Baltic Road Trips

Highlights

• Viru bog boardwalk
• Palmse manor
• Käsmu fishing village
• Altja thatched farmstead
• Lahemaa coastline

Best season

Suggested stops

1. 1
   Tallinn — Start / finish
2. 2
   Viru Raba — Bog boardwalk (2 h)
3. 3
   Palmse — Manor house & deer park
4. 4
   Käsmu — Overnight spot + sea swim
5. 5
   Altja — Fishing village & swing
6. 6
   Sagadi — Forest & manor

Local tips

• Start from Tallinn — it's 60 km east on the E20.
• Book the Viru bog tour in advance in July–August.
• Käsmu has a free motorhome overnight spot near the harbour.
• Mosquito repellent is non-negotiable in summer.

Highlights

• Pärnu beach resort
• Cape Kolka
• Jūrmala
• Rīga old town
• Liepāja
• Šiauliai Hill of Crosses
• Palanga amber beach

Best season

Suggested stops

1. 1
   Tallinn — Start
2. 2
   Pärnu — Beach town
3. 3
   Cape Kolka — Wild, remote headland
4. 4
   Jūrmala — Wooden villas, pine forest beach
5. 5
   Rīga — Overnight in the city
6. 6
   Liepāja — Music city + Karosta
7. 7
   Hill of Crosses — Emotional landmark
8. 8
   Palanga — Finish / amber picking

Local tips

• Fill up fuel before Cape Kolka — there's nothing for 60 km.
• Rīga has a motorhome service station near the Kīpsala island.
• The Hill of Crosses is worth a sunrise visit — camp nearby.
• Palanga and Jūrmala get extremely busy mid-July; book spots ahead.
• Check camper travel_area — some permit Baltics only, not EU-wide.

Highlights

• Parnidis dune (52 m)
• Nida village
• Preila & Pervalka
• Dead Dunes of Nagliai
• Smoked fish markets
• Amber on the beach

Best season

Suggested stops

1. 1
   Klaipėda — Take the ferry from here
2. 2
   Smiltynė — Arrive on the spit
3. 3
   Juodkrantė — Heron & cormorant colony
4. 4
   Pervalka / Preila — Quiet villages to overnight
5. 5
   Nida — The gem — Mann's summer home, dunes
6. 6
   Parnidis Dune — Highest dune, sundial, panorama

Local tips

• Entry fee for motorhomes: ~€20 per day (Neringa municipality toll).
• Book the Klaipėda–Smiltynė ferry in advance for summer weekends (15 min crossing).
• Wild camping is strictly prohibited — use designated sites only.
• The spit is narrow (some points < 400 m); parking is tight for large units.
• Best amber picking is after storms — morning walks at Nida beach.

Highlights

• Soomaa "fifth season" floods (spring)
• Canoe trails
• Saaremaa meteorite craters
• Kuressaare castle
• Harilaid peninsula
• Ruhnu island (day trip by plane)

Best season

Suggested stops

1. 1
   Pärnu — Gateway town
2. 2
   Soomaa NP — Canoe & bog walks
3. 3
   Virtsu — Ferry terminal
4. 4
   Saaremaa — Muhu island first, then the main island
5. 5
   Kaali — Meteorite crater
6. 6
   Kuressaare — Castle & town square
7. 7
   Harilaid — Remote lighthouse tip

Local tips

• Spring (April) floods are spectacular but check road conditions daily.
• The Virtsu–Kuivastu ferry to Saaremaa runs every hour and is free for cars and campervans.
• Saaremaa is big — allow a full day to circle the island.
• Kaali meteorite crater is 5 min off the main road and always open.
• Saaremaa juniper groves are mesmerising in autumn light.

Highlights

• Sigulda bobsleigh track
• Turaida castle
• Cēsis medieval old town
• Gauja kayaking
• Līgatne nature trails
• Valmiera microbrewery

Best season

Suggested stops

1. 1
   Rīga — Start (60 km south)
2. 2
   Sigulda — Turaida castle + bobsleigh
3. 3
   Krimulda — Cliff viewpoints
4. 4
   Cēsis — Medieval town + overnight
5. 5
   Līgatne — Nature reserve
6. 6
   Valmiera — Brewery stop & finish

Local tips

• The Gauja valley is perfect for a slow drive — stick to roads along the river.
• Sigulda has a public motorhome parking area near the cable car.
• Cēsis is arguably the most charming town in Latvia — allow half a day.
• Kayaking the Gauja (Cēsis → Sigulda) takes 6–8 h; rent gear in Cēsis.
• Valmiera Dizdarītis IPA is a must-try at the local brewery.