The Ultimate Baltics:

Lithuania, Latvia and

Estonia

Day 1 Arrival into Vilnius

Day 2 Vilnius Sightseeing

Day 3 Vilnius Sightseeing

Day 4 Drive or fly to Riga

Day 5 Riga Sightseeing

Day 6 Riga Sightseeing

Day 7 Drive to Muhu Island

Day 8 Relax on Muhu Island

Day 9 Drive to Tallinn

Day 10 Tallinn Sightseeing

Day 11 Depart from Tallinn

Why Exeter International?

At Exeter International we have been creating memories and crafting our trademark extraordinary journeys to Central Europe, Russia and Central Asia for 23 years. Our specialty is to distil the best of the best in iconic places that are on so many people’s travel must do list. We are not a call center of nameless, faceless people. We do not try to be everything to everyone. We are small team of specialists. We are all committed to providing the best travel experiences to our destinations. Each member of our team has travelled extensively throughout our destinations, giving them insider knowledge lacking in many other tour operators. Our Extraordinary Experiences are different, unusual and often closed to the general public. We can offer special insider access that takes you beyond the typical tourist sites. We know how important it is to remain authentic and increasingly going beyond the well-known sites is what is important to our guests – discovering the little known museum or street market that adds to their experience. We do this through our local knowledge, cultivating our extensive contacts and regularly visiting each destination to enable us to share the most up-to-date insider information with you, our valued partner. The most important part of your trip will be your guides. Guides come in many quality levels, especially in Russia. We have worked with a core group of the best of the best for over 20 years. We know them like family and if they weren't the best, they wouldn't work for us. Simply stated, a guide can make or break your experience. You should have 100% confidence in who is introducing you to your guide and the level of guiding that you are going to get throughout the countries you will be visiting. The best does indeed cost more and we pay our guides at the very top of the market, with pride. You'll also want to know what kind of vehicle your tour will include. We use luxury late-model vehicles, often Mercedes, Audi, BMW or Volkswagen, depending on the size of the vehicle you need. You'll want to see things that may or may not be open to the public and go in early or after hours before the crowds whenever possible. We also make every effort to skip lines whenever possible. Avoiding long museum lines is one of our top priorities and we work hard to minimize the wait time to get into the most popular sights in each city, maximizing your time in each destination. You'll want impeccable planning and someone to bounce ideas off of before your trip and speak English as well as you do while planning your trip so there are no cultural misunderstanding when you arrive. You'll also want someone to talk to if your trip is not perfect when you get home. These are all ways that we distinguish ourselves from all other companies. A lot goes into our travel program design. We arrange the program so that it is flawless and effortless for our travelers from the time they set foot in the first city until they leave us. The expertise to set up an itinerary like this comes after years of investing in staff on both sides of the Atlantic and this too is a value that is incorporated into our traveler's trips with us.

Arrival in Vilnius Arrival to Vilnius airport where you will be met by your Exeter International driver and taken to your hotel in the historic center of the city. Your hotel is the finest in Vilnius, the Kempinski Cathedral Square. This new hotel is located in the heart of Vilnius’ Old Town and is walking distance to all the major sites. Vilnius Old Town boasts outstanding architectural diversity in one of the largest and best-preserved old towns in Europe. This UNESCO site is filled with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. Narrow medieval streets, secluded courtyards, town castles and fortifications and an incredible number of churches reflect the city’s rich and vibrant history. Exeter Services

