15 Day Baltics & Russia Revealed
✓ Small, intimate group experience – no more than 24 people
✓ Return international airfares with a full-service airline
✓ All airport transfers
✓ All coach, rail and ferry transportation
✓ 13 nights in 4-star accommodation
✓ Daily breakfast, 2 lunches and 1 dinner
✓ Professional, English-speaking expert guide through the Baltic states
✓ Guided tours of some of Europe’s most picturesque towns: Vilnius, Riga & Tallinn
✓ Join local experts to explore some of St Petersburg and Moscow’s most popular highlights, plus hidden treasures such as local markets, eateries and bars
✓ Incredible sightseeing, including the UNESCO-listed Old Towns of Vilnius and Tallinn, beautiful Baroque Rundale Palace and time to discover Helsinki’s sights at your own pace
✓ 24/7 customer service and your own Dedicated Support Agent
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Lithuania! You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Decidedly the least touristy of the Baltic capital cities, Vilnius was founded in 1323. It has one of the oldest and most charming Old Towns in Europe.
Tonight you’ll join your guide and the rest of your group for a welcome dinner.
Check in: Passengers will be arriving at various times throughout the day from as early as 6am through to late evening. If arriving prior to standard check-in time, which is generally 3pm local time, you are welcome to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available, as there are generally no scheduled activities on Day 1 of the itinerary. The hotel may grant early check-in, however this is strictly subject to availability and at the hotels discretion.
Start the day with a sightseeing tour of this city erected on top of seven hills. Charm abounds with its Baroque churches, its walls, castle, market streets in the centre and 1200 medieval houses. Enjoy the architectural blend of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.
During your tour, you’ll visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Cathedral, Cathedral Square and pass by Gediminas Avenue, the Parliament and President's Palace, Vilnius University and Town Hall. Continue walking narrow old streets to visit St. Anna's Church – a gem of Gothic architecture. You’ll also see the Gates of Dawn and St. Peter-Paul Church.
The afternoon is free for you. You may like to relax or consider taking in the views from Gediminas Hill and Tower.
After breakfast, we’ll leave for Riga. Lithuania has a strong Catholic influence, and we’ll stop at the impressive Hill of Crosses, with thousands of crosses of all sizes. It’s a significant historical site for Lithuanians and has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of years.
We’ll continue to Rundale and stop to visit the beautiful Baroque Rundale Palace and its French-style gardens, by the same architect who designed Saint Petersburg's Hermitage Museum. The palace interiors are decorated with authentic 18th-century furniture, paintings and china.
You’ll arrive in Riga, capital of Latvia, and the evening is yours to relax or explore this city known for its cosmopolitan nightlife. You won’t be hard-pressed to find a wine bar or nightspot!
A morning of sightseeing is planned for you to see the most populated city of the Baltic countries. It's more modern looking, and better preserves the remnants of Soviet rule.
See St. Peter’s Church, Riga Castle with its three wonderful museums, and the old Guild houses. You’ll visit the Dome Cathedral, which boasts one of the world’s largest pipe organs. You’ll soon see why Riga is renowned for its Art Nouveau architecture. An architectural historian will highlight details of the finest city facades.
With your free afternoon you can take in some of its renowned Art Nouveau architecture, visit the large eclectic central market (housed in five old aircraft hangars) and finish the day with some traditional Latvian food.
It’s a free day for you to continue exploring Riga. Enjoy the parks, canals or do some shopping.
After breakfast, we’ll head for Tallinn, Estonia. First stop is Gauja National Park, the largest and oldest of the national parks in Latvia.
Within the park we'll visit Sigulda, the small, charming resort town that’s a haven for nature and adventure lovers. Often called the Latvian Switzerland, it’s located about 50km from Riga in the Gauja River valley. On the outskirts of Sigulda, we’ll visit the ruins of the 13th-century Crusader Castle and the 19th-century Kropotkin’s Palace. Enjoy the river valley’s landscape and walk to the sandstone grottoes on the ancient river bank.
