its time to doss !

its time to doss !

Baltic States Preview

Latvia - Riga

Overview of Latvia Country Profile & Riga City Guide Information:

Riga's history date backs to the 13th century. when it was founded as part of a Christian crusade. During the 17th century Latvia was ruled by the Poland and Sweden before becoming part of the Russian Empire in 1710. By the 19th century it flourished as a international trade centre. After WW1 it became an independent state but during WW2 it was once again invaded by Russia and then Germany. For 45 years after the end of the WW2 it was occupied by Russia. In 1991 Latvia declared its independence. Since the early 1990s economic reform in Latvia has being undertaken in snatches

.Attractions and Sightseeing in Riga include The Freedom Monument which was built in 1935 to commerate Latvia's then recent Independence from Russia and which became a symbol of hope during the countrys post ww2 occupation. St Saviour's Church is a Church of England church built by English merchants in the 18th century whilst St Peter's Church is aesthetically one of the most outstanding features of the skyline in Riga's Old Town inspite of being destroyed by man and nature several times. The Lido Recreation Centre offers many child activities including an enormous skating ring. whilst The Central Market at Pregas lela is an indoor market housed in former zepplin hangers whilst the The Riga Ghetto at Maskavas is the a sobering tribute to the evil of the Nazis

The best Restaurants In Riga are mostly found in the Old Town. One local custom is that in many self-service restaurants in Riga you are charged according to the total weight of your selection. - The Kirbis a good vegataran is one example of this whilst The Lido Recreation Centre also offers good salads and rice dishes plus youghurt and fruit. Healthy eating! The Marrutku Maizites offers good Eastern European food and a compatible range of Vodka! The food is cheap and decor makes you think that one of Stalins foot soldiers may appeat at any moment.

Riga Nightlife has reputation for a vibrancy and two clubs that are repeatedly mentioned are Klub Depo house, jtechno, jazz & undergound and The Voodoo Club R'n'B and good House music for an older crowd are the order here + absolute vodka! Riga is also a major centre for stag weekends.

Public transport in Riga has over 70 bus tram and trolley routes and a very cheap flat fare system. A tourist card is also available. Hotel & Apartment Accommodation in Riga is gradually becoming more expensive . Short term rental apartments remain competively priced. The Riga Airport Guide has links to the airport flight arrivals & departures boards and info on travelling to and from the airport. Information on the Riga & Latvia Tourist Board and sources of Consular and Visa information is in the main index. Information on the weather in Tallinn and average monthly temperatures is also available in the Riga City Guide.

Lithuania - Vilnius

Overview of Lithuania Country Profile & Vilnius City Guide Information:

Vilnius' historic origins uncertain but it's history dates back to at least 1323 when it is known thar Germans and Jews moved there. The original city walls where built in the early 16th century and in the latter half of the century its population increased significantly. In the 17th century the Russians invaded the city and after murdering most of it citzens it was set alight. It was rebuilt in 1795 it was again occupied by Russia. It was briefly occupied by Napoleon in 1812 but remained under sometimes oppressive Russian control until WW1. In 1920 under the Treaty of Warsaw it became a Polish terrority. During WW2 it was occupied by Germany before being occupied in 1944 by Russia who remained there until 1991.

Sightseeing and visiting the attractions in Vilnius cannot be hurried. The Old Town is a maze of cobblestone streets with architecture from Scandinavia Germany and Russia.

The Gothic style Bernadine Church was first built at the end of 15th century but had to be rebuilt due to fires in 1560 and 1564. It is now under restoration. The Holocaust Museum is a history of Jewish life in Lithuania and details very concisely the Jewish experiences of WW2. The National Museum is another informative exhibition about the lifestyle of Lithuanians from the 13th century until the present. today. The KGB Museum at is a former KGB prison which for the most part has beem preserved in it's original form. It includes a very chilling water torture cell and a former execution room which includes the remains of victims. whilst The Presidential Palace at Daukanto is a very impressive example of 14th century architecture. More

There are many international restaurants in Vilnius and some are truly exceptional. Possibly the best restaurant in Vilnius is The Ukrainos Vakarai offers authentic Ukrainian of the highest standard. whilst The Polonezas a real Polish establishment serves a truly exceptional bigos which includes severaly types of meats and stewed cabbage. More

Vilnius Nightlife is average with The Prospecto one of the better clubs - others worth a include Club Intro and Club Pabo Latino. Public transport in Vilnius features nearly 80 bus & tram routes.It is cheap and dependable and supported by a good English website! There is an abundance of Hotel and Apartment Accommodation in Vilnius all very reasonably priced. The Vilnius Airport Guide has links to the airport flight arrivals and departures boards and info on travelling to and from the airport .Information on the Vilnius & Lithuania Tourist Board and sources of Consular and visa information in the main index. Information on the weather in Tallinn and average monthly temperatures is also available in the Vilnius City Guide.

Estonia - Tallinn

Overview of Estonia Country Profile & Tallinn City Guide Information:

The earliest record of Tallinn is dated 1154AD. It has always been a trading

port and during its history it has been ruled by Russia, Sweden and Germany. Between WW1 & WW2 it was briefly an independent country state before being occupied by Russia between 1944 until the the fall of communism. In 1991 Estonia regained its independence after the 'Singing Revolution' and since then its economy has developed into one of Europes great success stories. Its membership of the European Union has had many benefits and with the country's tourist industry being one of the main benefactors.

Tallinn has becoming a very popular tourist destination for a weekend city breaks. The sightseeing and attractions of Tallinn cater for people with very differing tastes. Tallinn tallest building St Olav's Church which is 500 years old inspite of being burned down three times and struck by lightening several times.

The Kadriorg Palace built in 1718 by Tsar Peter 1st commonly known as The Kadriorg Art Museum has an amazing collection of exhibits including over 900 paintings and 3,500 prints made between the 16th & 20th century. In the old Town, The Alexandar Nevski Catherdral is worth visiting as is The Dome Church - but the latter is not always open.

Restaurants in Tallinn are plentiful and offer very cosmopltioan fares. One that is especially homely is the Kudse Notsu Korts The food is good and it is served in a restaurant with a real fire as wonderful place on a cold night. The Baieri Kelder A German restaurant serves generous portions and their dumplings and sausages are more than filling as are the accompanying beers. Another good place for weekday lunch is the Hungarian Egeri Kelder Good Hungarian food here but it does not open at weekends. More on Tallinn restaurants.

Tallinn has a rapidly expanding night life and clubbing scene - with Club Hollywood very much to the afore. It is also a very pouplar place for Stag weekends. For more reliable local information on the citys Tallinns nightlife see our link. Though generally a safe city, petty crime has increased in the last few years and tourists should be aware of this. For more info see our personal safety and crime in Tallinn feature.

Public transport in Tallinn is cheap and reliable. Hotel & Apartment Accommodation in Tallinn is of a good standard and reasonably priced. Apartments are very cheap There is information on travelling to and from Tallinns Airport in the Tallinn Airport Guide including links to its flight arrivals and departure boards and information on the Tallinn & Estonia Tourist Board and sources of Consularand visa information is in the main index. Information on the Tallinn weather and average monthly temperatures is in the Tallinn City Guide.

Consular & Visa Information & Travel Advice For Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

Details of visa and consular information for these Baltic State countries plus useful travel advice can found on the Consuate page

Consular & Visa Information & Travel Advice For Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

Details of visa and consular information for these Baltic State countries plus useful travel advice can found on the Consuate page

National & International Coach Information for Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

Details of national rail networks and international railway services to these Baltic State countries can be accessed on the coach page