Lithuania: Gateway to the East<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"Lithuania\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Lithuania-Hero-1024x640.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
Citizens of the Baltic States seriously dislike being thought of as Eastern Europe\u2014some even resent it. However, while many aspects of life in the cities and small towns of Lithuania evoke Europe’s northerly reaches more than its eastern ones, certain places feel like Poland or nearby Belarus.<\/p>\n
Vilnius<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Vilnius\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Vilnius-1024x640.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
It’s difficult to precisely place the feeling you get on a walk through Vilnius, whose Old Town is Europe’s most expansive. While the Gothic Church of St. Anne<\/strong> and 15th-century Gendiminas Castle Tower<\/strong> feel Polish or even Germanic, the sidewalk caf\u00e9s and colorful boutiques visitors pass walking under the Gate of Dawn evoke a cooler version of Paris or Rome. No matter what impression Lithuania’s capital gives you, complete your trip to Vilnius with a stay at the chic, comfortable Artagonist Art Hotel<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nThe Hill of Crosses<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Hill-of-Crosses-1024x640.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
Many amazing Lithuanian destinations sit within day-trip distance of Vilnius, including super-cool college town (and 2022 European Capital of Culture) Kaunas<\/strong>, whose vermilion castle spires are right out of a fairy tale. However, it’s the surreal Hill of Crosses, which is not terribly high but whose variety of crosses numbers into a range that makes them uncountable, that’s the most unique and singular travel experience in Lithuania. Although some travelers enjoy Siauliai<\/strong>, the town closest to the Hill, you’re better off heading back to Vilnius\u2014just trust us on this one.<\/p>\nKlaipeda and the Curonian Spit<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Klaipeda](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Curonian-Spit-1024x640.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
If the restaurant-lined King Wilhelm Channel<\/strong>, which cuts through coastal Klaipeda doesn’t charm you, the towering dunes of the 60-mile long sandbar (the Curonian Spit) that sits just offshore will. Finish off a perfect day swimming in the Baltic Sea with a filet of fresh-caught mackerel glazed in citrus sauce, or with meat-filled potato cepelinai dumplings<\/em> if you missed them elsewhere in Lithuania. If you visit the Spit as more than a day trip from Klaipeda, consider riding a bus down to Nida<\/strong>, an impossibly charming town that sits near Lithuania’s border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.<\/p>\nLatvia: Medieval Meets Art Nouveau<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"Latvia\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Latvia-Hero-1024x640.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
If you weren’t paying attention, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in Stockholm as you walk along the cobbled streets of Riga’s Old Town. Whether you’re wandering around the cosmopolitan capital, visiting one of the country’s charming villages or beach-going along its sandy shores, Latvia is where the Baltic States really start to feel, well, Baltic.<\/p>\n
Resplendent Riga<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Resplendent](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Riga-1024x640.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
Many travelers arrive in the capital city Riga, take a walk around medieval Vecriga<\/strong> (including panoramic St. Peter’s Church<\/strong> and the Stalin-era Latvian Academy of Sciences<\/strong>) and call it a day. Among its other charms, Riga boasts one of Europe’s largest and most eclectic Art Nouveau districts. An hour (or an afternoon) inside the meticulously re-created exhibition inside the Riga Art Nouveau Centre is like a veritable trip back in time, while strolls down Alberta and Elizabetes Streets might just exhaust whatever is left of your camera battery\u2014every building is worth photographing!<\/p>\nA Tale of Three Day Trips<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Rundale](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Rundale-1024x640.jpg\")
Rundale Palace | Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
As the largest and most activity-filled Baltic capital, Riga is uniquely difficult to leave behind. But if you do so, whether by renting a car or using Latvia’s impressive bus and train network, take one of three day trips. The first option takes you to Rundale Palace<\/strong>, an 18th-century royal residence that’s Latvia’s answer to Versailles. Cesis<\/strong>, for its part, is home to both a Livonian Castle, and a pint-sized Russian Orthodox Cathedral, while Kuldiga<\/strong> is where you’ll find the Venta Waterfall<\/strong>\u2014at nearly 750 feet across, it’s Europe’s widest.<\/p>\nBaltic Bliss<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Liepaja\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Liepaja-1024x640.jpg\")
Liepaja | Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
Alternatively, if you didn’t have time to visit Klaipeda in Lithuania or you just miss the ocean, head back to the Baltic Sea. Jurmala<\/strong> (which literally means “beach” in Latvian) is less than an hour from Riga. But for a real adventure, you’ll want to make the longer trek to Liepaja<\/strong>, which offers much more than just an opportunity to swim. In addition to its own miles-long swath of sand, Liepaja is home to Latvia’s second-largest collection of Art Nouveau architecture, while Karosta<\/strong> is home to a (thankfully) defunct Soviet-era prison. Another factor that sets Liepaja apart is its growing selection of top-rated lodging, including the five-star Promenade Hotel<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nEstonia: Get There Now<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n
