Baltic Cities Christmas Markets Knitting Tour

Meet Carol Meldrum and your tour manager at London Gatwick airport for your flight to Tallinn. With a late arrival in Tallinn, we will transfer direct to the hotel on arrival.

Today we tour Tallinn by coach and on foot. The Old Town is divided into two areas, the Lower Town and the Upper Town. During our exploration of the Upper Town we will visit the St Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral, Toompea Castle and the Dome Church, Tallinn’s oldest church. We will also capture excellent views from the Kohtuosa viewing platform. In the Lower Town we will see the Danish King’s Garden, the Town Hall Square and the picturesque Viru Gates. During the tour we will have an opportunity to browse Tallinn Christmas Market and sample Vana Tallinn, a dark brown rum-based liqueur produced in Estonia.  

The walking tour continues to the Estonian Handicraft House, Eesti Käsitöö Kodu and the Katarina Guild Open Studios. Eesti Käsitöö Kodu is the largest handicraft centre in Estonia where you can buy beautiful and high-quality crafted items. At Katarina Lane we’ll see the various open studios of the Katarina Guild craftswomen.   This afternoon we’ll enjoy a workshop with Carol at the hotel.

Begin the day with a visit to the Jolleri Handicraft Chamber, a family-run shop and studio which sells yarns and unique knitwear for children and adults.

Continue to the Estonian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum for a guided tour and visit to the local handicraft shop. We will also have the opportunity here for a delicious Estonian food tasting at the Kolu Inn, an authentic 19th century road inn.

This afternoon we will transfer by bus to Kadriorg Park and Palace, the grandest example of palace and park design in Estonian architectural history before returning to the hotel for some free time.

This evening we will enjoy more traditional Estonian food at a restaurant in Tallinn’s old town.

This morning we leave Tallinn and make our way to Riga.  On route we will stop at Tostamaa Crafts Centre handicraft shop. This authentic handicraft shop brings the stories of their ancestors to life through traditional prepared handicrafts, exhibitions, and hands-on workshops. You will have the opportunity to meet Anu here, a well-known knitter in Estonia who specializes in the knitting of ethnographic gloves.

Next stop is Limbazi for lunch and a visit to its wool factory which was 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 will watch the wool being processed using historical equipment. 

This evening we will arrive in Riga, check into our hotel and head out for dinner together in Riga Old Town.

This morning we will enjoy a guided walking tour of Riga’s Old Town. Explore the narrow cobbled streets and old buildings that date back to the 15th century. See the Town Hall Square, House of the Blackheads, Dome Square, Riga Cathedral and Riga Castle. We’ll visit 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. Afterwards explore the Christmas Markets and enjoy a hot drink.

This afternoon we will visit Sena Klets and learn to knit traditional Latvian gloves, a very important part of several Latvian traditions. Here you will be able to see a fantastic array of national costumes and see how every item here has been lovingly handmade by Latvian craftspeople. They also have a wonderful shop you can browse. This evening you will have at leisure, perhaps wander down to the Christmas Markets or enjoy dinner in one of the local restaurants.

Today walk into Riga for a guided visit to the Central Market, in the very heart of the city. Experience one of the most unique markets in Europe as you browse the different stalls. The rest of the morning you will have at leisure to explore Riga’s Christmas Markets, just follow the scent of gingerbread and mulled wine! Lovely gifts include hand-knitted shawls, 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.

Return to the hotel in the afternoon for your second workshop with Carol. This evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner in the Old Town of Riga.

Enjoy a morning at leisure, choose to wander back into Riga or relax at the hotel before transferring to Riga airport for your later afternoon flight to London Gatwick.