Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania
Lots of nature, manageable cities, lakes and the Baltic Sea beach - this is what the Baltic States offer.
In addition, a moderate climate and ....... mosquitoes!
Most of the roads in Estonia are easily passable, some smaller back roads can also be dirt roads.
In Latvia and Lithuania, on the other hand, the asphalt roads are also in poor condition and there are many slopes.
We can only speak for the areas we have been to, but others agreed with us.
Notes for the Baltic states:
Driving with lights is mandatory.
Parking on the coast and in larger cities is chargeable. Most of the time it is only possible to pay with coins. So you should always have change with you.
At petrol stations on side streets, you can sometimes only refuel with a Visa or Mastercard. (With PIN). You can also pay by card in supermarkets in the cities. I cannot provide any information about smaller shops in the villages. All campsites we visited had to be paid for in cash.
Supermarkets in cities are sometimes open until 10 p.m. or even 11 p.m. on weekdays, and they often also open on Sundays.
Free internet access is available at many campsites and in many cafes or in public buildings. At the campsites, however, you should stand / sit in front of the reception, as the reception is often only good there.
Additional mosquito nets (which extend over the ventilation slots) are essential.
Take sufficient mosquito and tick repellent with you, as well as a professional device for removing the ticks. See also here.
Campsites:
It is easier to find a campsite on the coasts. Inland it can be difficult at times. The addresses that I have from the Internet and from the travel guide are often without street names. Or the places are so small that they cannot be found on the map, nor does our navigation system know them.
Camping means everything. This can be a backyard, a hotel car park or a place in the forest, with an outhouse and water pump but no other facilities.
In recent years it has always been heading north, this time it should be the east or, more precisely, the Baltic States.
Since we only have three weeks, we will not be able to visit all 3 countries in detail.
But first the question arises: How do we get there and how do we get back. It quickly becomes clear that we want to take the ferry there via Helsinki. (Finnlines) From there we exclude the overland route via Russia and instead choose the ferry connection Helsinki - Tallinn.
(There is currently no direct ferry connection from Germany to Tallinn).
The return journey should then be made by land. However, this intention is already rejected when planning the trip and we book Klaipeda - Kiel with DFDS.
Duration: 22 days
Total km: 3,310