Based around the eastern parts of Latvia and Lithuania which are less frequented by tourists, this is an excellent way to meet local people and witness local life. Many of the locals are engaged in small-scale farming and still practice ancient crafts, they are sincere and welcoming. Driving along you will see authentic villages, small farms and have the opportunity to visit artisans and craftsmen, maybe even trying out some of the old skills, eg, churning butter or making a clay pot! On the farms, you can try local specialities, made from centuries old recipes – like home-made Latvian beer or Lithuanian “Cepelini”. This is one of the best ways to get to know the country and its people, staying in country guesthouses and farmhouse B&Bs where guests are accommodated in quality approved rooms with breakfast.

Day 1
Arrive in Riga and collect your hire car at the airport. Drive to your 3* hotel in Riga and check in. Free time in Riga.

Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel, then depart Riga - Jekabpils – Preili - Aglona (250 km)
Along the way you can visit:
• The wooden castle in Lielvarde, and archaeological excavations
• Ethnographic farmstead, where you can see a typical farmstead from the Latvian region known as a Selija. Visitors are encouraged to take part in old farm work – churning butter, using an old-fashioned spinning-wheel, doing some work in a blacksmith’s smithy. Then it's time to put the butter that you churned on some bread and wash it down with a tasty herbal tea.
• The catholic Basilica in Aglona
• The bread museum and bakery in Aglona, where various baked goods, including bacon rolls and many types of bread are produced. During the tour visitors can learn about the process of baking bread and taste and purchase the products.
Overnight on a farmstead in the surroundings of Aglona.

Day 4
Breakfast at the farmstead, then drive Ludza – Dagda - Kraslava (180 km)
The road leads through an area which is rich with lakes, there will be many swimming opportunities along the way, and also many sights to see:
• Cult spring in Opoli
• The catholic church in Pasiene (1761) – one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Latvia
• „Draudzibas kurgans“ – a monument from the Soviet era which was built in the place where the 3 former Soviet Republics (Latvia, Lithuania & Belarus) bordered and symbolized the solidarity of the Soviet Union
• An ethnographic farmstead, where you can see how the inhabitants of the region lived and worked 100 years ago
Overnight on a farmstead in the surroundings of Kraslava.

Day 5
Breakfast at the farmstead, then drive Kraslava - Daugavpils - Visaginas – Ignalina (200 km)
Drive along the nature reserve of the winding Daugava river, enjoying the super views from the steep riverbanks. Make sure you stop on the way at::
• Beer brewery of Kraslava – possibility to have a tour of the brewery and to taste and buy the beer
• Ethnographic village – one of the few old-believer villages in the Baltics, fascinating!
• Observation tower in Naujene and castle mount of Dinaburga on the banks of the river Daugava.
• Sighsteeing in Daugavpils – the second largest city in Latvia.
• The wooden church in Stelmuže (1650) – the oldest church in Lithuania.
• Sightseeing in Visaginas – the newest town of Lithuania, which was built during Soviet times for Russian workers who came to work in the nuclear power plant of Ignalina.
Overnight on a farmstead in the surroundings of Ignalina.

Day 7
Breakfast at the guest house. Explore Vilnius. Drive to the airport and return your hire car and fly home.