Baltic Holidays

14/06/2024

Who is up for a MICHELIN Guide foodie tour of Lithuania? Or a Baltic Michelin hat trick foodie tour to Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania - they’re all scrumptious!

13/06/2024

Our hearts are full this morning😚

"Our bespoke holiday in the Baltics was truly amazing. The personalised attention, diverse activities, and cultural experiences made it a unique and enriching trip. If you're looking for a tailored adventure that fits your interests and desires, we highly recommend a customised holiday from www.balticholidays.com. The level of detail, local expertise, and exceptional service made this a memorable journey we’ll cherish for along time.
When planning the trip, Sarah really listened to what we were looking for and used her expertise to include so much more than we expected."

This is the tour that was customised for these guests:
https://www.balticholidays.com/tours/baltic-capitals-and-helsinki-private-tour/

Our most popular private tour of the Baltic Capitals - Vilnius, Riga & Tallinn - extended with 3 nights in Helsinki. Four city breaks all-in-one.

11/06/2024

On the way between Vilnius and Riga today, we’re not only taking our guests via the iconic Hill of Crosses but also making time for some other local treasures - the wildflowers are looking so beautiful right now 🌾 🌼 🌱 🌺 ☀️

27/05/2024

Kaunas is our home town HQ so we are delighted to see this feature in National Geographic Travel We hope to welcome you to Kaunas one day soon - not just for the architecture but also the culture, food scene, festivals and as a gateway for a longer adventure in Lithuania 🇱🇹

With its medieval Old Town and baroque monastery sitting alongside a modernist ensemble recently awarded World Heritage status, Kaunas is the perfect place to unravel the architectural paradoxes of the Baltic states.

26/05/2024

What we’ve been up to recently with our guests from around the world…

🇪🇪 in Estonia we’ve been in Tartu (European Capital of Culture 2024)
🧅 admiring precision planting along the Onion Road
🌲 gentle hiking in Lahemaa national park
🍷 wine tasting and meeting the locals
⛴️ exploring the serene Saaremaa Island

🇱🇻 in Latvia we’ve visited Ligatne Soviet Bunker and the Latvian Open Air Museum

🇱🇹 and in Lithuania a fascinating visit to Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant

We love tailoring these tours!

15/05/2024

Over the years we have often had to reassure guests that food in the Baltics is more than potatoes and pork! These days contemporary cuisine is made even more exceptional by being true to local, seasonal produce and techniques. Baltic cuisine has become a highlight of a Baltic tour.

Food writer Caroline Eden celebrates the region’s distinct - and underrated - flavours, from quince lemonade and cloudberry jam to birch syrup and blueberry soup

08/05/2024

Last week we had the perfect spring day on the Curonian Spit in Lithuania. The sun shone, the sea sparkled and the colours were vivid. Buds and blossom were appearing all around, along with birdsong and butterflies.
We weren’t just there to find the best places and people for our Baltic Holidays clients. Sally and Linas are researching and writing a new travel guide to Lithuania for UK publisher Bradt Guides, bringing Lithuania to a new worldwide audience and encouraging more people to visit and learn about Lithuania 🇱🇹 what an honour to be asked to do this!
We’ll keep you updated on progress as we research and write… in the meantime, doesn’t the Lithuanian seaside look spectacular ✨

14/04/2024

Very soon the MICHELIN Guide will have achieved a Baltic hat-trick with Lithuania joining Latvia and Estonia 🇱🇹 🇱🇻 🇪🇪
This will add to the culinary experiences we recommend to our guests from the best local shashlyk to a Michelin star meal ✨

31/03/2024

Easter wishes from these bunnies who live in the forest of Druskininkai in Lithuania 🇱🇹

10/03/2024

The colours of Kaziukas fair in Vilnius today. St Casimir (Kaziukas) awakens the city from its winter slumber with hints of blue sky and sunshine ☀️ we’re ready for the spring 🌱 🌺

25/02/2024

✨Join us for a very special 100th Lithuanian Song & Dance Festival July 2024

- Small group tour
- 3rd to 7th July 2024
- event tickets
- transfers, walking tour and day trip included
- can be made into a longer tour

For more details email us on [email protected]

Small group tour to the Lithuanian Song & Dance festival in July 2024, staying in 4* central hotel, Vilnius & Trakai tour, transfers, event tickets included.

