 Grand
Biking Tour of the Baltic States
LITHUANIA
- LATVIA - ESTONIA
2006
20 DAYS/19 NIGHTS
From Vilnius to Tallinn
2006 Departures:
Jun 12
Jul 10
Aug 21
TOUR
DESCRIPTION:
Interesting tour itinerary by escorted coach allowing ample
opportunities for biking in interesting settings through the three
independent countries of the Baltics, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Non-bicyclists welcome!!
 DAY 1 VILNIUS
Arrival
in Vilnius. A private
transfer to your hotel. Check-in at the hotel.
At 7:00 p.m. a welcome
drink at the hotel where you will be greeted by tour guide representative.
Overnight at Hotel
Mabre Residence in Vilnius
or similar.
DAY 2
VILNIUS
Early morning
city tour of Vilnius, capital of Lithuania for more than 600 years. The
tour includes: St.
Peter and
Paul's Church, Cathedral
Square, St.
Ann and Bernardines` Church,
the Gates of Dawn with a holy image of the Virgin Mary, Russian Orthodox
Church of the Holy Spirit, Town Hall Square and Vilnius University
(founded in 1579) with St.
John`s Church.
Afternoon trip to Trakai (25 km from
Vilnius), former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Visit to the
insular castle of the 14th century, erected on a small island in
Lake Galvė. For centuries it
served as a defensive structure and residence of Lithuanian Grand Dukes.
Overnight
at Hotel Mabre
Residence or similar.
DAY
3 VILNIUS - GRŪTAS
- DRUSKININKAI (biking 25 miles)
Morning departure for Dzūkija National
Park
known as the land of cold springs and woods. Start
biking
in Marcinkonys on the
picturesque road along the Grūda River to Druskininkai. Stop in Grūtas
village for a visit to Grūto Parkas-
an open-air exhibition of the Soviet era sculptures and monuments. Leaving
the park we pedal on a
bike
path
through the woods to Druskininkai. Check-in at the hotel, free time for
relaxation.
Overnight
at Hotel
REGINA or similar in Druskininkai
DAY 4 DRUSKININKAI
SPA
Breakfast followed by a city
tour of Druskininkai, the oldest health resort in Lithuania. The pride of
the town is its mineral springs. Afternoon free for relaxation or trying
mineral bath procedures in the Health Centre, visiting museums or cycling
around the resort. Druskininkai is known for its well-developed network of
cycling and hiking trails in the surrounding pinewoods, thus one can
choose from riding 10 km, 13 km or 21 km circuit trails called the Orbit
of Stars.
Overnight
at Hotel
REGINA or similar at Druskininkai.
DAY 5
DRUSKININKAI - KAUNAS - VENTÈ
Breakfast at the hotel followed by a morning ride to Merkinė, one of the
oldest and most picturesque Lithuanian towns, where the Nemunas and Merkys
Rivers merge.
En route stop in Liškiava for a visit of baroque style church and the 15th
century monastery. Transfer to Kaunas, which was the temporary capital of
Lithuania from
1919-1939. A short city tour of Kaunas including the 13th century Kaunas
Castle,
lovely Town Hall of Kaunas, known locally as “White Swan”, Town Hall
Square, the 14th century Church of Duke Vytautas, Cathedral-Basilica
and Perkūnas House. A
further drive along the Nemunas River to Ventė village located in the
Nemunas River Delta Regional Park. The road passes the 16th-17th century
castles of Raudonė and Panemunė.
Overnight at
Hotel Pelikanas or similar in Vente.
DAY 6
VENTE - NIDA
Morning ride
to the ornithological station and an old lighthouse in the Ventė Horn.
Further biking
to Minija village called the Lithuanian Venice,
where the River Minija serves as the main street. Departure by boat
to Nida. En route stop in Uostadvaris harbour to explore a lighthouse that
was active for more than 100 years (built in 1863) and visit
Polder Museum.
Arrival in Nida. Check-in at the hotel, followed by a
biking
excursion around Nida: visiting the Fisherman’s House, an Amber Gallery
and a summer house of famous German writer Thomas Mann, then cycling along
impressive sand dunes.
