Self-Drive Baltics

Sail down the beautiful rivers

Exeter International White Glove Self-Drive Program Includes:

A pre-programmed GPS system for you to use while in Europe. Every day will be set up for you and you can’t get lost!
24-hour local help line, available to you as you travel and manned exclusively by Exeter local staff.
Our expert advice in finding the perfect car for your trip. Your car will be waiting for you to pick up locally and we’ll show you exactly where to return it when you are finished.
The freedom to deviate and explore on your own and then jump back into your planned itinerary at any time.

For custom luxury travel, tours and self drive programs to the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, please contact one of our travel experts.

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Arrival | Vilnius

Arrival to Vilnius airport where you will be met by your Exeter International driver to transfer you to your hotel in the historic center of the city. Your hotel is the finest in Vilnius, the Kempinski Cathedral Square, recently opened in the center of the city and within walking distance of all the major sights. Please note that no airfare is included in your trip cost.

Vilnius Old Town boasts outstanding architectural diversity in one of the largest and best-preserved old towns in Europe. This UNESCO World Heritage site is filled with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. Narrow medieval streets, secluded courtyards, town castles and fortifications and an incredible number of churches reflect the city’s rich and vibrant history.

This afternoon, you will meet your Exeter guide in the lobby of your hotel for an overview waking tour of Vilnius Old Town. You will visit Gediminas Castle Museum, the Cathedral Square and the Vilnius Cathedral and the Royal Palace.

You will return to your hotel for an evening at your leisure.

Special Note: All touring today is on foot and you will largely be in pedestrian only areas. Please wear comfortable footwear.

Exeter Services: Transfer; Half-Day Guide (4 Hours)

Hotel: Kempinski Cathedral Square

Vilnius | Vilnius

This morning your guide will continue your walking tour of Vilnius’ Old Town with you. If you are interested, you can visit the Amber Gallery and Museum which explains the origins and history of this precious material and exhibits amber of various sizes, forms and color. Exhibitions of works of art from amber are constantly held at the museum’s gallery. Amber jewelry of modern and classical design is available for purchase as well.

A tour of the Old Town is not complete without a visit to Vilnius University, founded in 1570 by Jesuits and one of the most important centers of the Counter-Reformation. The observatory tower dates back to 1569 and the library contains nearly 5 million volumes, making it the richest collection of Lithuanian books and one of the best-known libraries in Eastern Europe.

Also in the Old Town, you will see the Presidential Palace, which has been the official seat of Lithuania’s President since 1997. A flag displaying the coat of arms of the President is hoisted when the President is in the Palace and in Vilnius.

Today you will also see the Gothic St. Anne’s Church, which was originally built for the Catholic Germans and other visiting Catholics. The present brick church was constructed in the late 15th century at its exterior has remained almost unchanged since then. St. Anne's Church is part of a complex including the much larger Gothic Church of St. Francis and a monastery.

This afternoon meet your driver for a visit to the moving Museum of the Victims of Genocide, also known as the KGB Museum. This was opened in 1992 in the very building where plans for the arrests and deportation of thousands of civilian residents and the persecution of opponents of the Soviet Regime were devised and carried out. Located in the former KGB headquarters, the museum is the only one of its kind in the former Soviet republics. The basement of the building houses the isolator where political detainees and espionage suspects were imprisoned from the autumn of 1940 right to 1987. The execution chamber in the basement, where more than a thousand prisoners were killed between 1944 and the early 1960s, can also be visited.

Finally, you will visit the Renaissance Palace of the Radziwills, who were for centuries one of the most influential and powerful Polish-Lithuanian princely families. The current building was erected in the

middle of the 17th century but was partially destroyed in the following wars and remained mostly neglected for centuries. It was further devastated during World War I when only the northern wing of the palace survived. It was restored in the 1980s and is now a branch of the Lithuanian Art Museum. Return to hotel and enjoy at evening at leisure.

Special Note: Some touring today is on foot and you will largely be in pedestrian only areas. Please wear comfortable footwear. If you are tired at any time, your guide can arrange for taxi service on the spot and you can pay locally.

Exeter Services: Half-Day Vehicle & Driver (4 Hours); Full-Day Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel: Kempinski Cathedral Square

Klaipeda | Klaipeda

This morning you will pick up your rental car from the downtown location near your hotel and self- drive to Klaipeda with the help of your preprogrammed Exeter GPS system.

On the way, we suggest stopping in Trakai, about 20 miles west of the city. Trakai, the ancient capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, is situated amidst picturesque lakes, the largest of which – Galve - has over 20 islands. It is best known for its captivating 14th Century fairytale castle which was presumably one of the largest in Lithuania of those times and served as residence for a number of Lithuanian rulers before the insular castle was constructed a short distance away on an island of Lake Galve. The Castle Museum offers a view into Lithuania’s past, when Trakai ruled an empire from the Baltics to the

Black Sea. The Tartars, once part of this empire’s royal bodyguards, still live in Trakai today.

