Notes on highlights of our trip to the Baltic States + Helsinki (May 2025)

FROM VILNIUS TO RIGA

We took the bus to the Vilnius airport where we rented a car and drove to Riga (returned the car at the Riga airport and took the train to our hotel).

It was easy driving through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. There were stretches where we had zero cell coverage so make sure you download your maps if you are driving and relying on Google or some other online navigation service.

If we had more time, I would have liked to have visited the Museum of Lithuanian Ethnography. It looks worthwhile.

We did stop at Rundale Palace in Latvia and this was one of our top highlights from our entire trip around the Baltic States! I’d consider it a must do for anyone!! It is this magnificent palace that is in the middle of nowhere and is not at all crowded. It is wonderfully restored and the entire palace and gardens blew our minds – the opulence, the art, the history. Also, the docents were excellent. Honestly, it was kind of a magical experience and 100% worth devoting an afternoon to a stop here. https://rundale.net/en/

We also stopped at the Hill of Crosses. It was interesting, but I think it would have meant more if we were Catholic. If it came down to choosing this or Rundale Palace, there would be no contest. And, in retrospect, I probably would choose the Museum of Lithuanian Ethnography over this, as well.

RIGA

We spent 3 days in Riga.

Our accommodations:
Hotel Justus
Jauniela 24, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia
Excellent location and very comfortable rooms.

Private walking tour we took, that I would recommend:
Old Town + Art Nouveau tour
Honestly, I had no idea what a big deal the art nouveau architecture is in Riga. It is beautiful!
https://rigasightseeing.com/old-town-%2B-art-nouveau

Our favorite sites:
Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. Latviešu strēlnieku laukums 1, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia. This was very interesting and very well-organized. We were impressed! https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZXqb5n3dC7Wdvbkt5
The Corner House. Brīvības iela 61, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1010, Latvia. This is the old KGB location when Latvia was under communist rule. Well-done and eye-opening. https://maps.app.goo.gl/619bAZcXNZ49ik998
Riga Market (UNESCO) was worth a stroll. We grabbed lunch there at the food court.
House of the Black Heads Museum. Rātslaukums 7, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia. Interesting historical perspective. Worth a visit for 1-2 hours. https://maps.app.goo.gl/kh6NSKaF4KPd3i8EA
Art Nouveau District. Definitely a highlight! If you take the same walking tour we did, you will see a lot of it. If not, I’d recommend strolling around the area as much as you can.
Freedom Monument and gardens. Interesting to see once you learn the history. Doesn’t require a lot of time.

Our favorite restaurants:
LIDO Vērmanītis. Elizabetes iela 65, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia. This is a “Polish milk bar” style cafeteria with authentic local cuisine. Nothing flashy but fills the tummy and scratches the itch for local-style food at good prices. https://maps.app.goo.gl/CDTDuhVPZsWU5kRw9
Ala Pagrabs. Peldu iela 19, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia. Very fun downstairs bar & restaurant where you can get very good local cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Live music options, so check current listings. Very generous portions! https://maps.app.goo.gl/v2mBHawSNdHMQ4Av8
Late Night Munchies. Peldu iela 21, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia, We got into Riga sort of late and our hotel recommended this place for a late supper. We sat outside and drank beer and shared burgers and wood-fired pizza. It was lovely. Right next door to Ala Pagrabs. https://maps.app.goo.gl/rh8jU1hVPaK283ey5

FUNNY STORY OF HOW WE KIND OF WASTED A DAY IN RIGA (or did we …)

