida.
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Day 10: Klaipeda-Kaunas-Vilnius
On the way to Vilnius, we stop to viist Kaunas, former capital of Lithuania.
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Day 11-12: Vilnius
The first day we will explore Vilnius sights including its UNESCO Old Town, Upper and Lower castle, Vilnus Cathedral, the Old University, open-air museums and some free time to explore art galleries, crafts.
The second day we embark on an excursion to Trakai, the former capital of Lithuania, located on an island in the middle of a lake. The old town of Trakai, including the Island and the Peninsula Castles, surrounded by lakes, is one of the most impressive and picturesque locations in Europe.
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Day 13: Depart
Transfer to airport for return home or continue to Minsk for our 9 day tour of Belarus or our 18 day Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova tour or Poland May Tour.