Trakai was also home to a large Karaite community. The origin of the Karaites is very interesting. Some scholars link them to the Khazars, Turkic people that converted to Judaism in the eighth century while others view them as descendants of the Karaite Jews who lived in Crimea. They were brought to Lithuania by Grand Duke Vytautas from the Crimea and served as his bodyguards. Today you may visit the Karaites' house of worship, called kenesa, and a museum of Karaite culture.

After you tour Trakai, we suggest you continue your drive to Kaunas, the historic heart of Lithuania, dating from as early as 1361. Visit the cobblestone Town Hall Square surrounded by numerous 16th – century German merchant houses. In the middle of the square is the Town Hall known as “The White Swan” for it elegance and 175-ft tower. You may also visit the Vytautas Church, Lithuania’s largest church, and the Kaunas Cathedral. After your break in Kaunas, continue to Klaipeda on the Baltic coast. Check-in at the Hotel National perfectly located in Old Town. While the Hotel National is not a deluxe hotel, it is the best in the city and very comfortable.

Exeter Services: No Services (Self-Drive)

Hotel: National (3+Star)

Klaipeda | Klaipeda

Today we recommend that you drive to visit Neringa National Park at the Curonian Spit with the help of your preprogrammed Exeter GPS. First you will board a ferry that will take you and the car to town of Neringa. Curonian Spit, a UNESCO listed 60 miles long peninsula, features dramatic white sand dunes and beautiful pine forests.

Besides climbing sand dunes for beautiful views, you may wish to visit the Hill of Witches and the Amber Gallery in Juodkrante or perhaps the Thomas Mann house in Nida, where the famous German writer once vacationed.

In the evening, return to Klaipeda.

Exeter Services: No Services (Self-Drive)

Hotel: National (3+Star)

Riga | Riga

Today, check-out of your hotel and continue your journey into neighboring Latvia. Before you cross the border, we recommend that you stop in Palanga, just a short drive north of Klaipeda, and enjoy its beautiful sandy beaches. You may also want to visit the local Amber Museum in the Palace of Count Tyszkiewicz. If you haven’t realized it, you are in the amber capital of the world!

If you are interested you can drive up the coast and stop to visit Latvia’s richest town and port of Ventspils and visit its expertly renovated Old Town. Alternatively, take the highway from Liepaja straight to Riga.

Late afternoon or evening arrival into Riga and check-in at the charming Hotel Grand Palace in Riga.

Exeter Services: No Services (Self-Drive)

Hotel: Hotel Grand Palace

Riga | Riga

This morning, your Riga guide will meet you in the lobby for a walking tour of Old Town Riga.
You will visit the 13th century St. Peter’s Church, which was damaged by fire during World War II and later (ironically) rebuilt by the Soviets. A good place to start any tour is atop the church’s spire, where you can see the whole of Riga laid out before you. This is the perfect way to get your bearings before you actually wander down the cobble-stoned streets. From here you may see the exterior of the Dome Cathedral one of the largest and most distinctive houses of worship in the region.

Later today, you will view the famous House of Cats with cat sculptures perched on the top of its roof and hear about the intrigue surrounding these feline figures. Just across the street, you will also see the former headquarters of the Great Guild, now the home of the Riga Philharmonic. Other good examples of medieval dwellings are in this neighborhood, including the Three Brothers building, dating to the 15th century when Riga was part of the Hanseatic League. It is one of the oldest stone buildings in Latvia and now houses the city’s architecture museum.

Continuing your tour of the Old Town, you will see the Riga Castle (Rigas pils), which was originally erected on the bank of the Daugava River in the 1330s but has been reconstructed and augmented many times since. In 1938, the Latvian government declared the castle its official residence and today it houses the residence of the President, as well as two museums - the Museum of Latvian History and the Museum of Foreign Art.

In the afternoon, we suggest visiting Riga’s Central District. Not far away from the Old Town, you can stop by the Freedom Monument - a memorial honoring the soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence from 1918-1920.

Later you will visit the Latvian National Art Museum, which houses more than 52,000 works of art reflecting the development of the arts in Latvia from the middle of the 18th century until the present. It also features Russian art from the 16th to the first half of the 20th century.

The area around Elizabetes and Alberta Streets is known as Riga’s Art Nouveau (or Jugendstil) District, which features impressive examples of the style. In total, there are some 800 Art Nouveau buildings in

Riga, many of which were designed and built by Latvian architects including Mikhail Eisenstein (the father of the famous director Sergei Eisenstein).

Special Note: All touring today is on foot and you will largely be in pedestrian only areas. Please wear comfortable footwear.

If you are tired at any time, your guide can arrange for taxi service on the spot and you can pay locally.

Exeter Services: Full-Day Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel: Hotel Grand Palace

Riga | Riga

Today we recommend that you drive to the elegant 17th century Rundale Palace, located a short distance outside of the city.

Rundale Palace was designed by the famous architect (and Catherine the Great’s favorite) Rastrelli as a summer residence for the Duke of Courland, and is an exquisite masterpiece of symmetry and beauty. The palace was built from 1736-1740 and the Rococo interior decorations were added from 1765- 1768. The parade rooms, the duke's private apartments and the duchess' boudoir are open to visitors. Rundale was the apogee of the fusion of German and Russian society which came together and flourished in the region in the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit this imposing, well-restored palace of 138 rooms, approached through a grand drive flanked by twin semi-circular stables. You may wish to have lunch at the restaurant located inside the palace today. The cost of lunch is not included in your trip.

