Are the Baltics Worth Visiting?
Are the Baltics worth visiting? If you’re wondering whether or not it’s worth it to visit the Baltic countries, read on for my thoughts and tips for visiting this somewhat under-the-radar region in Europe.
I visited all three Baltic countries this summer — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. And spoiler alert, yes, the Baltics are worth visiting! In fact, I think a trip to the Baltics will pleasantly surprise you.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Baltics…
Where Are the Baltics?
First things first, let’s talk about where the Baltics are on a map.
The Baltic region is located in Northern Europe. Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic countries, jutting out into the Baltic Sea just south of Finland. Further south is Latvia, and then Lithuania.
Two of the Baltic countries (Estonia and Latvia) share a border with Russia and all three countries were part of the Soviet Union until they gained independence in 1991 upon the dissolution of the USSR.
However, none of these countries ever really identified as being part of the USSR — they viewed it as an unwanted occupation instead, and all three joined the EU and NATO in the early 2000s. I felt that the Baltic countries had more of a Northern European feel than an Eastern European feel.
Each country in the Baltics is fairly small, both in terms of land area and population. Estonia has 1.3 million people, Latvia has 1.9 million people, and Lithuania is the largest country with 2.8 million people.
Why Visit the Baltics?
I absolutely think it’s worth visiting the Baltic countries. All three of these countries remain somewhat undiscovered and off the beaten path when it comes to tourist destinations in Europe. You certainly won’t find the massive crowds of tourists you’d have somewhere like Paris or Venice.
If you’re looking for a calm destination for a European trip, head to the Baltics.
Each of the Baltic countries boasts a lovely capital city with a charming Old Town. Seriously, they’re all so pretty it’s impossible for me to choose a favorite between Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius.
And each of the Baltic countries has a lot to discover beyond the capital cities. Ancient castles, gorgeous palaces, tranquil national parks, Baltic Sea beaches, and so much more. I was surprised and delighted every day while exploring the Baltic countries. It’s definitely worth going outside the capital cities.
Since all three countries are pretty small and are easy to travel around, they also combine very well for a multi-country trip. But don’t be fooled, though they’re all part of the same region, each Baltic country is very unique and stands on its own as a destination, although there are some similarities.
Oh, and let’s talk about the weather — I visited the Baltics in the middle of June and it was absolutely perfect! Since the Baltics are in Northern Europe, they have a cooler climate than most of the continent. This is a great summer destination for escaping the heat. You can actually spend hours walking around outdoors without breaking a sweat (not the case in most of Europe during the summer!)
All of these reasons are why it’s definitely worth visiting the Baltics.
This region may not have the extreme “wow factor” of some other parts of Europe, but it’s the perfect destination if you’re looking for a more relaxed vacation and want to discover lesser-known places.
Now let’s talk about the specifics of each country in the Baltics…
Estonia
Estonia is where I started my trip through the Baltics. I spent three days in the capital Tallinn, which is like a fairytale come to life, with church spires and conical towers dotting the skyline and views of the Baltic Sea in the distance. Tallinn is a great place to base yourself for a few days in Estonia.
Tallinn is the most touristy of all three Baltic capitals, which is due to the fact that the city has a fairly popular cruise port, and it’s an easy day trip from Helsinki, Finland (just two hours by ferry.) As a result, you have a lot of day trippers wandering around Tallinn, especially the Old Town.
I really loved the Old Town, but it’s worth getting outside of the city walls and exploring more of Tallinn too. You should definitely visit the Kadriorg Art Museum and Kumu Art Museum on your trip. The first is housed in a historic palace, while the second is a very modern museum. The museums are located about five minutes from each other and are a 15-minute tram ride from the Old Town.
Telliskivi Creative Village is another cool area to check out in Tallinn. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the Old Town, and it’s full of restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, and the excellent Fotografiska museum.
The language spoken in Estonia is (surprise) Estonian, which is closely related to Finnish. However, I found that English is pretty widely spoken throughout Estonia, as is the case in all the Baltics.
Latvia
The next country I visited on my trip to the Baltics was Latvia as I moved on from Estonia heading south. I spent four days in Latvia and managed to cover a lot of ground while I was there.
Riga, the capital of Latvia, is another beautiful and historic city with a charming little Old Town, great parks and green spaces, and a huge amount of stunning Art Nouveau architecture. However, if I had to choose between them, I’d say Riga was the least impressive of the three Baltic capitals for me.
That’s not to say it’s not worth visiting (I’d still recommend spending two full days in Riga!) and it’s a lovely city, but I did prefer Tallinn and Vilnius just a bit more than Riga.
With that being said, I loved all the other destinations I visited in Latvia. Jurmala is a quaint seaside town just 40 minutes from Riga. Sigulda and Cesis are two small towns that are both home to awesome historic castles and national parks. And Bauska is another nice area in the countryside, where you can’t skip the beautiful Rundale Palace (and visit the reconstructed Bauska Castle while you’re at it.)
Latvian is the primary language of Latvia, and I was interested to learn that it’s totally different from Estonian — it’s more closely related to Lithuanian and there’s some overlap in words.
Lithuania
Finally, there’s Lithuania. For whatever reason, I had the lowest expectations for Lithuania and then I ended up absolutely loving it. I spent four days here, basing myself in Vilnius.
Vilnius is an amazing capital city. It has the largest Old Town of all three capitals, and it felt the least touristy and most lived-in to me, while still having plenty of things to do for tourists.
There are lots of cool things to do in Vilnius, but my favorites included climbing up Gediminas Hill and enjoying the views over the Old Town, strolling through the beautiful Bernardine Garden nearby, and learning all about Lithuanian history at the restored Palace of the Grand Dukes.