Airport Transfer Hotel

Kempinski Cathedral Square

DAY 1

Vilnius This morning meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel for an overview tour of Vilnius’ Old Town. You will see some of Vilnius's beautiful churches and the Gediminas Castle Museum, which is part of the National Museum of Lithuania. The best place to start your tour of the city is from the top of the Gediminas Tower – the only remaining part of the Upper Castle overlooking the red-tiled roofs and the church towers of the Old Town, the cathedral, and the administrative buildings along the main avenue. The 14th century, three-storey octagonal brick tower houses a small exhibit of archaeological findings and the history of the castle which is one of the symbols of Lithuania’s independence. Other surviving buildings at the Castle Complex house offices of the National Museum of Lithuania and its archeology and numismatics departments, as well as the Museum of Applied Art. You will also see the Cathedral Square – the main downtown square just in front of the Vilnius Cathedral. It is believed that in pre-Christian times, a Baltic pagan god was worshiped here before the Lithuanian King Mindaugas built the original cathedral in 1251 after his conversion to Christianity. Nowadays, it is the spiritual heart of the country where the coronations of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania once took place and many important historical figures are interred in the crypts and catacombs. Also here, you will see the Chapel of St. Casimir, where the remains of the Polish-Lithuanian prince Casimir and patron saint of both countries rest. Just behind the Cathedral, the Royal Palace has been under re-construction since 2002. The original 15th-century palace was damaged by fire in the 17th century and remained unused for over a century. In the late 18th century Lithuania was annexed by Russia and the derelict palace was dismantled and the bricks and stones were sold. A tour of the Old Town is not complete without a visit to the Vilnius University, founded in 1570 by Jesuits and one of the most important centers of the Counter-Reformation. The university complex has more than 10 courtyards. The observatory tower dates back to 1569 and the library contains nearly 5 million volumes, making it the richest collection of Lithuanian books and one of the best-known libraries in Eastern Europe.

DAY 2

Also in the Old Town, you will see the Presidential Palace, which has been the official seat of Lithuania’s President since 1997. A flag displaying the coat of arms of the President is hoisted when the President is in the Palace and in Vilnius. The Museum of Genocide Victims was opened in 1992 in the very building where plans for the arrests and deportation of thousands of civilian residents and the persecution of opponents of the Soviet Regime were devised and carried out. Located in the former KGB headquarters, the museum is the only one of its kind in the former Soviet republics. The basement of the building houses the isolator where political detainees and espionage suspects were imprisoned from the autumn of 1940 right to 1987. The execution chamber in the basement, where more than a thousand prisoners were killed between 1944 and the early 1960s, can also be visited.

Exeter Services

Vehicle & Driver (4 Hours); Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel

Kempinski Cathedral Square

Vilnius ---- Trakai - Vilnius

Meet your guide this morning for an excursion outside the city. Today your destination is Trakai, about 20 miles west of the city. Trakai, the ancient capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, is situated amidst picturesque lakes, the largest of which – Galve - has over 20 islands. It is best known for its captivating 14th Century fairytale castle which was presumably one of the largest in Lithuania of those times and served as residence for a number of Lithuanian rulers before the insular castle was constructed a short distance away on an island of Lake Galve. The Castle Museum offers a view into Lithuania’s past, when Trakai ruled an empire from the Baltics to the Black Sea. The Tartars, once part of this empire’s royal bodyguards, still live in Trakai today. Trakai was also home to a large Karaite community. The origin of the Karaites is very interesting. Some scholars link them to the Khazars, Turkic people that converted to Judaism in the eighth century while others view them as descendants of the Karaite Jews who lived in Crimea. They were brought to Lithuania by Grand Duke Vytautas from the Crimea and served as his bodyguards. Today you may visit the Karaites' house of worship, called kenesa, and a museum of Karaite culture.

Exeter Services

Vehicle, Driver & Guide (4 Hours) Hotel

Kempinski Cathedral Square

DAY 3

Vilnius ---- Rundale - Riga Today you will depart with your driver and guide for the journey to Riga. Before arriving, visit the 17th century Rundale Palace. Rundale was the apogee of the fusion of German and Russian society which came together and flourished in the region in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Visit this imposing, well-restored palace of 138 rooms, approached through a grand drive flanked by twin semi-circular stables. You may wish to have lunch at the restaurant located inside the palace today. Rundale Palace was designed by the famous architect Rastrelli as a summer residence for the Duke of Courland, and is an exquisite masterpiece of symmetry and beauty. The palace was built from 1736-1740 and the Rococo interior decorations were added from 1765-1768. The parade rooms, the duke's private apartments and the duchess' boudoir are open to visitors. Note: The drive between Vilnius and Riga takes approximately five hours plus the time to stop at Rundale. There are often nonstop flights between the two cities as well.

