Baltic Cities Christmas Markets Knitting Tour

Meet Carol and your Tour Manager at London Gatwick airport for your early evening flight to Tallinn. With a late arrival in Tallinn, we will transfer direct to the hotel on arrival.

We start today with a walking tour in the old town of Tallinn. The Old Town is divided into two areas, the Lower Town and the Upper Town. In the Upper Town we’ll visit:

• St Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral; built in a typical Russian Revival style during the period when the country was still part of the Russian empire. The cathedral is richly decorated and has eleven bells cast in St. Petersburg
• Toompea Castle; an ancient stronghold site in use since the 9^th century. Today the castle houses the Estonian parliament
• Dome Church, also known as St Mary’s Cathedral, is the oldest church in Tallinn and mainland Estonia. Originally a Roman Catholic cathedral, it became Lutheran in 1561 and is now the seat of the Archbishop of Tallinn.
• Kohtuosa viewing platform provides excellent views over the roofs and spires of the Old Town as well as the high-rise buildings in the newer part of the city. In the background is the Gulf of Finland and the port.

In the Lower Town we’ll see:

• Danish Kings Garden, named after the Danish reign that lasted for over a century in Tallinn and northern Estonia
• Town Hall Square, also known as Raekoja Plats, is the centre of the Old Town. In winter it is filled with the magical Christmas market, the centrepiece of which is a towering spruce tree
• Viru Gates, a pair of picturesque ivy-covered towers, were built in the 14^th Century as part of the Tallinn city wall. The towers are all the remains of what was a much more complex gate system, most of which was pulled down in the 1880s to make room for traffic.

During the tour we’ll have an opportunity to sample Vana Tallinn, a dark brown rum-based liqueur produced in Estonia.

We’ll also visit the Estonian Handicraft House, the location to buy authentic Estonian handicrafts. Works of the best artisans are represented here, including textiles from natural materials as well as wood, metal and ceramic. We’ll have the opportunity to visit the workshop of Riina Tomberg, a lecturer in Estonian native textiles and expert on Estonian traditional knitting. At Katariina Lane we’ll see the various open studios of the Katariina Guild craftswomen.

This afternoon we’ll enjoy a workshop with Carol at the hotel.

This evening we’ll take part in a medieval dining experience. The restaurant is designed as the home of rich merchant and we, as his guests, will enjoy delicious Hansa-era (15^th century) food and drink and period music.

Today we continue our tour of Tallinn by coach and on foot. We’ll visit:

• Charming Kadriorg Park & Palace, the grandest example of palace and park design in Estonian architectural history
• Pirita seaside area, a breathtakingly beautiful location with a refreshing scent of pine trees. It was also the home of the sailing regatta at the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 and is still a busy sporting location
• Tallinn TV Tower, home to the highest view point in Estonia

Our visit will end at Eesti Käsitöö Kodu, the largest handicraft centre in Estonia selling high quality beautifully crafted items. With the help of the local experts we can learn how some of the items are made.

The remainder of the day is free for you to spend some more time at Tallinn’s Christmas Market.

This morning we leave Tallinn and make our way to Riga. On route we’ll stop to stretch our legs in visit Parnu, the fourth largest city in Estonia and a popular holiday resort.

Lunch is included today, after which we visit a textile company. Founded in 1914, it has a long tradition of wool production and home textile design. The company produces woollen yarn, woollen and linen fabrics, blankets, rugs, plaids and tablecloths. The company is especially proud to be amongst just a handful of producers of ethnographic fabrics based on authentic examples from the rich cultural heritage of the Baltic region. We’ll watch the wool being process using historical equipment.

This evening we’ll diner together at a restaurant in the Old Town offering contemporary Latvian cuisine.

This morning we’ll enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Town. The tour will include:

• Town Hall Square, completely rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II
• House of the Blackheads, reconstructed between 1995 and 1998 the original building was erected in the 14^th Century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners and foreigners in Riga
• Dome Square, deemed to be the heart of the city, this sqaure is the largest in the Old Town
• Riga Cathedral, commonly known as Dome Cathedral, is the Evangelical Lutheran cathedral in Riga and the seat of the Archbishop of Riga.
• The Three Brothers is a collection of three houses that form the oldest dwelling complex in Riga. Each represents a period of development in housing construction
• Riga Castle was founded in 1330 and rebuilt between 1497 and 1515. Today it is the official residence of the President of Latvia
• Riga Central Market; the market buildings consist of five pavilions constructed using old German Zeppelin hangars and incorporating Neoclassicism and Art Deco styles

During the tour we’ll also have time to visit some yarn shops.

This afternoon we’ll visit the National Costume Centre; the storehouse for the magnificently rich heritage of Latvian national costumes. Every item here has been lovingly handmade by Latvian craftspeople. Latvia was founded nearly 100 years ago, but the history of the national costume is many centuries older. Archaeological findings and costumes restored from 1000-year-old fragments have allowed them to recreate the traditional costumes that are worn today. Mittens are a very important part of several Latvian traditions. Probably the most popular role played by mittens was at a wedding. Tradition says that before an unmarried girl entered marriage, she had to fill a hope chest and mittens were an important part of the chest. A bride would knit between 100 and 300 pairs of mittens and no pair could be identical to another.

Our final visit today is to Tines, a Latvian handmade knitwear company. Tines is a family run business and offers a wide range of high-quality knitwear. Only natural materials are used, 100% wool and linen.

This morning we’ll enjoy a Latvian mitten knitting workshop with a local expert.

This afternoon you’ll have some free time to explore Riga’s Christmas markets, just follow the scent of gingerbread and mulled wine! Lovely gifts include hand-knitted shawls and mittens and socks, aromatic candles, artisanal spoons and other woodwork. In the city centre there are markets at Dome and Livu Squares, as well as in Esplanade Park.

This evening we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner at a restaurant serving contemporary European cuisine.

This morning we’ll enjoy our final workshop with Carol, before transferring to Riga airport for our late afternoon flight to London Gatwick.