Return to Riga’s Old Town Center or back to your hotel. You will have the rest of the evening at leisure.

Exeter Services: No Services (Self-Drive)

Hotel: Hotel Grand Palace

Muhu Island | Muhu Island

Today check out of your hotel and continue your trip by driving to neighboring Estonia.

Drive north along the coast to Parnu, where you may wish to stop for a lunch break. Parnu is Estonia’s main summer resort but has the laid back atmosphere of a small charming town. During Soviet times it was a popular spa escape for the Russians and is now gaining popularity among Scandinavians. You can stroll through the Old Town or on the beach, or, if you like modern art, you should not miss Parnu’s Museum of New Art.

Continue your drive to Muhu Island. To get there you will drive to the town of Virtsu to board a ferry that will take you to the Island (full instructions will be given to you and your Exeter GPS will take you right where you need to go!). Then drive to the village of Pädaste and check-in at the wonderful Pädaste Manor, your home for the next two nights.

Exeter Services: No Services (Self-Drive)

Hotel: Pädaste Manor

Muhu Island | Muhu Island

Today enjoy at leisure in the beautiful nature of the Muhu Island. The hotel has bicycles for your use and many other activities in and around the resort.

Alternatively, you may explore the neighboring islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa.

Hiiumaa is home to several Nature Preserves, ideal for hiking and bird watching, while Saaremaa is especially attractive for retaining its prewar character. You should visit the Bishop’s Castle in Kurresaare, the main town on Saaremaa, that dates back to the 14th century. A half-hour drive from Kurresaare you will encounter a group of beautifully preserved wooden windmills and the medieval Karja Church.

Exeter Services: No Services

Hotel: Pädaste Manor

Tallinn | Tallinn

Today, check out of your hotel and drive to Estonia’s capital, Tallinn.

Tallinn has a unique history of seafaring, foreign occupation and merchant activity dating to the 13th century. A beautiful city of ancient castles, stone towers, and medieval streets, its ageless charm is unmistakable.

Check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening at your leisure.

Exeter Services: No Services (Self-Drive)

Hotel: Telegraaf

Tallinn | Tallinn

Hill, is the oldest part of Tallinn, inhabited since pre-history. Note the defensive wall and towers ringing the old city, which are the town’s most striking feature. Unlike Vilnius and Riga whose walls were destroyed, eighty percent of the original wall around Tallinn in the 1500’s is still intact today. In addition to having Tallinn’s oldest buildings, the upper old town has good viewing platforms to view the entire old town. Toompea Castle is one of Estonia’s most treasured landmarks, built by

Danes and Germans after they defeated the Estonians in the early 1200’s. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is an Orthodox church built in 1900 in the Moscow style of the 17th century.

At the foot of the hill, you will see the St. Nicholas Church, which was originally built in the 13th century by German merchants and dedicated to the patron saint of sailors and merchants. It was partially destroyed when the Soviet air force bombed the city in World War II. After extensive restorations it is now used as an art museum and concert hall.

In the afternoon, your guide will take you to the Kadriorg Park and Palace outside of the Old Town. Construction on this lovely palace was begun by Peter the Great in 1718 and was originally called Ekaterinenthal in honor of his wife, Catherine I. The humble cottage where Peter the Great stayed during his visits to Tallinn before the Kadriorg Palace was complete now houses a small museum displaying a few items from the emperor's life, as well as some early 18th-century furnishings.

Kadriorg Palace now houses the National Gallery of Art and its collection of Western European, Oriental, and Russian art. You may choose to visit the museum or just enjoy the lovely gardens and grounds.

Afterwards, you may decide to continue to the KUMU art museum – Estonia’s largest. Opened in 2006 in an enormous, cutting-edge facility built into a limestone cliff in Kadriorg, the KUMU exhibits works from Estonian artists dating from the 18th century through the end of World War II, as well as a permanent exhibition of Estonian contemporary art dating from 1945-1991. The collection located on

the third floor portrays the interesting relationship that existed between the art in Estonia and the Soviet Union.

Exeter Services: Half-Day Vehicle & Driver (4 Hours); Full-Day Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel: Telegraaf

Tallinn | Tallinn

Rocca al Mare (Cliff by the sea), where you will have the opportunity to visit the Estonian Open Air Museum. The Open Air Museum presents a unique collection of old Estonian buildings from different regions of the country, exhibited on a large expanse of seaside land. Farm buildings, windmills, water mills, and churches from various periods have been brought together here for you to explore. Folk holidays are celebrated in traditional style at the museum, and folk dance and music can often be enjoyed here in the summertime.

In the afternoon, return to the city for an afternoon at leisure. If the weather is fine, we recommend that you try one of the cafes on Old Town Square.

Exeter Services: No Services

Hotel: Telegraaf