Are you looking for a charming and original destination to spend your holidays? Do you want to make a getaway to a place in Europe that is not too touristy and you don't know where to go? In this post we will tell you about an area that we have just visited and that surprised us (in a good way): the Baltic countries . We went through their capitals, combining it with a trip through Russia, in a rather relaxed way and enjoying their little corners, their gastronomy and their charms (which are not few). To help you plan this trip on your own, we are going to give you a few tips for traveling to the Baltic capitals (Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius). Ready? Here we go:
Where are the Baltic Capitals?
If you find it difficult to place Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius on the map , don't worry: you're not alone! Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are 3 of the most unknown countries in all of Europe. They are located in the northeast of the continent, wedged between Russia, Belarus and Poland.
They have in common a glorious and at the same time bloody past (they went from being one of the most prosperous commercial areas in Europe to being invaded by the Nazis and the Soviets). They did not achieve their desired independence until 1991. Today they are 3 of the fastest growing countries in all of Europe!
⭐ Here we tell you the 10 essential plans to do in the Baltic Countries
Note : Technically, the Baltic capitals also include Stockholm , Copenhagen , Helsinki and St. Petersburg .
What to see and do in the Baltic capitals?
From the charming medieval streets of Tallinn, to the art nouveau buildings of Riga and the local, non-touristy atmosphere of Vilnius… We did a lot of things in the Baltic Capitals. Here are 3 articles where we talk in detail about each one of them:
- What to see and do in Tallinn
- What to see and do in Riga
- What to see and do in Vilnius
How to move from one city to another? The best itinerary
Keep in mind that we were arriving from Russia and Finland, so in our case, the logical thing to do was to take a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn and start the itinerary from there.
If you are flying from Spain, our advice is to arrive in Tallinn or Vilnius and from there travel by bus. There are two companies that have regular services with different schedules between these three cities: Ecolines and Lux Express . The prices are similar and, in principle, the second has somewhat more comfortable buses. Although we made both trips with Ecolines (we liked the schedules better) and we have no complaints (you can choose a seat for free, don't hesitate and get the two in front to see the panorama better). Prices vary depending on the season you travel in (there were very good offers since September), although calculate about €15 per person per trip.
So the ideal route would be this (or vice versa):
- Flight from Spain to Vilnius . Direct flights from Barcelona, Madrid and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
- Vilnius → Riga (bus 4 hours, 10-20€ per person)
- Riga → Tallinn (bus 4.5 hours, 10-20€ per person)
- Return flight from Tallinn to Spain . Direct flights to Gerona, Malaga and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
→ Compare flight prices on the Skyscanner website
Unless you live in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you will have to include a flight with a stopover on the way there and back (unless there are any new routes, of course). You can try looking for flights to/from Kaunas (close to Vilnius), or include a visit to Helsinki in your trip . The ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki only takes 2 hours (it costs €19, you can book with the company Eckeroline ). Here we tell you everything to see and do in Helsinki .
As fate would have it, the Baltic capital with the most direct connections to Spain is… Riga ! You got it right! There are flights to Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, Girona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Palma de Mallorca. We invite you to take a look at these flights, and if you find a cheap option, reconsider your route.
Another VERY good option, if you have at least 15 days of time, is to rent a car and visit more corners of the Baltic countries such as:
- Lahemaa National Park (Estonia)
- Saaremaa Island (Estonia)
- Gauja National Park (Latvia)
- Jurmala (Latvia)
- Curonian Spit (Lithuania)
- Trakai and Kaunas (Lithuania)
How many days does it take to visit the Baltic capitals?
We took it easy and spent 3 days in Tallinn and Riga and 2 days in Vilnius . In our opinion, this is more than enough time. In fact, we could cut it down to 2 days in Tallinn and Riga and 1 day in Vilnius . Now… if you have more time, even better: you can take advantage of it to go on excursions and visit more attractions in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
What is the best time to travel to the Baltic Capitals?
The truth is that each season has its charm. If the cold doesn't scare you, visiting these cities in winter when they are (most likely) covered in snow, will have its charm, as well as its Christmas markets (did you know that the Christmas tree originates from this area?). We decided to go in the middle of summer (late August) and, unlike Russia, we DID NOT find many tourists (except for Tallinn where, being a cruise port, during the day there was quite a bit of activity).
