Luxury Baltics Bike (Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia) 8D7N, Fully Guided

THREE BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 43 km (27 miles),  Elevation gain: 305 m (1,000 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 77 km (48 miles),  Elevation gain: 549 m (1,800 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 100 km (62 miles), Elevation gain: 732 m (2,400 ft)

On the first day of the trip, meet your tour leaders at 8:45 a.m. at Grand Hotel Kempinski Vilnius, located at Universiteto Gatve 14 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Please ensure you arrive dressed in comfortable clothes for a 1-hour shuttle ride and bring your luggage and a daypack containing your cycling clothes, rain gear, and anything else you may want for today's ride. You'll get to change into your cycling clothes when we arrive at our ride start, but you're also welcome to wear them already. Your luggage will be transported directly to our hotel.

Sveiki atvykę į Lietuvą—Welcome to Lithuania! Following our meeting in Vilnius's gorgeous and artistic capital, join a shuttle to the lake-studded countryside outside the city. At a small farm, tour leaders enlighten you on biking techniques and safety. Then, journey on two wheels to explore the first of the three so-called Baltic States on our docket.

These sparsely populated nations have much in common, including their terrain, languages, and history, which are split between mediaeval Western and recent Russian influences. However, they still remain unique. As you set off through rural Lithuania, the pastoral medley of fields and farms sets it apart as the most populated of the three (and the one with the most temperate climate.) Spend the morning cycling through this fascinating and relaxing landscape, moving past wooden cabins, groves of birch trees, and many tiny reed-covered lakes.

Join a local family for lunch in their traditional sodyba or summer lake house. Keep pedalling into the woodlands of Anykščiai Regional Park. This protected area is important to Lithuanians as the theorised site of Voruta, the legendary Camelot-like citadel of Mindaugas, Lithuania's first and only king.

Cycle to our hotel, a 4-star wellness retreat nestled in the park, or take a shuttle from lunch. Regardless of your choice, the rustic-chic hospitality of Anykščiai SPA Vilnius welcomes you to a relaxing evening. If you have time to spare, check out the glass-domed indoor pool with a view of the pines.

We convene at the hotel's restaurant tonight for a reception and a farm-to-table dinner.

THREE BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 39 km (24 miles),  Elevation gain: 153 m (500 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 77 km (48 miles),  Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 92 km (57 miles),  Elevation gain: 305 m (1,000 ft)

Begin your morning with a shuttle to the northern Lithuanian village of Pasvalys, where you meet up with your bike in the town centre. Limitless fields of wheat ripple to the horizon as you traverse these serene country roads until an abandoned Cold War-era kiosk declares our arrival at the Latvian border.

Our first stop in Latvia is the majestic Rundales Palace, where we have lunch surrounded by Baroque splendour. In the afternoon, continue biking to the stunning riverside town of Jelgava. Depending on when you arrive (and whether you decide to cut some miles off in the shuttle), you may have time to visit Jelgava's downtown waterfront or tour through Jelgava Castle, home to glimmering state treasures. Then, join the shuttle to our destination for the evening, Latvia's capital of Riga.

Lithuania may be more populated, but Riga is the only metropolis in the Baltic States. Situated along the expansive Daugava River, Riga delights with its majestic squares, strollable avenues, and magnificent Art Nouveau architecture, all of which have helped designate its Old City as a World Heritage Site. Get comfortable in our luxurious digs in the centre, the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, a 5-star hotel in the heart of Riga's old city, before joining the group for dinner on the rooftop terrace. Take in an expansive view of the National Opera House and the skyline pierced with spires as you savour dinner.

TWO BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 31 km (19 miles),  Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 61 km (38 miles),  Elevation gain: 335 m (1,100 ft)

From the hotel's front, get on your bike and leave Riga, navigating residential neighbourhoods and urban bike paths. Soon, you're traversing reedy wetlands as you approach the coast—in the distance, keep an eye out for a pine-covered White Dune that makes the edge of the sea.

Your destination today is Jūrmala, the seaside resort town that has served as an escape for Rigans for over a century. As quickly as the countryside appeared, it fades, giving way to a townscape of yacht clubs, ivy-decorated mansions, and shady avenues decorated with sidewalk bistros. Pedal through to our beachfront lunch venue, where food is served within earshot of the waves. You can choose to get on your bike and go for a loop along the coastal promenade or spend some time strolling around Jūrmala or relaxing on the beach.

Everyone boards the shuttle back to Riga, where we will spend the afternoon exploring the capital. First, we get on a boat for a cruise along Riga's City Canal. Then, join our local friends for a walk and savour the experience as they point out some of the city's iconic Art Nouveau buildings and share some of their histories. Of course, you're welcome to skip these urban adventures for more time on your own in Riga or perhaps a spa treatment at the Kempinski. (Spa treatments are at own expense).

Regardless of your choice, you have the evening free tonight to tour the town, taking full advantage of the long hours of summer sun—we're at roughly the same latitude as Ketchikan, Alaska! When you're ready for dinner, visit Riga's burgeoning food scene and choose a spot that calls out your name. Your tour leaders are happy to recommend some favourites.

