Poland and Baltic Discovery
Experience the charm of Eastern Europe on this 13-day Poland and Baltic Discovery group tour. Traverse from Warsaw to Vilnius whilst exploring historical treasures and vibrant cultures. Discover the medieval wonders of Krakow, the picturesque streets of Riga, and the stunning architecture of Tallinn. Enjoy guided city tours, visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and indulge in the local cuisine. This tour promises a blend of history, culture, and scenic beauty across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes
Tour overview
Itinerary
Day 1 Krakow
Day 1 Krakow
Welcome to Poland and the beautiful city of Krakow. Upon arrival at Krakow airport you'll be met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the city. The rest of the day is at leisure. A welcome meeting will be held this evening, in the lobby, at around 7pm.
Day 2 Krakow city tour
Day 2 Krakow city tour
This morning we explore the former royal capital of Krakow, holding this title for over 500 years it is a city which holds many traditions, secrets and stories within it. The morning sightseeing tour takes us to the Old Town where we see St. Mary’s Church, the Jagiellonian University, the Cloth Halls and Wawel with the Wawel Castle and the Wawel Cathedral.
This afternoon is free for your to further explore Krakow independently. There is also the opportunity to join an optional excursion to the impressive Wielizka Salt Mine. This incredible labyrinth of tunnels is often referred to as 'the underground salt Cathedral of Poland' due to its stunning interior.
Day 3 Optional Auschwitz excursion
Day 3 Optional Auschwitz excursion
Krakow - Warsaw. The morning offers an optional excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum (note: this optional excursion must be pre booked before departure, due to limited availability). Alternatively enjoy a free morning to explore Krakow on your own. Early afternoon transfer to Krakow railway station and departure by train to Warsaw. Arrival to Warsaw railway station and transfer to our hotel for check in.
Day 4 Warsaw city tour
Day 4 Warsaw city tour
Today we discover the history of Warsaw, a city which saw near complete destruction by the end of World War Two. In the years since the old town has been meticulously rebuilt to its former glory. On a morning sightseeing tour we take in the Royal Route and the Old Town, where we see the Royal Castle, St John’s Cathedral, the Old Town Market Square and the Barbican.
This afternoon there's free time to explore Warsaw independently. Alternatively there's an optional excursion to the Royal Lazienki Park, home to Lazienki Palace, also know as the Palace on the Water. This evening there's an optional Polish dinner.
Day 5 Bialowieza National Park
Day 5 Bialowieza National Park
Warsaw - Biaylistok. Today we continue through Eastern Poland with its dense forests to the Podlasie region and Bialowieza National Park, with its famous European Bison Show Reserve. After a leisurely stroll along the nature trails of the forest, we continue to Biaylistok where we check into our hotel. In the late afternoon we visit Bialystok and see its landmark Branicki Palace (exterior only).
Day 6 Kaunas
Day 6 Kaunas
Biaylistok - Vilnius (Lithuania). Departing Biaylistok we travel through attractive resort towns into Lithuania and on to its capital Vilnius. We stop en route in Kaunas, the former capital of Lithuania, to admire the beautiful Old Town and the elegant white Baroque Town Hall before our late afternoon arrival in Vilnius.
Day 7 Vilnius Tour
Day 7 Vilnius Tour
This morning we explore Vilnius, capital of Lithuania on a panoramic tour of the city and a walking tour of the Old Town. On our walking tour we see Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne’s Church, Old University and the Gates of Dawn.
This afternoon is free for you to explore Vilnius independently. There's also the option to join an excursion to Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania and home to the well preserved Trakai Castle, beautifully perched on an island in Lake Galve.
This evening there's the opportunity to indulge in an optional Lithuanian dinner.
Day 8 Hill of Crosses & Rundale Palace
Day 8 Hill of Crosses & Rundale Palace
Vilnius - Riga (Estonia). This morning we depart Vilnius and make our way to one of the most holy sites in Lithuania, the Hill of Crosses. It's believed that nearly 100,000 crosses of different sizes and designs have been left here over the years. It's uncertain when the tradition started but it has come to symbolize the fortitude of Catholicism in Lithuania.
