Amber tours

ITINERARY

Day 1: VILNIUS

Arrival at Vilnius airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

 OVERNIGHT: Vilnius

Day 2: VILNIUS - TRAKAI HISTORICAL NATIONAL PARK - VILNIUS

After breakfast a city tour of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania for more than 600 years. The tour includes: Sts. Peter and Paul’s Church, Gediminas Castle, Cathedral Square, St. Ann and Bernardines’ Church, the Gates of Dawn with the holy image of the Virgin Mary, Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit, Town Hall Square and Vilnius University (founded in 1579) with St. John’s Church. Lunch. Afternoon trip to Trakai (25 km from Vilnius), the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Visit to an impressive castle of the 14th century - the focal point of Trakai Historical National Park - situated on an island in the Lake Galve. Walk in the Old Town of Trakai, situated on a narrow strip of land surrounded by three lakes. Return to Vilnius.

 OVERNIGHT: Vilnius

Day 3: VILNIUS - DZUKIJA NATIONAL PARK - DRUSKININKAI (130 km)

After breakfast a trip to Dzukija National Park – the largest nature reserve n Lithuania. The biological diversity is unique in this territory. 147 types of fl ora and fauna there are entered into the list of extinct and endangered species of Lithuania. The villages of Dzukija, distinguished for the archaic layout, old cottages and stockyards are bulging out in the thickness of pinewoods. Tasting of national food, listening to Lithuanian songs in Zervynos village.Visit to the Ethnographical Museum in Marcinkonys village, which tells about the lifestyle, customs, traditions, and handicraft of Dzukija people. Continue to Druskininkai one of the most famous resorts in Lithuania. A stop in Grutas village to visit Grutas Park - an open-air exhibition of the Soviet era sculptures and monuments. Arrival in Druskininkai. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Druskininkai

Day 4: DRUSKININKAI - PANEMUNIAI REGIONAL PARK NEMUNAS - DELTA REGIONAL PARK -KLAIPEDA (390 km)

After breakfast a trip to Klaipeda via Panemuniai Regional Park, which represents a narrow belt of land on the banks of the Nemunas river and is noted for its natural picturesque valley adorned with castles. Short stop at Nemunas Delta Regional Park - a maze of straits, unique islands, fl oodplains and wetlands as well as forests on the shore of the Curonian Lagoon. Continue to Vente Horn, which is known as a rest place for many birds during their migrations. One of the fi rst bird ringing stations in Europe is still operating in Vente. A further drive via Šilute to Klaipeda. Check in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Klaipeda

Day 5: KLAIPEDA - CURONIAN SPIT NATIONAL PARK - KLAIPEDA

After breakfast a city tour of Klaipeda, the main seaport of Lithuania, including Theatre Square and the Old Town. Ferry trip to Curonian Spit National Park, the most valuable nature reserve in Lithuania. Chains of highest dunes in Northern Europe, the soughing of the sea and rustling of sand as well as old Curonian houses smelling of fi sh, accompany a traveller all along the spit, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Arrival in Juodkrante. Visit the Hill of Witches that houses a hundred fanciful and folksy wooden sculptures scattered along a forest path. Lunch. Continue to Nida with short stops at a cormorant and heron colony and at “Dead” sand dunes. The tour of Nida resort, including the Fisherman’s House, famous German writer Thomas Mann’s Museum, Amber Gallery, old ethnographic cemetery, neo-Gothic church and a walk along impressive sand dunes. Return to Klaipeda.

