Have any of you traveled to Riga in Latvia or Kaunas and Vilnius in Lithuania?
On my dad's side my grandfather's parents were from Ludza in East Latvia before they immigrated to the USA. My ancestor with my mother's maiden last name who came to the USA was from Kaunas, Lithuania. I listed most of the museum and sights that look appealing. I know I may have to sacrifice seeing some places. I would like to avoid having to rent a car if possible. Do you think some of the museums in Vilnius and Riga are close enough to duplications of each other that I can acquiesce to sacrificing some in Vilnius or Riga that I listed? Maybe I shouldn't need to go to Vilnius again because I was already there for a Yiddish class in August 2007 but I didn't see museums or sites. I saw the Jewish museum, the upper and lower castles, some random streets in and near the old town; and a walking tour but it was over 18 years ago.
Saturday: flights to Riga. 1st night on the plane
Sunday: arrive in Riga. 2nd night, 1st night in Riga.
Monday: Guided tour? Synagogue Peitav Shul; (Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum. 3rd night, 2nd night in Riga.
Tuesday: Train and/or buses to Ludza. 4th night, 1st night in Ludza
Wed: pass the house my great-grandfather grew up in (Strādnieku šķērsiela 4); Ludza Great Synagogue (11-3), Ludza local history museum (8-5), possibly Jewish Cemetery (a cousin already went here and sent a picture of the a grave of our common ancestor); “Memorial Site of 1941 Jewish Victims” by Cirma Ezers (lake) 56°33'52.6" N, 27°39'12.0" E. (see google maps); Ludza castle ruins. 5th night, 2nd night in Ludza.
Thu: Bus or taxi to Rēzekne (16-17 miles west); bus to Vilnius (Ecolines leaves Rēzekne at 10:45am, arrives before 3pm). Various streets and monuments OR history museum inside Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (10-8 Thurs, 10-6 Fri). 6th night, 1st night in Vilnius
Friday: Guided tour? Vilnius Choral Synagogue, 10-3, closed sat-Sun; if not seen yet, above museum; (10-6 Fri); The Old Arsenal (10-6). 7th night
Sat: Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, (10-6); Lithuanian National Museum of Art, 10-6; if time, National Gallery of Art, 11-5. 8th night
Sunday: Day trip to Trakai Castle. 9th night
Monday: Bus or train to Kaunas. Čiurlionis Museum of Art, 10-6; Kaunas Picture Gallery? (10-6); KGB Atomic Bunker Museum (requires a pre-arranged tour) 10th night
Tues: Art Deco muziejus (Art-Deco Museum, restored apartment full of Art-Deco objects, 2-hour pre-reserved tour required) or Amsterdamo Mokyklos muziejus? (Amsterdam School Museum, former Jewish residence/restored apartment; 2-hour pre-reserved tour required); Vytauto Didžiojo Karo Muziejus (Vytautas the Great War Museum, 10-5);
Museum of Devils (11-5) 11th night
Wed: Sugiharos fondas ,,Diplomatai už gyvybę" (Diplomats for Life, small museum about Japanese ambassador who saved Jews (11-4 Wed-Fri); Kaunas castle,
Thursday: bus to Riga. 12th night
*Rīgas pils (Riga Castle) (open to visitors, no major exhibits yet)
*Latvijas Nacionālais mākslas muzejs (Latvian National Museum of Art)
*Rīgas vēstures un kuģniecības muzejs (Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation)
*Mākslas muzejs RĪGAS BIRŽA (art museum)
Trīs Brāļi (Three Brothers buildings, small Latvian Museum of Architecture)
Zviedru vārti (Swedish Gate)
*Pulvertornis (Powder tower), contains Latvijas Kara muzejs (Latvian War Museum)
Kaķu nams (Cat House). View from outside only.
*Melngalvju nams (House of the Black Heads) – old silverware, reconstructed palace.
*Latvijas Okupācijas muzejs (Museum of the Occupation of Latvia)
Dekoratīvās mākslas un dizaina muzejs (Museum of Decorative Arts and Design)?
Ebreji Latvijā (Jews in Latvia) – museum
Stūra Māja (The Corner House, former headquarters of KGB)
Friday: above museum not seen yet 13th night
Saturday: above sites not seen yet. 14th night