We’ll visit the Turaida Museum Reserve, made up of archaeological, historical and art monuments dating back to the 11th century. It includes a walled medieval castle that's surrounded by a large park with sculptures.
Our last stop will be Parnu, a popular spa city. This charming city has a lovely 19th-century shopping district. It’s known as the Estonian summer capital and comes alive during the season – the party crowds descend for the beach, dozens of festivals and night clubs.
We’ll arrive in Tallinn late afternoon. A historic city dating back to medieval times, Tallinn was first recorded on a world map in 1154 and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 for its well-preserved old town.
You'll be shown around the capital of Estonia this morning, a wonderful city with a well-conserved medieval centre. See its walls, churches, squares and medieval streets filled with tourist attractions. You’ll visit the Old Town, Toompea Castle, the 13th-century Dome Church, the 19th-century Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and many other sights.
The afternoon is yours. The city of Tallinn mixes old and new effortlessly; given its location it's no wonder it has a strong Scandinavian influence, but it's steeped in medieval Baltic history. Take in the spirit of medieval times in its famous Gothic Town Hall or wander the Old Town with its winding cobblestone streets, colourful medieval houses and fairytale charm. You'll find lots of stores and street vendors selling amber and linen.
Today marks the end of the escorted part of your itinerary. Your tour is self-guided from here, and you’ll make your own way to and from the start/finish points of the included sightseeing, as indicated on this itinerary.
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the port to board the ferry bound for Finland. It’s about a two-hour trip. Upon arrival you will be transferred from the port to your hotel in Helsinki, the city also known as the 'Daughter of the Baltic Sea’ or ‘White City of the North’.
The afternoon is free. You’ll have 48-hour tickets for the hop on, hop off sightseeing bus and boat. There are many ways to get to know this gorgeous seaside city. Enjoy the old market, the green parks and the Russian influence in its buildings and churches.
There’s lots to see of Helsinki’s culture, history and traditions. Visit Senate Square with the famous Cathedral rising on the northern side, the Market Square, the orthodox Uspenski Cathedral, the Olympic Stadium, the Parliament, the Sibelius Monument and Finlandia Hall. Finlandia Hall was built in 1971 and has a distinctive, impressive white facade of Carrara marble. Take a ferry to Suomenlinna, a great UNESCO World Heritage fortress that once protected the sea entry to the city.
Soak in some of the culture with a visit to one of Helsinki’s many museums, like the National Museum of Finland, the Design Museum, the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, the Mannerheim Museum and the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art. The City Museum is free.
If it’s open, a visit to the unique Temppeliaukio Church is worth it – also known as the ‘Rock Church’, as it’s built directly into the granite rock.
It’s a free day in Finland’s capital for you to continue to make the most of your sightseeing bus and boat pass.
In the morning, walk to the train station to board your train to Russia – the train station is approximately 400 metres from the hotel. Upon arrival to St. Petersburg rail station you’ll be transferred to the hotel.
Zdravstvuyte! Welcome to Russia. St. Petersburg really is stunning. You’ll be charmed by the views, the architectural monuments belonging to different time periods and styles, beautiful Neva River embankments, majestic palaces, cathedrals and unique bridges. Although very modern, the city still manages to retain its old-world charm.
At 7pm, make your way to the starting point of your guided tour to discover the gritty, great and strange sites of the ‘Burg. Together with a local guide, discover weird and wonderful sights in this fascinating city and explore the history of Russia left behind by the likes of Rasputin and Lenin. Taste Russian vodka in a Soviet-style bar, frequented by both tourists and locals. Visit the oldest – and arguably, most beautiful – railway station in St. Petersburg, constructed in the same style as the Eiffel Tower. Discover the beauty and unusual design of the St. Petersburg metro.
This tour’s start and finish point is the City Tourist Information booth at the Palace Square (in front of Hermitage Museum). This meeting point is about 3km from your hotel.
At 9.30am, enjoy a three-hour guided tour. Your local guide will help you discover the beauty and grandeur of this captivating city. Learn about the city’s most famous architecture, as well as some hidden gems. You’ll tuck into an authentic Russian lunch and see the spot where stroganoff was created.
