Around the Baltic - interesting places to visit

richardgore

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Having just returned from two weeks on a hire bike around Northern Thailand I've got itchy feet again and am now planning this year's European trip in July. I did one last year (12 countries - two weeks) and enjoyed what I saw of Poland so thought I'd do a route around the Baltic, anti-clockwise, taking in Gdansk (which I thought was great and would like to see more of) and the Elblag canal boat lift (which I couldn't find with my Garmin). Any other suggestions for places in Northern Poland? I've got Sopot on the list, as well as the Wolf's Lair, but other suggestions would be welcome. I visited Szczecin and nearby Peenemunde last year so don't need to go there again.

I'm then heading off to Riga, via Lithuania, to meet up with the GF for a couple of nights before heading off, alone, to Finland, Sweden and Norway. So suggestions for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia would be most welcome. I've trawled through lots and lots of ride reports on here (yes, I did the research BEFORE posting this) but the consensus seems to be that they're boring. Surely there must be something to see there?

On a separate, but related, note what's the situation regarding going into the Russian enclave to visit Kalingrad? Is it worth it; are the visa applications a nightmare for one day's riding; will I need to go through all that carnet crap? I will be doing Russia next year, or the year after, so could cover it all then, but just wondered what the difficulties were for this year.

Your suggestions (kindly now) greatly received.

:beerjug:
 
Richard
I am doing a similar trip to yours but clockwise around the Baltic and in June. Kaliningrad? The last time I looked, and I may go there, UK residents can stay there for 48hrs without a visa. It's a tiny place, about as big as Kent I believe. I got a number of books from the local library on Norway, Sweden, Finland and so on but it's easy to get weighed down with too much information. I took nearly ten books with me on my US trip but ended up giving most back to my wife who returned before me. I'll be staying in hostels and expect to pick up useful info from staff and other travellers there.
 
Hi Paul,
Yup, I saw your posts on here and have read both your comments as well as the replies. I'll do a bit more looking into Kaliningrad (thanks for the correct spelling) and see what I can find. Might as well try, as it's another country.

Like you I prefer to travel on my own, and for exactly the same reasons.

Have a good trip and mayhap we'll wave to each other as our paths cross.

:thumb2
 
Hi there,
I'm from Lithuania. Drop me a message if you mind to visit Vilnius. So, you' ll have my phone no, just for a case.

mobile
 
richardgore said:
Having just returned from two weeks on a hire bike around Northern Thailand I've got itchy feet again and am now planning this year's European trip in July. I did one last year (12 countries - two weeks) and enjoyed what I saw of Poland so thought I'd do a route around the Baltic, anti-clockwise, taking in Gdansk (which I thought was great and would like to see more of) and the Elblag canal boat lift (which I couldn't find with my Garmin). Any other suggestions for places in Northern Poland? I've got Sopot on the list, as well as the Wolf's Lair, but other suggestions would be welcome. I visited Szczecin and nearby Peenemunde last year so don't need to go there again.

I'm then heading off to Riga, via Lithuania, to meet up with the GF for a couple of nights before heading off, alone, to Finland, Sweden and Norway. So suggestions for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia would be most welcome. I've trawled through lots and lots of ride reports on here (yes, I did the research BEFORE posting this) but the consensus seems to be that they're boring. Surely there must be something to see there?

On a separate, but related, note what's the situation regarding going into the Russian enclave to visit Kalingrad? Is it worth it; are the visa applications a nightmare for one day's riding; will I need to go through all that carnet crap? I will be doing Russia next year, or the year after, so could cover it all then, but just wondered what the difficulties were for this year.

Your suggestions (kindly now) greatly received.

:beerjug:
Click to expand...

Boat lift is SE of the town:rob
 

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mindaugasa said:
Hi there,
I'm from Lithuania. Drop me a message if you mind to visit Vilnius. So, you' ll have my phone no, just for a case.

mobile
Click to expand...

Hi Mindaugasa, I'm definitely going to be having a look at Vilnius so I'll message you nearer the time.

Thanks

:beerjug:
 
Search here for "Poland Hotel Pension" NE Poland in the lakes area - very good and within reasonable distance of Hitler's hangout (also visit the airstrip over the road)
 
Crap ride report

Did a Baltic trip a few yrs back via sailings from Hull to Stavanger , Stockholm to Tallin and back to UK via Dover. Did too much riding and not enough sightseeing .
The highlight was Norway, Tallin was nice, Riga nightlife was interesting and the women were amazing. It rained in Sweden and Poland, also stayed in small hotel close to Hitlers lair.Berlin was great, stop off at the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania.:D
 
OK, Kritou, have located Pension Teresa and added it to the list.

Thanks very much for your advice.

:clap
 
Hi JC,
Had a look at your blog, or at least the bits which I'll be travelling through, and picked up your bit about the KGB hotel in Tallinn. There's not much detail about some of the places you visited and, although I searched Google and Google Earth, I couldn't find anything on the cemetary in Lithuania. Any more clues?

Scrub that - found it!

Thanks
 
Sorry, i was on a bit of a wind up there...it helped the lonely evenings pass.....
 
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