ITINERARY: 8 DAYS BALTIC COLD WAR TOUR
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN VILNIUS
- Arrival in Vilnius;
- Transfer to your hotel;
- Check-in and overnight in Vilnius.
DAY 2: VILNIUS – GRŪTAS PARK – VILNIUS
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Guided visit to the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights.
Located in the former KGB headquarters, the museum offers a powerful insight into Lithuania’s history under occupation. Explore preserved prison cells and exhibitions documenting political repression, deportations and the resistance movement.
- Excursion to Grūtas Park.
Set among forests near Druskininkai, Grūtas Park brings together Soviet-era statues, monuments and propaganda materials removed from public spaces after Lithuania restored its independence. Discover how these symbols were used to shape public life and promote Soviet ideology.
- Return to Vilnius for a guided city tour.
Explore Vilnius through its Soviet-era history, from landmarks associated with the struggle for independence to residential districts shaped by communist urban planning. The route also includes neighbourhoods used as filming locations for HBO’s Chernobyl series.
- Overnight in Vilnius.
DAY 3: VILNIUS – PLOKŠTINĖ – LIEPĀJA
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Departure for Liepāja, with a stop at the Plokštinė Cold War Museum.
Explore a former underground Soviet nuclear missile base hidden in the forests of Žemaitija National Park. Discover the military infrastructure and exhibitions that reveal the realities of the nuclear arms race and the tensions of the Cold War.
- Continue to Liepāja;
- Visit to the Liepāja Occupation Museum.
Learn how Soviet and Nazi occupations affected Liepāja and its people. Historical photographs, documents and personal stories explore repression, deportations and resistance, offering a closer look at the city’s 20th-century history.
- Overnight in Liepāja.
DAY 4: LIEPĀJA – RIGA
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Guided tour of Karosta and visit to Karosta Prison.
Discover Liepāja’s former military harbour, which became a closed Soviet naval base during the Cold War. Explore its military architecture before visiting Karosta Prison, where preserved cells and guard facilities offer an insight into military discipline and life within the armed forces.
- Departure for Riga;
- Visit to the Corner House, the former KGB headquarters.
Step inside one of Latvia’s most significant reminders of Soviet repression. Explore the former detention facilities and learn about the experiences of those imprisoned here, the methods used by the Soviet security services and Latvia’s struggle for freedom.
- Overnight in Riga.
DAY 5: RIGA – LĪGATNE – ZELTIŅI – TARTU
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Departure for Līgatne;
- Visit to the Secret Soviet Bunker.
Discover an underground command centre built to shelter Latvia’s Soviet leadership in the event of a nuclear attack. Original communication equipment, maps and living quarters provide a glimpse into Cold War emergency planning.
- Continue to the former Zeltiņi Soviet Missile Base.
Explore the remains of a once-secret military installation, including former missile launch areas and abandoned infrastructure. Learn about its role in the Soviet military network and the impact of the arms race on the Baltic region.
- Continue to Tartu;
- Visit to the KGB Cells Museum.
Located in the basement of the former NKVD/KGB headquarters, the museum tells the stories of people imprisoned during the Soviet occupation. Preserved cells, photographs and personal testimonies document repression, deportations and resistance in Estonia.
- Overnight in Tartu.
DAY 6: TARTU – NARVA – SILLAMÄE – TALLINN
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Departure for Narva;
- Guided tour of Narva.
Explore Estonia’s easternmost city on the banks of the Narva River. Discover its medieval and industrial heritage, learn about its destruction during the Second World War and see how Soviet reconstruction shaped the city.
- Visit to the Kreenholm Manufacturing Complex.
Discover a vast textile manufacturing complex founded in the 19th century. Its industrial buildings and surrounding community tell the story of Narva’s development and the importance of textile production during the Soviet era.
- Continue to Sillamäe for a guided walking tour.
Once a closed city connected to the Soviet nuclear programme, Sillamäe offers a distinctive glimpse into Soviet urban planning. Walk along its broad avenues, admire Stalinist architecture and discover the history behind its seaside setting.
- Optional: Short photo stop in Viivikonna;
- Continue to Tallinn;
- Overnight in Tallinn.
DAY 7: TALLINN
- Guided city tour focusing on Soviet history and architecture.
Discover how decades of Soviet rule reshaped Tallinn. Explore residential districts and architectural landmarks while learning about everyday life under occupation and Estonia’s movement towards restored independence.
- Visit to the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom.
Through personal stories, historical objects and interactive displays, discover Estonia’s experiences under occupation. The museum explores repression, resistance and the struggle for freedom, including the peaceful Singing Revolution.
- Visit to Tallinn’s KGB Prison Cells.
Explore the former detention cells in the heart of Tallinn. Exhibitions tell the stories of those imprisoned here and reveal the human impact of political persecution during the Soviet occupation.
- Visit to Linnahall.
Discover one of Tallinn’s most striking examples of Soviet monumental architecture. Built for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, this vast concrete complex reflects the architectural ambitions of its time.
- Overnight in Tallinn.
DAY 8: DEPARTURE FROM TALLINN
- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Transfer to Tallinn Airport according to your flight time.
