Baltic States Express is a journey where the road itself becomes the narrative. It begins in Gliwice and heads north through the Łomża area or the Wigry National Park region, then onward through Lithuania toward places where landscape and history are tightly braided together. Very early on, the route reaches Trakai with its fairytale island castle on Lake Galvė, and Vilnius, where Gediminas Tower, Pilies Street, the Gate of Dawn, and the artistic pulse of Užupis turn a city visit into something layered and memorable.
From there the journey softens into nature. Aukštaitija National Park shifts the mood completely with the old water mill at Ginučiai, the panoramic hill of Ladakalnis, lakeside pauses, picnic moments, and optional kayaking through narrow channels and quiet water. Then Latvia takes over the stage with Riga, where the Old Town, St. Peter’s Church, the Central Market, and the grand Art Nouveau façades create a city experience that feels both elegant and alive.
The next arc runs through Gauja National Park, Sigulda, and Turaida, where red sandstone, legends, and medieval walls create an atmosphere close to folklore. After that come Cēsis and Līgatne, then the Estonian segment of the route: the border twin towns of Valka and Valga, intellectual Tartu, the wetlands of Soomaa, the relaxed seafront of Pärnu, and the medieval heart of Tallinn. This is where the itinerary shows its finest rhythm, moving naturally between castles, bogs, promenades, university streets, and old stone lanes.
The final stretch carries the hush of islands and the satisfying glow of a return that still feels adventurous. Saaremaa brings the ferry crossing, the Väinatamm causeway, the Kaali meteor crater, and the calm charm of Kuressaare. Then come the bog boardwalks of Ķemeri, the wild coastline of Kolka and Slītere, the Hanseatic character of Klaipėda, the Augustów Canal, mighty Malbork Castle, and a closing stop in Toruń before the road turns back toward Gliwice. It is a journey built not on haste, but on contrast: cities and silence, sea wind and brick walls, long drives and luminous pauses.