So, we are suckers for open-air museums and we decided to prioritize getting to The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia. What a strange but memorable experience we had that afternoon. The highlight was hiring a taxi to take us to the location because it is quite a ways out of town and not super easy to get to via public transportation (and we were just not feeling up to that challenge for whatever reason). Our taxi driver threw us for a loop when he started talking about the good ol’ days of communism and how it was so much better then. Not expecting to hear that. We were curious. So, we asked for examples of what’s worse now. He talked about too many cars on the road and how back when they were communist, there might only be one car for an entire apartment building so not as much traffic. Driving was so much easier then! Just fascinating. He was nice and we were curious and it was a cordial conversation. When we got to the open-air museum it was lunch time, so we grabbed a bite at the nice museum restaurant where we had a very good meal. Our waitress was also the cook and the person who cleaned up, as well. She did it all with a very pleasant can-do attitude. Fortunately, we were the only ones there, so it was manageable for her. We felt like we should pitch in to help! The museum itself has the start of something really good, but it’s very spread out with minimal explanations and it’s like a ghost town. It was just us and a handful of other people wandering around a forest peering at an occasional rustic wooden structure. Including a Japanese man walking around in a business suit, which just seemed bizarre. It was all like something out of a movie. [NOTE: Maybe we missed factors that would have improved our experience with the exhibits. It could have been human error on our parts, for sure. Just relaying how it played out for us at that time.]

FROM RIGA TO TALLINN

We took the train back to the airport and rented a car for our drive to Tallinn.

Along our drive we stopped at another top highlight of our entire trip: Cesis Castle. This is another place that I highly recommend you prioritize seeing. Absolutely worth any extra effort it requires. The castle complex is so well-preserved and has such an interesting history. For one part of it there are people dressed in period costumes handing out candlelight lanterns to explore the darker regions of the interior. Very cool! https://cesupils.lv/en/

TALLINN

We were here for 3 days.

Our accommodations:
Tallinn City Apartments Old Town Square
Spacious modern apartment located right on the old town square.

Private tour some of us took, that I would recommend:
Driving/Walking 5-hour Private Tour led by Mati Rumessen (recommended by Rick Steves)
http://www.tourservice.ee/index.html
So, here’s the kicker. This is when the curse of the Riga herring hit our son the hardest. He was sick as a dog. And I was feeling a little off, but not really sick (I didn’t have the herring). So, my son and I skipped the tour (there was no way he could do it) and my husband and daughter did it without us. They raved about it! It sounded incredible and I’m sad that I missed it. But I can’t speak about it from personal experience.

Our favorite sites:
Old Town. Just strolling around looking at the old buildings and soaking in the European ambiance. I’m pretty sure we followed the Rick Steves self-guided walking tours on our own.
Estonian History Museum - Great Guild Hall. Pikk tn 17, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia. Really well-organized with a lot of well-preserved artifacts. https://maps.app.goo.gl/9daaqRe5JkaJTWD7A
Eesti Meremuuseum. Vesilennuki tn 1, 10415 Tallinn, Estonia. Another really well-organized museum, this time dedicated to a maritime theme (boats, ships, navy, etc.) You can explore an old submarine as well as other boats outside the museum along the harbor. Definitely recommend. It’s a ways from Old Town, so we took a taxi. https://maps.app.goo.gl/pCG3th3FUoms6bTk7
Telliskivi Loomelinnak. Telliskivi tn 60a, 10412 Tallinn, Estonia. Hip and artsy section of the city. Fun to stroll around and just look at what’s there. Lots of places to grab a bite or a drink. https://maps.app.goo.gl/yhyaHtfZ1QBiu7HTA

Our favorite restaurants:
Pub Kompressor. Rataskaevu tn 3, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia. Good food at reasonable prices. Nothing fancy. https://maps.app.goo.gl/hDNjmqrUKst4raFU7

FROM TALLINN TO HELSINKI

We took a taxi to the ferry terminal and then took the Viking XPRS across the Baltic Sea. We got to the ferry terminal early because that’s the way we are wired, and then we stood around and waited a long time to board. So, I’m not sure that was necessary. The ferry ride itself was pleasant and it was fun to get the perspective of sailing out of Tallinn and sailing into Helsinki.

HELSINKI

We only had one full day before our flight home, so our itinerary was light and tight.

