Guide Book/Travel Advice

My favorite guide books are the DK Eyewitness, which in this case woukd be: DK Eyewitness Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

If you look on this site where the guide books are sold, you can click on a specific book and find a tag marked Updates and Feedback. That should be of some help.

I do like DK Eyewitness. I find that the guidebook that works best can vary by locations. I often do not find Lonely Planet very helpful, but for my current trip planning to Australia including Tasmania, Lonely Planet has been the most helpful guidebook followed by DK. I do see there is a Rick Steves Guide that includes Tallinn (along with St. Petersburg and Helsinki).

I would recommend a trip to your local library to grab any guidebooks for the area that they have and use them for a while, then purchase what you find most helpful. If your library doesn't have much in terms of physical copies, you could look at Libby or Hoopla for digital copies, if your library subscribes to it.

I know there are at least a few people on the forum that have been to the Baltics. I bet they'd be very helpful.

I think the Baltics would make a wonderful trip. They are on my "wish list".

I have found the Rough Guide books quite useful. They appear to have one published in 2025 for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. If I were planning a Baltic trip I would get that book but I have not been there or used it, Some people seem to think the Rough Guide is for backpackers which may have been the case 50 years ago but not in recent decades. Depending on the country or city, I find the Rough Guide sometimes has more detailed practical and tourist site specific descriptions than RS, and sometimes not.

The library is great if they have the 2025 edition. Things change quickly. Some interesting reading: https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/the-baltic-states-are-preparing-for-the-unthinkable-war-with-russia/

Loved our trip to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. You will, too.

If there's no Rick Steves guidebook (increasingly common for those of us who have graduated beyond the most popular tourist destinations), the best option one could ever hope for are the Bradt guidebooks - I've loaded up on more than a few of these, and every single one I've cracked open has been outstanding. They have a book on Estonia.

We also used the DK Eyewitness book on the Batics, which was mixed. IMHO this series of books is great for inspiration (high quality print, compelling photos, their signature "exploded view" depictions of key historic sites, etc.) - in short, plenty of eye candy for motivating you - but often a bit (or a lot) short of practical details that you will need when you're deep in the weeds at your destination. Still, they're pleasing books to have, even if they fall a bit short on dense, practical details.

The Lonely Planet books are a heartbreaking tragedy now, just crap scraped from social media. How sad and how far they've fallen so quickly.

The Baltics are easy, you do not need to get your feet wet first or have your hand held. This corner of Europe is an under-appreciated gem - relatively inexpensive, mostly uncrowded, with everything you love about Europe. Go see it (soon) before the Russians screw them over yet again.

You are so right, Mr. E. Initially I was using an older Lonely Planet guidebook, which I wasn't finding helpful. On one trip to the library, something compelled me to take a look at the newest copy of Lonely Planet. Wow, so much was different in terms of format and recommendations. I went home and ordered the new edition.

I really like the Baltics. I perused the Rough Guide but I'm doing more and more planning using the internet. Each country/city has their own visitors guide which helps. Youtube videos also help.

I also like travel forums like this one.

but often a bit (or a lot) short of practical details that you will
need when you're deep in the weeds at your destination.

I agree. But for the details the best source is the web page of the subject, not a book. Reference books these days are somewhat like third party ticket sellers. If you want a train ticket you dont go to Trainline.com, you go to the company. If you want to know what time the museum opens, you dont go to a guide book, you go to the museum website.

But for big picture, concept, context, motivation and lists, books are great.

Thank you to everyone for the advice. It's great to hear about your experience, David in Seattle, and to learn about the Bradt guide books. My library isn't very "robust" but they are searching the interlibrary loan for me. Many thanks!