During the two weeks we will visit three Baltic countries: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and we will take a brief step into Poland. The Baltic lands seldom make it into the news, and that very edge of Europe remains somewhat under the radar for most vacationers even in the present day. Yet, these countries located on geographical, historical, religious and cultural crossroads have a lot to offer. We invite you to join us to learn about these, in many ways, unique lands and see many awe-inspiring things.  

Arrival to  Tallinn Airport (TLL). Group transfer to the hotel. Welcome Dinner. Orientation. Overnight in Tallinn. 

Tallinn is one of the best-preserved Medieval cities in the Northeast of Europe. With the population of over 400000 people, it is the most populous city in Estonia, and it is the country’s capital. The exact date of the foundation of the city is unknown, but archeologists confirmed the first human presence on the site of the city some 5000 years ago. By 1050 there was a fortress on the site of the city and at the beginning of the 13 century the city was granted status in the Hanseatic league, a medieval alliance of towns and merchant guilds that dominated trade in the Baltic and North Seas. The long history of the city is well preserved, as seen in its many spectacular monuments, some of which we are going to visit during our walking tour today. Overnight in Tallinn. 

This morning, we will check out from our hotel and travel East. Our first stop will be at the Pühtitsa Convent. Initially, just a small Orthodox Christian church was built in Pühtitsa in the 16th century. The convent was later founded in 1891 and has since grown into the largest Orthodox community in the Baltic states. St. John of Kronstadt, one of the greatest saints of the 20th century took direct interest and participated in the consecration of the Dormition Church, the main church of the convent. The monastery was one out of very few monastic communities that was not closed by the authorities during the Bolshevik yoke. From there we will travel South, along the shores of Lake Peipus and will visit a couple of the sites associated with Russian Old-Believers, the descendants of the Church movement that separated itself from the Russian Orthodox Church in the middle of the seventeen century. As the members of the movement were brutally persecuted by the authorities, they had to run and many found themselves just on the other side of the border with the Muscovy. Here they settled and remained until the present day. A small, but engaging exhibit at the old believers’ museum will provide us with a good introduction into their history and lifestyle. For an overnight we will arrive at the university town of Tartu.  

First thing in the morning, we will explore the ancient, but yet vibrant town of Tartu, and will get an introduction into its academic history. Then we will visit The Estonian National Museum that in its current form opened its doors to visitors in 2016. The museum tracks the history, life and traditions of the Estonian people, and it presents the culture and history of other Finno-Ugric peoples, and the minorities in Estonia. After lunch we will cross the border into Latvia and here our first stop will be in a picturesque town of Sigulda, known for its Medieval Castle of Turaida, built in 1214 for the order of the Brothers of the Sword (precursor to the Teutonic order). The castle is also associated with the Romantic and yet tragic story of a girl named Maya, nicknamed for the beauty of the Rose of Turaida. By the nightfall we will arrive to Riga. 

We will start our day by attending Divine Liturgy at one of the local Orthodox Churches. After brunch we will visit the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, built in the late 19 century in the Neo-Byzantine style. The Cathedral was turned into a Planetarium in the 1960’s, but served as such for only 30 years, as in 1991 it was returned to the faithful for liturgical use. In the Cathedral we will venerate the relics of the New Martyr John, the Archbishop of the Latvian Church, assassinated by unknown killers in 1934. Archbishop John was known as a defender of the Faith and bridge between the ethnic fractions during the time of the first republic and his active position was not appreciated by many. As the Cathedral is located a close walk from the Old Town, we will continue to explore the Medieval part of Riga, reveling in its distinct preservation of Germanic character. The old town is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the entire Baltic region. Dozens of stores, restaurants, and cafes located on the narrow streets and medieval squares grant Riga, the capital of Latvia, a very particular charm and ambience. We will visit several Medieval churches, walk the streets of the town, and visit the city market, located in the former Zeppelin hangars. At one time it was the largest market in all of Europe. For an overnight we will remain in Riga

Today we will continue our exploration of Riga and the vicinity. Our busy day will start at the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, founded on the shore of Lake Jugla (in the close suburbs of Riga) in 1924. It spans 87 hectares and offers 118 samples of folk architecture. Cumulatively, they tell a story of peasant life in the rural territories of present-day Latvia from the late 17th to mid-20th century. Here we will sample some of the local Latvian delicacies. Then we will return to Riga and continue our day with a visit to the Art Nouveau Apartment-Museum, which is located on a street consisting entirely of period houses. Weather-permitting, we will take a boat ride on the Daugava River, then we will visit the museum of Janis Lipke, Riga’s dock worker and a Latvian rescuer of Jews in Riga during World War II and the Holocaust in Latvia. For an overnight we will remain in Riga. 

