Baltic capitals 7-day itinerary: Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius
Last reviewed: 2026-05-18What this Baltic tour covers
The three Baltic capitals — Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius — sit within a 700 km corridor along the eastern Baltic coast. Each one is markedly different from the others: Tallinn is the smallest and most medieval, Riga is the largest with Art Nouveau architecture and a big-city energy, Vilnius is the furthest south, more baroque, with a different historical trajectory. A week covers all three properly.
Transport options: the InterBaltik bus network (Lux Express, FlixBus, Ecolines) connects all three capitals directly — Tallinn–Riga takes 4h30–5h, Riga–Vilnius takes 4h–4h30. Total bus cost: roughly €30–50pp for the full corridor. Alternatively, a rental car gives more flexibility and allows stops en route (the Latvian coast road, Sigulda, the Hill of Crosses near Vilnius). Car adds €180–250 for the week but divides between passengers.
This plan uses a hybrid approach: bus between Tallinn and Riga (overnight bus is available, saving a night’s accommodation), car from Riga for the Latvian countryside option, or simply bus throughout.
Day 1 — Tallinn: medieval introduction
Morning: Toompea orientation
Arrive in Tallinn and go straight to Toompea Hill for the orientation view. The Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform (free) shows the lower town in one glance — red rooftops, Gothic spires, medieval walls. Walk through the upper town: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (free entry), the exterior of Toompea Castle. Descend via Lühike jalg.
Read the Toompea Hill guide for the full context.
Afternoon: lower Old Town and Kalamaja
Cover the Old Town essentials in the afternoon: St Catherine’s Passage, Kiek in de Kök (tower; ~€8, or the full Bastion Tunnels if you have time; ~€12), and Viru Gate. Don’t spend too long in the Old Town gift shops — the quality stuff is on Vene Street and in the artisan workshops of St Catherine’s Passage, not on the main tourist drag.
Take tram 2 to Kalamaja and Telliskivi Creative City for the contrast with the medieval bubble: craft beer at Põhjala Tap Room, dinner at F-hoone (mains €12–16). Read the Kalamaja guide.
Evening: book tomorrow’s departure
Check bus or car logistics for Day 3 (Tallinn to Riga) while you have time. Lux Express runs several daily departures; the overnight bus departs Tallinn around 23:00 and arrives Riga around 04:30 (budget ~€20–30 and save one night’s accommodation, but it’s a rough sleep).
Day 2 — Tallinn: depth and the Soviet layer
Morning: the full Old Town experience
With two days in Tallinn, use Day 2 morning for the deeper layer:
- Vabamu Museum of Occupations (~€10): essential context for the Baltic states’ 20th century — Soviet occupation, deportations, and the 1991 independence movement that all three countries shared. Allow 90 minutes.
- KGB Museum at Hotel Viru (~€15; guided tour only): the most atmospheric museum in the city, in the rooftop floor the KGB used to surveil foreign guests
For a guided Soviet history walk that connects Tallinn to the broader Baltic story:
Book the Hidden Tallinn Soviet walking tourRead the Soviet Tallinn guide for what to look for.
Afternoon: Kadriorg
Take tram 1 east to Kadriorg for the palace, park, and KUMU Art Museum (Estonia’s national contemporary art museum; ~€14). The afternoon light in the park is good year-round. See the Kadriorg guide.
Evening: Tallinn Card for the day’s transport
The Tallinn Card covers all public transport and many museum entries across Days 1 and 2:
Get the Tallinn Card for 48 hoursDinner on Day 2 evening: Rataskaevu 16 (mains €18–26; book ahead) or NOA (coastal road, taxi ~€8; tasting menu ~€55pp).
Day 3 — Tallinn to Riga (Latvian border)
09:00 — Morning bus or drive south
The Tallinn–Riga bus (Lux Express or FlixBus) takes approximately 4h30–5h and is significantly more comfortable than you might expect — reclining seats, free WiFi, coffee service. Tickets from ~€12–20 depending on timing.