Citizens of the Baltic States seriously dislike being thought of as Eastern Europe\u2014some even resent it. However, while many aspects of life in the cities and small towns of Lithuania evoke Europe’s northerly reaches more than its eastern ones, certain places feel like Poland or nearby Belarus.<\/p>\n
Vilnius<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n It’s difficult to precisely place the feeling you get on a walk through Vilnius, whose Old Town is Europe’s most expansive. While the Gothic Church of St. Anne<\/strong> and 15th-century Gendiminas Castle Tower<\/strong> feel Polish or even Germanic, the sidewalk caf\u00e9s and colorful boutiques visitors pass walking under the Gate of Dawn evoke a cooler version of Paris or Rome. No matter what impression Lithuania’s capital gives you, complete your trip to Vilnius with a stay at the chic, comfortable Artagonist Art Hotel<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n The Hill of Crosses<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n Many amazing Lithuanian destinations sit within day-trip distance of Vilnius, including super-cool college town (and 2022 European Capital of Culture) Kaunas<\/strong>, whose vermilion castle spires are right out of a fairy tale. However, it’s the surreal Hill of Crosses, which is not terribly high but whose variety of crosses numbers into a range that makes them uncountable, that’s the most unique and singular travel experience in Lithuania. Although some travelers enjoy Siauliai<\/strong>, the town closest to the Hill, you’re better off heading back to Vilnius\u2014just trust us on this one.<\/p>\n Klaipeda and the Curonian Spit<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n If the restaurant-lined King Wilhelm Channel<\/strong>, which cuts through coastal Klaipeda doesn’t charm you, the towering dunes of the 60-mile long sandbar (the Curonian Spit) that sits just offshore will. Finish off a perfect day swimming in the Baltic Sea with a filet of fresh-caught mackerel glazed in citrus sauce, or with meat-filled potato cepelinai dumplings<\/em> if you missed them elsewhere in Lithuania. If you visit the Spit as more than a day trip from Klaipeda, consider riding a bus down to Nida<\/strong>, an impossibly charming town that sits near Lithuania’s border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n If you weren’t paying attention, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in Stockholm as you walk along the cobbled streets of Riga’s Old Town. Whether you’re wandering around the cosmopolitan capital, visiting one of the country’s charming villages or beach-going along its sandy shores, Latvia is where the Baltic States really start to feel, well, Baltic.<\/p>\n Resplendent Riga<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n Many travelers arrive in the capital city Riga, take a walk around medieval Vecriga<\/strong> (including panoramic St. Peter’s Church<\/strong> and the Stalin-era Latvian Academy of Sciences<\/strong>) and call it a day. Among its other charms, Riga boasts one of Europe’s largest and most eclectic Art Nouveau districts. An hour (or an afternoon) inside the meticulously re-created exhibition inside the Riga Art Nouveau Centre is like a veritable trip back in time, while strolls down Alberta and Elizabetes Streets might just exhaust whatever is left of your camera battery\u2014every building is worth photographing!<\/p>\n A Tale of Three Day Trips<\/strong><\/p>\n Rundale Palace | Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n As the largest and most activity-filled Baltic capital, Riga is uniquely difficult to leave behind. But if you do so, whether by renting a car or using Latvia’s impressive bus and train network, take one of three day trips. The first option takes you to Rundale Palace<\/strong>, an 18th-century royal residence that’s Latvia’s answer to Versailles. Cesis<\/strong>, for its part, is home to both a Livonian Castle, and a pint-sized Russian Orthodox Cathedral, while Kuldiga<\/strong> is where you’ll find the Venta Waterfall<\/strong>\u2014at nearly 750 feet across, it’s Europe’s widest.<\/p>\n Baltic Bliss<\/strong><\/p>\n Liepaja | Photo courtesy of Robert Schrader<\/p><\/div>\n Alternatively, if you didn’t have time to visit Klaipeda in Lithuania or you just miss the ocean, head back to the Baltic Sea. Jurmala<\/strong> (which literally means “beach” in Latvian) is less than an hour from Riga. But for a real adventure, you’ll want to make the longer trek to Liepaja<\/strong>, which offers much more than just an opportunity to swim. In addition to its own miles-long swath of sand, Liepaja is home to Latvia’s second-largest collection of Art Nouveau architecture, while Karosta<\/strong> is home to a (thankfully) defunct Soviet-era prison. Another factor that sets Liepaja apart is its growing selection of top-rated lodging, including the five-star Promenade Hotel<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nLatvia: Medieval Meets Art Nouveau<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Estonia: Get There Now<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Estonia\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Estonia-Hero-1024x640.jpg\")
![\"Tallinn's](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Tallinn-Old-Town-1024x640.jpg\")
![\"Kadriorg\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Kadriorg-1024x640.jpg\")
![\"Lahemaa\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Lahemaa-1024x640.jpg\")