Exeter Services

Vehicle, Driver & Guide (8 Hours) Hotel

Grand Palace Riga

DAY 4

Riga

This morning meet your Riga guide for a tour of the Old Town. Your will visit the 13th -century St. Peter’s Church which was damaged by fire during World War II and later rebuilt by the Russians. A good place to start any tour is atop the spire, where you can see the whole of Riga laid out before you. This is the perfect way to get your bearings before you actually wander down the cobble-stoned streets. From here you may see the exterior of the Dome Cathedral one of the largest and most distinctive houses of worship in the region (it is under reconstruction for the next few years). Begun in the 13th Century, the cathedral has gone through one construction after another and is now a curious combination of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and other styles. The church walls are crammed with plaques celebrating the glories of Latvia’s medieval rulers. The Dome Cathedral is also renowned for its gigantic church organ, the fourth largest organ in the world, complete with 6,768 pipes. Later today, you will view the famous House of Cats with cat sculptures perched on the top of its roof and hear about the intrigue surrounding these feline figures. Just across the street, you will also see the former headquarters of the Great Guild, now the home of the Riga Philharmonic. Other good examples of medieval dwellings are the Three Brothers, dating to the 15th Century when Riga was part of the Hanseatic League. It is one of the oldest stone buildings in Latvia and now houses an architecture museum. Many of the buildings here and the cobblestone square around them were destroyed in a 1941 bombing raid. The Swedish Gate, an old city gate built by ruling Swedes in 1698, is the only gate still standing from Riga’s old-city wall torn down in the 1800’s. You will also visit the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, dedicated to the Nazi and Soviet occupations of Latvia. The various exhibits display the atrocities committed against the people of Latvia and the systematic destruction of their nation's sovereignty. Visitors can walk into reconstructed gulag barracks and catch a glimpse of the intolerable living conditions in the Siberian labor camps. Exeter Services

Guide (8 Hours) Hotel

Grand Palace Riga

DAY 5  

Riga This morning, you will meet your guide for the tour of Riga’s Central District. Not far away from the Old Town, you will stop by the Freedom Monument - a memorial honoring the soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence from 1918-1920. Further away, you will visit the Latvian National Art Museum, which houses more than 52,000 works of art reflecting the development of the arts in Latvia from the middle of the 18th century until the present. It also features Russian art from the 16th to the first half of the 20th century. The area around Elizabetes and Alberta Streets is known as Riga’s Art Nouveau (or Jugendstil) District, which features impressive examples of the style. In total, there are some 800 Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, many of which were designed and built by Latvian architects including Mikhail Eisenstein (the father of the famous director Sergei Eisenstein). On Alberta Street, you may decide to stop at the Janis Rozentals Museum, located in a magnificent historic building with Art Nouveau interiors. Janis Rozentals was a renowned Latvian painter and you can see original sketches and portraits displayed in his apartment and workshop. Continuing along Elizabetes Street, you will reach the Central Market where some old Zeppelin hangars have been converted into market halls specializing in different types of wares. Time permitting, you may decide to spend some time in the Bergs Bazaar – a pedestrian area of shops and restaurants inspired by the 19th -century arcades then so popular all over Europe. It was originally built between 1887-1900 by Kristaps Bergs, who was one of Latvia's first modern real estate developers. Exeter Services

Vehicle, Driver & Guide (8 Hours) Hotel:

Grand Palace Riga

DAY 6  

Riga ---- Muhu Island Today check out of your hotel meet your driver for the journey to the neighboring Estonia. You will drive north along the coast to Parnu, where you may wish to stop for a nice lunch break. Parnu is Estonia’s main summer resort but has a laid back atmosphere of a small charming town. During Soviet times it was a popular spa escape for the Russians and is now gaining popularity among Scandinavians. You can stroll through the Old Town or on the beach, or, if you like modern art, you should not miss the Museum of the New Art. Continue your drive to Muhu Island. You will head to the town of Virtsu to board a ferry that will take you to the Island. Then you will drive to the village of Pädaste and check-in at the wonderful hotel Pädaste Manor.