22/02/2024

If you’re planning a trip to any of our destinations and are looking for local specialists to create a tour to suit you and bring it to life with personality and professionalism - check out our client feedback👇

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

26/01/2024

We‘re pleased to announce our participation in a new project to promote and increase the export of Lithuanian tourism to international markets. We opened the project by participating at the Matkamessut Nordic Travel Fair in Helsinki, and the next stop for the cluster partners will be the Agri Travel e Slow Travel Expo - Fiera dei Territori, Bergamo in February. Look out for us coming to a travel event near you in 2024/25!

🇪🇺 EU Project News 🇪🇺

Baltic Holidays, together with six cluster partners in Lithuania, have launched the project "Development of export markets and strengthening internationality of the Travel Cluster". The project aims to promote the international competitiveness and development of the export-oriented SME cluster.
The aim of the cluster is to offer a comprehensive package of travel services to foreign travellers. The travel packages offered by the cluster are designed to match the travellers' pace and interests, a mix of structured and leisure time with personal guides and drivers. Both individual and group trips are offered. The project activities are aimed at strengthening the Travel Cluster operating in the Central and Western region of Lithuania, promoting internationality, including membership of international networks, raising the profile of the cluster and its products, finding new export markets and expanding existing markets.

Project value: EUR 496.673,08, of which EUR 306.788,65 from EU funds (co-financed by European Regional Development Fund). The project runs from 19 December 2023 until 31 December 2025.

* Photos are from past events promoting Travel Cluster to international markets and belong to Baltic Holidays, UAB.

23/01/2024

🇪🇪We were delighted to arrange this trip to Tartu, Estonia for Telegraph Travel

Tartu is European Capital of Culture for 2024 and gateway to some wonderful experiences and unique regions in southern Estonia… come and Visit Tartu in 2024!

Visit Estonia Estonian Embassy in London British Embassy Tallinn

The curtain has been raised on Europe’s latest Capital of Culture: Tartu, home to one of the continent’s great universities

10/01/2024

There are currently some wonderful ice formations on the Baltic Sea coast in Lithuania 🇱🇹 they look even more dramatic under that bright winter sun ☀️

For a winter holiday with a difference ✨ believe us, the cosy cafes and cultural centres are even more welcoming when it is so cold ❄️

09/01/2024

Who is planning a trip to Lithuania this year? Do you want to combine your stay with the cultural extravaganza that is the Lithuanian Song & Dance Festival 2024? 🌾 🎶 🇱🇹

We can include tickets to some festival events within your tour - chat with us about your plans…

Festival dates: 29 June to 6 July 2024

The 2018 Song Celebration was dedicated to the centenary anniversary of the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania. “In the name of…” is a phrase taken from the state anthem, the National Chant as it is called in Lithuania.

21/11/2023

A nice article here from Times Travel about our home city of Kaunas. We’re here to help you discover it for yourself and to go exploring further into Lithuania 🇱🇹

Cutting-edge art, chicken doughnuts and a lagoon for weekend escapes: welcome to Kaunas, Lithuania’s underrated metropolis

11/11/2023

https://amp.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/07/a-locals-guide-to-vilnius-lithuania-the-best-bars-culture-and-bargain-hotels

We lift the lid on one of Europe’s best value cities with a tour of old-school canteens, prize-winning communist blocks, and a bar with Jesus on a carpet

20/10/2023

✨ TARTU 2024 - European Capital of Culture ✨

We already encourage our guests to stay longer in Estonia 🇪🇪 and visit Tartu - a friendly, university city with much to see & do in the surrounding area (including the Onion Road in our last post).

But 2024 brings even more reason to visit Tartu - being European Capital of Culture will mean a busy calendar with many events throughout the year.

We have just returned from Tartu where we checked our hotels (one fell from grace and another was an outstanding surprise!), tried some delicious restaurants, met with our local guides and explored the city. We can confirm that Tartu is being spruced up for the 2024 celebrations and is looking good. Lots of new places for coffee and snacks, fine dining, scrumptious local dishes…

There is much to see and do in Tartu and the surrounding region, we recommend to tailor your sightseeing to suit you.

Our photos are from a very early morning walk around Tartu - we can’t wait to go back and spend more time exploring and enjoying!

Visit Tartu Visit Estonia 🇪🇪

16/10/2023

‘Thanks for treating us like friends, not just clients.’

That sums up Baltic Holidays - we are people people, we are families, we are friends, we have stories and emotions, we are interested in you, we are grateful you are interested in us… we are here, we listen and like to make things happen. We want you to go home having experienced the best the Baltics can offer.

