Baltic Bliss: Top Three Destinations Away from the Crowds

After travelling from Tallinn to Vilnius, these are my picks for the best destinations to visit in the Baltics.

Discover the medieval centres of Eastern Europe’s Baltic countries, where stone-block castles and cobblestoned streets mingle with modern conveniences. ​

Do cruise-boat crowds and mid-summer masses taint your holiday plans? Relax and find more locals than tourists in these three destinations.

Estonia’s conflicted heritage showed its face in Kuressaare Castle on Saaremaa Island.

For almost seven hundred years, the island of Saaremaa was yanked from one country to another until it finally joined with mainland Estonia in 1918. Its attractive location is partially to blame since the island sits in the upper west side of the Baltic Sea, offering the perfect portal through which to monitor ships travelling between Europe and Russia. It all started in 1227 when the German Brothers of the Sword seized control of this tranquil island. 

Excerpt from the Fallen Kingdoms Chapter in Searching for Unique

For further travel information: Kuressaare Castle houses the Saaremaa Museum. For more information, refer to saaremaamuuseum.ee/en.

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In Latvia, the less-touristy Cēsis Castle captured the essence of its people and offered a glimpse into the country’s past.

I quickly forgot the modern glass panels of the Cēsis Tourism Development and Information Centre after stepping outside its doors and facing a scene that drew me back in time. Remnants of a once foreboding fortress lay ahead, refreshingly vacant of the amber gift shops and T-shirt vendors that had invaded Riga’s and Tallinn’s medieval centres. Instead, the walls of a four-storey cloister stood—at least partially.

Excerpt from the Fallen Kingdoms Chapter in Searching for Unique

For further travel information: Cēsis can be visited as a day trip from Latvia’s capital city, Riga. For more information on visiting Cēsis Castle, refer to cesupils.lv/en.​

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Lastly, Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius exuded a passion and personality that normally evades urban centres. ​

The streets were deserted. Had we fallen into a fairy-tale city decorated like a fancy wedding cake but without any guests? The morning felt oddly serene as we wandered the cobblestoned lanes and wound our way to Vilnius’ central Cathedral Square. The square’s liveliness from the night before had turned sedate. There were no tour groups, no hawkers or people rushing to work. Only a couple of people strolled the silent expanse. Our first clue of what was happening was the chorus that drifted from Vilnius Cathedral.

Excerpt from the Fallen Kingdoms Chapter in Searching for Unique

For further travel information: ​The City of Vilnius tourist information website will help to build your travel plan, refer to vilnius-tourism.lt/en/.

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Searching for Unique is packed with details about these three sites and other hidden gems around the world, each brought to life through travel tales and on-the-ground tips.
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~ Available as an eBook and paperback (Colour and B&W editions) ~

Searching for Unique