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11-Night Jewish Heritage Tour of the Baltics | Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia

From $8,450

OVERVIEW

In collaboration with Jewish Heritage Travel we are excited to offer this tour of the Baltics.

Discover a vibrant Jewish legacy shaped by scholarship, creativity, resilience, and cultural exchange, set in one of the continent’s most compelling and lesser-known regions. Situated at the crossroads of East and West, North and South, the Baltic lands became a meeting place of empires, ideas, and cultures.

Encounter a landscape where forests, medieval cities, and quiet town squares once nurtured some of Europe’s most influential Jewish minds. Our journey begins in Vilnius, long revered as the “Jerusalem of Lithuania,” where Jewish learning flourished in hundreds of synagogues and study halls and where the intellectual spirit of the Vilna Gaon still echoes.

Traveling into Latvia, we arrive in Riga, a city where Jewish life flourished in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. From Baroque palaces to Art Nouveau neighborhoods, Riga reflects a period when Jewish culture was deeply embedded in the city’s economic, artistic, and communal life. Our Baltic tour concludes in Estonia, where Tallinn’s beautifully preserved Old Town and revived Jewish community offer an inspiring chapter of Baltic Jewish culture and legacy.

Throughout the tour, you will enjoy deluxe accommodations as you travel in comfort with an expert Jewish Heritage Travel scholar who brings depth and meaning to each destination. Thoughtful lectures, guided tours, and encounters with Holocaust memorial sites create an experience that is intellectually rich and deeply poignant.

Departures

September 12-23, 2027

Duration

12 Days

Highlights

Vilnius, Riga & Tallin

Notes

Activity Level

Moderate

Tailor Made

Check out our Vilnius & Riga 5 Day Jewish Experience

Itinerary

Program cost $8,450* includes:

  • 11 nights’ accommodations at deluxe hotels
  • Full breakfast daily; 4 lunches; 3 dinners
  • All group transportation via deluxe air-conditioned coach
  • All lectures, guided tours, museums and site entrance fees

*Per person, double occupancy; single supplement: $1,995. Fees not included: gratuities: $275.

To reserve your place, a nonrefundable deposit of $1,000 is required.

Travel Notes:

  • Plan to arrive in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday, September 12, 2027 and depart from Tallinn, Estonia on Thursday, September 23, 2007.
  • Please note that transfers to and from the airport are not included.
  • A minimum of 10 travelers is required for this tour to run. Registered travelers will be contacted directly once this number is reached; please wait for that confirmation before booking flights.

 

Each of our scholars are outstanding experts in their fields and play an active role in helping us design our journeys as well as accompanying us as we travel.

Lucy Rapoport, trip leader, has guided and accompanied many previous Jewish heritage tours, all to great acclaim. Born and schooled in England before moving to Italy as a young adult, Lucy is fluent in Italian, German, French, and Spanish and has been a tour manager for over twenty years. Specializing in Europe, she has accompanied previous Jewish groups to such places as Lithuania, Krakow, Prague, Berlin, Croatia, Spain, Romania, Serbia, France, northern and southern Italy, and Sicily. With Lucy’s attention to detail, knowledge of history, and considerable expertise in guiding groups, participants will be well served on this trip.
Lynne Feldman brings many years of experience and scholarly research to her work as a Holocaust education professional, coordinating with numerous museums and international organizations. She holds a master’s degree in Holocaust Studies from Haifa University and an undergraduate degree in history from the Open University of Israel, both of which she draws on to create meaningful educational experiences. Over the years, Lynne has accompanied many groups to significant cultural sites and she currently serves as the International Coordinator and Director of Scholarship for the Teach the Shoah Foundation.
Sunday, September 12 | Vilnius
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Arrive in the afternoon and check in to the centrally located Grand Hotel Vilnius in Cathedral Square.

There will be an evening presentation by our Jewish Heritage Travel accompanying scholar, followed by an orientation meeting. We also enjoy an opening dinner at our hotel to become better acquainted with each other.