Fall and spring also look good, although temperatures can be quite low. Keep that in mind.
Which one is the most beautiful among Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius?
Let me start by saying that each one has its own special touch. Objectively, we would say that the most beautiful is Tallinn : as you have read in many places, it is a fairytale city! But Riga , personally, surprised us a lot: it seemed to us a very lively city, with many things to see and absolutely wonderful art nouveau architecture. And Vilnius has its charm if you are looking for an off-the-beaten-track destination, where you can spend a quiet and pleasant day.
Is payment in Euros?
Yes, in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania the official currency is the Euro , so you won't have any exchange problems! If you're only going to be there for a few days, we recommend you bring cash (or use card payments), but if you think you'll need to withdraw money during the trip, it's best to get one of the special travel cards .
To avoid ATM fees , we recommend taking out several cards on all trips. We are currently using the Revolut card as our first option , one of the most reliable on the market (they also have a €10 promo for new users!) and then the N26 card . We recommend taking both, in addition to your regular bank card, in case one fails.
→ Tell us about these travel card options here .
If you extend your trip to Helsinki, you won't have to worry about money either, because € is also used there (well, the only worry is that everything is quite expensive!).
What is the travel budget?
The three Baltic capitals we talked about seemed like affordable cities to us, even Tallinn, which has the reputation of being a rather posh destination, is not out of budget. Obviously, and as with any place, the trip can become very expensive if you stay in luxury hotels and eat in high-end restaurants. But if you're happy with staying in a mid-range hotel or an Airbnb apartment and you take the time to find restaurants with good prices, you won't spend a lot of money.
The most expensive option will almost certainly be the flight (although outside of high season you can find plenty of deals).
Excluding transport prices, which depend a lot on the season and the route you decide to take, the average cost per person per day can be something like this:
- Airbnb accommodation (entire apartment) or hotel room : €25
- Food at a local restaurant: €6-10 (we often ate out and since we had a flat with a kitchen we had breakfast and dinner at home).
We're going to save you the trouble of searching for good, nice and cheap restaurants :
- Restaurants where you can eat well and cheaply in Tallinn
- Restaurants where you can eat well and cheaply in Riga
- Restaurants where you can eat well and cheaply in Vilnius
Religion in the Baltic Capitals
Although religion is an issue that young people are increasingly concerned about (this area is no exception), we find differences between each of these three countries. Estonia has a 60% atheist population (one of the highest proportions in the world), while in Latvia the majority is Lutheran, followed by Catholic and Orthodox religions. Lithuania , on the other hand, is a Catholic country , as you can see by walking through the streets of Vilnius, known for being the city with the most churches per inhabitant. Although you will also find Orthodox and Lutheran churches. We recommend that you take a look at several churches of different faiths and notice their details and differences.
More tips for travelling to the Baltic capitals
– As they are part of the European Union, you will not need a visa to enter these countries. Now, if you are a citizen from outside Europe, you will have to take a look at the visa for the Schengen area .
– Luckily, you won’t need to buy a local SIM either, as there is no longer any roaming in Europe and you can safely use your mobile plan , both for calling and for connecting to the Internet. This means that you can call and receive calls to/from Spain, but you CANNOT call local numbers, for which you will be charged a serious surcharge.
– They usually have a good level of English and you will be able to communicate with them in this language (there is also the possibility of learning their very complicated languages…).
– Public transport is quite cheap, but to be honest, we always walked to the main tourist sites: these cities are very walkable. However, if you need to make longer trips you can opt for Uber or Bolt (we didn’t pay more than 3-5€ per trip, even from the centre of Vilnius to the airport). Here is a discount to use on your first trip (very useful for getting from the station to the accommodation!).
– In historic centres, use common sense and do not leave your belongings unattended . We did not see any pickpockets and we never felt unsafe, but as always, it is best to keep your eyes open and use common sense.
These are our recommendations and tips for travelling to the Baltic Capitals . If you have any further questions, please leave us a comment and we will try to help you as soon as possible. Enjoy this trip!
