Panorama of the Baltic Countries

Meeting at the airport, boarding our aircraft and flight to Riga. Arrival and departure by bus to the centre of the beautiful city. The squares with impressive buildings, winding cobbled streets, beautiful tower houses, make up a unique setting. Although it is difficult to follow the chronological succession of architecture in Riga to the letter, we will try to do it in a unique way, maneuvering. This is due to the fact that the reconstruction was done on the site of older and individual buildings of wealthy families, unlike the reconstruction system, in the Soviet period, when workers' housing was built.

Breakfast. Starting we suggest an optional visit to the Car Museum, one of the best in the world and the Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum, which is one of the oldest and largest "open air" museums in Europe, outside Riga, as it recreates the life of the Latvians during the Middle Ages. Then one of the most interesting walks, in the neighborhoods, Art Nouveau, Art Deco. In this area, just outside the medieval moat, in the extension of the then new city of Riga, were built after the 19th century - early 20th , in the Art Nouveau style, later in the interwar period in the Art Deco trend, the first ''multi-storey apartment buildings'' in imitation of the trends of the city of Barcelona, decorated with sculptural masterpieces. While walking we are waiting for other wonderful creations such as the New-Classic area, which began in the mid-18th to early 19th century and we arrive at architectural masterpieces also New Gothic buildings trend of the 19th century. The tour continues with the New-Classic style, Latvian National Opera, near the Freedom Monument, which are located between two semi-circular parks, both ends of which flow into the Daugava River and when the walls of medieval Riga were demolished, the moat with water flowing in from the river was left. On the banks of the canal parks were formed to delineate the various architectural neighbourhoods. Our tour is becoming increasingly interesting !

Before we are at the boundaries of the medieval zone we will first experience the Neo-Gothic neighborhood as it expands, entering the medieval one with the Swedish Gate. We can also see the huge cathedral, St. Mary's Dome or Riga Dome, which dates back to 1211 and is the largest in the Baltic, housing one of the largest church organs in Europe with 6,768 pipes ! In the Town Hall Square, stands out the exquisite art, House of the Blackheads, the impressive St. Peter's Church with its turreted bell tower and very close to the walls, the Church of St. John the Baptist. Alternatively we can visit the museums : the medieval mansion, a merchant's mansion, which still preserves various collections, the Mentzendorff, and also the houses ''Three Brothers''. A break and we continue visiting the Old Town and time for shopping in two shopping centres and the traditional ''the Riga Central Market''. A stop for coffee and lunch . Check in at our hotel and time for rest. In the free afternoon we can visit the central market of new Riga and walk through the picturesque streets of the old town with its nice cafes and bars.

Breakfast and departure for Lithuania. After the third separation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire. Poles and Lithuanians unsuccessfully rebelled against Russian authorities in 1831 and 1863. These two rebellions are linked to the 'Hill of Crosses'. In Rundale, the magnificent palace and its magnificent garden, which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces of the Baltic. The palace was built for Tsarina Anna by Rastrelli, the architect of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Starting our introduction to the city, we will walk through the old town, where we will see by the Neris River, the main pedestrian street with its magnificent buildings and the cathedral, the Gothic church of St. Anna, and the ruins of the medieval castle. Then we will visit the centre of the modern city, where all the economic and social life is concentrated.

After breakfast, departure for the neighbouring town of Trakai, 29 km west of Vilnius, which was the first capital of Lithuania, built on the shore of Lake Galve, with its magnificent wooden houses built by the Crimean Jews. On arrival, we will visit the exemplarily restored medieval castle of Duke Vittautas, built in the 15th century on an island in the lake, which is undoubtedly one of the most important historical and architectural monuments of Lithuania. While the museum, divided into different parts of the castle, contains one of the richest collections of pre and post medieval times ! Depart for a tour of beautiful Vilnius, built at the confluence of the Villnele and Neris rivers, which seduces the visitor with its baroque architecture. The city is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites and is also one of Europe's greenest capitals. During our tour we will see, among other things, the panoramic view of the city from the hill of the three crosses, which symbolize the casting of the first missionaries by the pagans, the open theatre and descending the baroque church, Kazimir, St. Nicholas, St. Anna in Old Gothic style, one of the oldest medieval churches, Archangel Michael with the unique Byzantine Church Museum, Uzupis, the former ''free hippie quarter'', with their own local currency ! We continue to the famous narrow street of artists, with their original works on the walls ! On our tour we will also see next to the church of St. John the Baptist, the University of B. to finally emerge in the square of the Palace of Kings, and the Cathedral with its magnificent paintings, in the shadow of the castle, where King Gediminas Avenue begins and ends at the bend of the Neris River. The avenue is adorned with fine public buildings, shops and the Museum of the Genocide of the Lithuanian People with many names written on the outer walls.