OVERNIGHT: Klaipeda

Day 6: KLAIPEDA - MOSEDIS - ZEMAITIJA NATIONAL PARK - HILL OF CROSSES - RIGA (350 km)

After breakfast a trip via Žemaitija National Park to Riga. On the way, a visit of rare stones museum in Mosedis where rich collections of unique stones and pebbles of Lithuania, rock boulders from the Baltic region, counting 150 000 pieces, are stored. Žemaitija National Park is a real discovery for travellers who wish to explore wild nature: the glacier-formed waterhole of Plateliai Lake and small lakes of thermokarst origin, distinguished for exceptional relief landscape complexes, large marshlands densely inhabited by birds, and ravines carved with springs and upper reaches of rivers. National Park contains 21 monuments of nature, including trees, springs, peninsulas and islands. One of the most impressive is the Ash tree of Witch being the thickest ash tree in Lithuania. Stop at the Hill of Crosses (16 km from Šiauliai), the unforgettable place with thousands of crosses on two small hills. Arrival in Riga. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Riga

Day 7: RIGA

After breakfast a city tour of Riga, visiting medieval Hanseatic town, Riga Castle, St. Peter’s Church, Dome Cathedral, the Old Guild Houses. Lunch. Afternoon excursion to Ethnographic Open Air Museum, where typical traditional Latvian houses are spread in the forest on the banks of the Jugla lake. Return to Riga.

OVERNIGHT: Riga

Day 8: RIGA - GAUJA NATIONAL PARK - TARTU (215 km)

After breakfast a trip to Gauja - the biggest National Park in Latvia. Most of the park is thickly forested, interspersed with rivers - Gauja, Amata, Brasla, large and small lakes. With around 900 plant species, 149 different birds, and 48 varieties of wild animals, it is a real nature lover’s paradise. The park is particularly noted for the Devonian sandstone cliffs, in some places as high as 90 meters, along the banks of Gauja, particularly in the northern parts of Sigulda. The area was formerly known as the Livonian Switzerland, marvellous combination of nature - forests, rivers, caves - and cultural sights: cities of Sigulda, Cesis, Valmiera. Visit to Turaida Castle and Krimulda Church, the oldest one in Latvia built in 1205, as well as the ruins of the 13th century Crusader Castle in Sigulda. Enjoy the spectacular Gutmana Cave, the biggest in the Baltics. Continue to Tartu. Arrival in Tartu. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Tartu

Day 9: TARTU - LAHEMAA - NATIONAL PARK - TALLINN (140 km)

After breakfast a combined coach and walking tour of Tartu, the second largest city of Estonia, the town of students. The tour includes: Tartu University, founded in 1632, Toome Hill Park with its monuments, sculptures and ruins of Gothic Dome Church, the monument of Gustavus II Adolphus, the king of Sweden, panoramic view of the town with Janni Church, neo-Classicist style buildings and Town Hall Square. A further drive to Lahemaa - one of the most marketed and well-known nature tourism destinations in Estonia. Lahemaa - the largest park in Estonia, covering a vast area shrouded by thick forest, rugged coastline, meadows, swamps, lakes and waterfalls. The park’s two most-visited areas are the pine-forested sandy plain Koljaku - Oandu and the Laukasoo Reserve, which contains a 7000 year-old bog. Rich in fl ora and fauna, the area is also home to bears, wolves and lynxes. Visit to Palmse - Lahemaa National Park’s most famous manor, originally a possession of St. Micheal’s Nunnery. Continue to Tallinn. Arrival in Tallinn. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Tallinn

Day 10: TALLINN - ROCCA AL MARE - TALLINN

After breakfast a city tour of Tallinn, visiting the Old Town of Tallinn - an example of Gothic architecture in Baltic and Nordic countries. The tour includes Toompea Castle fortifi cations, Dome Church (13th century), Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevskij (19th century), Town Hall Square (15th century), the Old Guild, St. Olaf’s Church. Afternoon visit to the Ethnographic Open Air Museum Rocca al Mare with reproductions of typical farmer’s houses of the past centuries in beautiful natural surroundings. Dinner at the city restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Tallinn

Day 11: TALLINN

Breakfast. Transfer to Tallinn airport. End of the tour.

Notes:

Tailor made  programs for the Baltics, Russia, Poland and around are on request.   Please contact: incoming@ambertours,  tel. +370 5 2107044, fax +370 5 2628434. 

 Guaranteed departure escorted tours for FIT: info@viabalticaexpress.com, tel. +370 5 2756985, fax +370 5 2628434