This is my 8th Exodus trip since 2017. I appreciate the variety in the cultural tours, such as Discover the Baltics. Over the 12-day period, we visited all three capitals of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, explored historic towns (Tartu, Kaunas, Cesis, and Klaipeda), learned about architecture (Art Nouveau in Riga and Jarmala), trekked in national parks, visited famous churches, took a crash course on Soviet occupation at famous museums, and enjoyed free time to explore on our own. The pace is brisk. Be prepared to board your bus at 9 am each day to begin your tour. There are several long days on the bus as we typically visited two venues. I highly recommend this tour.
Exodus should replace two of the hotels used. They were poor. I did not like being assigned a tiny room with a twin bed.
My Top 12 Memories of the Baltic Republics
1. Meandering the cobblestone streets of Old Town Tallinn, Estonia
2. Foraging for berries in Tartu National Park
3. Riding a giant adult swing between Estonia and Latvia
4. Admiring the red roofed homes of historic Cesis
5. Roaming in the sculpture garden at Gauja National Park
6. Visiting the Art Nouveau Museum in Riga, Latvia
7. Admiring the colorful wooden houses in Jurmala, a 19th century seaside village
8. Learning the etiquette of “fan flirtation” at 18th-century Rundale Palace
9. Walking the trail of tears at the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania
10. Searching for seaside stones at the Curonian Spit, a Unesco World Heritage site between the Curonian Lagoon and Baltic Sea
11. Taking a boat ride on the lake in Trakai, the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
12. Discovering Vilnius’ old town with our Exodus Travel guide