Overnight at
Hotel Nerija or similar in
Nida.
DAY 7 NIDA
Leisure time. Nida is the
largest settlement of the town of Neringa as well as its administrative
center. The name of Nida was first mentioned in written sources in 1385.
Today the settlement of Nida is one of the most beautiful resorts in
Lithuania. The ancient fishermen’s architecture is distinguished by its
originality.
Overnight
at Hotel
Nerija or similar in Nida.
DAY 8 NIDA
- KLAIPĖDA
Morning ride to Juodkrantė on a
bike path,
which takes you along the Curonian Spit, a narrow peninsula with high sand
dunes. Have a break near Pervalka for the up hill climb to the Dead Dunes
to take in the awe-inspiring views of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic
Sea. Finish the biking
day in Juodkrantė with a walking tour to the Hill of Witches, an open air
museum of woodcarvings. Transfer to Klaipėda, the main seaport of
Lithuania. Check-in at the hotel, free time for exploring the Old Town,
visiting local restaurants and pubs.
Overnight at Hotel
Klaipeda or similar at Klaipeda.
DAY 9 KLAIPĖDA
- PALANGA - RIGA
Morning ride to Palanga through
the Seacoast Regional Park, a former Soviet military polygon. Arrival in
Palanga, the largest and most popular summer resort in Lithuania, followed
by a visit to the Botanical Garden and Amber Museum in the Palace of Count
Tyszkiewicz, with over 25 000 pieces of amber and 15 000 inclusions of
insects on display. Transfer to Riga with a stop at the Hill of Crosses,
the unforgettable place with thousands of crosses on two small hills. The
Pope John Paul II concelebrated a mass there in 1993. Arrival in Riga,
check-in at the hotel. Overnight
at Hotel Royal Riga or similar
in Riga.
 DAY
10 RIGA - JURMALA - RIGA
Breakfast.
Free day to explore Riga, the capital of Latvia or join a morning cycling
to Jurmala (12 miles
from Riga), the largest resort in the Baltic States. Jurmala is well-known
for its natural treasures: 20 miles long white
sand beach, the River Lielupe – natural border of the city, pine forests,
curative mud and mineral waters. In Jurmala, one can discover a
combination of charming wooden houses and modern resort building like
“Livu Akvaparks”, the largest water attractions and amusement park in the
Baltic region. Overnight at
Hotel Hotel Royal Riga or similar.
DAY 11
RIGA - SIGULDA
In
the morning a
city tour of Riga, visiting medieval Hanseatic town, Riga Castle,
St. Peter`s Church and the Old Guild Houses.
Afternoon free in the city. Transfer to Sigulda, the most popular resort
in Latvia, located in the Gauja River National Park. Arrival in Sigulda,
check-in at the hotel. Overnight
at Hotel Santa or
similar in Sigulda.
DAY 12
SIGULDA - CESIS
Morning ride through the Gauja National Park,
including visit to Turaida Castle and ruins of the 13th century Crusader
Castle in Sigulda, exploring the Gauja River valleys with Gutmana Cave,
which is the largest cave in Latvia. Further biking
to Ragana with a stop in Krimulda to visit the
oldest church of Latvia (built in 1205). Transfer to Stalbe for the final
ride of the day to Cesis, one of the Latvia’s prettiest and oldest
Hanseatic towns. Arrival in the Cesis, check-in at the hotel. Overnight
at Hotel Cesis or similar in Cesis.
DAY
13 CESIS
- PÄRNU
Breakfast at
the hotel, followed by a city tour around Cesis famous for its 13th
century castle of the Order of Knights. Transfer to Pärnu known as the
summer capital and most popular resort in Estonia. Arrival in Pärnu,
check-in at the hotel. Free evening to explore the resort, walk or
bike along the beach promenade and
visit local restaurants and pubs. Overnight
at Hotel Ammende Villa
or similar in Pärnu.
DAY 14
PÄRNU - SAAREMAA
Morning transfer to Virtsu, where you’ll take a ferry to Muhu Island
and drive to Koguva village for visiting an open-air museum of the island
with typical wooden houses, stone fences and post-mills. Then go for a
short ride to Orissaare along a dam connecting Muhu and Saaremaa Islands.