Our accommodations:
Bob W Koti Katajanokka
4 Kruunuvuorenkatu, Katajanokka, 00160 Helsinki, Finland
Just a short walk from the ferry and an easy walk or train to the heart of the city. Very modern and comfortable with a kitchenette and washer/dryer in our "family style" 4-person room.

Public walking tour we took, that I would recommend:
A Finntastic Walking Tour in Helsinki, 2-hr, 15-min group tour.
https://www.viator.com/tours/Helsinki/Free-Walking-Tour-in-Helsinki-Tip-based/d803-350340P1?medium=social-share-copy
We opted to just join a public tour in Helsinki instead of doing a private tour. We really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I’d recommend it!

Our favorite sites:
Helsinki Central Library Oodi. Töölönlahdenkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki, Finland. Our walking tour ended here and we took some time to just explore this massive, incredible library. It is something to see with so many ways for people to come and do so many things (cook, play music, sew, play games, use a 3D printer, and so much more … and of course, read a book).https://maps.app.goo.gl/kwQF4R3HcwQc1mvh8
Suomenlinna. 00190 Helsinki, Finland. A large island accessible by regular ferries (short ride). You can easily spend several hours walking the paths to view the remains of the old fort and just enjoy the gorgeous views. https://maps.app.goo.gl/eYHUm81mNoW6rzMh9
We hopped on the train that circles the city and just looked out the window to get a feeling for Helsinki. That was fun. Rick Steves says what train to take in his book but I cannot remember the specifics and don’t see it in my notes. At one point we hopped off to walk up and see the Olympic rings at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Then we walked through a park to get back to the train and there were some folks hanging out in that park that looked like they weren’t up to anything good. Not sure about that area, so we just hightailed it back onto the train.
We never did have time to get to a sauna, which was a miss. Next time!!

To be honest, we didn’t have any memorable meals in Helsinki. I’d chalk that up to not having enough time to seek them out and prioritizing sightseeing over restaurants. Next time for that, as well!!

We took the train to the Helsinki airport and that was a breeze.

This sounds like a really nice trip ! Thank you for taking the time to come share a trip report. I was especially interested that you rented a car a couple of times. It seems to have worked out well for your needs.

Helsinki also has a nice neighborhood with tons of Art Nouveau architecture. You'll have to go back and spend longer !

This was a really fun tour-along trip report, I learned a lot and enjoyed the side stories, thanks for taking the time to write it. Sorry about the curse of the Riga herring, sounds like you recovered quickly to enjoy the rest of your trip!

Great report, thank you! I've picked up some nice ideas for a return visit. I'd love to try the 14 Horses restaurant if I make it back to Vilnius.

Your story of visiting the Open Air Museum was like a replay of one of my own in another country, where I wandered around feeling like a time traveler in a deserted earlier century.

Thanks for your writeup. I've bookmarked this for a hopeful return to the Baltics!

Your trip report is perfect timing for my upcoming trip to the Baltic States and I've included a lot of your suggestions into my itinerary. Sounds like you had a fabulous trip!

Thank you so much for sharing!

Thank you for sharing this information! I'm presently working on a Baltics trip for next spring and this is helpful!

It is always so much fun to read a well-written report on places I have been to and enjoyed! With your report, I was nodding along at places I also liked and making notes on what I missed for a future visit. I agree about the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Vilnius - but there were a couple of special events going on the day I went (I should have researched better) so some parts were closed. But I really liked the parts I was able to see.

I totally agree about Rundale Palace! I felt like I was in a small Versailles with no people! I spent a little more time there than I had thought I would (and stopped for ice cream at the end ha!). Hill of Crosses was interesting but I agree that I didn’t get the bang for my buck (time-wise) because of the bit of a walk in and out. I also didn’t make it to the Museum of Lithuanian Ethnography…..

In Riga, I thoroughly enjoyed LIDO - it was recommended by my apartment hostess for somewhere authentic. I admit I had to figure out what I was doing and accidentally ended up with a bit too much food, but it was all good. And so inexpensive. I didn’t know how much I was going to like Riga. I walked some of the art nouveau streets and went to the small museum, but next time I will take a tour.