Exeter Services

Vehicle & Driver (6 Hours) Hotel

Pädaste Manor

DAY 7

Muhu Island

Today is at leisure to enjoy the beautiful nature of the Muhu Island. Alternatively, you may explore the neighboring islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. Hiiumaa is home to several Nature Preserves, ideal for hiking and bird watching, while Saaremaa is especially attractive for retaining its prewar character. You should visit the Bishop’s Castle in Kurresaare, the main town on Saaremaa, that dates back to the 14th century. A half-hour drive from Kurresaare you will encounter a group of beautifully preserved wooden windmills and the medieval Karja Church. Exeter Services

None Hotel

Pädaste Manor

DAY 8

Muhu Island ---- Tallinn

Today, check out of your hotel meet your driver for the journey to Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. Tallinn has a unique history of seafaring, foreign occupation and merchant activity dating to the 13th century. A beautiful city of ancient castles, stone towers, and medieval streets, its ageless charm is unmistakable Check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening at your leisure. Exeter Services

Vehicle & Driver (4 Hours) Hotel

Hotel Telegraaf

DAY 9

  

Tallinn This morning meet your guide in the hotel lobby for a walking tour. The Upper Old City or Toompea Hill, is the oldest part of Tallinn, inhabited since pre-history. Unlike Vilnius and Riga whose walls were destroyed, eighty percent of the original wall around Tallinn in the 1500’s is still intact today. In addition to having Tallinn’s oldest buildings, the upper old town has good viewing platforms to view the entire old town. Toompea Castle is one of Estonia’s most treasured landmarks, built by Danes and Germans after they defeated the Estonians in the early 1200’s. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is an Orthodox church built in 1900 in the Moscow style of the 17th century. Also on Toompea Hill, you may make a brief stop at the Cathedral of St. Mary, also called the Dome Cathedral. Originally built by the Danes in the 13th century, it is the oldest church in Tallinn and the only building in Toompea which survived a 17th century fire. Most of the furniture inside dates to the period of the 17th - 18th centuries. The altar, chandeliers, and the numerous coats-of arms are from the 17th – 20th centuries. At the foot of the hill, you will see the St. Nicholas Church, which was originally built in the 13th century by German merchants and dedicated to the patron saint of sailors and merchants. It was partially destroyed when the Soviet air force bombed the city in World War II. After extensive restorations it is now used as an art museum and concert hall.

You will later continue just outside of the Old Town walls and to the Museum of Occupation and the Fight for Freedom. Opened in 2003, the museum chronicles three relatively recent periods of occupation in the country’s history: the first Soviet Occupation of 1940 to 1941, the German occupation from 1941 to 1944, and the second Soviet occupation from 1944 to 1991. The main exhibits feature artifacts from the three eras, a separate area housing documents and other materials for research, and a small theater showing old Communist and Nazi propaganda films. Afterwards, meet your driver to continue to the KUMU art museum – Estonia’s largest. Opened in 2006 in an enormous, cutting-edge facility built into a limestone cliff in Kadriorg, the KUMU exhibits works from Estonian artists dating from the 18th Century through the end of World War II, as well as a permanent exhibition of Estonian contemporary art dating from 1945-1991. This last collection,

Day 10

located on the third floor, portrays the interesting relationship that existed between the art in Estonia and the Soviet State.

Exeter Services

Vehicle & Driver (4 Hours); Guide (8 Hours) Hotel

Hotel Telegraaf

Tallinn - Onward

Meet your driver for your transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Exeter Services

Airport Transfer

DAY 11

Accommodations

Vilnius One (1) Superior Room for Three (3) nights at the Kempinski Cathedral Square; Tax and Buffet Breakfast included daily. The Kempinski Cathedral Square is the newest luxury hotel in Vilnius and offers, for the first time, an international five-star property in this charming city. The hotel features just 96 rooms and suites with individual décor. The hotel’s best feature is its location – directly in the heart of the city on Cathedral Square. Rooms feature views of the UNESCO Old Town, the Presidential Palace and the main shopping street of the city.

