What is the best Baltic city? Though Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are all close together, the cultures are not as similar as you might expect. Each of these cities has incredible architecture and landmarks scattered throughout the city. Here is the ultimate guide to help you decide whether you should visit Vilnius, Riga, or Tallinn.
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Vilnius, Riga, or Tallinn Overview
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital and largest city in Lithuania, with 580,000 people living there. This also means that it is the second-largest city in the Baltics states, behind Riga and more than Tallinn. Prior to WW2, Vilnius was a major hub for Jewish people which is how it got its name “Jerusalem of the North.”
The Old Town of Vilnius is one of the largest surviving medieval cities in Northern Europe and is now a Unesco World Heritage Site. Along with the abundance of historic buildings, Vilnius has modern architecture and high rises.
Riga
Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states with 633,000 people in the city and over 1 million in the metro area. It is the capital of Latvia and is home to 1/3 of the people in the country.
The center of Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Riga’s Central Market is one of the largest in Europe, made up of four giant zeppelin hangers from WW1. In 2014, it was named the European Capital of Culture. Being near the coast of the Gulf of Riga, there are also many beaches people can enjoy.
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia with 435,000 residents. It is only 80km south of Helsinki, making it is the furthest north of the Baltic capital cities. There are 46 kilometers of shoreline winding around the city with 5 public beaches.
Tallinn’s Old Town is one of the best-preserved medieval cities on the continent and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old Town looks like it was taken straight from a fairytale.
Places to See
Vilnius
Vilnius Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in the old town, just off of Cathedral Square.
Gediminas Castle Tower is a tower where the Upper Vilnius Castle used to sit. It overlooks the city and has beautiful views.
The Neris River has a beautiful waterfront that is a must to explore when you are in Vilnius.
The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is a Renaissance-style palace. It was destroyed in the 1800s but rebuilt after Lithuania became independent from Russia.
St. Anne’s Cathedral is an ornate cathedral with Gothic architecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Riga
House of Black Heads was originally a guild for unmarried merchants but was destroyed in WW2. Once it was rebuilt in 1999, it was turned into a museum.
St. Peter’s Church is a beautiful Lutheran church located in the heart of the Old Town.
Central Market is one of Europe’s largest markets. It is made up of four massive zeppelin hangars from WW1.
Riga Castle is now the official residence of the Latvian president.
Nativity of Christ Cathedral is the largest Orthodox Cathedral in the Baltics and was built by Russian Tsar Alexander II.
Tallinn
Tallinn Town Hall is a beautiful Gothic-style build located next to the Old Town Square.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a large Eastern Orthodox Cathedral found in the Old Town. It has beautiful domes and a white and orange exterior.
Tallinn Town Wall was originally built to defend the city (obviously) but today reminds of the long history of Tallinn. Many parts of the wall are World Heritage Sites.
Kadriog Art Museum is a palace originally built for Catherine I of Russia by Peter the Great. It now serves a museum.
Toompea Castle is a castle located on Toompea Hill in the middle of Tallinn. It has been in use since the 9th century and it now holds the Parliament of Estonia.
Food
Vilnius
Potatoes make are a staple in the diets of the people living in Lithuania. Pork is the most popular meat consumed by the Lithuanian people. Cepelinai is a dish of potato dumplings, often stuffed with meat. It is also considered to be the national dish. Potato pancakes are quite popular in Vilnius. As with most of the Baltics, rye bread is also extremely popular for Lithuanians. Potato sausages are sausages stuffed with potatoes or pork blood, making it very similar to the blood sausages found in Germany.
Riga
Rye bread is one of the staple cuisines in Riga. It is commonly served as a side to your main entrée. Pickled and smoked fish are also staples here. The most common fish in Riga is Salmon, cod, pollock, and trout. One of the traditional desserts here is the Alexandertorte which is named after Alexander I. It is a pastry consisting of jam sandwiched between sweet bread.
Tallinn
Most traditional cuisines in Tallinn seem to revolve around meat, potatoes, and fish. Rye bread is also a staple in Tallinn. Soup is often served before the main meal is eaten. For desserts, a couple of the most popular foods is the curd snack and rhubarb pie. Curd snacks are sugary curd mixtures covered in chocolate.
