Baltic States - Enchanting Amber Coast

Today you fly from Switzerland to Vilnius. Your comfortable hotel for the next two nights is located in the heart of the old town, which has been beautifully restored. How about a first stroll through Lithuania's magnificent capital, nicknamed the Jerusalem of the East due to its once lively Jewish life?

In the morning, you will explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town of Vilnius, where more than 50 baroque churches ring out. Glittering skyscrapers and designer stores also herald the dawn of the future. A detour to the Railway Museum will get you in the mood for a particularly nostalgic train journey. Fancy a taste? In the afternoon, take the little train to Trakai, the capital's most popular excursion destination. The highlight of the day is the fairytale moated castle from the 14th century, which sits picturesquely on a peninsula in the middle of a magnificent lake landscape. 

Today you cross Lithuania comfortably by train. Gentle green hills, sleepy hamlets and dark forests pass by the train window and merge into the vast golden dunes of the Baltic Sea coast. Your destination for the day: Klaipeda (Memel) with its romantic old town and pretty half-timbered houses. Not far from the famous Simon Dach Fountain with the statue of the folk song figure Ännchen von Tharau is your pretty hotel, where you will stay for two nights. (FA)

On one side, golden dunes tower up to the sky, on the other, the blue of the Baltic Sea shines. On your excursion to the Curonian Spit (UNESCO World Heritage Site), you will get to know a particularly enchanting part of the 98 km long and in some places only 380 m narrow peninsula. Keep an eye out for moose, which occasionally venture out of the dense forests! Perhaps you will also find amber? In the idyllic fishing village of Nida (Nidden), staff at a gallery will tell you where to find the gold of the Baltic Sea and how the most wonderful jewels are made from it. And as the beauty of the Curonian Lagoon is best appreciated from the sea, take a wonderful boat trip along the Great Dune. 

Take the train from Klaipeda through charming hilly landscapes inland to Siauliai. After a while, the legendary Hill of Crosses, Lithuania's most famous pilgrimage site, appears on the horizon. Thousands and thousands of crosses made of wood, metal and stone are gathered here on a hill and stretch up into the sky. The crosses come from pilgrims who usually link their pilgrimage to a personal wish or thanksgiving. Not even the Soviets were able to put a stop to this tradition. From the mystical Hill of Crosses, you will travel by bus to Riga, where you will spend two nights in your comfortable hotel. 

Fancy a little trip back in time? From the medieval cathedral to the magnificent Blackheads' House and the Swedish Gate to the fairytale Art Nouveau façades of the Alberta Iela boulevard: Latvia's metropolis enchants with the charm of a rich past. The colorful hustle and bustle of Riga's market halls will bring you back to the here and now. In the afternoon, a relaxing train ride takes you into the magnificent landscape of the Gauja National Park. The cable car not only takes you high above the Gauja River, but also offers spectacular views of the Valley of Castles. In the evening, you return to Riga full of new impressions. 

In the morning you travel to the train station. A leisurely train ride takes you across the Estonian border to Tartu, which has always been known as the educational and cultural center of Estonia. The university is particularly famous, as evidenced by the sculpture of kissing students, one of the city's best-known landmarks. After your city tour, during which you will also see the classicist Town Hall Square, you will check into your hotel room. 

On the journey to Latvia's unknown east, you will visit the Stameriena estate and the enchanting Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Church on Lake Stommersee. A special experience is the train ride on the only Baltic narrow-gauge railroad, built in 1903, from Gulbene to Aluksne. Cross the border to Estonia by bus and reach Tartu, formerly Dorpat. Enjoy the flair of the lively student city on an evening stroll before spending the night in your comfortable hotel. 

Transfer to Tallinn Airport and return flight to Switzerland.