Nature tour from Tallinn to Riga

Day 01 – Tallinn Arrival in Tallinn. Meeting with through English speaking guide & transfer to hotel. Afternoon sight seeing tour of Tallinn.

Tallinn, a picturesque old city, where whole districts date back to the Middle Ages. You will visit the Old Town with its quaint narrow streets and beautiful merchants' houses exemplifying the best of Gothic architecture. The tour includes Toompea Castle, the 13th century Dome church, the 19th century Russian orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevskij, the 15th century town Hall square, the Old Guild built to celebrate Tallinn's membership in the Hanseatic League, and St. Olaf's church. On Driving part visit Tallinn’s suburbs and Song Festival Grounds, St Brigittes monastery and Pirita area.****

Day 02: Tallinn Breakfast at the hotel Morning visit Rocca Al Mare museum

The Estonian Open Air Museum (founded in 1957) is situated at an 8 km distance from the centre of Tallinn on a wooded coastal headland in a beautiful place called Rocca al Mare. The Open Air Museum presents a unique collection of old Estonian buildings on a 79-hectare expanse of seaside land. Farm buildings, windmills and water mills from various periods and regions have been brought together here. Folk holidays are celebrated in traditional style at the museum. Handicrafts are sold in the main gateway and horseback rides are also available. Lunch at the local restaurant. Afternoon tour of Kadriorg Palace. The palace, constructed as a gift by Peter the Great to his wife Catherine I in the 1720s, is an excellent example of Baroque architecture. The Foreign Art Museum of the Kadriorg Palace displays paintings, sculptures, graphic art and applied art of Western Europe and the Russia from the 16 -20 century. Medieval dinner in local Medieval Restaurant.****

Day 03: Tallinn – Lahemaa – Jaagri Villa Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Lahemaa National Park. Laahema National Park is located about 60 km from Tallinn and covers 480 square km of typical North Estonia sea coast landscape.**** Short stop at Viru Bog for a hiking. Lahemaa National Park is famous for its beautiful nature, peninsulas that reach far into the sea, fishing villages and manor houses. During the trip you may encounter various birds, some animals exiting nature areas. After lunch transfer further to Palmse Manor House. Palmse and Sagadi manor houses in the heart of Lahemaa provide an excellent opportunity to see the way of life of ancient lords and ladies of the manor. During tour you will also visit the fishing village of Altja and its old inn, Vosu resort, one of the best-known resorts in North Estonia located 80 km from Tallinn, as well as the captain’s village of Kāsmu. Further transfer to Jaagri Villa. A night hike in the tracks of a wolf and wolf stories by Jäägri Villa. The activity can be done in the evening, duration approximately 1 hour with observation-hearing activities. During the spring, the hiking part is minimal, because the snow meltwater and overfloated forest area. Overnight Jäägri Villa.****

Day 04: Jagri Villa - Tartu After breakfast transfer to Tartu for a sightseeing tour of Tartu. Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. It is situated in Southern Estonia, 186 km from the capital city Tallinn, on the banks of the river Emajõgi, which connects the two largest lakes of Estonia, flows for the length of 10 kilometres within the city limits and adds colour to the city. The centre of Tartu gets its distinctive character from buildings rarely more than two centuries old. The neo-classicist style of the buildings is one of the reasons for Tartu’s reputation as Athens on the Emajõgi.**** Tartu University (enter) was founded in 1632 by King Gustav II Adolph of Sweden. Today, the University has ten faculties and offers a wide range of courses at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral levels. During the walking tour we get acquainted with Tartu University building, an old lock-up room and Museum of Classical Arts and Antiquities, Tähetorni Observatory and Jaani Church, Old Town and Toome Hill-ruins of the old Dome Church. Sightseeing by bus takes us to the outskirts of Tartu Supilinn and Karlova suburb with its original wooden architecture. Lunch at the local restaurant in Tartu. Afternoon visit to Estonian National Museum.**** Estonian National Museum preserves the feeling of continuity and tradition. The museum is the generator and developer of cultural dialogue which links the past and the future. ENM's role as a centre of ethnological research is to record, study and interpret culture as a way of life, taking into account its periodical, spatial and social diversity. The Museum's function as a contemporary cultural and tourist centre is to show our culture`s uniqueness and primeval power of creation to every Estonian and visitor. The main emphasis of research and collecting is on Estonian everyday life in the second half of the 20th century as well as on the Estonian diaspora and audiovisual, archival and artifactual data from Finno-Ugric cultures. Dinner at the restaurant. Overnight in Tartu.****