The hotel features a stunning spa and fitness area, as well as an indoor pool. Guests can also enjoy the Finnish and steam saunas. All rooms feature traditional décor, wood floors and exclusive fabrics. All rooms have in-room coffee and tea facilities. In all rooms except the Standard category, spacious bathrooms feature a separate shower and bathtub. WiFi is complimentary throughout the hotel.

Superior Room: These spacious rooms range in size from 290 to 335 square feet and are the recommended starting category for Exeter guests. All have a choice of one king or two twin beds. Rooms have high ceilings and spacious bathrooms and feature views over Old Town.

Riga

One (1) Deluxe Room for Three (3) nights at the Grand Palace Riga; Tax and Buffet Breakfast included daily. The Grand Palace Hotel is the finest in Riga and offers one of the best locations in the city. The small lobby leads to a room where guests checking-in are seated and receive individual attention. The ambiance of this hotel is more of a grand mansion, befitting its history of a home to wealthy Baltic aristocrats.

The hotel offers a fine-dining restaurant, Suite, which at 11:00PM transforms itself into a lounge for guests to enjoy drinks and music. Breakfast is served in the airy Orangerie. The striking Pils Bar is reminiscent of an English hunting lodge. Guests will also find a small fitness facility with a sauna and seat room.

What Is

Included:

As this is a historic hotel, rooms do tend to be on the small side and all feature individual décor. Rooms have traditional and elegant furnishings and bathrooms feature heated floors.

Deluxe Rooms: These rooms are some of our favorites and feature 275 square feet of space and offer a choice of either a queen bed or two twin beds.

Muhu Island

One (1) Superior Room for Two (2) nights at Pädaste Manor; Tax and Buffet Breakfast included daily.

This historic mansion on Muhu Island was first mentioned in the 16th century when the Danish king Fredrik II handed the property over to the von Knorr family in recognition of their services to the crown. After a long and painstaking renovation which was completed in June 2008, this idyllic property has again opened its doors to visitors and offers “simple luxury” in its 24 rooms, suites, and a private beach house all of which are air-conditioned and beautifully appointed with finest furniture and exquisite linen and fabrics.

The Pädaste Manor complex offers accommodations in the actual Manor House, the Carriage House, and the private Farm House. All rooms and suites vary in size, location, and facilities and are beautifully appointed with luxuriant fabrics, unobtrusive state-of-the-art technology and wonderful attention to detail. All rooms and suites in the Manor House and the Carriage House are non-smoking.

Superior Double Room: There are 7 of these rooms in the Manor House and they vary in size from 355 to 505 square feet. Some of these rooms are located on the ground floor and have park or sea views while others have private balconies. A few of these rooms have a combined bath & rain shower, while others are fitted with a luxury sized walk in shower and no bath tub. All of these rooms offer high-definition LCD TVs with Satellite channels, Blu-Ray players, complimentary high-speed and wireless Internet, BOSE sound systems, and mini bars.

Tallinn

One (1) Executive Room for Three (3) nights at the Hotel Telegraaf; Tax and Buffet Breakfast included daily. The Hotel Telegraaf offers 86 rooms and suites in the heart of Tallinn’s Old Town. The magnificent building at Vene Street 9 was constructed at the end of 19th century. Peter Schreiberg from St. Petersburg designed a 4-storied house, with the two topmost floors being added later. After the Republic of Estonia was established in 1918, the building was used as the post and telegraph center.

The hotel is centrally situated in the historic Old Town – a UNESCO World Heritage site – and is very close to Town Hall Square, the Opera House, museums and shops, a variety of restaurants, medieval churches and ancient buildings.

Executive Room: The rooms in this starting category are all in the modern annex to the historic building and feature contemporary furnishing, carpeted floors and an armchair or sofa. View is of the courtyard. Bedding is either one double bed or two twins.

Meals No meals included, other than breakfast as described above. Your final documents will include our top recommendations. Your guides will recommend restaurants that fit your exact needs daily.

