Sadly, the three small European countries that make up the Baltics – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – are often overlooked due to their small size and relative isolation.
Here is one recommendation for travelers in each one of these Baltic nations:
Estonia: Tallinn, the country’s capital
You might be surprised to learn that Tallinn is a beautiful, cosmopolitan city with a rich history.
The city has been a major hub for merchants and trading in the North Atlantic Ocean since the 14th century. Tallinn’s amazingly well-preserved medieval city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site which dates back to the city’s heyday as a trading hotspot, is home to what was once the world’s tallest building in the 16th and 17th century, St. Olaf’s Church.
Latvia: Gauja National Park
Northern Latvia is the home of this breathtaking national park, which is centered around the Gauja River Valley.
It offers an extensive cavern system, mountains, and exposed sandstone cliffs. This park isn’t only home to natural sites, however, as it also preserves six medieval castles as well as three intact medieval towns: Straupe, Sigulda, and Cesis. What other park offers this kind of natural and cultural variety?
Lithuania: Trakai Island Castle
The southernmost Baltic state is the home to one of the most spectacular castles on Earth, which is known as Trakų salos pilis in Lithuanian.
This castle, which was built in the 13th and 14th centuries, is still intact and accessible today after several renovations and restoration works to preserve its structure. What makes it truly unique is its location, on an island in the middle of Lake Galvė which is only accessible by footbridge.
