Baltic Capitals in a Motorhome
Has anyone visited Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn in a motorhome? If so, any tips you could pass on? What I have read so far about campsites / aires on the outskirts hasn’t given me much enthusiasm. Some city camps / aires tend to be in less salubrious areas, a fair walk from centres.
Any recommendations???
Would it be better just to give up the idea, fly into Tallinn, and back from Vilnius, and make use of the new coordinated rail service which The Man in Seat 61 tells us started this month? But that way we won’t get to dawdle en route and see other sights….
Or just fly on city breaks??? Lately, when city visiting, I have rather preferred to be in good hotels at the centre of things.
Indecision. All advice will be helpful.
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I'm sorry you've not had any responses yet.
I can't help I'm afraid. But I like the idea of motorhoming there - but I would want to feel safe. Your second idea is good, at least you'd see some of the country, if only from a window!
A colleague from work went for a weekend when it all first opened up and loved it. No idea now exactly where, but they flew. I've been retired 8 years and he finished working with us a couple of years before that...
Do let us know what you decide and report back after you've been. It'll inspire us.
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it is a long way to go to get there, a lot of driving. We have been to Sweden several times, with caravan, and twice in Finland, one time by taking a ferry from Stockholm to Turku, then driving north up the Baltic coast, the second time entering from Sweden near Haparanda, but we were on the way to visit relatives in Norway. Both trips involved driving several thousand miles in total.
For visiting the cities you mentioned, I would be looking at city breaks, unless we were doing a long trip, at least 2 -3 months, also involving seeing other areas of those countries and of the countries we were passing through.
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Having spent 3 nights on a motorhome aire (sosta) in the centre of Palermo a couple of years ago, I would say that driving in cities in a motorhome is not for the fainthearted. It may also be difficult to find somewhere secure to park/stay.
Another vote for a flying city break.
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Thank you for the responses.
Yes, if we went in the motorhome it would be very much part of a longer trip. Maybe take the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki as well? 3 months would be pushing it though – need to keep some days of our 90 / 180 days for other jaunts.
I must admit that the photographs I’ve seen of the m/home stopovers on various blogs do not inspire me with much confidence.
Did a bit more research last night and find that Air Baltic does flights in between the three cities, very cheaply too. Although Ryanair fly to each city from the UK, they don’t fly between the cities – no doubt Air Baltic keeps control!
(In my very much younger days, I travelled to Copenhagen and Stockholm by train. Lately revisited Copenhagen flying with Easyjet. Stockholm is also on my “re-visit” list. Also explored Norway twice, again using ferries, buses and trains. But that was in the pre-retirement era when we had less time for travelling, not the "meandering about for months in a motorhome" days.)
Unless I can find some really good recommendations it will be “city break” holidays I think.
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So far this year my grown up children have done Amsterdam to Hamburg by train, then Faro to Lisbon, and a loop from Seville around southern Spain. Only Montenegro to Albania beat them and they had to use buses as the trains weren’t running. So when I showed them your post they said Ooh that three capitals railway ride is one we will certainly put on our list.
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Oops, not this year, I meant 2024 !
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No idea what has happened. I wrote a reply, which did not appear. So wrote another, replicating the first, and adding a little more. That has not appeared either.
Is it because I gave a link to the train service to which I had made mention?
Puzzled.
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@Not_going_gentle I sometimes find I have to press the "Post Comment" button a second time as the first one doesn't always work. That could just be my keyboard rather than a general problem with the forum, both me and the keyboard are getting old😊 Did you use the "insert media" button at the bottom of the posting pane? Perhaps try again as it sounds interesting.
David
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@Not_going_gentle I have been in contact with our daughter who is a regular visitor to the Balkans for her work and these are a few things she said. There is a newly opened interconnected rail line which takes about 11hrs and 3 changes from Talin, Tartu, Riga to Vilnius. She does say that it would be an amazing journey in a M/H as all 3 countries are beautiful and so very different. She has seen a few campsite on the road between Pamu and Riga but there are often LVs at pull ins especially at the sea side. Fuel is around 1.6€, although slightly different in each country so Latvia might be cheaper for petrol. Her biggest tip, if you intend using hotels is to book them as early as possible, as her contact over there says that they triple in price in the summer if booked then.
If you think of anything else I will get back to her for a possible answer. Hope this helps.
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Trying again to post something.
Thank you nelliethehooker for the tips, most useful. Plenty to ponder re motorhoming. Hotel tip is really helpful.
The train service extension has been much anticipated and flagged up by The Man in Seat 61 and I have kept checking that website. It does appeal even though we would not have the freedom to wander about which motorhoming gives us.
