Vilnus - Riga -Tallin

[baboonst]

Hello, next week I am starting my bikepacking holiday trip from Vilnus to Tallin (through Riga) I'm going solo If there's anyone here going same way let me know, and we'll have a beer or canned tuna

 

[hoopdriver]

Sounds like a lovely ride. I have been to those three cities, but not by bicycle. They are quite pretty. You should gave a wonderful tour!

 

[Tin Pot]

Nice part of the world, interesting. I liked Vilnius and Talinn.

 

[robjh]

I don't know your route, but Tartu in southern Estonia is an attractive historic city with a long-established university, and is worth a visit. Also some nice scenery in the Gauja national park in Latvia, around the town of Cēsis. And make sure to try the cepelinai dumplings in Lithuania.

 

[baboonst]

I don't know your route, but Tartu in southern Estonia is an attractive historic city with a long-established university, and is worth a visit. Also some nice scenery in the Gauja national park in Latvia, around the town of Cēsis. And make sure to try the cepelinai dumplings in Lithuania.

I was visiting Lithuania and Latvia last year but not on a bicycle, this year I'm coming back to load more on dumplings and visit Tallin too, I though about going to Helsinki too since there's a ferry from Tallin every two hours or so.

 

[smith4188]

And make sure you see The Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai in Lithuania. It's impressive whether you're religious or not.

 

[Dayvo]

Not knowing how you're getting to Vilnus and then back to the UK, or indeed how much time you have, but if you get to Helsinki, you can cycle to Turku, get the ferry to Stockholm, cycle down to Karlshamn and get the ferry back to Klaipeda (Lithuania).

Quite a lot of time spent on ferries but it is a beautiful journey around the Baltic.

 

[baboonst]

I'm going to Kaunas by train then I take another one to Vilnus and that is where I hop on the bike. I'm planning to spend 16 days on the road and visit 3 cities - Vilnus, Riga, Tallin -this is where I sleep well and eat like a human being other than that I sleep in my tent and eat cookies and chocolate bars

 

[Cycleops]

If you're going through Riga be sure to visit the Opera, they have a great company and as it's subsidised by the state very cheap. If you've never been before don't groan, seeing it live is a whole different experience to watching on TV.
https://www.opera.lv/en/
Give it a go. Have fun on the trip.

 

[baboonst]

This is my itinerary.

 

[baboonst]

On my way to Vilnus...on a train I took one from Poland going through Kaunas. I am starting my adventure tomorrow, tonight I'll have a beer or two to start things with a positive accent

 

[Cycleops]

Sorry, I'm having trouble spotting the kitchen sink.

 

[robjh]

Sorry, I'm having trouble spotting the kitchen sink.

Maybe it was in the front panniers, which have been removed for the photo. Front rack - no front panniers - obvious.

nb. I'm a five-pannier man when touring, so take this in good spirit @baboonst . Enjoy your tour.

 

[Tynan]

And make sure you see The Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai in Lithuania. It's impressive whether you're religious or not.

blimey, never ever heard or seen that before, ta, impressive

 

[robjh]

blimey, never ever heard or seen that before, ta, impressive

Funnily enough, the Hill of Crosses was much smaller than I'd imagined from photos. And eery is a word I would choose as much as impressive.

Also Šiauliai is of minor note if you're interested in Soviet architecture of the 1950s, and as a compare-and-contrast with some of ours of the same age such as Coventry. Some of the prestigious town-centre developments were not that bad, if you can ignore the grim suburbs and poor standards of the internal facilities.