5-Nights Highlights of Riga & Tallinn - Food & Drink from $2,966

Itinerary Details

Day 1: Arrive in Riga

Transfer: Riga Airportto Riga

Hotel: Neiburgs Hotel (4 Star Rating)

The family-owned, boutique apartment hotel and restaurant Neiburgs is an Art Nouveau property located in the heart of Riga's Old Town. The Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering you an opportunity to explore the quiet beauty of the meandering streets and some of the most iconic buildings in the city. The stately Riga Cathedral is right next door, while many other key attractions are within a five-minute walk.

The hotel itself is an elegant fusion of the historical and modern. All apartments are elegantly furnished and offer breathtaking views of the Old Town and the left bank of the Daugava River. Filled with lots of light, each room has a personal touch, such as original graphic art by Katrina Neiburga. She is not only a representative of the family but a world-renowned, contemporary, multimedia art installation and set designer. This is a perfect choice for urban travelers of all ages that are looking for style blended with history.

Day 2: Private Half Day Walking Tour of Riga

Start this Tasting Tour on foot with a private guide into direction to Riga Central Market. The market is best known for its reuse of the old Zeppelin hangars for some of the market's food halls. The influences of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Neoclassicism can be seen in the architectural style of the market complex. In 1930 Riga Central Market was the largest and most technologically advanced market in Europe. Wide range of tasty Latvian products such as rye bread, honey, cheese, smoked fish and meat, fresh vegetables and herbs - this all can be bought here together with overseas products as well. You will be invited for a tasting of local specialties at a tavern. Afterwards continue to the well-preserved Old Town and visit Black Magic Bar to taste Riga Black Balsam - the most valued drink, which was first made in Riga in the middle of the 18th century. A legend tells that Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, having fallen ill during her visit to Latvia, was cured after drinking Riga Black Balsam. The drink is carefully prepared in oak barrels, which allow its characteristic strength and the slightly bitter-sweet taste to develop. Savour its fruity aroma and its special taste with every sip. Return to hotel.

Day 3: Private Full Day Tour to Gauja National Park

Tour starts from Riga hotel reception with private guide and by driver/vehicle and after approx. 1 hour drive arrive in The Gauja National Park which is the largest national park in Latvia. The park is located in the area known as "Vidzemes Sveice" - the Livonian Switzerland and offers a unique combination of picturesque hill landscapes, the Gauja River valley, medieval castles, palaces, sculpture parks, fauna and flora that are already extinct in many countries in Europe. At first enjoy the sightseeing of Sigulda - a small idyllic town with 10.000 inhabitants, foundation of which dates back in history in the beginning of the 12th century when the German Order built a large castle here which was destroyed during the Great Nordic War - the ruins of the main building and the 2 towers are left and now are used for different festivals and concerts. The Sigulda New Castle was built in 1881 and today it houses the city council and a museum. Take a look over the Gauja River valley and enjoy the fabulous view. During the tour also visit the famous bob-sleigh track. It is also possible to go over the river by a cable car (ticket is not included in the tour price) or enjoy active leisure facilities (not incl.). The tour continues to the other side of the river - visit the huge red sandstone Gutman Cave and then up to the hill to the ruins of the Turaida Castle (entrance), which was inaugurated by Bishop Albert of Riga and completed in 1214. It remained untouched until 1776 when it was seriously damaged by fire, but now a part of the castle has been rebuilt, it is again possible to enter the tower and the main building. Close to the castle you will find a little wooden church from 1750, the Daina Hill sculpture park of Latvian folksongs and not to forget - the Tomb of the "Rose of Turaida". After the tour return back to Riga.

Day 4: Riga to Tallinn & Private Half Day Food Tasting Tour

Transfer: Riga to Tallinn

Hotel: Hotel Schlossle Tallinn (5 Star Rating)

Step into Tallinn’s medieval past at Schlössle Boutique Hotel, an intimate five-star retreat nestled along a cobblestone street in the heart of the Old Town. Set within historic merchant houses, the hotel features just 23 individually appointed rooms, where wooden beams, antique furnishings and elegant details create a warm, timeless atmosphere. Attentive service adds a personal touch to every stay. Savour Nordic-inspired cuisine at Stenhus Restaurant, tucked within the hotel’s atmospheric historic cellars, or unwind in the romantic Summer Garden, featuring live music on select summer evenings. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Schlössle offers an unforgettable Tallinn escape.

Tallinn Food Tour combines personalised city tour with various typical for the region food & drink stops. This walking tour takes you on a culinary excursion of the Old Town, including also stops at neighbouring Baltic Station Market and gives you a chance to experience the smells, flavours and stories of Estonian cuisine. You will also get to see some of the most beautiful parts of the Old Town and nearby Kalamaja quarter and hear exciting stories about Estonian history and the country today.

Tallinn Food Tour includes food-stops like: at medieval thematic tavern, locals café, small local chocolate museum & factory, a traditional cafe & marzipan shop, and at nearby market. There are also some surprise stops en route. During this ~3 hour combined city & food tour you will get the first impression on the variety of culinary scene in Estonia, where it came and where is it heading for, along with stories and legends told by our professional tour guides .Concerning the food stops menu - Tallinn Food Tour consists of around 6 food & drink stops based on local traditional and modern food, and some drinks. You will be served a soup, various traditional food samples, like black rye bread, open faced traditional for Estonia spiced sprat sandwiches, but also samples of modern Estonian cuisine.

You will try out some local drinks, like 'Kali' or/and 'Kama', some local schnapps or craft beer and sweets and a good cup of locally roasted coffee or a glass of fresh juice or lemonade or glogg (depending on season).

Please note that food & drink stops and the menu can vary a bit depending on the season!

Day 5: Private Full Day Tour of Lahemaa National Park

Tour to the Lahemaa National Park starts from hotel reception with private guide and by driver/vehicle. After approx. 1 h driving from Tallinn`s city centre discover Estonia’s most popular nature reserves: jagged coasts, vast forests, wetlands, many hiking trails with typical Estonian swamp (wetland), some waterfalls as well as fishmen villages. During the tour visit Palmse Manor and Vihula Manor (entrance), two resplendent centuries-old historical landmarks. The baroque-styled Palmse Manor offers an open-air museum of grand proportions, while the upscale Vihula Manor is now a superior hotel set inside of an elegant, restored 19th century building. Visit the Vodka Museum, located in the former vodka distillery of the manor, where a number of rooms take you through the history and development of vodka production in Estonia and at Vihula Manor. After the optional lunch in a traditional Estonian tavern (not included in the price) the tour also takes through the romantical forest in Oandu and along the seaside in Kasmu peninsula. After the tour return back to Tallinn.

Day 6: Depart from Tallinn

Transfer: Tallinn to Tallinn Airport