This tour’s start and finish point is the City Tourist Information booth at the Palace Square (in front of Hermitage Museum). This meeting point is about 3km from your hotel.
Today you’ll travel to Moscow by train. Transfers are included to and from the train station.
Russia’s capital Moscow has survived centuries of revolution and tumult, from the days of the tsars, through the Communist era to the growing pains of democracy. It’s a fascinating city. Beneath its modern veneer, it has a rich history and the landmarks and grand monuments to show for it. It’s also home to renowned museums, theatres and art galleries. You’ll find lovely green spaces, like Sparrow Hills and Gorky Park, also home to an open-air movie theatre.
At 3pm, make your way to meet your local guide and embark on a guided food tour. Make your own way to the meeting point. Get ready to eat like a Russian on this delicious foodie tour of the Danilovsky neighbourhood. You’ll check out the bustling local market and discover what Russian cuisine is all about, find out that locals like to eat on special occasions (hint: caviar!) and take a trip down memory lane to discover the foods of countries that once belonged to the USSR.
The start and finish point of this tour is the nearby entrance to Danilovsky, next to the sign that says: ‘ВХОД’, meaning entrance. This is about 7km from your hotel – about 40 minutes by metro or 30 minutes by taxi.
Please note: The lunch included today is a (very) late lunch. This meal consists of a number of small dishes at different locations on your food tour, to give you an authentic feel for the varied tastes of Russian cuisine.
Today you’ll discover Moscow’s famous sights from a local perspective. Make your way to the starting point of the tour for a 10am start. You’ll enjoy the must-see sights like Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral, along with spots only locals know. Learn about Russia’s emperor days, Soviet history and contemporary Moscow as you discover the city beyond the icons.
Red Square is modern Russia’s most recognisable icon. This used to be a market square, now it’s surrounded by interesting architecture and sites like St. Basil’s Cathedral, with its iconic rainbow domes, the Kremlin and Lenin’s Mausoleum.
The start and finish point of this tour is the Pushkin Monument on Pushkinskaya Square. This is 1km from your hotel which should be an easy walk, about ten minutes or so.
Enjoy one last delicious breakfast this morning, before your adventure comes to an end. Later you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight home.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this extraordinary journey.
Check out: Passengers will be departing at various times throughout the day. Standard hotel check-out times will apply no matter what time your flight is scheduled to depart. Check-out time is generally anywhere from 10am-12pm. You are welcome to leave your luggage at hotel reception and spend your final moments of free time exploring the area or alternatively please speak with hotel staff if you would like to extend your check-out time. Please note this service is subject to availability and will likely come at an additional cost. Your tour guide (or hotel staff) will confirm the time of your airport transfer with you directly.
Arrive home today after your amazing adventure, we hope you have been Inspired!
For further information on the included 48 hour Helsinki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Boat pass, please click HERE.
Deposit & Payments
Booking Process
Airfare Information
Full-service airline used will be Etihad Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, China Southern, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa or similar
Flights are not direct and include a maximum of two connections
If you would like to travel with a preferred airline, please ensure you mention this in the special request field. Please note that appropriate fare and tax difference will be applicable in order to confirm your request.
Adelaide customers will likely require two stops in either direction
All tickets will include 20 kilos checked baggage per person, along with 7 kilos of hand luggage.
Despite the airlines baggage allowance, we recommend travelling with 20 kilos per person due to restrictions with internal flights (where applicable), as well as coach and train transportation. Also, you will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters is not included. If travelling over this amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable direct.
Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules and change fees
Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required
Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are beyond our control
Any airline 'extras' such as pre-allocated seating are at your own arrangement (additional charges apply)
Premium Economy or Business Class upgrades
Please specify this as a 'Special Request' when completing your booking and you will be quoted for the additional fare. In the event your selection is unavailable, or that you are dissatisfied with the quote, you will be provided with a full refund.