Meals Included: Dinner
Accommodations: The Grand Hotel Vilnius

Monday, September 13 | Vilnius
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We begin our day with a walk through the medieval Jewish quarter of Vilnius (Vilna), once the heart of Jewish religious, cultural, and economic life in the city. Today, plaques in Yiddish and Hebrew and art installations commemorate this heritage. We then visit the site of the Great Synagogue of Vilnius, originally built to hold thousands of worshippers when it was completed in 1633.

In the afternoon, we drive to the old Jewish cemetery, the final resting place of the world-renowned Talmudist and scholar Gaon of Vilna, and to the site of the pre-war Jewish cemetery.

The evening and dinner are yours to enjoy on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodations: The Grand Hotel Vilnius

Tuesday, September 14 | Vilnius – Kaunas – Zhezhmar – Vilnius
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Our day starts with an early-morning departure for Kaunas (Kovno), one of the most important Jewish cities in Eastern Europe before World War II. Here, we walk through the Old Town and visit the synagogue founded in 1871. Before the Holocaust, this radically designed, neo-Baroque temple was one of more than 35 synagogues and Jewish prayer houses in Kaunas. Though few Jews remain in the city, the synagogue houses a stunning Torah ark and encapsulates the rich and famous history of Jewish Kovno. Now a museum, the building also contains collections of historical artifacts related to Soviet and Nazi atrocities.

After lunch together, we will visit the Ninth Fort, which was the site where Nazis and Lithuanian collaborators murdered Jews who were transported here from Kaunas and the Kovno Ghetto during the Holocaust.

On our return drive to Vilnius, we stop in the former shtetl of Zhezhmar to see its wooden synagogue.

The evening is free for dinner on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: The Grand Hotel Vilnius

Wednesday, September 15 | Vilnius – Trakai – Vilnius
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We depart this morning for a day trip to Trakai, the ancient capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. En route, we stop at Paneriai Forest to see the memorial site commemorating victims of the Holocaust. More than 100,000 Jews were murdered here, the majority of them in 1941.

In Trakai, we tour the historic Trakai Castle and visit the Karaite Ethnographic Museum, situated on a street characterized by picturesque wooden houses. Many of these were built by the Karaites, an ancient sect and offshoot of Judaism whose descendants arrived in Trakai from the Crimea in the 14th century.

We are treated to an evening presentation by our accompanying scholar, followed by dinner on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: The Grand Hotel Vilnius

Thursday, September 16 | Vilnius
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Our last day in Vilnius begins with a visit to its Old Town to see the Gothic quarter and Dawn Gate, the only surviving gate of Vilnius’s old city walls. We then take a tour of the Tolerance Center, a branch of the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum that teaches the history and culture of Lithuanian Jewry and also acts as a performance space.

The afternoon and evening are free for you to explore more of the city, sightsee, shop, and/or to rest. You may wish to visit another branch of the State Jewish Museum, dedicated to the historical and cultural heritage of Lithuanian Jewry. This small institution surveys the history of the Jewish community of Vilnius from the 15th through 20th centuries. It displays rare photographs and copies of diaries and handwritten notes relating to the Holocaust.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodations: The Grand Hotel Vilnius

Friday, September 17 | Riga
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Today, we depart Lithuania for Riga, Latvia, where Jewish life flourished in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Along the way, we stop at the Baroque Rundale Palace for a private guided tour. One of the most outstanding monuments of Baroque and Rococo architecture in Latvia, the palace was built as a summer residence for Ernst Johann Biron, Duke of Courland and a favorite of the Russian empress Anna Ioannovna. We have lunch together at the palace restaurant.

After arriving in Riga and checking in, we share Shabbat dinner together at our hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Grand Palace Hotel

Saturday, September 18 | Riga
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This morning is free to relax or to attend Shabbat services at Riga’s Peitav Shul synagogue.

In the afternoon, we take a walking tour of historic Old Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its wonderful mediaeval architecture, pastel-colored buildings, and tangle of enchanting cobblestoned streets that open into small squares. We then discover the elegant Art Nouveau Museum through a guided tour of its fully restored Art Nouveau apartment, which recreates how a well-to-do Riga family lived in the early 20th century.

