I’m going to focus on the capitals - Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius - because that’s where I spent most of my time in this region.
This grouping should in no way suggest “if you’ve done one you’ve done them all” or that the 3 can be “done quickly together”. See all of them and take your time.
Each is built around medieval old towns that, while much better preserved than you could hope for, differs in critical respects. While both Riga and Tallinn have typical maritime centralised fort layouts, Vilnius’ old town, inland and with natural defences of forests, swamps and hills sprawls in a series of winding streets.
The truth about European architecture is that in most towns, because of their long history of conquest and catastrophe, one finds a hodgepodge of architectural styles on top of each other, even in the same buildings.
Riga is noted for its art nouveau style. What this means is that amidst the wreckage and rebuilding are preserved exceptional examples of art nouveau, which you can get an impression of if you’re a dilettante like me, or find, if you know what you’re doing or have a guide.
Tallinn has a spectacularly preserved medieval centre, Hanseatic League stone and wooden warehouses like Bergen, and gothic churches.
Vilnius is a place for those that love the gothic and baroque. Coincidentally, it’s the scruffiest and edgier of the three.
Each has benefited from their 20 years in the European Union. They are free, prosperous, modern economies with exceptional high tech industries, universities and infrastructure. While they are obvious next targets for Putin, like Ukraine he will find them changed and impossible to swallow. I don’t mean militarily, I mean culturally.
I wish I had visited Riga and it’s nightclubs in my heyday as a young man.
Where I slept: Kreutzwald Hotel (Tallinn): A short walk into the old city. Friendly. Wellton Riverside Spa Hotel (Riga): Lovely views over the river and right on the edge of the old town. St Palace Hotel (Vilnius): Set in a charming historic building close to everything.
Where I ate: Restoran8 (Tallinn): Fabulous Estonian food and not a touristy place. Max Cekot Kitchen (Riga): You will rave about the food, and everything about it is so cool. Dziaugsmas (Vilnius): A modern menu where the ingredients do the talking.