• Vilnius - Flight to Tallinn
• Observation: Some dates the flight from Vilnius to Tallinn is on Tuesday night, some weeks it is on Wednesday morning !  

Breakfast and departure in the morning for the airport. Boarding the aircraft and flight

to the capital city of Estonia, considered by many to be the "Queen" of the Baltic Sea, which

can easily turn our trip into a fairy tale. The medieval historical centre

enchanting, with its cobbled streets, markets, traditional houses. By

with the aura of the 13th century, visitors feel like protagonists in a medieval fairy tale, within well-preserved walls, squares and towers. We ascend to the impressive aristocratic Toompea district, located at the top of a hill offering a unique panoramic view-view of the city with its towers, tiled roofs and picturesque squares Passing from the Upper to the Lower Neighbourhood. Then we will cross the narrowest street in the area, where drunks used to stagger as they fell from the thread placed along the length. Passing by the Church of the Holy Spirit and St. Nicholas we will head to the only untouched Gothic town hall in Northern Europe and walk through the medieval part of the Lower Town, a place untouched by time. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture in 2011, Tallinn is strongly reminiscent of a Scandinavian city while the skyscraper-clad New Town, predominantly home to IT companies, gives the area a dynamic dimension of a rapidly growing region. Crossing the most picturesque path, St. Catherine's Passage, drinking a beer in a dark cellar or in a flowery courtyard, we think that time has stopped somewhere there. Then the visitor comes across the Town Hall Square, where the only Gothic-style town hall in Northern Europe is located. In the Kiek in de Kök tower one can see walls, cannons and various exhibits concerning crime and punishment and life in Tallinn a few centuries ago. Among the important sights are the Toompea Castle which today hosts the Estonian Parliament and the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, built in 1900. Our visits are enriched by Kohtuotsa Hill with its panoramic views of the city, Lauluväljaku Hill Gate & the baroque Kadriorg Palace & Gardens built in 1718 and now a Museum of Art, which is also the largest in the whole country, with Estonian works from the 18th to the 21st century to arrive at Liberty Square, a popular meeting point, at the edge of the Old Town. Afternoon free to explore the picturesque town, nestled in a bay on the Gulf of Finland and across the bay from Helsinki. Tallinn remains an enigmatic city, which draws its charm from its many contradictions. Few places in Europe retain in their atmosphere as genuine an aura of the Middle Ages as the old town of Tallinn, which with its 4500 architectural and historical monuments is under UNESCO protection as a World Heritage Site. Due to its strategic location, the capital has successively passed through the rule of the Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians, visible signs of which can still be seen today.

Breakfast. Today is a free day! But we suggest an optional excursion to Helsinki, the city that combines the past with the future, the capital of Finland! If the departure is too early we take a package for travellers on the cruise (with the big supermarket - duty free). If departure is later in the morning we eat at the hotel. In Finland's capital we will see the massive station with the giants on the facade, the hilltop square of the liberator Tsar Alexander, the imposing white and blue Cathedral, dominating the square overlooking the southern old harbour, the eastern harbour with its characteristic sailing ships and on the waterfront the mansions of another era, the old sailors' restaurants and pubs, the hill of Our Lady of Uspenski of the Orthodox, the closed traditional and open-air market, Esplanade with its small shops and Eira neighborhood with its neoclassical houses, the boulevard with its department stores, the square with the mermaid fountain and sea creatures, the old tram, the café-café-restaurant Belle-Epoque ! And we will leave the old town, with the most modern tram passing by the sophisticated modern buildings, squares and port facilities reminiscent of airports of the future as well as the docking of the ships which is done with magnets and no longer with clapboards ! Transfer to the port and return to Tallinn. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay.  

After breakfast, departure for the Ligatne area, in Latvian territory, where we will enter the hidden Soviet-era nuclear bunker. ''We will be met by the military to brief us on the elite, Soviet-era, Cold War-era facilities ! We will then proceed to Riga airport for our flight back to Thessaloniki.