You arrive in Riga and transfer from the airport to your hotel in the city. After check-in, you have time to settle in after your journey and begin getting familiar with the surroundings at your own pace. The rest of the day remains open, allowing you to rest or step out briefly to start experiencing the atmosphere of Latvia’s capital.

Riga was founded in 1201 by Bishop Albert and developed as a key trading center within the Hanseatic League.

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hanza Hotel

You spend the day exploring Riga, a city founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert and known as the largest of the Baltic capitals. During a guided walking tour, you move through different parts of the city to understand its architectural diversity. You walk along Alberta and Elizabeth streets to see some of the most notable Art Nouveau buildings, then continue into the Old Town where you see Riga Castle and the Three Brothers houses, recognized as the oldest dwellings in the city.

Later, you visit Riga Central Market, one of the largest covered markets in Europe. As you walk through the market halls, you encounter a wide range of local products including smoked meat, pickled vegetables, Latvian bread, and seasonal foods. The market, opened in 1930, is uniquely housed inside five former Zeppelin airship hangars, which defines its scale and structure.

Riga’s Central Market is one of Europe’s largest and is housed in repurposed Zeppelin hangars from the early 20th century.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hanza Hotel

In the morning, your rental car is delivered directly to your hotel. You begin your self-drive journey with a short transfer of approximately 50 km to Gauja National Park, the largest and oldest national park in Latvia.

You arrive in Sigulda, one of the most visited areas within the park, known for its scenic setting along the Gauja River valley. As you explore the area, you encounter a landscape shaped by forests, river views, and a network of hiking trails that move up and down along the valley. The region also features several historic sites.

You visit the Sigulda Castle Complex, which includes two castles built in different periods. The Sigulda Medieval Castle Ruins mark the origins of the town, while the Sigulda New Castle represents a 19th-century manor house. Inside, you see interiors designed in a 20th-century national romanticism style.

Gauja National Park, established in 1973, is Latvia’s oldest national park and protects the Gauja River valley ecosystem.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel Sigulda

You continue your drive for approximately 220 km, starting with a visit to Rundale Palace, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. During a guided tour, you move through the palace interiors while learning about its history and design. The building stands out for its baroque architecture, detailed interiors, ceiling paintings, and formal gardens that define the estate.

After the visit, you drive to Jurmala, Latvia’s best-known seaside resort town, which stretches for 30 km along the coast. You spend time on the sandy beach and walk through the surrounding pine forest dunes at a relaxed pace. As you explore the town, you see a mix of historic wooden architecture and modern villas.

You continue by cycling along the pine-covered dunes, following paths that run parallel to the coastline. Along the way, you pass several designated swimming areas, with the option to stop for a swim at one of the eleven established spots.

Rundale Palace was designed by Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who also designed parts of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Dzintars Hotel

You leave Jurmala and drive approximately 80 km toward Kemeri, a former resort town known for its sulfur water springs and surrounding wetlands. Once a popular destination during the Soviet era, the town still retains elements of its historic character.

You enter Kemeri National Park to explore its natural landscapes, defined by extensive bog territories. You walk along a 5 km wooden boardwalk trail that leads across the bog, allowing you to move through this unique environment. The trail brings you to a viewing tower, where you observe the open landscape and the scale of the wetlands from above.

After your time in the park, you continue driving to Kalnmuiza, located in the Abava River valley. The manor sits on rolling hills, marking a transition from coastal landscapes to inland countryside.

Kemeri National Park protects one of Latvia’s largest wetland ecosystems, known for its raised bog formations and mineral springs.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Kalnmuiza manor

You drive approximately 55 km to Kuldiga, a town known for its preserved historic character. On arrival, you join a guided walking tour that takes you through the center, where narrow winding streets, small channels, and traditional architecture define the layout of the town.

You spend time around the Venta River, which forms the focal point of Kuldiga. Here you see Ventas Rumba, recognized as the widest waterfall in Europe. The setting combines natural features with the surrounding townscape, creating a distinct atmosphere that you explore at a relaxed pace.

In the afternoon, you have free time to continue discovering the town on your own.

Ventas Rumba spans approximately 249 meters in width, making it the widest waterfall in Europe.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Jēkaba sēta

You continue your journey with a drive of approximately 90 km to Liepaja, a port city known for its distinct atmosphere along the Baltic coast. On arrival, you join a guided walking tour through the city, where you experience its character shaped by coastal winds and maritime history.