If driving: the E67 highway runs south through Estonia and Latvia. The most interesting stop en route is Pärnu (1h45 from Tallinn; see the Pärnu guide — a quick coffee and walk along Rüütli Street before the Latvian border). Cross into Latvia at Ainaži or continue directly.
14:00–15:00 — Arrive in Riga
Check into your accommodation in the Riga city centre (central hotels from €60–120/night in 2026). Riga’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site like Tallinn, but the character is completely different — a larger city with a Baltic German, Russian, and Latvian imprint, and the most extraordinary concentration of Art Nouveau architecture in Europe (the Elizabetes and Alberta Street facades alone justify the stop).
Afternoon and evening in Riga
Take the first afternoon to walk the main streets and orient:
- Riga Old Town (Vecrīga): the main squares, the Blackheads’ House, the Cathedral
- Alberta Street: the most intact Art Nouveau street facade in the world (free, exterior only; the Art Nouveau Museum at Alberta 12 has an extraordinary interior for €6)
- Central Market (Centrāltirgus): the five former Zeppelin hangars converted into a food market — the best lunch option in Riga (€5–8 for a full plate)
For a guided introduction that covers the Riga–Tallinn connection and Baltic history:
Learn about the two-countries-in-one-day Baltic connectionDay 4 — Riga: the complete city
Morning: Art Nouveau and the Old Town in depth
Riga deserves a full day. Morning priorities:
- Blackheads’ House (restored medieval merchants’ guildhall; ~€8): the most photographed building in Riga’s Old Town
- Riga Cathedral (~€4): the largest medieval church in the Baltic states, with an organ famous across northern Europe
- Riga Castle (exterior; the Latvian president’s residence — guards, not tourists)
- St Peter’s Church tower (~€9): the elevator takes you to the top; the view of the city and the Daugava river is excellent
Afternoon: Art Nouveau trail
Walk the Art Nouveau district north of the Old Town systematically. The Mikhail Eisenstein buildings on Alberta and Elizabetes Streets (the same Eisenstein who directed Battleship Potemkin) are the centrepiece. The Riga Art Nouveau Museum (Alberta 12; ~€6) shows what the interiors looked like — the original staircase and apartment fittings are intact.
Also worthwhile: Kalnciema Quarter (a wooden architecture neighbourhood with a Saturday market) and the Spīķeri warehouse district on the river (galleries, design shops, a summer market).
Evening in Riga
Dinner in the Old Town: Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs (vaulted cellar; Latvian folk music evenings; mains €12–18) or Bibliotēka No. 1 (rooftop bar and restaurant; mains €15–22; best view of the Old Town at sunset). Riga has a livelier nightlife than Tallinn — Miera iela (Peace Street) is the neighbourhood equivalent of Kalamaja for café-bars.
Day 5 — Riga to Vilnius (via Sigulda or direct)
Option A: Direct bus to Vilnius (4h–4h30)
Lux Express and Ecolines run several buses daily. Arrive Vilnius by lunchtime; afternoon free for orientation.
Option B: Drive via Sigulda and Cēsis (adds 2h to the journey)
Sigulda (50 km east of Riga): a medieval castle ruin above the Gauja River valley — the “Latvian Switzerland.” The cable car across the gorge runs in summer (€5). Allow 1.5 hours.
Cēsis (30 km from Sigulda): the most characterful small city in Latvia — a medieval castle, cobblestone lanes, and good cafés. Allow 1.5 hours.
The route is covered in the mini Baltic tour package:
Book the mini Baltic tour: Riga–Sigulda–Cēsis–Pärnu–TallinnAfternoon: arrive in Vilnius
Vilnius is the most surprising of the three capitals — the least-known internationally but arguably the most beautiful, with a vast baroque old town (the largest in northern Europe by area) that feels genuinely lived-in rather than tourist-polished. Check in; walk to Cathedral Square for orientation.
Dinner: Užupio Kavinė (the café republic neighbourhood across the river; mains €12–18) or Šaknis (Lithuanian cuisine, hearty; mains €10–15).