Day 05: Tartu – Obinitsa – Setomaa – Varska Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Obinitsa / Seto region. Visit Obinitsa Museum: meet Õie Sarv, who will dress one of the members of the group up as a seto woman - a wonderful transformation to follow. Short walk to he monument of the Song Mother: seto leelo, the multitone way of singing of the Setos, belongs to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage since 2009.**** Obinitsa Orthodox Church: orthodoxy is one of the pillars of being a Seto. Orthodoxy is tolerant, colorful and fragrant. Setos have preserved a unique tradition to eat on the graves on church feast days.**** Visit to Seto Atelier-Gallery: Evar Riitsaar, an artist and jewelry designer and Kauksi Ülle, a writer, present newer and older seto arts. Wood printing, an old handicraft method. You can print your own souvenir, like a textile bag. Visit a local art-, souvenir- and giftshop. Lunch at a Seto restaurant (Taarka Tarõ): Taarka Tarõ represents the dignity, consistency, but also conservatism of the seto cuisine. The hosts Rieka and Aare Hõrn offer the guests their own family recipes and introduce the food culture and manners of the Setos.**** Afternoon visit to Miikse village: Miikse is an ancient holy place. St. John's stone and the waters of the creek have healing powers that still work. Meremäe look-out tower: this is one of the highest peaks of the area. The lookout tower provides a view at cupolas of the Pechory monastery as well as at the picturesque fields and forests of Setomaa. Late afternoon leave for Vaarska for dinner and overnight. Overnight in Varska.****

Day 06: Varska – Mooska – Cesis Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Kavadi Lake to take a walk around Lake Kavadi, a beautiful lake, to stretch legs and see some nature. After arrival at Mooska Smoke sauna farm (UNESCO heritage). http://mooska.eu/index.php/in-english Excursion, meat tasting. Further transfer further to Cesis. After lunch Cesis city sight seeing.**** The Cēsis castle is the most impressive and best-preserved set of castle ruins in Latvia, and it is certainly the most popular attraction in the old part of Cēsis. The Cēsis castle was one of the strongest fortresses that the Livonian Order had in the entire Baltic region. Built in the 13th century, the Cēsis castle was the seat of the Livonian Order’s masters.Castle Park is the most ornate park in the city, and a popular place for leisure activities. The history of the park dates back to 1812, when local officials began to establish a park. Gardeners installed a romantic landscape park, with an artificial pond in the centre-complete with an island. In the 1930s six sculptures of children along the sides of the stairs were installed. Another set of steps was installed to the pond, reaching all the way to the water level. The images of fishermen and their nets were sculpted for that part of the park. After seeing Cesis and its castle depart to guest house Karlamuiza for overnight. Dinner at the guest house and overnight.****

Day 07: Cesis – Ligatne - Cesis Breakfast at the hotel. Today enjoy hiking and meeting animals in Gauja National Park. Start with a visit to Ligatne Nature Trail. Līgatne Nature Trails are a well-established network of trails in the traditional forest landscape of Gauja National Park where everyone can observe and get to know wild animals of Latvia in conditions identical to their natural habitat.**** Līgatne Nature Trails provide excellent chance to observe intact landscapes and various animals living in Latvia, listen to the voices of woodland and meadows, explore the ravines and mounds of the ancient valley of River Gauja, as well as enjoy active recreation and wonderful peace.**** The total distance of the hiking trails is about 4-5 km with various stages of complexity and different surfaces (soil, gravel, wooden staircases at some parts). The average time needed to walk all the trails is about 2-3 hours. Lunch at the local restaurant in Ligatne. Afternoon Ligatne soviet Bunker Visit.**** Within the territory of the rehabilitation centre “Līgatne”, a well-equipped Soviet bunker is located 9 metres underground which was declassified only in 2003. It was constructed in the 1980s for the needs of the political and power elite – for governing the state in the case of a nuclear war. The bunker was intended as the secret hiding place for the first secretaries of the Soviet Communist Party – comrades Voss and Pugo. Overnight in guest house or hotel in/around Cesis.****