As you explore, you learn why Liepaja is often referred to as the city where the wind is born. The city has a strong artistic identity and is closely connected to Latvia’s music scene, particularly rock. During your walk, you visit the Alley of Fame, where handprints of well-known Latvian musicians and bands are displayed.

Liepaja has long been an important Baltic port and developed a cultural identity linked to music and the arts.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Līva Hotel

You leave Liepaja and drive approximately 150 km to Klaipeda, a historic port city. On arrival, you join a guided walking tour that begins in the Old Town, where cobblestone streets are lined with former guild houses. As you move through the area, you visit key landmarks including Theatre Square and the Ann from Tharau Fountain, dedicated to a muse of the German poet Simon Dach, who was born in Klaipeda.

After the visit, you continue your journey by ferry to the Curonian Spit, a narrow strip of land stretching for around 100 km between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. As you travel across this unique landscape, you encounter fishing villages, pine forests, and extensive sand dunes that define the region.

The Curonian Spit is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its unique dune landscape shaped by wind and sea currents.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel Nerija

You continue exploring the Curonian Spit with a drive of approximately 60 km, focusing on the areas of Nida and Juodkrante. As you move along this narrow stretch of land between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon, you pass shifting dune landscapes and forested sections.

In Juodkrante, you visit the Hill of Witches, located on a forested sand dune along the lagoon. Despite its name, the site is a curated outdoor space featuring more than 80 wooden sculptures created by local artists. The figures represent scenes and characters from Lithuanian folklore and pagan traditions, arranged along a walking path through the forest.

Afterward, you return to Nida, where you spend time walking through the town. You have the opportunity to stop at local fish restaurants and try different types of smoked fish, a regional specialty.

The Curonian Spit’s dunes are among the highest in Europe and have been shaped over centuries by wind-driven sand movement.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Hotel Nerija

You leave Nida and drive approximately 215 km inland toward Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. The route takes you away from the coastal landscapes of the Curonian Spit and into the country’s interior.

On arrival, you join a guided walking tour through Kaunas Old Town. As you walk through its streets, you visit key landmarks including Town Hall Square and the House of Perkunas, a Gothic merchant house dating back to the 15th century.

You also visit Kaunas Castle, a Gothic fortress built on a hill overlooking the Nemunas River. The structure dates back to the mid-14th century and reflects the city’s historical defensive importance.

Kaunas served as the temporary capital of Lithuania between 1919 and 1940 during the interwar period.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Metropolis

You leave Kaunas in the morning and drive approximately 115 km toward Vilnius, with a stop in Trakai along the way. Here, you visit Trakai Island Castle, one of the main landmarks in Lithuania and a symbol of the country’s statehood. The castle is built on an island in Lake Galve, one of the deepest lakes in Lithuania, and is known for its distinctive red brick structure set within a lake landscape.

After your visit, you continue your drive to Vilnius. In the late afternoon, you arrive in the city and return your rental car at your hotel, marking the end of your self-drive route.

Trakai Island Castle dates back to the 14th century and was an important political and military center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Rinno hotel

You spend the morning exploring Vilnius on a guided walking tour through its Old Town, the medieval center of the city. As you move through its streets, you visit Cathedral Square, where you see the cathedral consecrated in 1783, recognized as Lithuania’s main Roman Catholic church. Inside, its mausoleum serves as the final resting place of notable historical figures, including Grand Dukes of Lithuania and King Alexander of Poland.

During the tour, you continue to key landmarks across the city, including Gediminas Tower, St. Anne’s Church dating from the 15th century, and Vilnius University, the oldest university in the Baltics. You also visit the Gate of Dawn, part of the city’s medieval defensive walls, built around a chapel that remains an important Catholic pilgrimage site.

The evening is free for you to spend at your own pace.

Vilnius Old Town is one of the largest preserved medieval old towns in Europe and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Mid-Range Accommodation: Rinno hotel

Your journey concludes today in Vilnius. You transfer from your hotel to Vilnius Airport for your departure, marking the end of your time across Latvia and Lithuania.

Vilnius Airport is the largest airport in Lithuania and serves as the main international gateway to the country.

Meals: Breakfast