Latvia

A self-launched, independent version of Exodus's 8-day Premium Baltic Highlights tour through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Travel solo or with a small crew you assemble yourself, using affordable buses and trains between Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius instead of a private minibus, staying in well-located budget guesthouses and hostels, and booking the same headline experiences — Tallinn Opera House backstage, Riga's Art Nouveau district, Jūrmala by train, the Stumbras spirits museum and a boat trip around Trakai Island Castle — directly via GetYourGuide, Klook or on arrival. Same three capitals, same culturally rich itinerary, a fraction of the premium price.

Travel Crew

~£450

Skip the guided group and do this iconic winter Baltic run yourself — same five stunning capitals, same Christmas markets and old-town magic, a fraction of the price. Starting in Vilnius and ending in Stockholm, you'll travel by public bus, local ferry and overnight boat, staying in well-rated budget hotels and hostels. This self-launched version covers Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Sweden across 10 days, with all the key highlights: Trakai island castle, the Hill of Crosses, Riga's Art Nouveau streets, Tallinn's medieval old town, Helsinki's market hall and Stockholm's Gamla Stan. All costs are approximate estimates based on current budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£720

An 8-day independent version of Click Tours' 8-day coach tour from Vilnius to Riga to Tallinn — done solo, on public buses and trains, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses, and joining free walking tours and local day trips instead of a fully guided group. You'll still hit every headline sight: Vilnius Old Town and Gediminas Tower, the Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace, Riga's Art Nouveau and Old Town, Gauja National Park, Pärnu, and Tallinn's medieval core. Realistic budget: roughly £600–£700 all-in (excluding flights), versus £880+ for the operator's discounted price.

Travel Crew

~£630

A self-launched version of Europamundo's 11-day coach tour from Tallinn to Berlin, swapping the big-group bus and 4-star hotels for hostels, budget guesthouses and public transport. You'll cover the same headline sights — Tallinn's medieval Old Town, Turaida and Sigulda, Rundale Palace, the Hill of Crosses, Trakai Island Castle, Grutas Park, Warsaw, Poznan and Berlin — using cheap Baltic and Polish buses and trains (Lux Express, Ecolines, FlixBus, PKP Intercity), plus self-guided audio walks and a few small GetYourGuide day tours for the harder-to-reach stops. Estimated costs are approximate budget-backpacker rates for one person sharing dorm or budget private rooms; solo private rooms will cost more.

Travel Crew

~£845

A self-launched version of Expat Explore's 18-day Northern Explorer coach tour, rebuilt for independent travellers using Interrail/point-to-point trains, buses, and ferries. You cover the same arc — Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm, an overnight Baltic ferry to Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, Berlin — but at your own pace, staying in hostels and budget guesthouses and booking walking tours and museum entries yourself. Expect long travel days (Scandinavia is expensive and spread out) and book trains early: Scandinavian rail and the Stockholm–Helsinki ferry are the two biggest line items. Costs are approximate per person sharing a dorm or twin, excluding flights to/from Amsterdam.

Travel Crew

~£1,380

A self-launched 10-day run through all three Baltic states, following the same route as Baltic Nature Travel's fully guided coach tour but booked piece by piece: hostel and budget guesthouse beds instead of 4-star hotels, Lux Express and Ecolines coaches instead of private minivan transfers, and free walking tours plus self-booked day trips instead of paid guided excursions. You'll cover Vilnius, the Curonian Spit, Liepaja, Rundale Palace, Riga and medieval Tallinn at roughly a third of the operator's price — with the freedom to linger where you like, which reviewers of the original tour consistently said was the best part anyway.

Travel Crew

~£446

A self-launched 8-day run through all three Baltic capitals — Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius — plus a cider stop in Parnu, a coastal leg at Saulkrasti, Riga's Art Nouveau quarter, a Jūrmala beach day and a boat trip around Trakai Island Castle. You book the same experiences directly (many free or cheap), ride the same regional buses and trains the locals use, and stay in well-located hostels and budget guesthouses instead of premium hotels. Costs are approximate per-person in GBP and assume a mix of hostel dorms/private budget rooms, public transport and self-booked tastings.

Travel Crew

~£560

A self-launched 15-day loop through six countries — Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw and Gdańsk — rebuilt for independent travellers. Swap the 4* coach tour for hostels and budget guesthouses, book the same highlights (Gamla Stan, Suomenlinna, Tallinn's medieval walls, Turaida Castle, Hill of Crosses, Malbork Castle) directly, and hop between capitals on the cheap Baltic ferries and regional buses that locals use. All costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP.

Travel Crew

~£1,180

A 12-day independent walking and city-break route through all four corners of the Baltic: baroque Vilnius, the hill forts of Kernavė, a Cold War missile bunker in Zemaitija, Kuldīga's Venta Rapid, Art Nouveau Riga, the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, medieval Tallinn, then a ferry across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki, Sipoonkorpi National Park and Porvoo. Built as the self-launched version of Exodus's guided 'Walks of the Baltics and Finland' trip — same parks, trails and sights, but booked yourself using local buses, trains and ferries plus budget guesthouses and self-bookable walking tours. Costs are rough per-person estimates for a backpacker/budget traveller; allow extra for summer peak pricing.

Travel Crew

~£620

This self-launched version of Europamundo's Baltic Capitals to Berlin route lets you independently hop between Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany — the old towns, castles, palaces and Cold War history included — using the same ferries and flights, plus budget hotels and local buses instead of an escorted coach, at a fraction of the tour price.

Travel Crew

~£1,490

Pedal your own way through the three Baltic states on this self-launched cycling odyssey. Following the same classic route Exodus guides — Tallinn's medieval streets, the wild forests of Lahemaa National Park, the hilly 'Estonian Switzerland', Riga's art-nouveau boulevards, Latvia's sandy resorts, Lithuania's Curonian Spit dunes and the fairytale island castle of Trakai — you'll ride quiet backroads, national park trails and coastal cycle tracks entirely on your own terms. Hire a bike locally or bring your own, connect the stages with cheap intercity buses, and stay in friendly guesthouses and budget hotels — all at a fraction of the group tour price.

Travel Crew

~£626

Skip the Contiki price tag and explore the Baltic states on your own terms. This self-launched itinerary follows the same Tallinn → Tartu → Riga → Kaunas → Vilnius route, hitting all the highlights — medieval old towns, castle ruins, craft breweries, the eerie Hill of Crosses, and Trakai Island Castle — using budget accommodation, local buses, and self-bookable activities. The Baltics are one of Europe's most underrated and affordable regions, and they're extremely easy to navigate independently. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£495

Experience the very best of the Baltic states — medieval old towns, Cold War history, stunning national parks and coastal escapes — entirely on your own terms. This self-launched version of Exodus's popular Baltics group tour takes you through Tallinn, Tartu, Riga, Klaipėda, Kaunas and Vilnius using local buses, trains and ferries, swapping group-tour hotels for well-rated budget hotels and guesthouses. All activities are self-bookable via GetYourGuide or direct entry. Estimated costs are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£730

Explore three of Europe's most underrated capital cities and their stunning hinterlands — all without the guided group price tag. This self-launched route takes you from Vilnius through the Curonian Spit, across Latvia's castles and national parks, into the Estonian wilderness of Lahemaa, and finally to the medieval gem of Tallinn. All activities are self-bookable via GetYourGuide or direct entry, and transport is covered by a mix of regional buses, local ferries, and shared shuttles. Costs are estimated per person based on budget traveller rates and exclude international flights.

Travel Crew

~£600