Rīga
Between 1941 and 1944, the Nazis – aided by Latvians – shot more than 35,000 Jews at 55 different sites in this forest. It is one of several killing sites…
Must-see attractions in The Baltic States
Vilnius
One of the main branches of the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum, the Tolerance Centre is simultaneously a museum of Jewish history and culture, and a…
Abava River Valley
Located 1.5km south of the centre, this open-air art extravaganza was founded by Ojars Feldbergs, a Latvian sculptor. Pedvāle showcases over 100 thought…
Museum of the Barricades of 1991
Old Rīga
Latvia's independence came after enormous struggles. One of the most remarkable stories involves the barricades built by thousands of citizens around…
Kalamaja & Telliskivi
Once literally on the wrong side of the tracks, this set of abandoned factory buildings is now Tallinn's most alternative shopping and entertainment…
Latvia
These striking pine-covered cliffs loom above a pristine white-sand beach dissected by a glistening stream. This is one of the most enchanting places…
Vilnius
The full name is 'Church of St Johns, St John the Baptist and St John the Apostle and Evangelist', but 'Sts Johns' (plural) will do nicely. Founded in…
Rīga
A lovingly restored courtyard with several vintage wooden buildings is home to creative cafes, shops and restaurants. It's also home to a fantastic…
Vilnius
One of two branches of the creative powerhouse of the Užupis Republic, the Galera shows exciting temporary exhibitions by local talent and invites artists…
MK Čiurlionis National Museum of Art
Kaunas
One of Lithuania's oldest and grandest galleries, Kaunas' leading art museum (founded 1921) is the place to acquaint yourself with the dreamlike paintings…
Lithuania
The pride and joy of the region brews over two dozen beers, including the Port of Discovery and Microhistory series. On-tap offerings include a temptingly…
Western Estonia & the Islands
Pärnu’s long, broad, sandy beach – sprinkled with volleyball courts, pop-up bars, cafes and changing cubicles – is the city’s main draw in summer. A…
Abava River Valley
Latvia's answer to the Chinese terracotta army is entirely comprised of straw-filled unarmed civilians. Local folk artist Daina Kučera has filled a…
Lithuania
The old granary and stable of the former Plateliai Manor now houses a highly worthwhile museum complex. The granary holds a multistorey exhibition…
Kėdainiai
Housed inside a former 18th-century Carmelite monastery, this is a particularly thorough introduction to the history of the region and the town. Displays…
Latvia
Spanning 249m, Ventas Rumba is branded Europe's widest waterfall, though it's far from the tallest. Its subtle beauty becomes compelling the longer you…
Southern Latvia
These massive gardens draw throngs of visitors each spring when the scores of fruit trees are in bloom. There are apricot, cherry and plum orchards, as…
Western Estonia & the Islands
Pärnu's former Communist Party headquarters now houses one of Estonia's edgiest cultural spaces, established in 1992 as the country's first museum of…
Vilnius
Opened in October 2018, this assemblage of contemporary Lithuanian art and photography is the country's first private museum. An orderly union of sharp…
Latvia
See how one of Latvia's best-known craft beers is made on an entertaining tour: expect friendly guides and plenty of samples. Enjoy hearty pints and…
Latvia
Watching the Baltic swells crash into the blue swells of the Gulf of Rīga is mesmerising. Find a spot away from the summertime crowds on the narrow beach;…
Latvia
For Ventspils, the wide stretch of dazzling white sand south of the Venta River is its main treasure. During the warmer months, beach bums of every ilk –…
Latvia
This Blue Flag beach is a fabulous place for a dip. The fine white sand is over 50m in width and the shore stretches for 8km. In summer you'll find a few…
Latvia
The vaulted arches of the 1874 red-brick bridge are one of Kuldīga's favourite sites. At 154m, it's the third-longest brick bridge in Europe.
Viljandi Teutonic Order Castle
Southern Estonia
Set within a lush park on the natural defensive prominence of Lossimäed, the scant-yet-evocative remains of Viljandi's powerful castle form a picturesque…
Lithuania
The Orvydas Garden was the work of stonemason Kazys Orvydas (1905–89) and his oldest son turned Franciscan monk, Vilius (1952–92). The carvings were…
Lithuania
Housed in Anykščiai’s old station, a couple of kilometres outside the town, this fun museum gives visitors the chance to ride on manual rail cars, a…
Kaunas
Kaunas-based Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara (1900–86) saved around 6000 Jewish lives between 1939 and 1940, issuing transit visas to stranded Polish…
Kaunas
This museum is devoted to the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, the fallen angel, the seducer, the cajoler, with over 3000 statuettes, carvings, masks and other…
Nida
This delightful woodland cemetery features some fine examples of krikštai (wooden grave markers). Their origins hark back to Lithuania's pagan roots and…
Kaunas
Artist Vytenis Jakas moved into this courtyard over a decade ago and turned it into an ever-evolving art project, creating murals and transferring onto…
Kaunas
Built in 1871, the only functioning synagogue of those that survived since 1941, and one of the few remnants of Kaunas' once-strong Jewish community, this…
St Nicholas Maritime Cathedral
Latvia
The stunning cathedral, with its bulbous cupolas, shines like a precious stone through the grey concrete of the decrepit Soviet apartment blocks that…
Vilnius
This landmark statue depicts the early unifier of the Lithuanian tribes in the mid-13th century and the country's first king.
Southern Latvia
Built as a grand residence for the Duke of Courland, this magnificent palace is a monument to 18th-century aristocratic ostentatiousness, and is rural…
Central Rīga
Pilsētas kanāls, the city’s old moat, once protected the medieval walls from invaders. Today the snaking ravine has been incorporated into a thin belt of…
Maskavas Forštate, Avotu Iela & Grīziņkalns
Haggle for your huckleberries at this vast market, housed in a series of WWI Zeppelin hangars and spilling outdoors as well. It's an essential Rīga…
Old Rīga
Founded in 1211 as the seat of the Rīga diocese, this enormous (once Catholic, now Evangelical Lutheran) cathedral is the largest medieval church in the…
Kadriorg
About 2km east of Old Town, this beautiful park’s ample acreage is Tallinn’s favourite patch of green. Together with the baroque Kadriorg Palace, its 70…
Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre
Latvia
The old imperial Russian arsenal inside Daugavpils Fortress is now an excellent contemporary art gallery honouring Daugavpils native Mark Rothko. The…
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