THE BALTIC CAPITALS PLUS
13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS

Day 1 (Sunday) Arrive Vilnius
Arrival in Vilnius, transfer to Hotel Radisson Blu Lietuva**** or similar, check-in, welcome meeting.

Day 2 (Monday) Vilnius Vilnius is known for its more than 1.200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. The morning sightseeing tour includes a panoramic tour of the city and a walking tour of the Old Town with Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne’s Church, Old University and the Gates of Dawn. The afternoon offers an OPTIONAL excursion to Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania, with the well preserved Trakai Castle, beautifully located on an island in Lake Galve.

Day 3 (Tuesday) Vilnius-Riga
Heading for Riga, the first stop is the Hills of Crosses, one of the most holy sites of Catholic Lithuania. After crossing into Latvia we soon reach the magnificent Rundale Palace, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. Following a guided tour of the palace we travel through the rolling hills of Southern Latvia to reach Riga late afternoon, check-in at Hotel Radisson Blu Latvija**** or similar.

Day 4 (Wednesday) Riga-Sigulda-Riga
Before we get acquainted with Riga, we have the option of discovering  medieval  Latvia. The OPTIONAL tour for this morning  takes us to the stunning  scenery of the Gauja National Park and the town of Sigulda. We listen to the medieval Latvian legend of the Rose of Turaida and see the ruins of the Episcopal Castle and of the Castle of the Knights of the Sword before we return to Riga. If you want to continue sightseeing, in the afternoon we offer an OPTIONAL tour  to the Ethnographical Open Air Museum, a spacious exposition of 18th century country life.

Day 5 (Thursday) Riga
Riga, founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert, is the largest of the three Baltic capitals and boasts a real kaleidoscope of architectural styles. The walking tour of the Old Town includes Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, the Swedish Gate, the Three Brothers, the Large and Small Guilds and the Freedom Monument. If you do not have any plans in the afternoon, there is an OPTIONAL tour to Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian sea resort which is famous for its wooden architecture and sandy beaches.

Day 6 (Friday) Riga-Tallinn
The tour continues along the coastal highway to the Estonian summer resort of Parnu. We do a short tour of the resort before we continue through the North Estonian land of forests and arrive in Tallinn early afternoon, check-in at the Hotel Radisson Blu Olympia**** or similar.

Day 7 (Saturday) Tallinn
Tallinn is a charming blend of medieval tranquillity and modern urban life. The medieval Old Town is a busy place in the summer with its many shops, galleries, souvenir markets, outdoor cafés and restaurants. The sightseeing tour takes us around the old medieval city walls and into the Old Town where we see Toompea Castle, the Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the medieval Old Town Hall. In the afternoon, we offer an OPTIONAL excursion to Kadriorg Park with a visit to the Kadriorg Palace and its art collections.

Day 8 (Sunday) Tallinn-Helsinki
In the morning we take the hydrofoil from Tallinn to Helsinki and enjoy a refreshing tour through the Finnish archipelago before arriving in Helsinki, transfer to Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza***** or similar, check-in. The balance of the day is reserved for exploring the Finnish capital individually.

Day 9 (Monday) Helsinki
Helsinki is truly located at the crossroads of Western and Eastern culture and this is reflected everywhere in the green and lively Finnish capital. The sightseeing tour takes us around the harbours, up central Mannerheim Street and by the Parliament Building, the Finlandia Hall, and the Sibelius Monument and for a visit at the famous Church-in the-Rock. The afternoon offers an OPTIONAL excursion to Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, an oasis in the midst of the city with cottages, farmsteads and manors from all around Finland.

Day 10 (Tuesday)  Helsinki-St. Petersburg
Today we continue eastbound to St. Petersburg. Shortly after crossing the border into Russia we arrive in Vyborg, where we take time for a short sightseeing tour and a visit to Vyborg Castle. In the late afternoon, we arrive in St. Petersburg and check-in at Hotel Radisson Sonya**** or similar.

Day 11 (Wednesday) St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is an amazing city. Its imperial palaces and museums enjoy worldwide fame, while the Neva River and the many canals have deservedly given the city the title “The Venice of the North”. During the morning sightseeing tour we get acquainted with all the splendours of the city: the Peter-Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Bleeding Savior, the Nevsky Convent and much more. The afternoon offers an OPTIONAL visit to Peterhof, an uncontested masterpiece of the time of Peter the Great, with the impressive Grand Palace, Grand Cascade and Water Avenue and its wonderful parks.

Day 12 (Thursday)  St. Petersburg
You can enjoy a free day in St. Petersburg or take an OPTIONAL excursion to Zarskoye Selo with the impressive Catherine’s Palace and the Amber Room, which vanished during World War II and was restored for St. Petersburg’s tri-centennial celebrations. If you still want to continue sightseeing, in the afternoon we offer an OPTIONAL visit to the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum.

Day 13 (Friday) St. Petersburg Departure
Transfer to the airport.

Includes 12 nights at centrally located 4 star hotels Round trip airport-hotel transfers in Vilnius and St. Petersburg Buffet breakfast daily Welcome meeting with champagne-cocktail or juice Personalized welcome package Entrances to Old University in Vilnius, Rundale Palace, St. Peter’s Church in Riga, medieval Old Town Hall in Tallinn, Church-in-the Rock in Helsinki, Vyborg Castle and Peter-and-Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg Service of English speaking tour escort on all tours Service of 1st class motor coaches or 1st class minivans throughout the itinerary Portage at hotels Service and VAT RUSSIAN VISA NOT INCLUDED. Optional 3-hour excursion to Trakai and visit to Trakai Castle: EUR 40.00 pp 4-hour excursion to Gauja National Park: EUR 50.00 pp 3-hour excursion to the Open Air Museum: EUR 40.00 pp 4-hour excursion to Jurmala: EUR 40.00 pp 3-hour excursion to Kadriorg Park and visit to Kadriorg Palace: EUR 40.00 pp 3-hour excursion to the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum: EUR 45.00 pp 4-hour excursion to Peterhof and visit to the Grand Palace: EUR 70.00 pp 4-hour excursion to Zarskoye Selo and visit to Catherine’s Palace: EUR 60.00 pp 3-hour visit to the Hermitage Art Museum: EUR 45.00 pp Meal packages and special events are available upon request.

Tour Dates and Prices(Per Person, Double Occupancy) for 2012

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Get your airfare quote in USD online at www.vytistours.com or call us for a quote at 1-800-778-9847. Deposit of $100 USD due 7 days after confirmation. Final payment is due 45 days prior to departure. That amount will be converted from EUR to USD at the time of final payment. 

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