Services Private vehicle, driver and guide at your service as described. A full day is generally eight hours in duration. A half-day is generally three hours in duration. The timing for each day is noted in your program. Exeter International’s local offices are available for your assistance 24 hours per day while you are traveling. Our local staff may also assist you with restaurant reservations and purchasing of additional theater and museum tickets at your request.

Transportation

All transfers to and from airports are included in the program. Unless otherwise noted, all transfer service is with a driver only, not a guide. In general, drivers have limited English-speaking skills. Evening transportation is not included unless specifically noted in your itinerary. Timing for each day is noted in your program.

Guides Hand chosen for their knowledge on local history, art & architecture. Guides are at your disposal as noted in your itinerary.

Tickets All entrance tickets as described in the program.

Exeter International Travel Information BAGGAGE The vehicles reserved for your itinerary can accommodate up to two medium-sized suitcases per person. If you intend to travel with additional luggage, please advise your travel consultant so appropriate arrangements may be made. In general, we schedule a sedan for parties of two, a minivan for parties of three to four and a minibus for parties of five or more. SIGHTSEEING Sightseeing arrangements have been made with your special interests in mind. Your drivers and guides are at your disposal for full or half-day sightseeing programs as indicated in the itinerary. Within those time and mileage guidelines, your driver and guide are at your disposal, so you are free to modify your program as you please. Should you require additional time or mileage, the costs will be quoted on request and may be paid for locally in the local currency or U.S. Dollars.

Every effort has been made to confirm that scheduled sightseeing venues will be open at the time you plan to visit them. However, individual estates, museums, gardens and other points of interest can change their hours of operation at short notice. In the event that a particular attraction is closed on the day or time of your visit, your guide will offer alternative arrangements or rearrange your sightseeing to accommodate these unexpected events.

OPTIONAL EXPENSES Charges for extra meals, transport, sightseeing services or other optional additions to your established itinerary are your responsibility and must be paid locally in the local currency. GRATUITIES Gratuities are not included in your tour price. Gratuities are at your own discretion. We recommend $15-$20 per person, per day for your guide and $5 - $10 per person, per day for your driver. For your airport or station transfer, a gratuity of $5 - $10 is customary, based on service. Dollars, Euros and any local currency are all accepted.

DINING WITH YOUR GUIDE On days when dinner and lunch costs have not been included in your itinerary (or in your tour cost), you may, at your discretion, choose to invite your guide to dine with your party. You are under no obligation to do so but, if you do extend such an invitation, the guide is your guest and you will be responsible for the cost of his/her meal.

Booking Conditions PAYMENTS Exeter International must receive a deposit of 25% of the total program cost before reservations for your independent travel program can be initiated. The balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure. No reservations are made on your behalf until this deposit has been received. Availability and pricing is subject to change until this deposit is received. All deposits are nonrefundable. CANCELATION Written cancellations received less than 60 days prior to departure are subject to the following forfeit of tour cost

59-14 days prior to departure, 50% of total tour cost 14 or less days prior to departure, 100% of tour cost

REFUNDS We regret that refunds cannot be issued for arrangements confirmed on your itinerary but unused once your tour has begun. INSURANCE Exeter International strongly recommends the purchase of travel insurance to protect your investment. You will find insurance costs noted on your invoice and insurance coverage information in your original booking packet. PRICES AND ARRANGEMENTS Once an itinerary is finalized and final payment has been made, a $100 revision fee will be charged if the itinerary is changed. The tour price includes planning, handling and operational charges. Rates are quoted in US Dollars on the current rate of exchange and tariff as of 2016. Exeter International reserves the right to increase tour prices to cover increased costs, tariffs and taxes, and to reflect fluctuations in foreign exchange markets. Devaluation of a foreign currency will be weighed against any tariff increases imposed. Exeter International does not breakdown costs involved in any Small Group or Individual Travel Program.

All arrangements are subject to availability and modification if necessary. Prices are subject to change if necessary until paid in full.

Exeter International www.Exeterinternational.com

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