Anyone who follows this blog knows I’m quite partial to a nice hotel. The Grand Hotel Kempinski in Vilnius was no exception – in fact it was one of the highlights of my Baltic road trip. It was the perfect base from which to explore, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting the city.

Location

Oh Kempinski, how perfect you are. Situated in central Vilnius, right on the main square, it couldn’t be more ideally located.

You can walk to all the attractions, including the Old Town, Gediminas Hill and Cathedral without so much as breaking a sweat. Wonderful.

Accommodation

We opted to stay in a suite and wow was it beautiful. There was a large living area, topped up with fresh fruit every day and cakes on arrival. There were two bathrooms – one with a large shower in it, and the other with a glorious soaking tub. There was also a huge bed which was the most comfy I’ve ever had in a hotel, and it was finished off with post card perfect views from the room out across the square. 5 nights went by far too quickly.

Food & Drink

This is where the hotel starts to set itself apart. Firstly, breakfast was delicious and served in a big, airy and light room overlooking the square. I really loved the daily ‘breakfast shot’, like carrot and ginger or another healthy little start to the day. The food was super tasty, and I really enjoyed the Crepes Suzette which were delicious.

Now to the super special part. The hotel has its own wine bar, Atelier, where even if you’re not staying you could visit for wine tastings. They can tailor the tastings for everyone individually but it’s a great opportunity to sample wine from all across the world – local and far afield. The sommelier, Martynas, was AMAZING and so knowledgeable. We had the absolute BEST time tasting the Explorer’s Menu. Martynas was so committed to his work, and it was clear that being a sommelier was way more than a job to him, it was a part of him. He’s travelled the world learning and despite being a master sommelier who could work anywhere, he’s chosen to bring that knowledge back to his home country which I really admired.

What I also really liked is that there was a cocktail to start – and the hotel encourage the junior members of staff to try new ideas and combinations for this part of the menu. A very nervous young man came to present his cocktail to us and it was DELICIOUS. I love that the hotel encouraged him to try because the end result was tasty for us and probably confidence building for him. I liked that.

Finally, we also had a tasting menu in the restaurant Telegrafas, which again was just a bit mind bogglingly good. Everything from the beef to the fish was cooked perfectly, and we couldn’t have asked for more.

Amenities & Experiences

Aside from the wine tasting and tasting menus, the hotel also offers a number of other amenities. It has a Gastrobar for laid back dining, a summer terrace for cocktails with an Old Town view, and a coffee station in reception – so there is plenty of choice.

There is also a wonderful spa, which we chose to use one evening for a swim and then some traditional massages. They really don’t muck about with massages in Eastern Europe, I could barely feel my muscles (in a good way) by the end!

The hotel also offers a private car, which was perfect for our airport arrival in the middle of the night, and has a good concierge service which provides maps, recommendations and can make bookings for guests.

I know sometimes people wonder if you ever get an authentic travel experience staying in luxury hotels. Of course I think that depends on your definition of authentic – but would a Holiday Inn equivalent have made my experience more authentic? No, of course not. But I do think you can easily fail to connect with people or a place if you hole up in a nice hotel.

That’s why I loved this one so much – to see Martynas’ talent and the investment in people being made by the team was just amazing. We loved talking to the people that worked there and hearing their stories, views of the Ukraine war and about their families. Of course, the hotel was amazing, but its people were what set it apart.

What do you think of the Grand Kempinski? Would you like to stay? Thanks so much for reading – stay safe and happy travelling as always!

Contents

1. Contents
2. How to get to Kaunas
3. Things to do in Kaunas
   1. 1. Kaunas Castle
   2. 2. Town Hall Square
   3. 3. Old Town
   4. 4. Church of St Michael the Archangel
   5. 5. The Great War Museum
   6. 6. Blessed Virgin Mary Church
   7. 7. Presidential Palace
   8. 8. Vilniaus Gatve

How to get to Kaunas

Getting to Kaunas is simple from Vilnius and the easiest mode of transport is a train. The train takes 1hr 15 mins from Vilnius and from Kaunas station it’s a 30 minute walk to the centre. The trains in Lithuania are amazing – big, clean, efficient and really cheap. Our journey to Kaunas cost us 5 Euros each.

