Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius
 

Hi everybody,

I'm new to both Fodors and this forum and I was hoping you could give me your opinions concerning the following issue.

I'd like to go on vacation next June and make an off-the-beaten path trip. I've looked through pictures of Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius and the three of them look beautiful, so I have the following questions:

1. Is it worth visiting the three of them or just one?

2. How long should I spend in each of them?

3. Can you travel from one another by train?

4. Which one is your favorite and why?

5. Are they expesinve?

Thanks a lot.

Hi (again),

I have just resposted this same message in the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania forum, so, please, any advice you can give me, do not leave it here because I have just realized I posted this one on the general forum.

Thanks (again).

Welcome to Fodors SaraFato. Sorry - I only have the barest of info about those cities so I can't help much (my brother lives in Russia and visits them now and then)

But just some info about how the forum works.

&quot;<i>I have just resposted this same message in the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania forum, so, please, any advice you can give me, do not leave it here because I have just realized I posted this one on the general forum.</i>&quot;

There is no Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania forum, nor a France forum, nor Germany - nor any other country. All threads are lumped together under &quot;Europe&quot; so both of your threads are on the same forum. Clicking on a country does let folks search for info about that country(s) - but even that only displays maybe 60+% of the threads about that country.

At least my post will bring your thread back to the top of the list (that is called &quot;topping&quot; )

Good luck w/ your questions.

We have not visited Riga or Tallin, but spent time in Vilnius and other parts of Lithuania. Lithuania is a lovely country &amp; there is more to see than just Vilnius. Click on my name and then search for a lengthy trip report I made on our time in LIthuania.

I'm not Latvian but have been in all three cities - mainly Riga. I think Julie (other thread) says it all and I agree with her analysis.

Riga is bigger than the other two. It also possible to fly between the cities, which may be an advantage if you have the lolly, as the rural landscape is not very exciting - flat with trees.

None of the cities are particularly expensive by European standards although Riga is trying hard to be (closely followed by Tallinn). There are a few touristic scams (mainly nightclubs and taxi drivers) but if you keep your wits about you, you'll have no trouble.

In terms of timing, mid-June is a time of festivals and can be a bit raucous. If you have some flexibility on timing, it may be worth coming to Riga in early July, at the time of their quadrennial song festival. I'm told it is extraordinary.

Enjoy your trip.

I've been to each.

1. Yes. All three.

2. Probably 3 or 4 days.

3. No. Use the Eurolines or Ecolines buses.

4. Riga. It doesn't matter.

5. Food and drink are cheap. Hotels and hostels are reasonable. Overall, much cheaper than France, Italy, Germany, etc..

1. Worth visiting the three of them. And actually not only the capitals, but also the countryside.
I don't agree with it being boring and flying between them being the best option. It is generally flat (exceptions, though as the Gauja gorge or the hills around Valmiera for example). The route along the coast is plain beautiful in my opinion.

2. 1.5 to 2 days in Tallinn. 3 to 4 days in Riga. 3 days in Vilnius.

3. Not sure about train travel. If at all possible, it is going to be mind bogglingly slow. My preference would be to either rent a car (by far the best option, I would think) or go by bus. Eurolines operates on most routes.

4. Riga. Used to live there for a while. Second biggest city in the Baltic region and offering a nice combination of Hanseatic medieval Old Town, an amazing Art Nouveau district and in general a vibe that feels less touristy than Tallinn, which also sports a beautifully preserved Old Town. But Tallinn apart from that (and its seaside location) is not that attractive to me and gets quite crowded with ferry passengers and cruise ship tourists flocking into the compact Old Town section. Vilnius felt more sleepy to me when I was there (which admittedly was not that recently).

We had 3 days in Vilnius at the end of June last year. lOVED the place!!!Had some wonderful food and wine,found it all very cheap! We walked around so much and liked the architecture a lot. A very clean city with friendly people. Would definitely go back,spend 3 days in the city, but take the bus or train- or hire a car- to other towns and villages.
Also been to Riga. Liked it but not half as much as we liked Vilnius.There didn't seem so much to do there and it felt more Eastern Block. Also cheap. We were there in November so maybe the weather decides what place you like best!
Going to Tallin in June.

Would any of you recommend a tour or just use the Eurolines or Ecolines buses.

Hi; For great information on Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, google 'in your pocket'. They sell their travel guides, but you can download these three places. Plus many more cities/towns. While we stayed three nights in each city, two nights in Tallinn would have worked. We did take the bus between each city. One suggestion would be to get your bus ticket on the arrival day, as busses fill up quick. Having met friends in Tallinn, they went home from Vilnius and we had a car rented and visited Poland again spending ten more days in four cities. ENJOY Iris