This afternoon we make our way across the border into Latvia, reaching the impressive Rundale Palace, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. This beautiful baroque palace is ornately decorated and surrounded by stunning gardens. We continue on towards Riga later this afternoon, travelling through the rolling hills of the Southern Latvia.
Day 9 Riga Sightseeing
Day 9 Riga Sightseeing
Today we discover the fascinating city of Riga, the capital of Latvia and the largest of the three Baltic capitals. Officially founded by the German bishop Albert in 1201, Riga is a city full of colourful architecture and mesmerising old world charm. On our walking tour this morning we visit the Art Nouveaux District and the Old Town. In the Old Town we see Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter's Church, the Swedish Gates along with other fascinating parts of the city which demonstrate its rich history.
This afternoon is free for you to further explore Riga independently or to join an optional visit to Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian seaside resort. The evening offers an optional organ concert at the Dome Cathedral.
Day 10 Riga optional excursions
Day 10 Riga optional excursions
Today offers free time to further explore Riga independently or join our optional excursions. In the morning you can discover medieval Latvia on an optional tour of stunning 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 returning to Riga.
In the afternoon an optional trip to the Ethnographical Open Air Museum will be offered, with its spacious exhibition of 18th century country life.
Day 11 Parnu & Tallinn
Day 11 Parnu & Tallinn
Riga - Tallinn (Estonia). Departing Riga this morning we make our way along the coastal highway, crossing into Estonia. From here we journey on to the beautiful summer resort of Parnu where we enjoy a short tour of this pretty city bisected by the Parnu River. Continuing on towards Tallinn, we make our way through the thick green forests of Northern Estonia. Arriving into Tallinn early afternoon the rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 12 Tallinn city tour
Day 12 Tallinn city tour
After breakfast we head out on a sightseeing tour of Tallinn. Tallinn is a enchanting blend of medieval and modern. The picturesque old town is a friendly, bustling place during the summer months with locals and tourists sampling the many fantastic cafes, galleries and shops. 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.
This afternoon is free to explore Tallinn independently or you may wish to join an optional excursion to Kadriorg Park and a visit to the KUMU, the award winning new Estonian art museum. This evening there's an optional medieval dinner to celebrate the last night of our tour.
Day 13 Tallinn
Day 13 Tallinn
Your Baltic experience ends after breakfast this morning and hotel check out. A transfer will be provided to take you to Tallinn Airport.
Tour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Prices & Dates
Hotels
Located in the heart of the city, this hotel offers easy access to popular attractions such as the Main Market Square and Wawel Castle. The rooms are elegantly designed and equipped with modern amenities, ensuring a comfortable stay for guests. The on-site restaurant serves delicious Polish and international cuisine, while the bar provides a cozy atmosphere to unwind. The Hotel Golden Tulip Krakow City Centre provides an excellent base for exploring the rich history and vibrant culture of Krakow.
Located close to the Warsaw University Botanical Garden and the socialist realist Palace of Culture and Science, the Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel is an ideal place to stay whilst in Warsaw, with easy metro access. Offering comfortable guest rooms with private bathrooms equipped with heated floors and a tub. Complimentary Wi-Fi and tea and coffee-making facilities are included in your stay. A superb buffet breakfast is served daily and the Marysieńka restaurant offers a range of international dishes.
Located 12 mins from Branicki Palace, the ibis Styles Bialystok allows easy access to the city's attractions and landmarks, making it an excellent choice for exploring Bialystok. The rooms are tastefully designed and feature comfortable amenities, ensuring a pleasant stay for guests. The hotel's on-site restaurant serves a variety of delicious dishes, catering to different culinary preferences. Relax at the hotel's bar, which offers a range of beverages and a welcoming ambiance. With its creative flair, convenient amenities, and prime location, this hotel offers a memorable and enjoyable experience in Bialystok.
Standing on the banks of the River Neris, the Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva is in the heart of Lithuania’s capital. Its sleek and modern-style guestrooms are equipped with plenty of amenities including free high-speed WiFi. Guests can enjoy a fresh meal at any time of day, with the onsite Riverside Restaurant serving a wide-ranging buffet of international favourites. The hotel also boasts a fitness centre, Nordic sauna, jacuzzi and beauty salon, with the Skybar being the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine and the beautiful city views.