And I was laughing about the Open Air Museum. I can picture the taxi ride. LOL. When I got there, I was wondering where everything was - but eventually I found it all. (I had a car so visited on my way out of town.)

And I had just thought about Cesis Castle last week! (My daughter is in the Baltics right now and I was going back through my list of things I enjoyed.)

I have the Maritime Museum and Pub Kompressor down for a “next time” visit to Tallinn!

Helsinki is also on the “some time” list. I keep winding up there overnight for a long layover, but haven’t spent time sightseeing yet. (Other than staying once at a Bob W by the train station).

And renting 2 separate cars seems like such a no-brainer now that I have read it….. I kept the same car, but it sat unused but paid for for 4 days in Riga. (Plus I had to drive into and out of Riga, which wasn’t for the faint of heart at rush hour.)

Thoroughly enjoyed the report!

Deborah:

How were the drop fees since you were dropping of your rental cars in another country?

Ok, maybe this is one of those impossible questions - but for a 2 night stay flying from ARN, would you recommend either Riga or Tallinn for a single traveler? I have the luxury of being able to hop over for a few nights.... Tallinn had been top of my list but I love Art Deco & I've heard one of the Riga museums (don't recall which one?) is very special, I think a visual history of what it was like to live under foreign occupation.....

Thank you! We are leaving for Tallinn in 3 days and will then visit Helsinki. It's so helpful to have your trip report as a reference.

Hi Ed,

I’m going to provide a long answer to your short question, just in case this additional information is helpful to others …

I rented our cars through Auto Europe (https://www.autoeurope.com/) and I was very happy with our experience. Their online portal was simple and intuitive. For both our reservations, they used a familar brand for fulfillment: Thrifty. The rates were competitive. The cars were in excellent condition. And pickup/dropoff at the airports was relatively easy. I would use Auto Europe again.

I made the reservations back in April 2025 and we used the cars in May 2025.

For Vilnius, Lithuania to Riga, Latvia, we rented an automatic compact:

• Total rental cost for “Basic Plus” package, paid in advance at the time I confirmed my reservation: $30.86 (USD)
• One-way fee due when we picked up the car: $125 USD

For Riga, Latvia to Tallinn, Estonia, we also rented an automatic compact:

• Total rental cost for “Basic Plus” package, paid in advance at the time I confirmed my reservation: $34.69 (USD)
• One-way fee due when we picked up the car: $130 (USD)

Basic Plus package included:

• Value Added Tax (VAT)
• Liability Insurance
• Fire Insurance
• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) with deductible
  
• Theft Protection (TP) with deductible
• Roadside Assistance

I hope this is helpful!

Deborah

Hi Sandancisco,

It sounds as if Riga would be an excellent choice just because the Art Deco is so incredible. And the “Museum of the Occupation of Latvia,” is highly visual and experiential in a way that makes a lasting impression.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Based on my own experience, I would highly recommend an Art Deco tour just to make sure you don’t miss any of the highlights. For example, our guide took us into an otherwise unremarkable building (as I recall), through a lobby, and to the back so we could see this amazing circular staircase that wound up, up, up with the most stunning Art Deco design. It made our jaws drop. My husband managed to snap a great picture and we had a large print made so it now hangs as a focal point in our living room. People notice it and comment on it when they see it. It is that unusual and beautiful. (I wish I could post a picture of that picture.) There are lots of images and stories like that, tucked in places you might not notice if you don’t have someone pointing them out, I think.

Just my humble opinion; I hope this is helpful!

Deborah

It sounds as if Riga would be an excellent choice just because the Art
Deco is so incredible. And the “Museum of the Occupation of Latvia,”
is highly visual and experiential in a way that makes a lasting
impression.

Thanks Deborah, yes that sounds like it would really suit! And I'm betting it was the “Museum of the Occupation of Latvia,” that I heard about.

Would you mind sharing the name of the Art Deco tour you took?