The evening is free for you to relax or explore on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodations: Grand Palace Hotel

Sunday, September 19 | Riga
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Our morning begins with a private guided tour of Riga’s Jewish Community Center and Museum. At the museum, we hear a presentation about Riga’s Jewish history by Ilya Lensky, the museum’s director.

Following a break for lunch on your own in Old Town, we visit the “Moscow District,” the former Jewish ghetto area. Simple streets and weathered facades tell the story of Riga’s once-vibrant Jewish life and its tragic legacy.

We end our day at the Žanis Lipke Museum. This modern, interactive museum was designed by a prominent local architect and tells the little-known tale of Žanis Lipke and the network of about 25 people who created an “underground railroad” to rescue Jews from the Nazis during the German occupation of Latvia.

The evening is free for dinner on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodations: Grand Palace Hotel

Monday, September 20 | Tallinn
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Today we leave Latvia for Estonia and its capital city, Tallinn. Along the way, we break for lunch in the seaside town of Pärnu, where we have lunch at Villa Ammende, an example of early Art Nouveau in Estonia.

From Pärnu, we drive on to Tallinn, situated on the Baltic Sea. After checking in, you are free for dinner on your own.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Telegraaf

Tuesday, September 21 | Tallinn
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This morning, we take a walking tour of the upper part of the city’s Old Town, which includes views of Toompea Castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a magnificent example of a Russian Orthodox cathedral.

We then visit Tallinn’s new Jewish Community Center and the adjoining, architecturally fascinating synagogue and museum for a guided tour. While Tallinn’s Jewish community was virtually extinguished in World War II, there has been a small but active revival since the Soviet era.

After lunch on your own, we explore more of the Old Town, including Town Hall Square, the Dominican Monastery, and a guided tour of the Niguliste Museum, with its collection of medieval and early modern ecclesiastical art.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Telegraaf

Wednesday, September 22 | Tallinn
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We begin the day with the last lecture by our scholar. We then head to the spectacular KUMU Museum for a private guided tour that encompasses the building’s award-winning architecture and its permanent collection of Estonian art. In 2008, it received the European Museum of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious in Europe.

The afternoon is free for last-minute shopping and/or individual exploration of the city.

In the evening, we share a closing dinner together at our hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Telegraaf

Thursday, September 23 | Departure
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Depart for home.

Please Note: Daily schedule may be modified, subject to weather or unanticipated changes.

Program Terms
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Payment Reserve your space with a nonrefundable deposit of $1,000 per person. Final balance is due 120 days prior to departure.

Membership Participation on these tours is a benefit for active members of JHT museum partners. During the registration process, you will be asked about your membership status with your affiliated museum. If you are not a current member, you will have a chance to activate your membership.

Participation Tour sizes are limited to 28 participants unless otherwise noted. Trips entail considerable walking including over uneven terrain. Participants need to be in good health, be able to keep up with the group, be able to experience group and cultural differences with grace. Please let us know if you have any physical conditions that may require special attention while on tour.

Cancellations All cancellations must be received by Gil Travel in writing. Cancellations received 120 days or more prior to departure: full refund less nonrefundable deposits, per person; 119–90 days prior to departure: 50% refund per person after nonrefundable deposits. 89–0 days before departure: no refund.

Trip Cancellation Insurance Gil Travel Travel strongly urges all participants to purchase travel insurance for coverage of losses necessitated by having to cancel due to illness or accident. For your convenience, we are providing a link to RoamRight, which many past participants have used. When purchasing insurance, please consider the plans carefully to familiarize yourself with what is covered. In this context, do take note that most insurance companies generally will waive exclusion for preexisting conditions only if your application is received by them within 14 days from the date of your program registration. If you have a preexisting medical condition and are interested in taking trip insurance, you should do so either with Roamright or through your own insurance agent within 14 days of registration.