Ideally situated in the centre of Riga just 400 meters from the historical old town, the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija offers impressive views over the city. The contemporary styled guestrooms are spacious and well equipped to cater for those visiting for leisure, business and even families with children. Guests can soak up the fabulous city views in the stylish Skyline bar located on the 26th floor. Or why not relax and visit the brand new and conceptually unique Spa Riga.
This centrally located hotel offers tastefully decorated guestrooms with modern conveniences such as high-speed WiFi, 24-hour room service and tea and coffee making facilities. Guests can enjoy an elegant Mediterranean dinner at the on-site Senso Restaurant or lighter bites at the delightful Café Boulevard. On the top floor you’ll find Club 26, where you can take a refreshing swim in the pool, work out in the well-equipped gym or relax in the sauna, all whilst admiring magnificent views over Estonia’s capital.
Tour Reviews
Communication poor. Didn't always know what was going on. Too much time where necessary to pay extra for tour or use as free time. Guides varied from excellent to poor.
We enjoyed our trip but unfortunately cannot give you more than 3 stars. Our tours guides both local and on the bus we friendly and knowledgable. However Tours appear to be disorganised and lasck communication. Unless you paid extra to do the afternoon tours, the excursion time was not confirmed and did not always match our printed individually itinery. The other tour attendees were very friendly, but the group size was way too big and all guests did not have the same fitness level. At times they were left behind. Also i do not suggest having a 3 hour walking tour after a big buffett breakfast. With the group size being so large, it maybe travel very uncomfortable in poland as we had a small bus. Also the bus and coach bus were not clean daily. Rublish was left in the seat and tour guests easily transmitted their cold and flu symptons. The hotels met expectations. Valda the breakfast chef at Radisson in Vilanous was the best hotel staff. Very charming. Please send thanks to Alex and Sanna. Both very good tour guides with different styles.
Extremely Disappointing Experience – Not Recommended While the accommodations were decent, the overall experience fell far short of expectations. We were misled several times, particularly regarding group sizewhich affected the quality of the experience. Moreover, several key landmarks liste d as part of the itinerary were either skipped or significantly rushed. We missed out on experiences we were promised, leaving a bad taste in what should have been a culturally rich journey. Transportation for the first week was unacceptable, with undercapacity and uncomfortable vehicles that detracted from the travel experience. Additionally, our guide, Alex, was nothing short of a disaster. His lack of care and professionalism was evident throughout the tour, particularly in his negligence towards some of the passengers who required more assistance. This level of disregard for basic duty of care is simply inexcusable. The Białowieża National Park excursion in Poland was especially disappointing. We were promised an experience showcasing the natural beauty of the park, but what we received felt more like a poorly maintained zoo. The area we visited barely resembled a national park, with few signs of the natural wildlife and much of the space appearing neglected. To make matters worse, the excursion brought us dangerously close to the Belarus border, which felt incredibly risky and unnecessary. This was neither the immersive nor safe experience we expected.
The tour lost and gained people as we travelled which was interesting. The local guides in Krakow and the Baltic countries were excellent especially at the end when there were over 30 in our group and we didn't have a " voice box". The overall Tour guide was very busy as he had 4 different language groups to look after. We rarely saw him after so many more joined in Vilinius. There were too many "add ons" for tours and meals which were often not value for money. I didn't do many extra tours for that reason. We weren't given enough warning often for the timing of the day. Therefore sometimes we had lunch at 3pm. If we had known we could have bought a sandwich and eaten it on the bus. The hotel in Warsaw was along way from the city centre or old town. Most other places the hotels were well situated and walking distance from restaurants or the city centre.
This tour was from Poland through Estonia. It was disorganized since it wasn’t always clear when we were meeting or where. Or how we were supposed to get back to our hotel. There were a lot of added costs since everything in the afternoon was an added expense. I did like our guides but with different groups coming and going it was disorganized. The only included food was breakfast
Extras and add-ons
Add-on: Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum
Dinner Supplement
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