Alternatively, you could drive, and it would take around 1hr. There is plenty of parking in the city.

Things to do in Kaunas

There’s lots to do in this beautiful city and as it’s quite compact it’s easy to fit in to only a day long visit.

1. Kaunas Castle

This castle was built in the 1300s to defend against invasion from the Crusaders who were aiming to spread Christianity across Europe (with a lot of pillaging and destruction on the way). It sits where two rivers meet and on a hill, giving it a great vantage point. Today it’s lovely to visit, and sits in a nice open park area where there are markets, food trucks and things to do.

2. Town Hall Square

The hub of Kaunas is its Town Hall and square. Inside the Town Hall is a small museum on Kaunas, although it was being refurbished at the time of our visit so we couldn’t go in. I also loved the beautiful pink church.

3. Old Town

Kaunas’ Old Town is really well cared for and is clean, tidy and picturesque. This year, in 2022, Kaunas was voted as the European Capital of Culture meaning it was filled with fun sculptures, art work and historic stalls to explore.

We also thought the food in the old town was just incredible. We had some authentic Lithuanian treats from a street market, cocktails as we strolled along and an absolutely delicious Mexican meal at a restaurant called Agave. I could have spent the entire day eating to be honest.

4. Church of St Michael the Archangel

One of the prettiest churches in Kaunas is the Church of St Michael the Archangel. It sits at the top of the main street in the city (number 8 below) and is well worth popping in to.

5. The Great War Museum

The Great War Museum is just outside of the centre, but easily walkable. It tells the story of Lithuania during war-time from pre-historic to modern times. There are galleries on Lithuanian wars with Russia as early as the 1600s, and then through to WW1 and WW2. It’s really interesting, and the highlight was an exhibition on the current situation in Ukraine. The Museum set up the exhibit years ago in relation to Russia’s activity in East Ukraine, and then recently expanded it following current events. You can read a bit more about the impact of the current political climate on the region in my post HERE.

6. Blessed Virgin Mary Church

Another beautiful building in Kaunas is the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, built in the 1400s and funded by Vytautus the Great. Inside it’s also beautiful and has a crypt which you can visit.

7. Presidential Palace

The Presidential Palace in Kaunas is where the President lived in the inter-war years when the capital was moved from Vilnius to Kaunas. Today it’s an art museum which makes for a nice way to spend 30 minutes or so.

8. Vilniaus Gatve

The main street in Kaunas is just beautiful. It’s a rally long avenue lined with trees and lively with cafes, bars, eateries and flowers everywhere. I loved the beds of tulips planted all over the place, just stunning.

So, what do you think of Kaunas? I thought it was a beautiful day trip and I’m very glad to have visited. Stay safe and happy travelling as always.

Contents

1. Contents
2. What is the Hill of Crosses?
   1. The History
   2. Today
3. How to get to the Hill of Crosses
4. Other helpful information

What is the Hill of Crosses?

The History

People began planting crosses here en-masse in the 1800s, although the tradition probably began much earlier. Following the failed 1831 Uprising against the Russian Empire, people placed crosses on the hill both as a sign of their religion, and also to honor victims and relatives of the uprising, many of whom were deported to Siberia.

During Soviet times in the 1900s, the Hill of Crosses took on an even greater importance—as a sign of resistance to the totalitarian regime. The Hill of Crosses was bulldozed by the Soviet authorities several times, but people would risk their lives in peaceful protest by planting crosses again, even overnight to avoid detection. The Hill of Crosses became a symbol of Lithuanian national identity, as well as a significant religious site.

Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass on the Hill of Crosses on September 7^th 1993, to a huge crowd of 100,000 people. There is a small chapel commemorating the spot where he celebrated Mass.

Today

Today, people still leave crosses in memory of loved ones. I’ve talked a lot about my infertility issues, and I found a small comfort in leaving a little cross in memory of my 13 (at the time of writing) miscarried little babies, who even though never older than a few weeks were loved regardless and who I wish in another world might have been visiting with me.