THREE BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 55 km (34 miles),  Elevation gain: 366 m (1,200 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 76 km (47 miles),  Elevation gain: 488 m (1,600 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 103 km (64 miles),  Elevation gain: 579 m (1,900 ft)

We say goodbye to Riga as we head into Latvia's wild and relatively hilly north for today's bike ride. Stretch your legs from our morning shuttle and grab a coffee in backwoodsy Sigulda before meeting up with your bike in front of the striking red-brick Sigulda Castle. Begin pedalling along the rolling woodland roads. Today is a long day in the saddle, but many stops break it up. Explore the striking limestone cave in the bluffs near Sigulda before entering the tavern at ornate Birinu Manor for a refreshing glass of locally brewed beer.

Savour lunch at a cafe along the route and continue cycling the verdant bypaths of northern Latvia, ending your epic day with your arrival in the port town of Salacgriva. Say bye to Latvia and hello to Estonia as we journey across the border to the seaside resort town of Parnu. Our transition between countries is more glaring this time—while Lithuania and Latvia share related languages and folklore, the Estonians' closest cousins are the Finns, and their ties across the Baltic Seas are obvious in a certain cosy, minimalist Scandinavian flair.

Regardless, just like in Latvia, luxury here often comes with Art Nouveau touches, including at Villa Ammende, our home for the night. Villa Ammende, surrounded by oaks, is a cultural heritage monument encompassing exquisite tastes. Settle in and get comfortable before we stroll to a nearby fisherman's tavern, where we enjoy a hearty meal of traditional Estonian fare for dinner.

THREE BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 31 km (19 miles),  Elevation gain: 152 m (500 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 45 km (28 miles),  Elevation gain: 274 m (900 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 95 km (59 miles),  Elevation gain: 457 m (1,500 ft)

This morning, begin biking directly from the hotel to traverse the jagged lands around Parnu. On the way to Vene Talu, our route takes us past isolated homesteads, towering pines, and verdant banks of wildflowers. This historic Russian farm is maintained as a living history museum. The Russian Empire ruled Estonia and Latvia for over 200 years, and state-encouraged immigration in both imperial and Soviet times left both countries with significant populations of ethnic Russians. About one-fifth of Estonia's population lives in parallel Russian communities and goes to Russian-speaking schools.

We enjoy babushka-worthy hospitality at Vene Talu. We also get the opportunity to learn about the traditions and experiences of this peculiar corner of the Russian diaspora. The visit concludes with a delectable lunch spread with freshly baked bread and a tasting of Estonian wines.

In the afternoon, choose to cycle back to Parnu via a long loop through the coastal woods or shuttle back to town for some free time. Today is a great day to get in the water on the Baltic Sea; your tour leaders can help you arrange rentals of kayaks or stand-up paddleboards (not included in the trip price). Or spend the afternoon shopping in Parnu, whose centre is peppered with lovely urban spaces from a long history as a resort town. When you are ready, sit down for dinner, featuring meals prepared with Estonia's fresh and local produce, at your leisure at the hotel.

TWO BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 51 km (32 miles),  Elevation gain: 305 m (1,000 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 85 km (53 miles),  Elevation gain: 488 m (1,600 ft)

Today, we are dedicating ourselves to riding through the peaceful Estonian countryside. We shuttle inland and meet with our bike at a stunning agrotourism farm. Stand in awe at how each hop north reveals a new landscape with denser pines, gnarlier birch trunks, and more verdant greenery, growing as fast as possible to make the most of this sub-Arctic region's short season of long days.

Take a break to savour lunch along the route before continuing to bike, navigating more blink-and-you'll-miss-it villages and several road signs warning you to watch out for moose! If you choose not to join the midday shuttle, you complete the ride upon arriving at Schloss Fall, a luxury boutique hotel and our final home for the trip, situated in a countryside castle amid charming grounds.

Settle in before dinner at the hotel's restaurant to savour elegant versions of Estonian classics.

THREE BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 43 km (27 miles),  Elevation gain: 244 m (800 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 53 km (33 miles),  Elevation gain: 244 m (800 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 101 km (63 miles),  Elevation gain: 549 m (1,800 ft)

To mark the last day of cycling, we take a spectacular route that combines the Baltic best of the best, complete with secluded beaches and woodland backroads. Begin by pedalling along the coast near Keila-Joa, soaking in stunning views of crystalline shallows from the protruding sea cliffs. After a short stretch inland, surface on the coast of Tallinn Bay. Here, the road is at sea level, and sandy coves protected by pines play peek-a-boo through the trees.

We take a break in Laulasmaa to enjoy lunch—you can check out the music and cultural centre dedicated to Estonian composer Arvo Part, the creator of a musical style called tintinnabula. Then, decide between joining the shuttle, cycling straight back to the hotel, or adding on an extra loop to admire the surreal landscape of Rummu Quarry, an excavated lake in which the ruins of a former prison mine jut from the water, enclosed by intricately eroded sandstone slopes.

In the evening, hop in a shuttle as we go on a brief journey to a special dinner venue near Keila-Joa, where we share space with chefs as they prepare our food in the open-plan kitchen. Beneath massive pines, we celebrate our exhilarating three-country journey with a toast before eating an elegant meal.

Pack your bags, check out from the hotel, and grab breakfast before saying goodbye to Keila-Joa with a short hike to the falls the town is famed for. The trail continues from here to the adjacent beach, where you can take a last deep breath of Baltic Sea air.

As you return to the trailhead, we keep shuttling directly to Tallinn, where our exploration of the Baltic States ends—the only stop north from here is across the sea to Scandinavia! Tallinn is a brilliant capital with a high quality of life and an impressively preserved mediaeval centre, so it is worth staying on your own. It's also where the trip ends.

NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.