THE BALTIC STATES: HELSINKI, ESTONIA, LATVIA & LITHUANIA

LATE AUGUST 2026
Dr MINDY MACLEOD & PĒTERIS STUMBURS

OVERVIEW

The Baltic States are vibrant, innovative societies, with a fascinating history influenced by the German, Swedish and Russian-speaking worlds. Despite these diverse influences, they are home to unique cultures that have preserved their traditional art and architecture. The resurgence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania following the end of Communism is testament to the endurance of these cultures.

This 15-day tour begins in Finland and takes you on a journey across the Baltic to Lithuania. We begin in Helsinki, where we witness the influence of the Swedish and Russian empires in the architecture of the old town, as well as the confident modernism of architects from Eliel Saarinen to Alvar Aalto. We then cross the Baltic Sea by boat to Tallinn, where we step back into the Hanseatic world in its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, fabulous new Museum of Modern Art and international centre for computing and software development. Travelling inland to Tartu, we learn more about the country’s heritage at the National Museum and through the traditional architecture of Estonia’s cultural centre.

Continuing into Latvia, we visit a secret Soviet-era nuclear shelter and the spectacular Siguld Castle en route to Riga, a beautiful modern capital. Here we discover excellent modern museums and an architectural heritage that runs from Hanseatic merchant houses to Art Nouveau palaces. As we journey south, we admire unexpected gems such as Rundāle Palace and Kaunas, the medieval capital of Lithuania, whose territories once extended as far as the Black Sea. The tour concludes in Vilnius, Lithuania’s modern capital and a site of both Communism’s complex legacy and Lithuania’s contemporary vitality.

The tour is rounded out by the expertise of tour leaders, historians Dr Mindy Macleod and Pēteris Stumburs.

*** Preliminary Itinerary ***

Take a journey across the Baltic from Helsinki to Tallin, Riga and Vilnius, and discover the fascinating histories and unexpected cultural gems of a surprisingly modern region

TOUR LEADERS

Dr Mindy MacLeod is an academic lecturer, author, translator and editor whose work centres on the languages, literatures and inscriptions of the Scandinavian world.

Mindy completed her PhD at the University of Uppsala in Sweden, where her prize-winning dissertation explored the conventions of runic writing across Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Mindy has studied in Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland and has worked at Uppsala University and Linnaeus University in Sweden. She has also lectured in Swedish, Old Norse, runology and linguistics at The University of Melbourne, Deakin University, and the University of Queensland.  

On this tour, Mindy is joined by local historian and Latvian national guide Pēteris Stumburs.

Highlights

  • Enjoy the old towns of Tallinn and Riga, with their unique cityscapes of medieval merchant houses, gabled spires and neo-classical palaces

  • Discover the distinctive styles of the Baltic States, from medieval castles to the emergence of Nordic modernism and Marimekko

  • Appreciate the region’s long history, stretching from its pre-Christian roots to the Singing Revolution of 1989

  • Understand the legacy of the Cold War legacy, including a secret bunker in the forests of Latvia and Vilnius’s excellent Museum of the Occupations

  • Visit less-touristed towns, including Tartu with its traditional architecture, the medieval capital of Kaunas, and Trakai, home to the autochthonous Karai people

  • Get to know the region’s art and its insights onto traditional cultures, resistance to Communism and modern confidence

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