How to get to the Hill of Crosses

Getting to The Hill of Crosses is easiest by car. The nearest town is Šiauliai (pronounced show-lay), 12km away. If you’re coming from Vilnius it’s a 2.5 hour drive, or 2hrs from Kaunas. We drove from Vilnius, en-route to Riga, as the site is about half way, making it the perfect stop off.

If you don’t have a car, you can also take a train from Vilnius or Kaunas to Šiauliai. From there, head to the bus station and get the next bus to Joniskis and get off at Domantai, from where it’s a 2km walk to The Hill of Crosses site. Buses are to and from Šiauliai to the site are unreliable though, so I really recommend a car if you can do so.

Other helpful information

• The Hill of Crosses is open 24hrs a day
• It is free to enter, though there is a charge to use the toilets on site and there is a charge of EUR1 for carparking
• There is a small gift shop at the site where you can buy crosses if you want to leave one
• There are over 200,000 crosses at the site
• Walking round the Hill of Crosses takes around 30-45 minutes. In total we spent 1hr here.
• Bring insect repellant as there are mosquitoes everywhere! I was bitten 6 times even in trousers and a jumper!

So what do you think of The Hill of Crosses? Would you want to visit one day? I thought it was a great place, and I thoroughly recommend it if you ever visit Lithuania.

Contents

1. Contents
2. How to get to Trakai
3. Trakai Castle History
4. Other things to do in Trakai

How to get to Trakai

The easiest way to get to Trakai is to drive. There is parking near the castle and the drive takes around 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. You could also hire an Uber/Bolt and it will cost you around 50 Euros for a round trip.

Alternatively you could get the train, which runs regularly between Vilnius and Trakai and is much cheaper at around 10 Euros. The only problem is that both the train and bus stations are well out of the centre. You will have a 45mins- 1 hour walk once you get in to Trakai.

We chose the drive option and were glad we did as we had already done so much walking around Vilnius and Kaunas.

Trakai Castle History

Trakai Island Castle was built in the 1300s, constructed on the largest of the three lake islands of the region by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Duke Kestutis. The castle was not only defensive, but also became Kęstutis’ main residence.

In the late 1300s, the castle suffered an attack by the Teutonic Knights (the Crusaders trying to spread Christianity across Europe causing havoc along the way). Kęstutis was assassinated and there was a power struggle between Jogaila and Vytautas the Great for the title of Grand Duke (Vytautus, the most famous Duke of all, obviously won). Apparently, during the truce with the Teutonic Order, the re-construction works were even supervised by the Order’s stonemason.

Trakai Island Castle lost its military importance soon after the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 which marked the start of the Lithuanian-Polish Union (having defeated the German Teutonic Order in the battle). The castle was transformed into a residence and newly decorated from the inside. Vytautas died in the castle and it remained as the subsequent rulers’ residence until in to the 1500s, when it became a prison. Then gradually over time it fell in to disrepair and was only restored in the 19th century. Interestingly, the Russian Empire restored elements during their occupation from 1795-1918, and the Germans also did during WW1.

There are a number of exhibitions in the castle which cover its history in detail. There are also a number of exhibits on different items through time – such as smoking pipes, ivory use and ornaments and hunting.

Other things to do in Trakai

Trakai is quite a small town, but there are things to do here besides just the castle. One of the best things to do on a nice sunny day is hire a boat and go out on the stunningly blue water of the lakes, ice-cream in hand. It’s super relaxing and fun. If you don’t want to do the boating, there are also numerous engine powered boats sailing all day which you can hop aboard. Or if you don’t fancy boating, just walk around the perfect blue lakes.

Also in the town are a few museums to visit, including Trakai History Museum, the Sculpture Museum and a number of nice churches. Personally I didn’t think the museums were great and much preferred the exhibitions in the castle, but they are still worth a visit.

What do you think of Trakai? Would you want to visit if you were in Lithuania? We had a wonderful sunny day out to this perfect spot and I can’t recommend it enough. Stay safe and happy travelling.