Land Only discount
A reduction of $1,500 per person applies if you wish to arrange your own airfares. To purchase a land-only fare, please select this option in the booking process under 'Departure City'.
Please note, if you are not arriving or departing as per the group itinerary, airport transfers are also no longer included. If you would like us to arrange this service for you, please refer to the ‘Extra services’ section for pricing.
Extending Your Stay
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by extending their stay pre- and/or post-tour or including a stopover in another destination. If you wish to do so, please follow these steps:
By choosing to extend your stay, please note that a supplement of $150 per person, plus applicable fare and tax differences will apply. We will contact you via email with a quote and proposed flight itinerary, and then proceed with collecting the additional payment required to confirm your request.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour, adding a stopover package en-route or booking a tour extension. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Airport chauffeur
Take the hassle out of getting to the airport with private chauffeur transfers to and from your home airport. Your personal chauffeur will meet and greet you, attend to your luggage and drive you to your destination in a luxury vehicle.
Additional surcharges may apply depending on pick-up time, tolls and government levies.
Airport Chauffeur can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add this service, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance.
Pre and post tour accommodation (deviating from group flights forfeits your group airport transfers)
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Your transfer may be shared with other Inspiring Vacations customers.
Please specify in the 'Special Request' field when making your purchase your preferred travel arrangements and if you would like our team to book additional nights' accommodation and/or airport transfers. The additional cost for these land arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
Airport lounges
Escape busy airport terminals and relax at a cosy and catered lounge instead. Departure lounge access in Sydney $70 per person (up to 6 hours); Melbourne & Brisbane $55 per person (up to 3 hours).
Airport lounge passes can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add this service, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance.
We suggest these optional activities during your free time in Helsinki (booked and paid locally):
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “3”:
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. While tipping is not customary, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many destinations. You may also consider tipping your tour leader and driver for outstanding service throughout your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences however any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $1,050 per person in addition to the twin share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book comprehensive or budget cover simply by clicking HERE to arrange your policy.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
A visa is required for travel to Russia. You cannot get a visa on arrival. Applicants can only apply for a Russian visa if the entry date into Russia is within 3 months from the date of lodgement.
You will be contacted by your Dedicated Support Agent who will need to obtain a Letter of Invitation from our ground supplier.
A visa is not required for travel to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia or Finland, for travel less than 90 days.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation, including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
Vilnius to Tallinn - Up to 24 people
Tallinn to Moscow - Minimum 2 people - please note this portion is self-guided.
Trip Style - Partially Escorted Tour
A section of this trip runs as a group tour, where you will be joined by up to 40 guests and escorted by an expert tour leader. Another section runs as a self-guided tour and you will travel between destinations on your own, with inclusions and free time to enjoy at your own pace. You’ll have access to a 24/7 local number to contact in case you need any assistance.
Trip Style - Partially Escorted
This is a partially escorted tour. From Vilnius to Tallinn you will join up to 24 other travellers on an escorted group tour. From Tallinn to Moscow, you will be on a self-guided journey, making your own way to some railway stations and to and from the start/finish points of included activities. During the self-guided portion of your tour you will have access to a local phone number, with 24/7 access should you require any assistance.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are the same price as adults.
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.
Refundable deposit within 28 days of purchase:
For cancellations made within 28 days of paying the deposit on any tour, your deposit can be refunded in full or can be transferred to a new booking should you decide to change to another package or destination. Please note this change of mind guarantee does not apply for bookings made within 90 days of departure, after which time our standard 48 hour cooling off period applies. After this time, your booking becomes non-refundable.
All cancellation or change requests must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Refund times will vary and the timeframe of which will be advised at the time of cancellation. Any refund of deposit will be issued back to the original form of payment.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Transferrable second installment up until 90 days before scheduled departure:
Following the second installment payment and up until 90 days before your departure only, should you wish to postpone your travel or transfer to another package, we can provide you with a credit note of the current balance paid on your booking, to be used to rebook within 18 months of the credit being issued.
Any change request must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Please refer to our full Terms and Conditions for more details
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