Lativa, Lithuania, Estonia...

Doran · 17 May 2008 at 14:51

Planning another holiday for the summer in August.

So I want to avoid the obvious places so not to overwhelmed with tourists and those places which become unbearable in August, like Sicily or Seville, due to the heat, etc.

So I started looking at the Baltics - anyone been here?

Or can anyone recommend anywhere else based on the above specs, not outside Europe/Middle east (accessible on train in other words).

Anyone been to Russia/Ukraine - whats it like?

J.B · 17 May 2008 at 15:07

I've been to Riga in Latvia and nearly lost my life thanks to a drunk friend and disgruntuled bouncer and my inability to run very fast.

Was pretty amazing all in all, went shooting in a disused soviet bomb shelter. A 9mm pistol, Ak47 and a pump action shotgun! And for when your sober the city is lovely mix of old and new.

Id recommend it! The woman there are amazing, simply stunning. We stayed at Friendly Franks Hostel, something like 10 quid a night.

Doran · 17 May 2008 at 15:13

Well, I am going with my wife, so the joys of European sex are well gone (if they were every with me..)

You can shoot guns? Thats just about clinched it for me - where can you do it?

Lopéz · 17 May 2008 at 15:15

Went to Tallinn in 2004 (I think?) and enjoyed it. Very cold in March though, it was between -15 and -20 most days.

Lopéz · 17 May 2008 at 15:20

Better whack up some pics:

Lopéz · 17 May 2008 at 15:21

Lopéz · 17 May 2008 at 15:22

All the above were taken in Tallin (apart from the plane, that was at Stansted

)

Doran · 17 May 2008 at 15:31

Thanks nice photos there.

Lativa and Estonia both look nicer than Lithuania to me.

Glaucus · 17 May 2008 at 15:35

latvia is well worth, Haven't been my self but loads of my mates went. they went to a shooting range, some sort of tabogining. Ate huge stake for a few pounds.
Just need to be carfull, they went to a strip club by accident and had to pay £50 to get out.

Doran · 17 May 2008 at 15:50

Again, I am going with my wife - its unlikely we will get into that sort of trouble...!

iamdjdz · 17 May 2008 at 16:03

Well I've been to Poland, Ukraine and Russia, and they were all great. Wouldn't recommend going to the Ukraine in a small group, it's a bizarre place. Russia was amazing and i might put some of my pics up if I can be bothered scanning them. Went to Moscow and St Petersburg, both lovely, but still weird, it's a totally different feeing there than other european countries. Poland was great too, experienced different bits, from a small village near a lake to the eastern block town of Lublin, really good place Poland. And one of the Polish guys I know says Krakov is good, and there are some pretty places nearby as well as good nightlife.

Col_M · 17 May 2008 at 16:53

I went to St Petersburg in summer 2003 and was awesome, it is my favourite city in Europe. There is so much stuff to see there and could easilly fill a few weeks.
It's a place of massive contrast too, old and new, filthy rich and dirt poor, clean and dirty, conservative and seedy. I wouldn't live there but it's a cool place to visit.

Lydzor · 17 May 2008 at 16:57

Looks cool, reminds me of Hostel though! :eek:

AJUK · 17 May 2008 at 17:01

Commie scum.

Lopez - great pics, they really catch the atmosphere.

Soulja · 17 May 2008 at 18:17

I'm off to Lithuania in the summer with Mrs who if from there, she tells me it's lovely but i'll have to wait and see

snail1 · 17 May 2008 at 18:45

I think they will sink our Eurovision entry though

Alchemy · 17 May 2008 at 19:06

they all got good womens.

xirokx · 18 May 2008 at 10:14

croatia is supposed to be even better, great beaches, cheap and not yet discovered by the tenerife lot

Furton · 18 May 2008 at 10:25

J.B said:
I've been to Riga in Latvia and nearly lost my life thanks to a drunk friend and disgruntuled bouncer and my inability to run very fast.

Was pretty amazing all in all, went shooting in a disused soviet bomb shelter. A 9mm pistol, Ak47 and a pump action shotgun! And for when your sober the city is lovely mix of old and new.

Id recommend it! The woman there are amazing, simply stunning. We stayed at Friendly Franks Hostel, something like 10 quid a night.

I stayed at that exact same hostel, great little place! Went to Latvia with a few mates from Uni for a mates bday, a very cheap place to get drunk, except for the fact that we missed our flight out (woke up after the flight had left) and there was only 1 flight a day to Liverpool. Luckily my boss booked me in for another day's holiday!

IcE-ColD · 18 May 2008 at 10:36

I'm Latvian and now live in England and all i can say about Riga is that its pretty good. I go back every year and i never run out of things to do. Going there again this July with 3 of my mates to have a great time. We're staying at the Reval Hotel Latvia for 7 nights which cost about £220 each. Aint too bad i suppose for a 4 star hotel with included breakfast and free entry to the gym and saunas. If u do go to Latvia make sure you go to Sigulda as theres pleanty of tourist attractions there (Bungee jump, shooting, you can go down a bobsleigh track, virtual skydiving, an absticle course 20 meters up in the trees, castles) and all sorts of other things. Food is also great in the majority of places I've eaten (you get a lot for your money). One thing i can tell you is that theres pleanty of pickpockets in the center of Riga, especially in the market places. Try not to look like a tourist and keep your valuables safe (just like you would in any other city).