Getting Around
Vilnius
An extensive network of buses makes up public transportation in Vilnius. There is not a light rail or metro system in the city which, in some ways, makes the public transport easier to deal with. A 3-day pass for public transport is only 8 Euros. If you are exploring the old town, you will easily be able to see the sights on foot. Another great way to see the city is to use the city’s bicycle renting system found in the old town. Vilnius is also Uber friendly which is incredibly convenient if you don’t want to take public transportation.
Riga
With flat terrain and many parks covering the city, Riga is an excellent city to explore on foot. You use the public transportation system as well if you want to see some of the sights outside of the city center. If you do use public transportation, you might want to consider getting the Riga Card which gives visitors free use of the trolleys, buses, and trams.
Tallinn
Tallinn is a rather compact city, especially in the Old Town making it great to explore while walking. Biking is also a popular option to get around if you want to explore the seaside and the outskirts of the city. Public bikes are available using mobile apps. Bikes can be found outside of the tourist information office in the city center. The public transportation network runs on the honor system where they do random checks to see if people have tickets.
Nightlife
Vilnius
Vilnius has a pretty lively nightlife. One of the best areas you can go to find the best nightlife in Vilnius is Vokieciu Street district. The nightlife seems to be more lively during the summer months when there are also quite a few places to drink outdoors. There is no shortage of bars and pubs that you can explore throughout the city. The are also many nightclubs that you can go to as well. Some of the best nightclubs in the city are Opium, Kablys, SOHO, Salento, Anna Mesha, and Mojo. Be sure to do your research before you go to any of the clubs just to make sure it is a place you truly want to go.
Riga
There are many bars to explore in Riga. The Briana Iela nightlife district is one of the best places to explore Riga’s nightlife. Riga has been known for having an incredible nightlife in the past. In recent years there have been many scammers in the bars of Riga. Karaoke clubs have been the most notorious for scamming tourists with massively over-priced drinks. One of the most notorious ways they scam tourists is by having women sit down with you and order many over-priced drinks then leaving you with a large bill. This being said, there are still many bars you can go to that are honest and offer a good time, just be mindful of your surroundings.
Tallinn
For many years, Tallinn has been known for attracting stag parties. Today, there are many options to fit every taste in nightlife. Most of the bars are found in the Old Town. Studio and Hollywood are two of the best clubs to hit when you’re here. Like any nightclub, be aware of your belongings in your pockets when you are in the clubs. Hollywood has been deemed the “Bermuda Triangle” because of pickpockets.
Day Trips
Vilnius
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and only 100km away from Vilnius. It is known for its beautiful old town and its castle.
Trakai is a town and has a national park just outside of Vilnius. Trakai is also home to the Trakai Island Castle which was built in the 14th century.
Ninth Fort is a WW2 memorial site for the many people killed at its location. It is just 6km from Vilnius.
Riga
Rundale Palace is a large baroque palace to the south of Riga. It has beautiful gardens and often hosts foreign leaders when they are visiting Latvia.
Jelgava is a small town to the southwest of the Riga. You can explore the Old Town and go to the historic Jelgava Palace.
Jurmala is a beach city only sitting on the Gulf of Riga. It is only a half-hour for Riga making it the perfect destination for a day on the beach.
Tallinn
Lahemaa National Park is one of Estonia’s largest and most beautiful national parks.
Helsinki is only 80km away from Tallinn. There are many ferries that cross the strait every day which makes it an incredible excursion from Tallinn.
Haapsalu is a small beach town known for its beautiful beaches and a large castle.
If you’re having a tough time deciding, you could pick two that are close to each other. Vilnius is four hours south of Riga. Riga is four hours south of Tallinn.
Overall
If you are trying to decide which is the best Baltic city, you have to understand that all three capitals of the Baltic states are unique and incredibly beautiful. You can see most of the main sights in each city in a full two days although I would recommend three days in each. Although they are not far from each other, each of these three cities (and countries) have quite different cultures. Latvia seems to be more related to Poland than to its neighbor to the north, Estonia. Estonia and Latvia have more of a Scandinavian vibe to them even though they are barely further north than Lithuania.