I tried to post the link to the timetable in response to Eurortraveller’s post. But it didn’t appear. I'll try once more.
JimE yes, the older I get the more I appreciate good hotels at the centre instead of staying in dubious suburbs and travelling in. The most hairaising motorhome / city experiences were in the USA: Las Vegas / San Francisco / Los Angeles (where we lost our way in a very seedy, dodgy area) / San Diego. All part of a much longer tour though. We couldn't do it now. When we re-visited San Francisco some years later, we flew there and stayed centrally.
The ease of travel between the Baltic cities, either by train or air, is inclining me to ditch the motorhome idea. (Maybe.)
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@Not_going_gentle If you like I can ask our daughter about which hotels are good value and quality, and are central in each of the capital cities and major towns worth visiting.
There are plans for a full y interconnecting railway which will reduce travelling time, down to 5 hrs, but it is a long way off completion.
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Just replied to nelliethehooker and it hasn't posted. I cannot fathom out what I am doing wrongly. I followed David Klyne's advice and hit the button twice.
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Check Drafts on the Home page, @Not_going_gentle , as you may find your missing posts there.
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Thank you nelliethehooker. It would be helpful. We like 4 / 5 star hotels in a city centre / “old town” locations and often upgrade to a suite if not too ruinous on the budget.
Normally, I do a search on a booking website and set filters for star, location, reviews 8+ and above, and then check the prices on that website against booking directly with hotel. It’s usually cheaper to book directly I find.
I’d be able to cross reference your daughter’s recommendations with my findings.
Might even look at Airbnb this time too,
If we ditch the motorhome idea, then we would just stay in the three capital cities.
(Although I am still wondering if anyone will come along with motorhome aires / campsite suggestions!)
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I have asked the question, so just waiting for a reply now.
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@Not_going_gentle I have some info from my daughter. For hotels there are most of the major groups out there, Ibis, Ramada etc. City centre prices are not much different as those over here. She suggests that it would probably be better, and more authentic to use apartments such as airb&b but better are VRBO or Holiday Lettings. She suggests getting a second hand copy of the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania. (@ World of Books). This guide also has lists of hotels in the back. Bus travel is very good, both in the cities and between towns. She says that 3 to 4 days would be enough to see most of interesting things in each city. For food all different kinds available but authentic local dishes at restaurants away from city centre are best value and excellent. For these she uses Trip Advisor.
Here are suggestions for visits
So hotels I've given you, I'd go apartments in old style buildings, way more authentic.
Estonia-
Tallin, most expensive, especially in old town, but a beautiful city, possible to visit Finland from the port.Bolt and Uber apps, I think for transport but really good buses.Good museum on the docks. I've been to Parnu in Estonia, seaside spa town.Latvia, I've only been to Riga but probably the friendliest and cheapest.Lovely old town.
Lithuania I've travelled the most.Vilnius is nice but a bit 'snobby' compared to the rest of the country. Interesting KGB museum. Second city is Kaunus, well worth a visit. Nice old town, visit Fort 9 museum.Try to get to see the Hill of Crosses and Museum of Occupation and Freedom Fights. Klaipeda is lovely, seaside town great restaurants by the sea.
I have links to the sights listed above if you want them.
Hope this is of assistance.
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Thank you. That all looks so good. But cannot read properly atm. Using phone, which I find fiddly, and away from laptop / iPad for a few days. More when I get home.
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Nth, thank you so much for all that excellent info. It’s all gone into my ‘travel planning documents’. Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back in circulation.
Eyewitness Guides: yes, I often buy these.
Thinking things over, we have decided to do city breaks rather than take the motorhome there. Short city breaks by air will suit us better atm for all kinds of reasons, and we’ll use the rest of our “Schengen time allowance” for gentle meandering around familiar parts of Europe. Whether or not we fly between cities, fly on 3 separate breaks, or take the train between the 3, is yet to be decided.
I am going to see if we can travel to the other places mentioned by train en route, or by taking local transport out from the cites (even day tours perhaps).
I’ll definitely look for Airbnb stays.
Alas, no immediate plans now. It will be a while before we can get travel insurance again. But much of the joy of travel is in the planning, and that will keep me well occupied over the next few months until we are free to wander outside the UK once more.
Please thank your daughter for me.
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@Not_going_gentle I will certainly pass on your thanks to our daughter. She is away herself at the moment, on Fuerteventura, for a week of sunshine. She is having to work in the UK at the moment as she is at her limit for time spent in the Schengen Area. Hopefully we will meet up with her next weekend. Hope you are able to sort out a trip there as she says the countries are all worth visiting.
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