Changes All rights are reserved by Gil Travel and Jewish Heritage Travel to make scholar substitutions and/or to modify the itinerary (including hotels) as needed. Every reasonable effort will be made to operate the program as planned; however, should unforeseen world events and conditions require the itinerary to be altered, Jewish Heritage Travel reserves the right to do so for the safety and best interest of the group. Any extra expenses incurred in this situation are the responsibility of the participant.

Disclaimer of Responsibility By registering for this program, participant specifically waives any and all claims of action against Gil Travel or the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Heritage Travel office and their respective staffs for damages, loss, injury, accident, or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. Gil Travel, The Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Heritage Travel office and their respective staffs assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft, or other conveyance that may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will Gil Travel, the Museum of Jewish Heritage or the Jewish Heritage Travel office or their staffs be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, viruses, weather, strikes, wars, and other causes. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements, including hotels or scholars, such alterations may be made without penalty. All rights reserved to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the tour staff to be in the best interest of the participant’s health and safety and that of the group in general. Prices subject to change. Cost in effect at time of registration will be honored.

FAQ
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Are Kosher meals available?

While we do not offer Kosher food, we offer fish and/or vegetarian options at every meal included in the trip.

How many people will be on the trip?

On average about 24 people.

What is the age group?

55+

What is the makeup of the participants?

A good mix of singles and couples.

How fit do I need to be? How much walking is there?

You should be able to walk about two miles in a day, though not all at once. Please see the itinerary of the trip(s) you are interested in to get a sense of the schedule for each day. When there is free time, some choose to stay active, others to rest.

If you prefer more activity, many of the hotels we stay in have pools and fitness facilities, and some of our trips do offer the opportunity for more physical activity.

Are the trips accessible for people with canes, walkers, or wheelchairs?

People who use a cane to aid their walking have found our trips accessible. You still need to be able to walk about two miles in a day, though not all at once. Unfortunately, accessibility can be limited in the places we travel, making it too difficult for people in wheelchairs or walkers to participate in our trips.

Is the trip Shabbat Observant?

We normally have a Shabbat dinner together be it at a hotel or restaurant and sometimes at a synagogue.  We do not have programming on Saturday other than perhaps a meeting with the scholar. In some destinations we offer walking tours on Saturday. You can refer to the itinerary of your chosen trip for specifics.

When does the program actually begin?

The Itinerary and Program Details section of the trip you are interested in will indicate when to plan to arrive and depart, as well as when the program begins and ends. Every trip includes a welcome session to get oriented and meet each other, the guides, and scholars and a farewell event to celebrate, reflect, and say good-bye to our fellow travelers.

Are airport transfers included?

Airport transfers are not included. Taxis, and often other transportation options, are available from all airports.

Are meals included?

The Itinerary of the trip you are interested in will indicate which meals are included on each day. For meals on your own, suggestions are available from the concierge at the hotels we are staying in. We encourage you to explore the diversity of local and international cuisines in the places we visit.

Are the trips only for Jewish people?

While the majority of our travelers are Jewish, our trips are for anyone interested in exploring the Jewish heritage of the destinations we take you to.

I’d like to explore my genealogy at one of the places you are going to. Is that possible?

Our trips are not designed for genealogical research. If you want to undertake genealogical work, it is necessary to do this on your own and would be best to plan for an extra few days before or after one of our trips.

How much free time will I have?

Please see the itinerary of the trip(s) you are interested in for information on when free time is scheduled for exploring on your own, resting in your room, engaging in conversation with new friends, etc.

Is there Wi-Fi everywhere?

While WiFi is available in most of the world, there are regions or locations where it is not as accessible. Most of the hotels we stay at offer free WiFi.

What Museum Memberships Qualify?

Museum of Jewish Heritage New York: $54

Holocaust Museum LA: $100

Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center – Nassau County: $54

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History: $54

*Membership # will need to be provided upon registration

Accommodation

*Star rating standards vary from country to country.

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Vilnius and Riga 5 Day Jewish Experience

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