What is the Best Baltic Country to Visit?

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Are you considering a trip to Lithuania, Latvia, or Estonia and trying to decide which is the best Baltic country to visit?

As someone who spent two years living in Lithuania, I’m a little bit biased. But I have visited Latvia and Estonia several times as well and fell equally in love with the capital cities of both of those countries as well as the stunning coastline of all three.

There are a few things you’ll want to consider when you are trying to create your Baltics itinerary.

If you only have a long weekend, then sticking to one destination is your best bet. However, if you have a week or more, you can easily visit at least two if not all three countries (although, you’d only hit the highlights of each in a week).

Where are the Baltics?

The Baltic States consist of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. They are located in north eastern Europe. They border Poland, Belarus, Russia, and the Baltic Sea, hence the nickname.

You can expect long summer days with plenty of daylight and short winter days that are cold, snowy, and icy.

When to Visit the Baltics

The best time of year to visit the Baltics is during the summer. From late-June until late August you can sit outside in bright daylight until after 10pm.

Not only are the days longer, but they are significantly warmer than any other time of year in this region. This is the best time of year here to enjoy the Baltic Sea beaches and to explore the cities in the sunshine.

If you don’t mind shorter days, Autumn and Spring can be beautiful times of year to visit the Baltic States. You can see the colors changing on the trees in October or watch as everything comes back to life in April.

I don’t recommend visiting the Baltics in winter unless you really love cold and ice. Walking on the sidewalks at this time of year can be lethal without proper footwear (I used to wear walking spikes!) and the cold makes it nearly impossible to spend any length of time outside.

Which is the Best Baltic Country to Visit?

Are you considering Estonia vs Latvia or Lithuania vs Estonia? You are in the right place.

Let’s have a quick look at the pros of each of the Baltic countries.

Lithuania Pros

• At least 3 great cities worth visiting
• Tons of smaller towns that offer fascinating natural beauty or history
• Well connected by train and bus
• Stunning coastline
• Strong food culture
• Very affordable (perhaps the most affordable country on the list)

Latvia Pros

• Easy to visit both the coast and the capital in a short trip
• Great nightlife scene
• Tons of museums and history to explore

Estonia Pros

• Modern and hip capital city
• Stunning islands off of the coast to go hiking, camping, swimming, and exploring
• Tons of fascinating history
• Great public transportation links within Tallinn
• Only 2 hours by ferry from Helsinki

Let’s take a closer look at the best things to do in each country to help you decide which is the best for your short trip to the Baltics.

Things to Do in Lithuania

There are endless things to do in Lithuania. It is the largest countries in the Baltics both in land mass and in population, so naturally it has more to see and do.

You can spend a simple two days in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and you’ll be plotting a return trip because there is so much more to see.

However, it’s worth exploring at least one other destination in Lithuania if you have the time. Less than two hours away from Vilnius by train is the beautiful city of Kaunas.

The two cities are very different and many feel that Kaunas is more “Lithuanian” than Vilnius, which has perhaps molded itself into more of a generic European capital.

With a little bit more time you can visit the fascinating hill of crosses in Šiauliai and the port city of Klaipeda. And if you are going to Klaipeda you have to at least spend a day on the Curonian Spit.

The Curonian Spit, and more specifically, the town of Nida, is the most beautiful place in Lithuania, and dare I say, in all of the Baltics.

Things to Do in Latvia

The main attraction in Latvia is the capital city of Riga.

For many years, this was the place for bachelor and bachelorette parties for Northern Europeans who wanted a cheap place to party.

The city has mostly shaken that reputation, but it hasn’t stopped being a good (and cheap) place to party.

However, there is so much more to do in Riga and in other parts of Latvia. Explore all of the historical sites, visit some traditional restaurants in Riga, and then head along the coast on a train to Jurmala for a day at the beach.

Things to Do in Estonia

Of all three capital cities in the Baltics, Tallinn is my favorite. Estonia has a distinct feel from the other two countries.

The language is much different than Lithuanian or Latvian, which are closer in their origins. The Estonian language is much closer to Finnish in origin and so too is the culture.

There are tons of things to do in Tallinn for a long weekend. The city is modern and fun with cool bars, fantastic art museums, beautiful green spaces, and a historical old town dating back to Medieval times.

Not far from Tallinn are a few stunning coastal towns like Haapsalu which is right on the water. If you really want to get off the beaten path, get a ferry to the nearby island of Saaremaa. It is wind-battered and beautiful.

So Which Baltic Country Should You Choose For Your Trip?

If you only have three days to explore, I highly recommend choosing Lithuania. In three full days you can explore a lot of Vilnius with a day trip to Kaunas.

You can learn about the history at the local museums, you can eat at all of the amazing restaurants in Vilnius and a few of the great restaurants in Kaunas. You can visit some of my favorite bars in Kaunas, too, of which there are many.

It is the least visited of the three Baltic countries, which means there will be fewer tourists to contend with. It is incredibly affordable to explore, the food is fantastic, and there is so much history to learn about.

If you have five days, I recommend visiting Vilnius and Riga. You can catch a bus between the two that takes about four hours, so try to do that first thing in the morning or later in the evening so you don’t waste too much of your precious five days.

This allows you two full days in each capital city plus a little bit of time on the middle day for travel and eating good food.

If you have a week, you can explore Vilnius, Klaipeda (and the Curonian Spit!), Riga and Jurmala.

Alternatively, you can hit up all three capital cities, but you’ll be spending more time on the bus since it’s another five hours on the bus from Riga to Tallinn.

If you have already been to either Riga or Vilnius and you only have a weekend to explore a second Baltic country, then I recommend going to Tallinn.

Riga and Vilnius are so similar in so many ways. If you have already visited one of them, visiting the other will perhaps feel a little bit like you’ve already been there.

Tallinn feels completely different to the other two Baltic capitals while still having great food and fascinating history to explore.