16 Days of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine

About the destination: One of Europe’s most charming cities, Tallinn is a perfect mixture of medieval and modern, with its narrow cobbled lanes filled with baroque architecture, and its wild nightlife. Estonia's capital city has been dubbed the ‘New Prague’ but this city stands out on its own. The World Heritage-listed Old Town has plenty of distractions for even the most exigent traveler. Best explored on foot, Tallinn’s evocative Old Town is replete with castles, Russian Orthodox churches and Dominican monasteries. These historic gems share the streets with old merchant houses and medieval meeting halls where visitors can witness locals displaying centuries-old artisan traditions of glassblowing, weaving and pottery, and, why not, take a peculiar souvenir back home. At night the Old Town transforms. Inside its ancient walls travelers will be able to party in steamy nightclubs, slinky lounges, expat bars and colourful gay clubs until the early hours of the morning. Outside the medieval quarters, there's lots to see. On the fringes of the old borough a new district is emerging, with gleaming new hotels, offices and plenty of restaurants, cafés, boutiques and nightclubs. Anyone arriving in Tallinn with the idea of an old Soviet Bloc grey city will be as surprised by this new skyline as they will be by the charming old core. Tallinn is proud of its old soul but it is also fashion forward, vibrant, colorful, cultural and wild.

About the destination: Riga is the crown jewel of the Baltic States and it’s the region’s cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and industrial epicenter. Charmingly divided by Daugava River, it presents itself as a city of colours, church spikes and beautiful nights of yellow lights. Even though the city is rapidly overflowing with a collage of glass and steel skyscrapers, it is still defined by its stunning chocolate box old town that Disney executives can only dream of. Art-Nouveau is also a big thing in Riga. The city’s notable art nouveau district was declared World Heritage Site and it is commonly regarded as the finest and best-preserved collection of art nouveau architecture in Europe. Aside from its toy town cuteness, this city is funky and vibrant with a big city soul. The Latvian capital is the perfect fusion of old and new; visitors will find the trendiest club inside a spectacular art-nouveau building. The city has been dubbed “The Second City that Never Sleeps” and rightly so; in Riga one can go out every night of the week until the early hours of the morning and there are even 24h restaurants to satisfy anyone’s appetite at any time. With its timeless elegance and its cosmopolitan ambitions, Riga has been declared European Capital of Culture for 2014. The city is now chic, lively and green, parks cover a fifth of the capital, and has left its grey past behind and has no intention of looking back.

About the destination: This Baltic capital is bizarre, decadent, eccentric and bewitchingly beautiful. Located at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers, Vilnus preserves its medieval soul. Its astonishing Old Town, one of the largest in Europe, was declared World’s Heritage Site. Church spires dominate the city as there are 65 churches in Vilnus. The sight from the city’s castle is dazzling and is the best place from which to appreciate a magnificent panorama of this green metropolis. Vilnus has big plans for its future and is becoming a cosmopolitan city. Quirky bars are found inside the dark medieval courtyards. Užupis, declared the bohemian sector of the city, is booming with art galleries and workshops. In its main square there is a statue of an angel blowing a trumpet that represents artistic creativity and freedom of expression. On the north bank of the Neris, a new Vilnius is taking shape, a 21st-century skyscraper skyline is being developed to accommodate the emerging business community, a symbol that the city and Lithuania are moving forward and ditching its Soviet past. The Lithuanian capital will seduce visitors with its exciting, spirited and charming personality.

About the destination: Minsk is a big city by the river Svislač. It is the capital of Belarus and is a progressive and modern place full of fashionable cafes, impressive restaurants and crowded nightclubs. Almost totally obliterated during WWII, it was rebuilt in a typical Soviet style: huge boulevards, all perpendicular to the other, huge classicist or functionalistic buildings in the centre and huge blocks of apartments in the close outskirts. Nonetheless, Minsk is an exciting city to visit with a deep old history and culture. The National Library of Belarus is probably the most famous modern building in whole Belarus. The National Library of Belarus was founded in 1922. The current 72 m tall building was completed in summer 2006 and consists of 22 storeys. It was designed in the form of a diamond and on top of the building is an open-air observation pad offering superb views over the city. Troitskoye Predmestye,Trinity Suburb, is the name of Minsk’s old town. The name comes from the former Trinity Church that once stood in the area. After the renovation this part was turned into an open-air museum where one can enjoy the stone architecture of the 19th century. Many buildings are located in the Trinity Suburb like museums, antique shops, souvenir stores, cafes, restaurants and art galleries. Trinity Suburb is a gem of the city's architecture where one can enjoy the old Minsk and get familiar with its cultural heritage. Minsk is a very interesting place and it has some very nice parts as well, a lively nightlife and very nice and friendly people.

About the destination: Kiev, a scenic city situated on the Dnipro River, is the bustling capital of Ukraine. The contemporary capital of Ukraine is one of the biggest cities in Europe. It is the administrative, economic, scientific, cultural and educational centre of independent Ukraine. Kiev is a city of invaluable historical and cultural monuments, of great events and outstanding people. There is something for everyone in this city. The art and architecture of Kyiv are world treasures. The Cathedral of St. Sophia, where the kings of Kiev were crowned in Kiev’s golden era, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century. Overlooking the old section of Kiev, Podol, stands the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew, much beloved by Ukrainians. The Percherska Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, a short stroll from the centre of town, has two 11th-century cathedrals on its grounds, in addition to its world-famous catacombs, bell tower, and museum collections. Close to the centre of town stands the Golden Gate, a structure which dates back to 1037. This recently reconstructed remains of the former fortified wall of the city defined the limits of the city in centuries past. Several blocks away, stands the magnificent 19th century Cathedral of St. Volodymyr. Kiev is a place of big statements, a city of glittering golden church spires and gargantuan Soviet-era tower blocks, set along the banks of the Dnipro River. The city has more to offer visitors than history and sumptuous churches though. Over the past decade, Kiev has rapidly developed to become a major centre for nightlife, seemingly having more restaurants, bars, nightclubs and music venues than the rest of Ukraine combined together.