A road trip through the Baltic states – 12 days, 4 capitals
Driving through the Baltic states is, to my mind, one of the best ways to really get to know this corner of north-eastern Europe in a short time. In just twelve days we managed to drive 3,800 kilometres by car, cover 200 kilometres by ferry, visit 30 different towns and see 4 capitals. Those numbers sound impressive, but honestly they weren't what mattered most. This trip became for us a byword for freedom, for discovering the world on a whim and meeting people we'd probably never have met sitting at home.
Why visit the Baltic states?
The Baltic states, that is Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, are a destination that draws more and more travellers from Poland. We often add Finland or Sweden to the plan too, because the ferry connections there work wonderfully. Each of these countries offers something unique. Lithuania tempts you with charming Vilnius, atmospheric Kaunas and the famous Hill of Crosses. Latvia dazzles with Riga and its Art Nouveau architecture, and with the wide beaches of Jūrmala. Estonia enchants with magical Tallinn, the island of Saaremaa and its wild nature, while Finland pulls you in with modern Helsinki and the calm of the northern archipelagos. It's a region close to home that somehow feels exotic and full of contrasts, and on top of that it's far less crowded than the popular resorts of southern Europe.
Freedom and flexibility: the upside of travelling by car
What I value most in travelling by car is the flexibility. You don't have to stick to a rigid schedule. It's enough to set yourself the main goals, the capitals for instance, and plan the rest on the fly along the way. It was exactly this approach that led us to hidden beaches, medieval castles, tiny fishing villages and picturesque national parks that guidebooks rarely mention. It's an ideal choice for anyone chasing authenticity and longing, even for a moment, to escape the noise of tourist cities.
Four capitals, four different characters
Over our twelve days on the road we visited four northern capitals, and each of them had a character of its own. Helsinki turned out to be modern, minimalist and beautifully designed. Tallinn carried us back to the Middle Ages, which you can still feel at every step. Riga charmed us as a capital of Art Nouveau, made for long walks with a coffee in hand, while Kaunas, though less well known, won us over with its artistic, easygoing vibe. Each of these cities shows just how much variety hides in the Baltic Sea region.
Along the way plenty of little facts caught us off guard. Estonia proved to be a kingdom of technology, where the internet works flawlessly even deep in the forest. In Riga, meanwhile, we found the largest cluster of Art Nouveau tenement houses in Europe. We also learned that Lithuania was the last country in Europe to adopt Christianity, which happened only in the fourteenth century. Nor can you forget Finland, which fully earns its name as the land of a thousand lakes, since more than 180,000 of them have been counted there.
What stays with you most, though, isn't the monuments but the people. Our finest memory is an evening at a wild campsite on the island of Saaremaa. By chance we met a wonderful family there, and we spent the time together around the fire, sharing wine and singing late into the night. It's moments like these that send you home feeling the trip was truly worth it.
In short: is a trip like this worth it?
If you're after genuine experiences, time with beautiful nature and the chance to discover Europe's lesser-known corners, a road trip through the Baltic states is a bullseye. It's a place where tradition and modernity run into each other, and every next kilometre can bring something completely unexpected. It's absolutely worth the trip. And if you're looking for inspiration for your next getaway, be sure to check out what TripWeekend has to offer and find other destinations made for a road trip.