Contents

1. Contents
2. About Vilnius
3. Things to do in Vilnius
   1. Gediminas Castle & Funicular
   2. Vilnius Cathedral Square & Cathedral
   3. Bell Tower Climb
   4. Palace of the Grand Dukes
   5. Presidential Palace
   6. House of Signatories
   7. Old Town
   8. St Anne’s Church
   9. Augustas & Barbora Love Story Café
   10. Alumni Courtyard
   11. Artillery Bastion & Gates of Dawn
   12. St Casimir Church
   13. Museum of Genocide Victims & KGB Prison Cells
   14. National Museum of Lithuania (New Arsenal)
   15. The Green House
   16. Wine tasting at the Grand Hotel Kempinski
   17. Sample local Lithuanian food at Lokys
   18. Enjoy some of the best food & cocktails in town
   19. Relax at a spa
   20. The Hill of Three Crosses
   21. Kudru Park
   22. Street art in Uzupis
   23. Take a day trip to Kaunas
   24. Visit Trakai Castle
   25. Explore the Hill of Crosses

About Vilnius

Vilnius is the capital city of Lithuania, a country that has Kaliningrad just beneath it (part of Russia, detached from the main body of the country), Belarus to the east and Latvia to the north. We absolutely loved our time in Vilnius, and found it to be a vibrant, interesting city full of history (although as you can see, our weather went from cold rain to bright sunshine during our visit!).

Overall we found the city to be fairly off the tourist trail, we weren’t aware of too many foreign visitors and it wasn’t particularly busy. This made it all the more fun, and here are 25 things to do in this under the radar European capital city.

Things to do in Vilnius

Gediminas Castle & Funicular

Right on the hill overlooking the city is Gedminas’ Tower and the Funicular to get up there. The Castle was built not just as a defensive vantage point, but also as the ruler’s private home during the days of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Today there is a small exhibit inside, with a room dedicated to Lithuanian independence in 1991 – where a human chain of 2,000 people joined hands in peaceful protest from Vilnius all the way to Tallinn. Gedminas Castle was the start point.

Vilnius Cathedral Square & Cathedral

Cathedral Square is one of the most famous sites of the city. The cathedral itself was built in the 1700s, and is home to many famous Lithuanians, including Vytautus himself – one of the most famous rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Middle Ages.

Bell Tower Climb

After visiting the Cathedral, its time to climb the Bell Tower. If you’re scared of heights or unsteady on your feet though this one isn’t for you – the steps are narrow, not very stable and require some upper body strength to pull yourself up. The views are stunning though.

Palace of the Grand Dukes

The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania was originally constructed in the 1400s for the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and future Kings of Poland, and prospered during the 16th and mid-17th centuries. For four centuries the palace was the political, administrative and cultural centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but was eventually demolished in 1801 as Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire (1795-1918). Work on a new palace started in 2002 on the site of the original building and it took 16 years to complete it, opening in 2018 as a museum

Presidential Palace

The Presidential Palace is the official seat of the Lithuanian President. Nicely, the gardens are opened for everyone to enjoy each evening for a few hours, with garden games like chess and Jenga on offer (I lost at both).

House of Signatories

This interesting museum is all about Lithuanian independence after WW1, the agreement for which was signed in 1918 in this building. The museum tells the story of the build up to the signing and the people themselves involved. This independence didn’t last long as by 1940, Russia were back as occupiers – it is truly terrifying how history seems to be repeating itself on loop in the region (you can read more about it HERE).

Old Town

Vilnius Old Town is a gorgeous area, being one of the largest old towns in all of Europe. It’s well worth spending a couple of hours strolling the cobbled streets and enjoying the old buildings and architecture. There are also lots of nice cafes and places to stop in the old town to just watch the world go by – on a sunny afternoon we enjoyed doing just that.

St Anne’s Church

St Anne’s Church is just stunning. Built in 1495 it’s the most famous church in Vilnius and its easy to see why!

Augustas & Barbora Love Story Café

A cafe in tribute to the biggest love story of the 16th century in Lithuania – between the Grand Duke of Lithuania, King Sigismund Augustus, and Barbara Radziwill, Queen of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The bond between the rulers was very strong, their behaviour in the society of the time was scandalous and dramatic (he had already been married), and the story was short and tragic as Barbara died a painful and slow death bleeding internally. Today’s historians believe it was either an ectopic pregnancy (Thank god I live in the 2000s and not 1600s), cervical cancer or an advanced STI.

Just an aside my husband absolutely LOVED crouching down in roses to take photos of me (not)- so shout out to him for being patient and wonderful.

