BEER TOUR IN THE BALTIC COUNTRIES

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TALLINN/ RIGA / VILNIUS / BEER

7 days wonderful visits and beer tasting tour Areas: Tallinn / Riga / Vilnius During tour we will visit Baltic countries - three countries in northern Europe on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. All three countries are members of the European Union, Shengen zone, NATO and the Eurozone. Three countries on the shores of the Baltic Sea – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania may be surprisingly contrasting, but all three are united by their common history going back many centuries, and the joint struggle for independence. To fully experience the Baltic flavour, one should visit all three. The unspoiled scenery of the Baltic coast, the living culture and traditions, and the heritage left behind by the former superpowers make the Baltics an attractive tourist destination. Day 1 (Arrival in Tallinn / Tallinn) Arrival at 10:45 am in TLN airport (optional 7:50pm flight) After tiring flight, we will have lunch and go for an easy Old Tallinn (old town) walk with a well-deserved dinner with a glass of beer. Since there is large variety of restaurants and beer tasting places, we will pick one that fits 1st evening welcome dinner and as a start of discovering “beer of the Baltic countries”. Day 2 (Tallinn) In the morning, we’ll continue our Old Tallinn sightseeing walk. Tallinn has charm by the bucketload, fusing the modern and medieval to come up with a vibrant vibe all of its own. It’s an intoxicating mix of ancient church spires, glass skyscrapers, baroque palaces, appealing eateries, brooding battlements, shiny shopping malls, rundown wooden houses and cafes set on sunny squares – with a few Soviet throwbacks in the mix, for added spice.

Increasingly sophisticated without being overly sanitised, forward-focused while embracing the past, Tallinn is a truly fascinating city. City is dating back to the medieval times and it was first recorded on a world map in 1154. Tallinn's Old Town is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tallinn is the major political, financial, cultural and educational center of Estonia. Often dubbed the Silicon Valley of Europe.

Estonia is quite well known for it’s beer. There are several large and many smaller craft beer breweries in Estonia. We will start Estonia beer tasting by visiting one of Tallinn breweries. After brewery visit, we will return to city for a dinner and good night sleep. Day 3 (Tartu) In the very morning after breakfast we will continue our Baltic trip. We will go to Tartu – that is well known for being a student’s city and also one of the biggest breweries in Estonia is located in Tartu. Tartu is often considered the intellectual centre of the country, especially since it is home to the nation's oldest and most renowned university, the University of Tartu. The city also houses the Supreme Court of Estonia, the Ministry of Education and Research and Estonian National Museum. It is the birthplace of Estonian Song Festivals.

Tartu is a convenient gateway to exploring southern Estonia. In Tartu’s Old Town, you will also find the Medieval St. John’s Church, which is unique in Europe due to its almost 1,000 terracotta sculptures. While the streets of Old Town give you a sense of the city’s unique atmosphere, the numerous restaurants and cafées give you the tastes of Tartu.

After visiting Tartu and brewery, we will proceed to next Baltic country – Latvia and it’s capital – Riga. After arrival in Riga, dinner and a glass of beer awaits us.

Day 4 (Riga) In the morning we will have sightseeing walk in Riga city that is the capital and the largest city of Latvia and it is the largest city in the Baltic states. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava. Riga's territory covers 304 square kilometres. Riga was founded in 1201 and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. It is generally recognized that Riga has the finest and the largest collection of art nouveau buildings in the world.

Riga Port is one of the biggest ports in the Baltics’ and it has largest and most busy airport in all three Baltic states. Riga is one of the key economic and financial centres of the Baltic States.

Beer is very popular in Latvia, and with no surprize, there are many breweries in Riga, some of them dating back more than 100 years, some recent with exceptional craft beer to be offered. After morning walk, we will have lunch and visit breweries in Riga, enjoying richness of local beers. Also dinner will be “beer related”. Day 5 (Birzai, Vilnius) Since Riga has so much to offer regarding visiting breweries and sightseeing, before continuing to 3rd Baltic country – Lithuania, we will have an option to visit the largest brewery in Latvia or to have calm morning with free time. After lunch we will continue to Lithuania and it’s capital – Vilnius with a stopover in Birzai for beer tasting and dinner.

Birzai is a city in northern Lithuania. Biržai is famous for its reconstructed Biržai Castle manor, and the whole region is renowned for its many traditional-recipe beer breweries. In Birzai we will visit large manor where we can visit the working windmill which was built in 1924, explore the antique car and motorbikes, tractors and steam engine exhibition. During the tour you will have a great opportunity to meet deers, mouflons and get to know their growing characteristics and conditions. During the tour we will taste pure home-made bread, cheese and delicious venison dishes.

After walk and getting to know Birzai manor, we will continue to Vilnius for a good-night sleep before exploring Vilnius and more Lithuanian breweries on the next day, Day 6 (Vilnius) We will start our day with visiting Vilnius Old town. Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania and its largest city. Vilnius is located in the southeast part of Lithuania and is the second largest city in the Baltic states. Vilnius, the baroque beauty of the Baltic, is a city of immense allure. Viewed from a hot air balloon, the skyline – pierced by countless Orthodox and Catholic church steeples – looks like a giant bed of nails.

Vilnius has been rapidly transformed, and the town has emerged as a modern European city. Many of its older buildings have been renovated, and a business and commercial area is being developed into

the New City Centre, expected to become the city's main administrative and business district on the north side of the Neris river.

After full day of sightseeing and beer tasting, we will finish up this adventure with dinner and a glass of Lithuanian beer. Day 7 (Departure from Vilnius international airport) We will say thank you and goodbye to Europe and depart from Vilnius international airport THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES: - 6 nights in 3 star Hotels (Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius); - Transportation in comfortable vehicle equipped with AC; - City visits, entrance and guided tour in castles different breweries and beer tastings; - 6 lunches and 6 dinners; - Chinese speaking guide during all stay; * Prices are per person. For more detailed description of our tours and full details, please contact our office. All prices are correct at the time of publishing but are subject to change. Early booking is strongly recommended. Fuel surcharge may apply.