Outside Vilnius, I highly recommend taking a day trip to Trakai. It’s less than an hour from Vilnius by train, and it’s absolutely beautiful. The highlight is Trakai Island Castle, a fairytale-like castle on an island in the center of one of Trakai’s many lakes that you can walk out to by bridge and visit.
However, you can also spend more time in Trakai taking a boat out on the lake, strolling around the lake, or enjoying the many waterfront restaurants. It’s the perfect place to spend the day outside the city.
Is It Safe to Visit the Baltics?
The Baltic countries are extremely safe. Statistically speaking, all three countries have a high level of safety, but anecdotally speaking, I actually felt safer in the Baltics than many other countries in Europe.
And it’s not that I’ve ever felt particularly unsafe anywhere in Europe — but there are definitely places where you have to keep your guard up a lot more and stay on alert. I’m thinking of cities like Paris, Barcelona, and Rome when I say this. Great destinations, but you need to be cautious.
In the Baltics, I never felt this way. As a solo female traveler, I always felt very safe and secure. It’s a very peaceful region and there’s very little crime or harassment in the Baltics to worry about.
However, I understand some people might be wary of traveling to the region because of its proximity to Russia. It’s a valid concern, but from what I experienced traveling in the Baltics, people who are actually from these three countries do not live in constant fear of Russia, and neither should you.
Are the Baltics Cheap to Visit?
One thing I kept reading about the Baltics before my trip was how cheap the region is. That may have been true a while ago, but it’s certainly not the case now. I wouldn’t describe the Baltics as expensive per se, but it’s definitely not the most budget-friendly region you can visit in all of Europe.
Out of all three countries, I found Estonia to be the most expensive, followed by Latvia, and then Lithuania. Again, the Baltics aren’t super expensive, but traveling here is not as cheap as it is in some other parts of Europe. For example, I found Poland to be significantly cheaper than any of the Baltic countries.
However, it’s definitely cheaper than Western Europe and the Nordic countries.
I found eating out in restaurants to be the most expensive thing in the Baltics, especially in touristy areas. A restaurant meal can easily run you $20 or more, which isn’t too bad but not “cheap.”
Hotels are also not too bad (you can typically get a nice, central hotel in the capitals for around $100 a night) while I found public transportation like buses and trains to be very affordable, along with rideshare apps, fast food, and grocery store food. This is where I saved the most money in the Baltics.
How Many Days Do You Need?
I spent eleven days total in the Baltics — three days in Estonia, four days in Latvia, and four days in Lithuania. I thought this was a good amount of time, although I never got bored and certainly could have spent a bit longer in the region without running out of things to do!
Anywhere from 10 to 14 days is a good amount of time to visit all three Baltic countries. And you should definitely visit all three — like I said before, they combine perfectly for a fun multi-country trip.
If you’re short on time, you can base yourself in each of the three capitals, spending a day or two exploring the city and then another day or two doing day trips to other destinations in the country. With more time, though, you can move around a bit more and stay in some different destinations.
Getting Around in the Baltics
The Baltics are quite easy to get around. As I mentioned, I started my trip in Estonia. I took a bus from Tallinn to Riga (4.5 hours) and it was a comfortable, pleasant, affordable journey.
Next, I took a bus from Riga to Vilnius (4 hours) which was a similarly nice and scenic journey.
All three Baltic capitals have good public transportation within the city, and they also have trains that will take you to many other destinations around the country. For example, it’s an easy train journey from Riga to Jurmala or Sigulda, or you can travel by train from Vilnius to Trakai.
However, for maximum flexibility, you may want to rent a car. Driving in the Baltics isn’t as crazy as it is in some European countries (looking at you, Italy) and it’s always easy to find free parking in most places.
When to Visit the Baltics
Now you might be wondering when you should plan your trip to the Baltics. As I mentioned earlier, I visited the Baltics in the second half of June and this was a great time of year for it.
It was warm and sunny for most of my trip, but never too hot. It does occasionally get really hot in the Baltics during the summer, but overall it has a milder climate than most of Europe.
Spring and fall would also be lovely for a visit to the Baltics. However, I did visit Tallinn for one day in the middle of May on a cruise several years ago, and it happened to be freezing then!
Obviously, winter in the Baltics is very cold given how far north it is and the proximity of many destinations to the Baltic Sea. You’ll also have far fewer daylight hours in the winter. In June during my trip, the sun didn’t set until 11 PM and it rose again at 4 AM. This was really great, but I imagine it would get a bit depressing in the winter when the amount of daylight hours is reversed and it gets dark very early.
If you don’t mind the cold weather, winter can be a beautiful time to visit the Baltics. In December, many cities have Christmas markets and a festive atmosphere, which can make it more bearable.
Are the Baltics Worth Visiting?
As you have probably figured out by now, I think the Baltics are definitely worth visiting. I really enjoyed my trip to this region, and I was pleasantly surprised by each destination I visited.
Is it the most impressive region in Europe? Maybe not. It doesn’t have the jaw-dropping beauty of the Swiss Alps or the Greek Isles. The capital cities aren’t as grand as Paris. The food or culture isn’t as renowned as Italy. But the Baltics possess a quiet beauty and charm you won’t find elsewhere.
It’s also still a somewhat underrated destination with a limited number of tourists, but it’s not so off the beaten path that you won’t be able to enjoy good infrastructure and get around easily.
Overall, I would highly recommend traveling to the Baltics if you’re looking for a unique, delightful, good-value destination in Europe that hasn’t been taken over by tourist crowds yet.
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