Day 08: Cesis – Sigulda - Riga Breakfast at the hotel. Sigulda and Turaida Sightseeing. The Turaida Museum Reserve is the historical centre of Turaida and comprises archaeological, historical and art monuments that tell us about the events that have taken place since the 11th century. Turaida church, one of the oldest wooden churches built by the local rural craftsmen, is situated here. A graveyard was established here for the first baptized Liivs. Under an old linden tree is the legendary tomb of Roze that commemorates a girl who sacrificed herself in the name of love. The "Folk Song Garden", containing 25 sculptures by Indulis Ranka, is situated on the site of a former ancient Liiv village. It is dedicated to Latvian folk songs and to the lifelong work of their collector Krisjanis Barons.**** One of the most picturesque towns in Latvia - Sigulda, often called the Latvian Switzerland, is located about 50 km from Riga in the Gauja River valley. Sigulda is situated in the Gauja National Park and is known as the most popular tourist and leisure destination as well as a famous winter sports resort in Latvia because of its bob-sleigh track and the down-hill skiing routes. Experience a genuine whiff of the Middle Ages, a time of romantic legends, castles and heroic figures, visiting the ruins of the 13th cent. Crusader Castle, and the 19th cent. Kropotkin’s Palace in the outskirts of Sigulda. By coach you will travel down into the river valley, enjoy the landscape and the walk to the sandstone grottoes on the ancient river bank. Late afternoon arrival to Riga. Dinner and overnight in Riga.****

Day 09: Riga Breakfast at the hotel. City tour of Riga. A medieval Hanseatic town, will include St. Peter's Cathedral from whose steeple will be the best views in the city, Riga castle with its three wonderful museums, Dome Cathedral, which boasts one of the world’s largest pipe organs, and the old Guild houses. You will see why Riga came to be known as one of Europe's leading exponents of the late 19th and early 20th century architectural style of Art Nouveau. The, Riga boasts Europe's greatest concentration of jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) buildings. An architectural historian will highlight details of the finest city facades.**** Lunch at the local restaurant. Afternoon enjoy canal motorboat tour through the Riga city. By unique canal motor boat enjoy nice ride in city channel and explore Riga from different angle. During the trip see Riga National Opera House, Central Market, Andrejsala and other places. Wooden boats are approximately 100 years old, completely renovated, ecological, driven by electric engine, top speed 11 km/h. OR Make a sefl-guided kayaking to discover the city from a different angle and find new exciting places Explore both sides of Daugava river, old city canal, parks, shipyard route, scenic bridges, remote islands and other hard to reach places. If time allows - visit Riga Central Market. Since 1930, Rigans can be proud of having the Europe's largest and the most updated market in their city. Farmers are always happy to bring their products here. In 1998, the territory of the market, being part of the historic center of Riga, was included in UNESCO World Heritage List. The first pavilion was designed for meat, the second one for dairy and meat products, the third - for bread, fruit, various food products and poultry, but the fourth-exclusively for fish. The market's architecture demonstrates a certain impact of elements of the Modern style, as well as that of the pre-war Neo-Classicism. Some historical details of facades represent an interpretation of the Art Deco style. Although trade places in all the buildings are arranged in one level, the design of the pavilions also allows a two-level location.****

Day 10: Riga After breakfast transfer to airport for a flight home. (There is also a possibility to prolong the tour for some extra days to Lithuania – upon request.)