© Visit Saaremaa

In the north-east of Europe, you will find the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. These countries are also known as the Baltic States or Baltic countries. Often unknown to many motorhome owners, but definitely worth exploring with your motorhome! Whether you want to enjoy the sea, discover the beautiful nature or dive into the rich history of these countries, the Baltic countries have it. Hop in your motorhome and take a motorhome-trip to the Baltic countries with this motorhome route!

The best time for a motorhome-trip to the Baltic countries is from May to September. If you want to drive to the Baltic countries from the Netherlands, you have a long drive ahead of you. The journey there is 1670 kilometres from Utrecht. It's a long drive, but with motorhome stops along the way, which you can easily find in the Camperstop-App, it's quite doable. Make stops in the cities of Berlin and Warsaw along the way, for example.

Furthermore, you don't have to worry about passport controls. Note that in Poland you do not pay with the euro, but with the Zløty. In the Baltic countries, however, you can pay with the euro and you will find plenty of ATMs! 

If you follow the motorhome route from this article, we recommend 3 to 4 weeks. Of course, you can also use the stops as inspiration for your own motorhome route through these countries. 

Don’t forget to set your clocks one hour ahead, this applies to all three Baltic countries!

This motorhome route of the Baltic countries starts in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. And we also immediately start with an interesting fact about this capital city; Vilnius has no less than 100 churches! 

One of the most beautiful can be found in the UNESCO award-winning old city centre; St Anne's Church (Lithuanian: Šv. Onos Baznycia). Best known for its striking brick façade, the church is well worth a visit. Afterwards, stroll around the city at your leisure to see the rest of the churches, and in between take a seat on one of the terraces to try a traditional dish such as beetroot soup or kibinai pasties. 

Besides being beautiful to see on the outside, you can also see the many churches on the inside. At Vilnius Cathedral, located on the hill of the old town, you can delve into the history of Vilnius. Because of its architectural and historical value, the Cathedral is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often used for national ceremonies and important historical events. So be sure to write it down on your must-visit list! 

A walk through Vilnius‘ artists’ quarter, Užupis, should also be noted on your must-visit list. This district declared itself an independent republic on 1 April 1997. Where you used to find one of Lithuania's most neglected neighbourhoods, you now find the most beautiful artworks, street art and exhibitions thanks to its diverse community of artists, writers, and other creatives.

With your motorhome, you can spend the night at Downtown Forest Camping, Vilnius. Here you can park your motorhome in a wooded area, making your visit to Vilnius complete!

-  St Anne's Church is very eye-catching with its brick facade!

After Vilnius, continue north and drive to Daugavpils in Latvia. This is the second-largest city in the country and is named after the river Western Dvina (Latvian: Daugava). This city was almost destroyed in World War II, but its symbol has been well preserved. You will find this Russian settlement on the outskirts of the Jaunbüve district. 

When in Daugavpils, a visit to Fort Daugavpils should not be missed. This military fort, from the early 19th century, is the only fort in northern Europe still preserved in its original state. It is therefore a special historical sight, and you can spend several hours walking around here to see everything. 

You won't find a motorhome stopover in Daugavpils, but on the way to this city you'll find Camping Zarasai and an hour's drive to the next stop is Camping Siveri. You can choose what suits you best in this.

- During the Soviet period, this fortress was used as a prison.

To get to the next stop, Tartu, you must expect a longer travel time. In fact, you will drive from Daugavpils to Tartu in about 5 hours. Tartu is the capital of the province of Tartumaa and is a lively student city! And Tartu radiates this when you walk through it. Indeed, the whole city is full of monuments of famous professors from the past. Walk on from the city to Toomemägi hill or Domberg. You will find remains of the cathedral there, which is partly used as a museum.

At your leisure, explore all the other sights of this lively student city! In between, take a seat on a terrace to eat and drink something, which is very cheap here, by the way. That's a nice advantage of such a student city! 

In Tartu, you can spend the night at motorhome stopover Kure Turismitalu Külalistemaja, Rahinge.

- Stroll at your leisure through the student city of Tartu and discover all the sights!

It's time for the next capital. Namely Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. In this city, you will be short of eyes. The centuries-old city centre is best known for its beautifully preserved medieval architecture. Admire, for example, the most striking building, with its onion-shaped domes and impressive interior consisting mainly of lots of gold! Or stroll across Raekoja plats. This is the central square in the Old Town and is perhaps one of Tallinn's liveliest spots. You'll find many cosy cafés here, as well as the historic city hall. 

You will also find the Kadriorg Park and palace in Tallinn. This park and palace was founded by Russian Tsar Peter the Great in the 18th century and was then mainly used as a summer residence. Nowadays, you can enjoy a stroll through the gardens, which are laid out in French and English style, and visit the palace. Inside the palace you will find art museums with Estonian and foreign works of art.

Want a great view of the city? At the edge of the old town stands the hill Toompea, from the hill you have the best view of Tallinn! On the hill you will find Estonia's stately parliament. Also built on the same hill is St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a striking cathedral built in Russian style. These imposing buildings side by side, overlooking the old city lead to a beautiful picture. So be sure not to forget your camera for this moment.