Alumni Courtyard

Alumni is one of the most beautiful remainders of Renaissance architecture in the city. It was built a papal missionary seminary established in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. In 1798, it was closed and the Alumni transferred to Vilnius University. It’s now open to visit.

Artillery Bastion & Gates of Dawn

The Artilltery Bastion was originally built in the 1500s as a defensive wall against the Crusaders, and later Russian invaders. Initially consisting of 10 dates (only one of which survives, The Gates of Dawn, this 500 year old structure has been converted in to a museum on weaponry. We enjoyed our visit and spent around 2 hours exploring the exhibits.

St Casimir Church

One of the most instagrammable spots in Vilnius is this beautiful pink church built in the 1600s. It’s also worth nipping inside as it’s very ornate.

Museum of Genocide Victims & KGB Prison Cells

Another heavy hitting museum in Vilnius is the Museum of Genocide Victims, which documents the recent history of Lithuania and the genocide largely at the hands of the Soviets from 1940 until independence in 1991. It talks about forced exile of families to Siberia, systemic persecution and murder of anyone against the Soviet regime, and mass killings of opponents. Also on the site are the ex-KGB prison cells, where thousands of Lithuanians lost their lives at the hands of the Soviet Union.

National Museum of Lithuania (New Arsenal)

The New Arsenal is part of the Lithuania National Museum and covers Lithuanian history from the formation of the state in the late 1200s through to the present day. It talks through the various wars of 1200-1795, when Lithuania was absorbed as part of the wider Russian Empire, and then the journey to independence again in 1918. It also has some really moving exhibits on the wars, and people forced to live in Siberia by the Soviet government in the 1940s-80s.

The Green House

This museum was my favourite in Vilnius. It’s all about the holocaust in Lithuania – I’ve been to many holocaust museums but this was the best one. It’s so beautifully done, really well documented, with harrowing photos of the victims before, during and after their murders. It’s the kind of place you leave feeling like you cannot possibly comprehend how these people lived, how they just got through day to day. Really we have nothing to complain about in life.

Wine tasting at the Grand Hotel Kempinski

The Grand Hotel Kempinski – full review of our stay HERE – is one of the best hotels in Vilnius, sitting right on the main square. It’s home to Atelier, a wine bar which has the best wine selection in the city. An evening wine tasting is the perfect way to spend a few hours – and you can combine it with dinner as well if you’d like.

Sample local Lithuanian food at Lokys

There are some beautiful restaurants in Vilnius, and our favourite traditional restaurant was Lokys, set in a basement cellar and serving traditional game meats. I had the game sausages and they were delicious.

Enjoy some of the best food & cocktails in town

There are so many amazing restaurants in Vilnius and its food and drink scene is incredible. We particularly loved the cocktails at Greys, and the food at Fiorentino (Italian), Blue Lotus (Thai & Indian), Narushi (Sushi) and Telegrafas (upmarket).

Relax at a spa

Lithuania is known for its many spas and wellness retreats, and you can get a wide range of treatments for a really good price. I had a deep tissue massage and it was absolutely amazing (and painful in a good way – they don’t mess about here!)

The Hill of Three Crosses

The Hill of 3 crosses (not to be confused with the famous Hill of Crosses below) is a viewpoint in Vilnius, which is dedicated to the memory of some Franciscan Friars who were beheaded here.

Kudru Park

A lovely green space in the city, Kudru Park is perfect for relaxing and having a break amongst nature. I really liked the views out across the city too.

Street art in Uzupis

One of the coolest areas of Vilnius is Uzupis, self declared as independent. It’s home to open air art galleries and lots of graffiti so is fun to just stroll around.

Take a day trip to Kaunas

Full post on Kaunas HERE.

A great day trip option from Vilnius is to head to the nearby city of Kaunas. Kaunas is the 2022 European city of culture and is a beautiful place to spend the day exploring.

Visit Trakai Castle

Full post on Trakai Castle HERE.

Another wonderful half day trip option is to visit Trakai Castle. This fairytale island castle is not just picture perfect but also houses a really interesting museum on the history of castle through the ages.

Explore the Hill of Crosses

Full post on the Hill of Crosses HERE.