This morning, we will check out from our hotel in Riga and will travel further South. Our first stop will be at Rundale Palace. It was built over two periods in the 18th century according to the design of the renowned Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. This massive palace known also as the "Versailles of Latvia" was beautifully restored in the second part of the 20th century. With its lavish interiors and French gardens, the palace was added to the tentative UNESCO list in 2021. Rundale certainly lives up to the spectacular glory of Europeans palaces from the same period.  

Our second stop will be at the enigmatic Hill of Crosses - a major site of Catholic pilgrimage in Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed there in the 1830’s. Over the generations, not only crosses and crucifixes, but statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. In recent decades you could see more and more Orthodox pilgrims coming to the site, and among the Western crucifixes you can see Orthodox and Armenian crosses. For an overnight we will arrive in Kaunas.

Kaunas is the first Lithuanian city that we are going to visit. During the Soviet era it grew to become a major city, but the historical center, very distinct and different from what we saw in Riga and Tallinn is well preserved. After the stroll through the historical center of Kaunas we will visit the Pažaislis Monastery, the largest monastery complex in Lithuania, and the most renowned example of Baroque architecture in the country. In the afternoon we will stop for a visit at Trakai Castle, a 14th century fortress built on the island in the middle of the lake. The view of the historic structure is straight out of a fairy tale. For an overnight we will arrive in Vilnius. 

The city of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania is different from the wall-chained Tallinn and Germanic Riga. It gives a rather sunny and open impression even as it preserves its Medieval legacy very well. In particular it is known for its many baroque churches, a tribute to the historical legacy of the unified Polish Lithuanian Kingdom. However, there are religious edifices of different denominations. Of particular interest is the Orthodox Holy Spirit Monastery rebuilt 1749–1753 in the Vilnian Baroque style. The monastery serves as the shrine to Saints Anthony, John, and Eustathius, the first officially recognized Christian martyrs from Lithuania. They lived in Vilnius in the 14th century and served in the court of Grand Duke Algirdas. After converting to Christianity, they were imprisoned, tortured, and killed for refusing to renounce their faith. Another pilgrim stop in Vilnius will be at the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn, where the icon of the Mother of God of the same name is venerated by all the Christian faithful of the city. The icon was historically placed above the Vilnius city gate for the blessing of the travelers and for the protection against the invaders. For an overnight we will remains in Vilnius.   

In the morning we will board a plane for a short flight to Warsaw, the capital of Poland. The Medieval city of Warsaw was severely damaged during the course of WWII, with relatively few buildings remaining intact. At large, Warsaw remains today a modern city, but there still are some very interesting historic sites to see. For us one of these places will be the Orthodox churches of St. Mary Magdalene, that serves as the Cathedral of the Polish Orthodox Church, and the Church of St. John of Climacus, the Holy Shrine for the relics of the new martyr, Father Vasily Martysz, who during his tenure was a part of the Orthodox Missionary labors in America. In addition, we will visit the Faras Gallery at the National Museum of Warsaw. It features a collection of Nubian Christian art, including wall paintings and architectural elements from the Faras Cathedral. The gallery is the only exhibition of Christian Nubian art from the 8th–14th centuries in Europe. For an overnight we will remain in Warsaw.   

Today we will transfer from Warsaw to Krakow. On our way we will make two stops. Our first stop will be in the city of Częstochowa, one of the most important pilgrim destinations in all of Poland. Here we will venerate Our Lady of Czestochowa, also known as the Black Madonna of Poland, housed in the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland. Tradition says that the Icon has an Ancient Eastern Province and for centuries it was piously venerated by the Orthodox and Catholics alike

The second stop of the day will be at the Wieliczka salt mine which, after being originally excavated in the 13th century, kept producing table salt until 1996, making it one of the world's oldest operating salt mines. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is now an official Polish Historic Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its attractions include the shafts and labyrinthine passageways, displays of historic salt-mining technology, an underground lake, four chapels and numerous statues carved by miners out of the rock salt, and more recent sculptures by contemporary artists. For an overnight we will arrive in Krakow.

After the Divine Liturgy at one of the local Orthodox Churches, we will explore the city of Kraków, the second largest city of Poland, and without doubt one of the most beautiful cities of Eastern Europe.

Founded in the 9th century on the crossroads of the major trade routes, its Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, one of the world's first sites granted status. Along with the central city square that is the largest in Europe and surrounded by the row houses and the houses of the nobility, we will see a number of churches, some of which preserved part of its Romanesque ambiance.

Later in the afternoon we will visit the Museum in Wawel Castle that houses the Royal Art collection with countless artifacts that illuminate the history of Poland. Farewell dinner. Overnight in Krakow.

Breakfast. Check out from hotel. Transfer to John Paul II International Airport (KRK). Departure back home