When to Travel : As in most of Europe, summer is the best time to travel, given the long days and warm temperatures.
Destinations
Travel back in time – Baltics & Scandinavia
Take the road less travelled and travel back in time as we explore the history and traditions of the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.
Trip Highlights
We start in the Latvian capital of Riga, and explore the cities museums, parks and markets – a little known fact that Riga is a food lover’s paradise
Drive to Latgale, a historical and cultural center of Eastern Latvia, to visit some of the masters of ceramics, pottery, weaving and culinary art. Meet locals and experience the ``real`` Latvia
Follow the Baltic Amber Road from Latvia into Lithuania as we discover the history of Amber its - production, processing and jewellery. The road soaks in almost 400 km of the Baltic coast line, and we stop over at the seaside town of Klaipeda
Next stop: Estonia, as we explore the beautiful medieval city of Tallinn
Take the ferry across the Gulf of Finland to cross over into Helsinki and explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Verla – a well preserved 19 th century mill village
Take a ferry to the Swedish capital of Stockholm and visit Skansen Open Air museum, the first of its kind in the World, where we explore over five centuries of Swedish history
Visit the archeological complexes of Birka and Hovegarden, now UNESCO World Heritage sites – often regarded as Sweden’s oldest towns
Interesting Tidbits
Although Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are clubbed together as Baltic countries, Latvia has ethnic and linguistic ties to Lithuania, but not Estonia. Estonia is actually has more in common with Nordic countries than Baltic ones
The Latvian flag is one of the oldest in the world, dating all the way back to the 13th century. It is said to have originated when a Latvian chief was wrapped in a white sheet after being wounded in battle, and the sides of the sheet became stained with blood, while the central stripe remained white, and the stained sheet was used as a battle flag
In 14th century Lithuania was the biggest country in Europe: it included present territories of Belarus and Ukraine, part of Poland and part of Russia. It is the only country in the World which has a National Perfume. It was also the first country to make Vodka from corn!
Estonia has two Independence Days. It first achieved independence from the Soviet Union on February 24, 1918 and again on August 20, 1991 after 51 years of occupation. The second date is known as the “Restoration of Independence Day. It is also the least religious country in the world with only 14% of the population claiming any religious beliefs. Almost 50% of Estonia is covered by forest
As of 2004 you can pay your Swedish taxes by sending an SMS message from your cell phone. Roughly 20% of the country's police stations close during the summer since everyone is off on vacation
VISA INFO
Valid passport: Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your intended stay and have two blank pages.
Travel insurance: You need a travel insurance policy that covers the entire Schengen territory and has a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.
Proof of accommodation: You need to show that you have a place to stay during your trip.
Travel itinerary: You need to provide a round trip reservation or itinerary with dates and flight numbers
Proof of funds: You need to show that you have enough money to support yourself financially throughout your stay
Visa application form: You need to complete and sign the application form
Passport photos: You need two recent passport photos taken within the last three months
Visa interview: You need to attend an interview in person at a consulate, embassy, or visa application center