Not to be confused with item 20 above, The Hill of Crosses lies a few hours north of Vilnius and is hard to get to without a car, but is doable as a day trip. One of the most special places in Lithuania (in my opinion), it’s well worth it.

What do you think of Vilnius? We really enjoyed exploring this wonderful city. We spent 5 days here, but you could squeeze everything in to 2 days if you needed to by dropping a couple of the museums and the day trips.

I hope you enjoyed the tour – stay safe and happy travelling!

Where are The Baltics?

The Baltics is an area of Europe covering three separate countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. They sit on the north coast of Europe, with Russia and Belarus bordering them to the North, East and South.

The route we followed on our trip took us through all 3 countries as per the map above. At the very bottom of the map you can see Kaliningrad – this is a small area of Russia below Lithuania. Then to the right you will see St Petersburg, also in Russia, with Belarus the country sharing a border with Lithuania and Latvia.

All three Baltic states are in NATO, but all three have long and complicated histories with Russia which can’t be ignored. But let’s start with the non-war related observations.

What are The Baltics like to visit?

In short, INCREDIBLE. I had an amazing time exploring the region. There were areas that felt very much on the tourist trail, and others which felt a world away from it. It was a place of similarities – to Western Europe, to each other – and a place of huge differences. It was one of the best holidays I’ve ever had, and I’d recommend it to anyone considering a trip here.

Here are my non-war and non-political related observations.

1. Each Baltic capital feels very different

Vilnius (Lithuania) felt completely off the tourist track – we heard mainly Lithuanian and were not aware of many English visitors. In Riga (Latvia), it was overwhelmingly German visitors we saw. We also saw and heard many more Russians in Latvia. In Tallinn (Estonia), it seemed largely English and felt much more Western European – firmly on the tourist trail. However, all 3 Baltic countries speak AMAZING English, so it was easy to communicate.

Away from the capital cities of Riga and Tallinn, Latvia and Estonia also felt off the tourist trail and I really enjoyed seeing more of these beautiful countries.

2. In Lithuania, people are not openly friendly

…but that doesn’t mean they’re not nice. People don’t say hello or smile in the street. There’s not really any customer service, it’s more nods and grunts if anything. People looked away if I made eye contact and smiled. It’s cultural and not at all meant to be rude. It was slightly different in Latvia and Estonia but still don’t expect enthusiastic greetings and well wishes, especially outside of the capital cities.

3. Traditional food is meat heavy

Most menus are meat heavy across the region – there are lots of vegan and vegetarian places now popping up, but traditional food is game meat and rye bread. We sampled it across the region and it was VERY heavy, but great quality.

4. The streets are clean and beautiful

All three Baltic nations are completely spotless – like not even gum on the pavements. I saw someone throw a receipt on the pavement, and 2 locals told him off! We also ‘jay walked’ (crossed the road on a red light as there were no cars) and people told us off and looked at us with complete disdain.

5. All three Baltic countries feel super safe

Not once did I feel threatened, in danger or even looked at funny. In fact the opposite; literally no-one bothered me at all.

6. The Baltic States are largely white

I didn’t see a non-white person for my entire time in Lithuania, and in Latvia and Estonia it was rare. In total in 2 weeks I think I saw 5 black people, most of whom were American tourists. I found it uncomfortable, and if I wasn’t white I think my experience in these countries could have been different (but obviously I can’t attest to that, and certainly wasn’t aware of anything but open minds and people being welcome to all visitors).

7. Travelling around is easy

Whilst there is no train network easily connecting the countries, the roads are good and easy to navigate. Within countries (i.e. Vilnius to Kaunas, Tartu to Tallinn), the trains were incredible. Very cheap, efficient, clean and with snacks offered too.

8. It’s cheaper than Western Europe, but not that cheap

We noticed a big difference in accommodation, transport and museum prices across the region vs in the UK. However food and drink was roughly the same. In the capital cities the price differential wasn’t that big, especially in Tallinn which we found to be the most touristy area. All 3 countries use the Euro.

How is the Russia/Ukraine war impacting the Baltics?

