Excursion to Belarus & Baltic Explorer in 2019

Belarus & Baltic Explorer

Duration: 10 days / 9 nights

In this 11 days tour you will discover the most popular highlights of Belarus and the Baltics.

You will:

See Minsk with its expensive boulevards, historical buildings and endless parks, relish architectural masterpieces of Mir and Nesvizh Castles;
have the chance to marvel at splendid architectural blend of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism of Vilnius City;
delight in the most significant sights of Riga and enjoy medieval Tallinn’s Old Town.

This trip is a must for anyone looking to soak up the history and culture of Eastern Europe.

Itinerary

We warmly welcome you in Minsk – the capital of the Republic of Belarus, its political and cultural centre. It was first mentioned in the chronicles of the XIth century. Today, it is a dynamic city with expansive boulevards, modern and historical buildings, endless parks and well-developed infrastructure.

Check-in, welcome meeting.
Overnight in Minsk.

Sightseeing tour of Minsk includes the main avenues (Independence Avenue, Victory Square) and the architectural monuments of the XVIIth - XXth centuries (Upper Town with the City Hall, Holy Spirit Church and the Cathedral of Blessed Virgin Mary, old streets of the Trinity Suburb). The Victory Monument and the National Library(included into the list of the most outstanding buildings of the world) are waiting to be explored.

Excursion continues in Minsk, at the World War II Museum. It was the first museum in the world to reveal the story of this disastrous war, as it was opened already in 1944, during the Nazi occupation. Among the museum’s first exhibits were the partisan movement chronicles, handwritten and printed books, handmade weapons. Today the museum, which occupies an area of 3 000 sq.m., houses more then 8 000 exhibits, including combat reports, diaries, drawings, flags of military units, military uniforms, military weapons, vehicles and other items. Professional guide will accompany your visit with detailed stories about the distant war.

Overnight in Minsk.

Transfer to Nesvizh. You will visit the magnificent Nesvizh Palace – former residence of the aristocratic Radzivili family, which also includes beautiful park and Farny Roman-Catholic Church of the XVIth century. The complex once numbered around 170 rooms, with a series of underground passages connecting it to the town’s monasteries. Today the exposition of the Palace includes more than 30 exhibition halls, including Prince's apartments, Golden and Star halls, Hunter’s hall and others.

Transfer to Mir. It is most famous for the fairy-tale Mir Castle, still known today as the “medieval flower”. Castle is an impressive architectural monument, included into the list of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. It was erected at the end of the XVth century and today it is a combination of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture that makes Mir Castle so unique. This red brick castle is also a historical monument, which used to belong to several aristocratic families, who have left their mark in the history of the town and of the country in general.

Transfer to Minsk. Overnight in Minsk.

Check-out.

The morning is free in Minsk to explore more of the city individually. In the afternoon we are driving 180 km to reach Vilnius.

Check-in at hotel, welcome meeting.

Overnight in Vilnius.

Vilnius city tour. Vilnius is known for its more than 1.200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. The morning sightseeing tour includes a panoramic tour of the city and a walking tour of the Old Town with Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne’s Church, Old University and the Gates of Dawn.

The afternoon offers an optional excursion to Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania, with the well-preserved Trakai Castle, beautifully located on an island in Lake Galve.

In the evening, enjoy an optional folklore dinner at Restaurant Belmontas.

Overnight in Vilnius.

Check-out.

Heading for Riga, the first stop is the Hills of Crosses, one of the most holy sites of Catholic Lithuania. After crossing into Latvia, we soon reach the magnificent Rundale Palace, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. Following a guided tour of the palace we travel through the rolling hills of Southern Latvia to reach Riga late afternoon.

Check-in at hotel, welcome meeting. Overnight in Riga.

Before we get acquainted with Riga we have the possibility of discovering medieval Latvia. The optional tour for this morning takes us to the stunning scenery of the Gauja National Park and the town of Sigulda. We listen to the medieval Latvian legend of the Rose of Turaida, and see the ruins of the Episcopal Castle and of the Castle of the Knights of the Sword before we return to Riga. The afternoon offers an optional visit to the, a spacious exposition of 18th century Ethnographical Open Air Museum country life. The evening offers an optional organ concert at the Dome Cathedral.

Overnight in Riga.

Riga founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert is the largest of the 3 Baltic capitals and boasts a true kaleidoscope of various architectural styles. The walking tour of the Old Town includes Riga Castle, Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, Swedish Gates, Three Brothers, Large and Small Guild House and the Freedom Monument.

The afternoon is reserved for an optional visit to Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian sea resort, famous for its wooden architecture and sandy beaches.

In the evening enjoy an optional Latvian dinner at the stylish Restaurant Forest.

Overnight in Riga.

The tour continues along the coastal highway to the Estonian summer resort of Parnu. We do a short tour of the resort before we continue through the North Estonian land of forests.

Arrive in Tallinn early afternoon, check-in.

Welcome meeting.

Tallinn is a charming blend of medieval tranquillity and modern urban life. The medieval Old Town is a busy place in the summer with its many shops, galleries, souvenir markets, outdoor cafés and restaurants. The sightseeing tour takes us around the old medieval city walls and into the Old Town where we see Toompea Castle, Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, medieval Old Town Hall and Great Guild Hall. In the afternoon an optional excursion is offered to Kadriorg Park and visit to KUMU, the award-winning new Estonian art museum, with its collections of classic and contemporary fine art. The evening offers an optional medieval dinner at Restaurant Peppersack.
Overnight in Tallinn. Departure

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