When Linas showed me these handwritten notes from clients last week it was quite emotional. Some of these guests had originally booked their tour in 2019 but had to postpone due to covid. To finally travel in 2023 was so rewarding.

Phil said something to me last week too that struck a chord - we had received some really excellent feedback from recent travellers who had been so pleasantly surprised with their trip and Phil summarised this as ‘people truly don’t realise what a great time we can organise for them’ and it’s true!

We’re quite a modest bunch, so we’re grateful for the super reviews our guests leave on TripAdvisor - thanks for recommending us!

16/10/2023

🧅 The Onion Road 🧅

And now for something completely different… we travelled up to Tallinn from Tartu via Sibulatee - ‘the onion road’. A very different experience of Estonia, this is a land of Old Believers exiled from Russia, home of the best and most expensive onions in Estonia and a beautiful region of unspoilt nature and rich heritage living alongside each other.

This was the best day of weather during our trip and the route dazzled. Autumn leaves in all their glory littered the ground or clung to the trees, Lake Peipsi sparkled and the greenery was lush.

It is the end of the main season and the museums were closed for renovation, most of the onions and garlic have been sold, people were hurrying to a village festival and there was a simple feeling of calm. It is a very different atmosphere in summer when there are abundant stalls and the onion fields are in full productivity.

Linas and Jurga bought the most expensive onions they’ve ever purchased from a very chatty (and happy) lady. It is these exchanges that we want you to experience on your travels, let us welcome you into the local world and meet the people and hear the stories…

There are a number of Old Believer churches and chapels dotted amongst the wooden houses that line the continuous single street of villages that follows the lake shore.

You can choose from a pit stop bakery or cafe for lunch, or embrace the regional culture by dining at the Fish & Onion Restaurant where every table has a samovar to top up your traditional tea. The atmosphere here is unique.

We look forward to returning soon, especially to see the renovated museum in Kolkja when it opens.

If you are planning a tour of Estonia and would like to experience these local highlights with our exceptional local guides - we are here to help!

13/10/2023

Last week Linas, Jurga and Sally were in Latvia 🇱🇻 and Estonia 🇪🇪 for a Baltic Sea Tourism Forum and a research trip to catch up with our local guides and hotels.

In reverse order, this was Tallinn at the end of our trip. Autumn had arrived with strong winds grounding the Tallinn-Helsinki ferries and we had to eat numerous fabulous meals to keep us grounded on the pavements too.

Our hotels are as cosy and charming as ever, ready to host our guests. We even found a new gem of a hotel to include in our itineraries.

A number of Tallinn restaurants have recently been awarded Michelin status and we were concerned about how this has affected the food scene in Tallinn. Michelin often means experimental menus at high prices. However we were very happy to find excellent food for a reasonable price is still available on many menus🍴

We also enjoyed discovering new places with our guide Ivo - every time we visit Tallinn it has a new and upcoming district! Great times were had.

Not many photos sadly as most had windswept hair blowing across them or a windy wobbly hand taking them.

The main thing - we are more than confident in our loyal local suppliers and friends in Tallinn to give you a warm welcome and look after you well during your trip!

12/10/2023

Estonia is looking stunning in this beautifully produced video from Visit Estonia 🇪🇪
Having just returned from Tartu & Tallinn we are full of new energy and ideas for your travels in Estonia and beyond…

04/10/2023

Visit Latvia 🇱🇻 with us - just like William Cook did for Telegraph Travel
LatviaTravel

As BA launches direct flights to Riga, our writer finds vibrant history writ large on every street, but a shrinking population

07/09/2023

Tallinn is looking gloriously festive in this video ❄️🎄We have lots of ideas for visiting Tallinn in winter and are here to help tailor your unique stay:

❄️ Baltic Christmas Markets Small Group Tour 🎄

❄️ Estonia Winter Break ❄️

❄️ Baltic Christmas Markets Private Tour 🎄

❄️ Winter spa or Manor House retreats ❄️

Contact us to find out more…
[email protected]

31/08/2023

More people should holiday in Poland! 🇵🇱

A fun little article in Guardian Travel highlighting some of the experiences on a tour of Poland - which we can tailor-make to suit you!

Buzzy cities offer museums of vodka, croissants or codebreaking, plus there are mountains, lakes and beaches – and piles of glorious food

19/08/2023

We love this little feature on local Estonia in National Geographic as it reflects our aim of helping you to meet the people, experience the culture and indulge in the landscape. Estonia 🇪🇪 holidays are something special

Looking for the best festivals, nature parks, or adventure activities? We asked resident experts to reveal their favorites.