Let’s talk about the main thing affecting this area at the time of my visit. The Baltics are completely surrounded by Russia and in the living memory of most of the people here are previous occupations, oppression and mass killings of friends and family by the same country. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia all only gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The war in Ukraine is a huge focus here, with the Baltics a likely target if Russia decide to go further. This is not a new threat to the region and we can’t understand how these countries feel today without looking at the past.

Since the 1200s there hasn’t been longer than 50 years without an invasion or occupation by Russia in this region. In every single family, in every generation since the 1200s, Russian aggression is in the consciousness. 2024 is no different, meaning the threat today is history repeating itself. Yet again, as it has for the last 800+ years already.

As we travelled through the region we learnt in detail about the history.

1200s – 1918 (end of WW1)

Lithuania was formed in the late 1200s as The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was independent/allied with Poland until 1795. During that time it fought many battles against Russian invaders. Eventually the Duchy fell and from 1795-1918, Lithuania was part of the Russian Empire right up until the end of WW1.

Latvia & Estonia didn’t have a national border or identity as countries until the end of WW1. Unlike Lithuania they formed the Kingdom of Livonia in the 1200s, which effectively meant they were ruled by the German Crusaders and power was in the hands of the Germans (hence the German links everywhere in Riga/Tallinn). Then as the Reformation swept through Europe, the Catholic Livonian Empire lost its sway and Latvia/Estonia became a battle ground for everyone – The Danish came, the Swedes were in charge for a while, the Russians continued to attack. And then, like in Lithuania, they took over for good in the 1800s, with the area becoming part of the Russian Empire until 1918.

In 1914-1918, Russia fought in WW1 and lost. After WW1, with Russia weakened, all 3 Baltic nations claimed independence following 2 years of battles. This was the first time Latvia and Estonia became recognised as countries.

1920 – today

Independence didn’t last long. Just over 20 years later, in 1940, with WW2 raging in other countries, Russia took over the Baltics yet again. By 1941, Germany had invaded and the area was under Nazi control, and then in 1944 the Russians were back and Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia were incorporated in to the Soviet Union (USSR), right up until 1991.

It was during this period that some of the biggest atrocities happened – Estonia lost 25% of its population, for example. This was because thousands of people were forcibly sent to labour camps, killed by the Soviet forces, or sent to live in exile in Siberia for no reason (just being a teacher, or politician or farmer was enough). Virtually no families were left untouched, and the USSR economically and financially destroyed the Baltics for its own growth back ‘home’.

In the 1980s, the USSR was weakened following years of terrible economic policies, and there was rising unrest in The Baltics with calls for independence alongside the USSR’s new policy where restrictions were not as severe as they had been in the past.

Through peaceful protest, independence was restored for all 3 nations in 1991. One of the main symbols of independence was the Baltic Way – where people from all 3 countries joined hands all the way from Vilnius to Tallinn to peacefully protest for independence.

No wonder protests against the Ukraine war are strong across this region. The prospect of Russian invasion is real, every day here. In Lithuania, support for Ukraine was overwhelming – every shop we walked past was decked out in the Ukrainian colours, we saw demonstrations and concerts and public speeches on the topic of the war. Lithuania has a much lower population of Russians (5%) than Latvia and Estonia (25%), and it felt the most vocal against the war by far.

In Latvia and Estonia, the open support wasn’t everywhere like in Lithuania, but there were pockets of really strong protest. We spoke to a number of people in all 3 countries and all were vocally against the war, and fearful of Russia coming back to occupy the Baltics. Everyone we spoke to said it was now dangerous to support the war or be pro-Russian.

In Western Europe we are slightly removed, in other continents even more so. But to these people here, they have lost loved ones in previous conflict with Russia, they have a national consciousness in living memory of oppression through occupation and there is fear here. There is an active motion here to align as much as possible with Western Europe – English is the second language not Russian and there was definitely an anti-Russian feeling in areas of the region, especially in Lithuania where Russian guides had even been removed from museums for example.

I pray history doesn’t repeat itself in The Baltics, lord knows these people have endured enough already.

As I said, over the coming weeks and months I will publish multiple guides to places across the Baltics, but I wanted to start with the context as I think it’s far too important to ignore it. What do you think? Thanks for reading, stay safe and happy travelling.