When I was traveling around the US and Canada, I was homesick for the first time since becoming a digital nomad. For the first time in two years I missed home and I missed Europe. As I traversed these huge countries, I once again appreciated the cultural richness and diversity of Europe. And I realized how much of it I hadn’t seen yet.
So when I managed to get a gig as volunteer at the Women in Travel Summit in Riga, I jumped at the chance to explore a part of Europe unknown to me: the Baltics.
WITS is organized by Wanderful, an amazing online community of female travelers
As I’ve been making a conscious decision to travel greener, I knew I wanted to avoid flying at all cost. Traveling over land means traveling slower, so I gave myself three weeks for this trip. Since I needed to be in Riga at a certain date for WITS, I carefully planned my trip around it.
To be able to do a loop, without flying, meant extending my trip to go around the whole Baltic Sea: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. A bit rushed in three weeks, so I limited myself to the capital cities. The result was an exhausting, but very rewarding adventure through one of the most underrated regions of Europe. A truly packed Baltics itinerary.
For anyone looking to get off the beaten track and explore a different side of Europe, I highly recommend visiting the Baltics. Here’s how I did without a single flight:
Stop 1: Warsaw
What I did there:
My first stop of this Baltics itinerary was Warsaw. I’ll be honest, I had pretty low expectations for this city. People kept telling me that it wasn’t as nice as other cities in Poland, such as Krakow.
So I was pleasantly surprised when I started to walk around Warsaw. Sure, it doesn’t have the same gorgeous old architecture, but I still thought it was a beautiful city. Warsaw has a fascinating history and tons to see and do. Lots of interesting museums and a beautiful rebuilt historic city center.
It was a great first stop on my Baltic itinerary.
How long I stayed:
I arrived late in the evening and spent two nights in Oki Doki OLD TOWN Hostel. I really liked this place, it was clean and comfortable and there’s a good social atmosphere. The staff organize something every night, I did a free pierogi class which was both fun and delicious! The location is also perfect right next to the Old Town.
How I got there:
As I mentioned, the idea of this trip was to do it all without flying. That meant a 24-hour transit from where I live in the Netherlands to Warsaw. I took the train to Amsterdam, from where I traveled with FlixBus to Warsaw. It was a night bus to Wroclaw, a 1.5 hour layover, and another bus to Warsaw. Not the most comfortable way to travel, but I managed to get some sleep and only paid 40 euros for the whole thing.
Think that’s long? Read my post about a 50-hour transit from Luang Prabang to Koh Lanta
Stop 2: Vilnius
What I did there:
From Warsaw, I went to my first true Baltic city: Vilnius. Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, a country I’ll admit I knew basically nothing about. To learn more about Lithuania and because I had limited time to explore the city, I joined the Vilnius With Locals Free Walking Tour. It turned out to be a really fun and informative tour. Our guide took as to all the highlights in Vilnius Old Town and Uzepis, an “autonomous republic” within the city (but it’s really more an artist enclave).
Vilnius is a beautiful city with a charming historic city center full of elegant Baroque architecture. There’s lot to see here, from churches to castles and plenty of interesting museums. You don’t really need a lot of time to explore Vilnius, as it’s quite small, but it’s definitely worth two days at least.
Here are the things you absolutely have to see in Vilnius
How long I stayed:
I arrived early in the morning and Couchsurfed in Vilnius for one night
How I got there:
From Warsaw to Vilnius, I took another night bus. Luckily, this one only took 9 hours. FlixBus is my usual go-to for long distance bus travel, but they don’t operate in the Baltics (yet). So I opted for a regional company: LuxExpress. And to be honest, it’s one of the best bus companies I’ve ever traveled with. Very comfortable seats, onboard entertainment and Wi-Fi and free coffee and tea! And at 9 euros, super affordable.
Stop 3: Riga
What I did there:
Riga was sort of the main event of this trip and what I built my whole Baltics itinerary around. I planned this trip to attend the Women in Travel Summit, the first one in Europe. I snagged a spot to work as a volunteer, which was super fun and a great learning experience. It was great to meet so many inspiring female travel bloggers, influencers, marketing moguls and travel agents.
Thankfully, I did also have some time to explore Riga itself. It’s a really pretty city, with old Medieval and Renaissance architecture in the Old Town and beautiful Art Nouveau buildings. Did you know that Riga has the biggest collection of Art Nouveau architecture in the world? Me neither, but it was a very pleasant surprise.