Day 6 — Vilnius: the baroque capital
Morning: Old Town and Gediminas Castle
Gediminas Tower (the hilltop castle ruin above the city; entry ~€5; panoramic views): the essential first stop in Vilnius. Walk down to the Cathedral of Vilnius (free entry; enormous baroque interior) and Cathedral Square (the city’s main gathering point).
Walk through the Old Town streets: Pilies Street (the main pedestrian artery), Bernardinų Street, and the lanes around St Anne’s Church (Gothic, red-brick, famously described by Napoleon as something he wanted to carry back to Paris on his palm).
The Vilnius University courtyard (entry ~€5): a harmonious baroque ensemble, completely intact, with 13 interconnected courtyards.
Afternoon: the Jewish quarter and Užupis
The Jewish Quarter (Žydų gatvė and the surrounding streets): Vilnius was a major centre of Jewish culture before the Second World War; the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum (~€5) is the most complete account of this history remaining.
Užupis (the self-declared “independent republic” across the Vilnele river): a bohemian neighbourhood with a constitution posted on the wall in 20+ languages. The angel statue at the bridge is the most Instagram’d spot in Vilnius outside the Gate of Dawn.
Gate of Dawn (Aušros Vartai): the last surviving medieval city gate, with a revered icon of the Madonna in the chapel above it. Free to enter; a place of genuine religious significance, not just tourism.
Evening: farewell Baltic dinner
Džiaugsmas (Vilnius; creative Lithuanian cuisine; mains €18–28): the city’s most ambitious kitchen. Alternatively, Lokys (game meat and traditional Lithuanian food in a medieval cellar; mains €14–22) for a more historical dining experience.
Day 7 — Vilnius: half-day and departure
Morning: Trakai or slow Vilnius
Trakai Castle (28 km west of Vilnius; bus from Vilnius bus station, 30 minutes, ~€2; castle entry ~€10): a 15th-century island castle in the middle of a lake — one of the most photogenic sites in Lithuania. Allow 3 hours including travel. Go early to beat the tour groups.
Alternatively: a slow morning in Vilnius’s Senamiestis (Old Town), visiting the remaining Old Town sights — the Lithuanian National Museum (~€5), the baroque churches on Didžioji Street, and the Three Crosses Monument (free; hilltop park with a view of the Old Town).
Afternoon: return flight or onward journey
Most visitors to the Baltic corridor fly in and out of Tallinn or Vilnius. If flying out of Tallinn: Vilnius to Tallinn is a 4h30–5h bus (overnight option available) or 1h direct flight (from ~€50). If returning to Tallinn by bus: Lux Express Vilnius–Tallinn departs twice daily.
For transfers between the Baltic capitals, the private transfer option is the most comfortable:
For transfers between the Baltic capitals, the private transfer option is the most comfortable — search for direct options on the operator sites or at the Tallinn/Riga bus stations.
What it costs (per person, 7 days)
| Item | Approx. EUR |
|---|---|
| Tallinn Card 48h (Days 1–2) | €47 |
| Vabamu + KGB Museum (Tallinn) | €25 |
| Bus: Tallinn–Riga–Vilnius (or reverse) | €35–55 |
| Riga: Art Nouveau Museum + St Peter’s | €15 |
| Vilnius: Gediminas Tower + Cathedral | €5 |
| Accommodation x6 nights (mix of three cities) | €330–480 |
| Lunches x7 | €70–95 |
| Dinners x7 | €150–210 |
| Drinks (7 evenings) | €55 |
| Local transport (trams, Bolt) | €30 |
| Total per person | €760–1,000 |
With a rental car add €200 (divided by passengers); with the Sigulda/Cēsis detour add an extra night in Latvia (€70).
Where to stay
- Tallinn (2 nights): Old Town or Kalamaja; full guide at where to stay in Tallinn
- Riga (2 nights): Old Town or the Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs); central options from €60–100/night
- Vilnius (2 nights): Old Town or Užupis; central guesthouses from €55–90/night
All three cities have reliable hostels (from €20/dorm) if budget is the priority. Read the Tallinn on a budget guide for the Tallinn portion.
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