Further biking to Laimjala, where you’ll take a
transfer to Mandjala, located on the Baltic coast, 10 km from Kuressaare.
Check-in at the hotel.
Overnight at Hotel
MANNIKABI or similar
in Mandjala
DAY 15
SAAREMAA
Breakfast. Free day for
relaxing at the hotel or exploring Saaremaa Island and its capital city –
Kuressare, known as Arensburg until 1917. The city has a rich heritage of
Baroque, Gothic and Classicist architecture. Visit the highlight of the
city – an Episcopal Castle, the best-preserved medieval fortress in the
Baltics. Overnight at
Hotel Saaremaa or similar
DAY 16 SAAREMAA
- KURRESAARE - HIIUMAA
Morning biking
north to Angla to explore the last remaining so-called windmill field with
five post mills. En route stop to
visit one of the most famous nature monuments in
Estonia – Kaali meteorite crater, which was formed 3,500 years ago.
Transfer from Angla to Triigi harbour, where you’ll take a ferry to reach
Hiiumaa Island. Further transfer to Kaina, check-in at the hotel.
Overnight
at Hotel Liilia or similar
in Kaina.
DAY 17
HIIUMAA - HAAPSALU
Morning ride to legendary Saare Cape via Kassari,
where you stop to
visit a folk museum of Hiiumaa Island. Further biking
around the Kaina Bay, which is well known for its high-quality curative
mud, and via Surremoisa to Heltermaa for departure by ferry back to the
mainland of Estonia. Transfer to Haapsalu, check-in at the hotel, followed
by a tour around the city known for its bishop’s castle, curative mud
baths and the longest railway station constructed to accommodate the
arrival of the Russian royal family’s train after 1852.
Overnight at Hotel Promenaadi or
similar in Haapsalu.
 DAY
18 HAAPSALU - PALDISKI - TALLINN
Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a
transfer to Padise, where you’ll start biking
along a well signposted national bike route. A
short stop in Paldiski known as the former Soviet nuclear submarine base,
followed by biking to Keila Joe, where you’ll
explore the waterfall and the highest coastal cliffs in Estonia. Transfer
to Tallinn, check-in at the hotel. Overnight at
Meriton Grand Hotel or similar in
Tallinn.
DAY 19
TALLINN
Morning city tour of Tallinn, visiting the Old Town of
Tallinn - an example of Gothic architecture in the Baltic and Nordic
countries. The tour includes Toompea Castle fortifications, the Dome
Church (13th century), the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevskij
(19th century), Town Hall Square (15th century), the Old Guild and
St.Olaf's Church. Afternoon free.
Overnight at
Meriton Grand Hotel or similar in Tallinn.
DAY 20 TALLINN
Tour ends after breakfast.
FROM:
$3010 per person double
$ 780 single supplement
INCLUDES:
- 19 nights at Hotels
- Daily Breakfast
- Welcome drink
- First Class air-conditioned mini-bus with a bicycle trailer
- Sightseeing per itinerary
- English speaking guide on day 2-19
- Ferries from Klaipeda to Nida and between the islands in Estonia.
- Boat trip from Vente to Nida
PrivateArrival transfer
- Boat trip from Ventė to Nida
- Bicycle (good
quality trekking / hybrid bicycles, PANTHER, with large wheels (28”),
front suspension fork and light aluminum frame. You may choose renting the
bicycle with 21-speed derailleur gearing system or 7-speed internal-gear
hub and back-pedaling brake-PANTHER PROLOG. We also offer ladies' and
standard bicycles with a transverse bar.)
- Information package with maps and city guides
-Tax and Service Charges
(PLEASE INQUIRE FOR AIRFARES
FROM USA)
TOUR
ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON OPERATIONAL NEEDS
PLEASE NOTE: This
tour is organized and operated by our Associate Office in
Vilnius. Due to the nature of this tour organization, some
attendees and tour escorts may leave at transit points. We hope this does
not create any distraction and is understood it is a means to offer as
much variety to the customers as possible.
MORE BIKING IN THE BALTIC STATES
(LTX 113005) |