There is so much to do and see in Riga!
The highlight of my visit to Riga (and probably the whole trip) was a Foodie Tour organized for us by Live Riga. A famous Latvian chef took us on a guided tour to the Central Market, where he told us about the Latvian culinary traditions and we got to taste a bunch of delicious Latvian food.
I had no idea that Latvian food was so delicious!
I really enjoyed my time at WITS and will definitely see if I can make it to the next edition in Gdansk. Riga really stole my heart and I think it is a must-visit city, especially if you want to see a totally new side to Europe.
In fact, I loved Riga so much that it even made my list of favorite destinations of 2019!
How long I stayed:
I spend four nights in Riga at Cinnamon Sally Hostel. It wasn’t the most comfortable hostels I’ve ever stayed at, but the staff was friendly and the price and location good. And they make you waffles in the morning!
How I got there:
Riga is only a short bus ride from Vilnius (4-5 hours). With LuxExpress (my new favorite bus company), I easily got through it by watching movies on their onboard entertainment set and taking a nap. And it again only cost me 9 euros.
Stop 4: Tallinn
What I did there:
Of course, no Baltics itinerary would be complete without Tallinn. Tallinn is a completely underrated gem in my opinion. I truly think it is one of the most beautiful and special cities in Europe! Tallinn’s historic city center is one of the best preserved Medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Sit. Walking through Tallinn Old Town is like stepping back in town. Every little street is so charming and atmospheric, and there’s a beautiful view around every corner.
There are so many great things to do in Tallinn!
But Tallinn has more to offer other than history. It is also a super hip and modern city. Outside the historic city center, you enter a hipster paradise! Lots of cute boutiques, hip cafés and delicious street food. I had no idea, but apparently Estonia is the Silicon Valley of Europe. They are miles ahead in terms of cybersecurity and full of tech startups. This means that the city is really modern and well-equipped. The public transport is state of the art and easy to use, and there are a lot of great tourist facilities.
How long I stayed:
I Couchsurfed for two nights in Tallinn
How I got there:
From Tallinn to Riga took 4 hours by, you guessed it, LuxExpress. I originally booked with Ecolines for 5 euros in the morning, but decided to stay a few hours longer Riga in order to do a food tour. The ticket was non-refundable, but I found one at LuxExpress for 9 euros, so no harm, no foul.
Stop 5: Helsinki
What I did there:
Helsinki is a fascinating city. It’s a rather young city, and you definitely notice that. You won’t find any Medieval architecture here. But the city center does have lots of beautiful buildings. Even though Helsinki is just a short boat ride away from Tallinn, it’s definitely a different place. As soon as you get to Helsinki, you become aware that you’re in the Nordics. Everything just feels a bit more Scandinavian. And not just because of the gray and gloomy weather.
Helsinki isn’t the most exciting city I’ve ever visited, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Helsinki is a place of contrast. An interesting mix of old and new architecture, a mix of nature and city and traditional and modern Finnish culture.
These were my favorite things to do in Helsinki
How long I stayed:
I Couchsurfed for two nights in Helsinki
How I got there:
The quickest, cheapest and easiest way to travel from Tallinn to Helsinki is by ferry. It’s just a 2-hour ferry ride from port to port (you’ll need to take the tram/bus into the city though). I booked my ticket on the Eckerö line for 20 euros. It could have been cheaper, but I forgot to book it in advance. It was a really smooth and comfortable ride and both ports are easily accessible with public transportation.
Stop 6: Stockholm
What I did there:
Stockholm was the only stop on this Baltics itinerary that I had been before. I visited it years ago when a friend was studying abroad there. From what I remembered it was beautiful but expensive. Clearly nothing has changed 😉
Stockholm is one of the most expensive cities you can visit in Europe. Seriously, a single far metro ticket is 4 euro and a beer 8! But that shouldn’t keep you from visiting, because it such a cool city. I spent three nights and easily could have stayed longer.
There is so much to do and see in Stockholm!
The city itself is gorgeous and cozy, even when it’s dark and rainy. And if the beautiful architecture isn’t enough to entice you, you can always look at the gorgeous, tall, blond Swedish people instead. Stockholm is überhip and filled with trendy cafés and eateries. Be sure to treat yourself to a fika every chance you get.