You can park your motorhome at the Pirita Harbour Camping Marina, Tallinn. Here you can wake up to stunning views over the water.

- Visit Kadriorg palace and stroll through the park gardens!

The next stop will take you to the island of Saaremaa, located on the western side of Estonia. You will drive here in about 4.5 hours. At Rohuküla Marina, you'll drive the motorhome onto the boat and make the crossing to the island. The island is known for its famous meteorite crater, so a visit here should not be missed during your motorhome-trip. Stand face to face with the crater where a huge meteorite impact took place some 3,000 years ago. 

Besides this meteorite crater, the island is bursting with beautiful beaches. Spend the night by the sea at motorhome stopover Saaremaa Spa Hotel, Kuressaare. Do you like to spend a day at the spa? You can enjoy the most wonderful massages here for a low price! One thing is for sure; after a visit to this island you will continue your motorhome-trip in a relaxed way! 

Around the corner from this motorhome stopover is the breathtaking Kuressaare Castle. Be sure to walk here to have a look and take a stroll around the castle. Want to learn more about the history of the island of Saaremaa? Then you can visit an exhibition at the museum next to the castle.

- Take the ferry and discover the green island of Saaremaa!

For the most beautiful nature, drive to Gauja national park in Latvia. One of the oldest national parks in the Baltic countries, this national park is named after the river that flows through it. The park is a paradise for nature, hiking and cycling enthusiasts. You will find many hiking trails and a cycling route that takes you past medieval castles and ruins, of which Turaida Castle and Krimulda Ruins are the most notable. Are you feeling adventurous? Then you can also go climbing, canoeing or even tobogganing in this park. 

Near the national park, you can stay overnight near the village of Raiskums. Here you will find motorhome stopover Camping Apaļkalns, Raiskums, with a beautiful location by swimming lake!

- Be amazed by all the greenery and sights of Gauja National Park!

We leave nature behind and drive to Riga, the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltic countries. In Riga, you can learn a lot about the occupation, as Latvia was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, as there are plenty of museums AND you can go out with a guide who can tell you all about it. 

Did you know that Riga's old town is also on the UNESCO world heritage list? It's not very big so you can explore everything on foot. Stroll past the colourful buildings, mostly built in Art-Nouveau style, medieval churches, and cosy squares where you can have a drink on one of the cosy terraces. A visit to St Peter's Church should not be missed when strolling through the old town. This church is one of the oldest in the Baltic countries and, after climbing some stairs and taking the lift, gives you a fantastic view over this beautiful city! 

The nice thing about Riga is that you can combine history and culture with a day of relaxing by the sea. In fact, the city is close to the sea. Take the train in the city centre and drive to Jurmala beach in about 30 minutes for a lovely day by the sea. 

With your motorhome, you can stay overnight in the heart of the city! Park your motorhome at Riga City Camping, Rīga and enjoy a few days in Riga. Jautri pavadīt laiku!

- Riga's city centre is full of colourful buildings!

Your second-to-last stop is a must-see! A two-hour drive from Riga is the famous religious Cross Hill, which symbolises peace and Lithuanian independence. Walking up the hill, you will see more than a hundred thousand crosses that have been placed on the hill for centuries by people all over the world. The countless crosses combined with the silence that prevails on the hill create an overwhelming and impressive image. Definitely worth visiting during your stay in Lithuania! You can also place a cross on the hill here yourself to immortalise your visit! 

You can stay overnight at the peaceful Kempingas Kurtuvėnai, Kurtuvėnai. You will stay here on a green and peaceful farm. In the green and picturesque surroundings, you can enjoy hiking across the meadows!

- A not everyday sight; the mound of the cross in Siauliai must be seen!

End your motorhome-trip in Kaunas, Lithuania's second city with the most sights after Vilnius. Here, in the historic city centre, you will find, for example, the Orthodox Archangel Michael Church, the largest church in the Baltic States. This church was used by the Kaunas Castle army and served mainly as an art gallery during the Russian occupation. Special to know: today, this church is used as a Catholic church and many weddings are performed there. 

In Kaunas, you can learn a lot about Lithuania's history. For instance, you can visit the prison and concentration camp of Kaunas. This concentration camp, which you actually hear quite little about, is at odds with how impressive the place is. During the World War II occupation by Nazi Germany, ten thousand people were shot in a single day.

Park your motorhome at Kaunas Lake Camping, Kaunas and end your day there at one of the many lakeside beach taverns this motorhome stopover is located on.

- Take your time to see Kaunas! © Visite Saaremaa

That a motorhome-trip of the Baltic countries is worthwhile, we're sure we don't have to tell you anymore. But what if you want to customise your route according to your wishes or if you want to explore more of the Baltic countries? No worries, because for each country you can create your own motorhome route using the Trip Planner. Have fun!

- Do you always select a motorhome stopover based on reviews and have you stayed overnight at one of the motorhome stopovers from this article? Be sure to share your experiences with fellow motorhome owners by writing reviews in the Camperstop-App or on Camperstop.com!