Back in June of 2024, we spent roughly three weeks exploring the Baltic Sea Region (Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, and Poland). If we are getting technical here, Finland is part of Scandinavia. However, Helsinki rests on the banks of the beautiful Baltic Sea and a perfect location to start our journey. (Also, I like to state the month and year of our travels because you never know if one day these regions won’t be safe to travel to.) The Baltic Region has always interested me with its tumultuous history, crumbling castles, and not overtaken by tourism. Thankfully, we had the opportunity to visit what some consider a hidden gem of Europe! Below is an itinerary to jumpstart your own Baltic Sea Region adventures!

HELSINKI, FINLAND (1-2 Days)

Compact and easily walkable, the Finnish capital of Helsinki feels like the other Scandinavian cities—yet different. Helsinki’s art, architecture, and cultural practices are influenced by both Western and Eastern European traditions, giving it a distinct character and singular charm. It’s a perfect mix of outdoor lifestyle, incredible coffee culture, Finnish design, and ever-changing Baltic weather. We didn’t do as much in Helsinki as we do in our cities. We adjusted to jet lag and spent majority of our first day leisurely walking the Finnish capital while dodging the summer rain showers.

What we did:
• Senate Square
• Old Market Hall and Market Square
• Kauppatori Market
• Uspenski Cathedral
• Esplanade Park
• Enjoying the sauna in our Airbnb!

Day trips from Helsinki:
• Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

What we wished we had time to see/do:
• National Museum of Finland (closed due to renovations)
• Temppeliaukio Church

TALLINN, ESTONIA (2-3 Days)

Just a short 2-hour ferry ride from Helsinki across the Baltic Sea, is the Estonian capital of Tallinn. (Gosh, I love how easy it is to travel from country to country in Europe!) As a city with an eight-hundred-year-old history, Tallinn is a patchwork of cultural influences from both Eastern and Western Europe. Though the country is considered one of the Baltics, and is bordered by Russia and Latvia, the Estonian language is most closely related to Finnish. Emerging from this long and troubled periods of occupation by the Danes, Germans, Poles, Swedes, and most recently as a part of the Soviet Union, the Estonian people have spent the last thirty years re-establishing their own unique identity. Estonia is now considered “the most advanced digital society in the world.” You definitely wouldn’t expect this from a quaint country lying along the Baltic Sea. 

What we did:(We purchased a Tallinn Card. There are so many fantastic museums in Tallinn that this was worth the money.)
• Tallinn Town Hall
• Kiek in de Kök Museum + Bastion Tunnels
• Estonian History Museum – Great Guild Hall
• Maiden Tower Museum 
• KGB Prison Cells
• Estonian Maritime Museum
• Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour
• Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform
• Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
• St. Nicholas’ Church and Museum
• Tallinn Museum of Orders of Knighthood
• Toompea Castle

What we wished we had time to see/do: (Since we spent our entire stay in Tallinn we didn’t have time to do day trips such as the following.)
• Estonian Open Air Museum
• Kadriorg Art Museum
• Lahemaa National Park
• Tartu

RIGA, LATVIA (1-2 Days)

Since there wasn’t a train service between the Baltic capitals at the time, we used a shuttle service to travel from Tallinn to Riga. Riga may lack the untouched fairy-tale charm of Tallinn in Estonia, but if you dig deeper into this low-key city you’ll find a cool, cosmopolitan and contemporary city that is often considered to be architecturally wealthier than its two Baltic siblings. After the collapse of the USSR, Latvia underwent a dramatic transformation but was eager to step back in time and see what life was like under Soviet occupation. The KGB museum is a must visit but definitely a tough one (keep in mind this is not suitable for kids under 12).

What we did:
• House of the Blackheads
• Three Brothers 
• Cat House
• Town Hall Square/Christmas Tree
• The Corner House (Previous KGB Headquarters)
• Riga Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral
• Holy Trinity Church 
• Freedom Monument
• Bastejkalna Park
• Celebrated Father’s Day with a fabulous Latvian meal + beer

What we wished we had time to see/do: (Since we spent our entire stay in Riga we didn’t have time to do day trips such as the following.)
• Rundāle Palace Museum
• Castle Of The Livonian Order In Sigulda

GDANSK, POLAND (2-3 Days)

When I was originally planning this trip, we were going to visit Vilnius, Lithuania. But after much thought we opted to spend more time in Poland and ended up flying from Riga to Gdańsk.

The last city we visited along the Baltic Coast (but will be still heading deeper into Poland) was the port city of Gdańsk. The city has been a link to the waterways of Europe for centuries — it’s where Poland’s main river, the Vistula, meets the Baltic Sea. The city was stunning with its seaside charm, former wealthy merchant houses, trendy craft breweries, and overall beautiful architecture. (To dig deeper into planning Poland, see my 10-Day or 2-Week Itineraries available on Etsy.)

What we did:
• Museum of the Second World War
• Neptune Fountain 
• St Mary’s Basilica
• Amber shopping on Mariacka Street 
• Enjoying the walks through Long Market
• Ate the best pierogies and watched several Euro Cup games. ⚽️

Day trips from Gdańsk:
• Malbork Castle

What we wished we had time to see/do:
• Westerplatte Monument/Peninsula
• Day trip to Toruń

KRAKOW, POLAND (3-4 Days)

Kraków is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is often described as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Around almost every corner is a carefully preserved medieval building + churches with baroque or Renaissance influences—but ultimately it’s haunted by wartime memories. Unlike other Polish cities, Kraków was spared during the devastating bombing raids of WW2. As a result, there was extensive restoration to many of the buildings during our visit.

What we did:
• Old Town Kraków
• Neptune Fountain 
• St Mary’s Basilica
• Amber shopping on Mariacka Street 
• Enjoying the walks through Long Market
• Ate the best pierogies and watched several Euro Cup games. ⚽️

Day trips from Gdańsk:
• Auschwitz-Birkenau (not suitable for kids under 12)

What we wished we had time to see/do:
• Zakopane Thermal Bath Pools
• Day trip to Tatra National Park
• Day trip to Wrocław

WARSAW, POLAND (2-3 Days)

We ended our three-week trip in Poland’s largest city and capital, Warsaw. Just like the other cities in Poland, Warsaw’s troubled past (many independence uprisings and wars) obviously casted a huge shadow over the history of the city.  Feeling a bit weary, we only visited a few museums (life under communism museum  & Cold War era neon signs museum). We then and spent majority of our afternoons relaxing in our Airbnb’s neighborhood—which just so happened to be a reconstructed UNESCO World Heritage site!

What we did:
• Warsaw’s Old Town Market Place 
• St Anne’s Bell Tower 
• Enjoying the Royal Castle Square 
• Warsaw Barbican
• Museum of Life in the Polish People’s Republic
• Neon Museum
• Walks along the Vistula River

What we wished we had time to see/do:
• POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
• Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów
• Royal Castle
• Warsaw Uprising Monument

Hope this itinerary helps you plan your own trip through the Baltic Sea Region!