How long I stayed:
I Couchsurfed for three nights in Stockholm and one in Turku
How I got there:
The best way to get from Helsinki to Stockholm is by ferry. There are direct services from Helsinki to Stockholm, but there’s a much cheaper way to do it. I took the 2-hour train to Turku for 8,90 euro, stayed overnight and boarded the Silja Line ferry there. Instead of over a hundred euro, this ferry only cost 12 euro! Beware that it is a 10-hour ride, so if you care about comfort over cost, definitely book a bed on a night service instead. The upside of the day service, is that you get to enjoy the beautiful views of the Finnish and Swedish islands.
Stop 7: Copenhagen
What I did there:
Just like Stockholm, Copenhagen is an intensely cool city. I felt completely drab and basic next to all those hip Scandinavians. Copenhagen has a similar vibe to Stockholm and unfortunately also a similar price tag. Neither city is a particularly affordable destination, but can be done omn a budget if you’re smart about where you spend your money.
Copenhagen is very walkable, and it’s a bike city, so I definitely recommend renting a bicycle for the day to get around. There are several really cool areas to explore: the old city center, Nyhavn, Christiana, Vesterbro and Norrebro. The Old Town is filled with elegant historic architecture, whereas the other neighborhood as really hipster. Whether you’re a history buff or a shopaholic, Copenhagen has got you covered.
Here are a few highlights you can’t miss in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is also a great foodie destination. Indulge in the fantastic New Nordic cuisine and multicultural street food. There’s a lot of interesting foodstuff happening here! It was a great last stop on my 3-week Baltics itinerary.
How long I stayed:
I Couchsurfed for two nights in Copenhagen
How I got there:
The ride from Stockholm to Copenhagen was the most comfortable one of the whole trip. There is a direct train service between the cities, which takes about 5 hours. You can also do it by bus, but takes much longer and isn’t necessarily cheaper. A second class ticket, booked in advance, set me back only 18 euros. The train was great, with Wi-Fi and comfortable seats.
From Copenhagen, I traveled home using FlixBus with a quick stop in Hamburg to visit family. Even though the whole trip was a bit rushed, I loved every minute of it. It really confirmed what I already knew, how beautiful and diverse Europe is. It’s also made me super excited to go back to each of these countries and explore them further.
Traveling around the Baltic Sea in three weeks was one of my favorite trips of 2019. It allowed me to travel slow and explore a new part of Europe. I highly recommend traveling to the Baltics if you want to go off the beaten path. Most of these countries are quite young, but have a long history and deep culture. If you follow my Baltics itinerary, you’ll get to see beautiful places, eat delicious food, and meet interesting people. And all without a single flight!
Have you visited any of the Baltic States? Which places were your favorite? Would you do a trip like this? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
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I will surely add the Baltic region to my bucket list. Great post!
You should! Glad you enjoyed it
The road we should take is really easy,in accordance with your review. I suppose that we could fully rely on the instruction shared here.
Wow, you really enjoyed the full experience in the Baltic region! I have not yet been but am now convinced to spend time city hopping in that portion of Europe!
It’s a lovely region that lends itself well for hopping
Really interesting read. I’m also trying to fly a lot less this year, and that comes with some challenges but can also be very rewarding. I haven’t been to any of the cities on your list, but I’m most interested in the ones I know least about: Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn. I normally avoid capital cities, but I would imagine that in the Baltics they are still incredibly unique cities, especially outside of the normal high season!
I’m curious to know as to how did you get an opportunity to visit Women in Travel Summit? Do you need to buy a ticket or special invites only? Also, your Baltics itinerary looks incredible. I had no idea that Tallinn is such a splendid destination. I hope to visit that part of the world soon!
Hi Ana, WITS is open to all female content creators, but you do need to buy a ticket. Unless you volunteer during the event, which is what I did.
We are planning to go to the Baltics too, but hope to go outside the big cities and experience the countryside too.
I will definitely go back and do that someday, the capitols are really lovely though and much smaller and quainter than most big cities
This was quite a tour! The Baltics are on my list, but so far, the northernmost country I’ve been to is Slovakia.
I love greenery travel beacuse not too rush for everything as same as this city Baltics. The place I like at most is Vilnius which is a charming city and beautiful Baroque architecture. I love the quiet and peaceful place.
If you love quiet and peaceful, then Vlinius is exactly the right place to visit. It’s a lovely town
Journey from one mermaid (Warsaw) to another (Copenhagen). Cool.🧜