Nordik Gifts

Estonia

Pikk Street in charming Tallinn Old Town

An ornate building on Pikk Street in the Old Town section of Tallinn, Estonia.

Jägala Waterfall. East of Tallinn, Estonia

The Open Air Museum near Tallinn.

A windmill in the Open Air Museum outside of Tallinn

Town Hall Square in Tallinn.

Latvia

The church spires and castle of Riga Old Town as seen from the Daugava River. Latvia

Tirgoņu Iela is a street in the Old Town section of Riga, Latvia that invites you to linger and enjoy the beautiful architecture.

Castles of Latvia. Clockwise from top left: Castle of the Livonian Order in Sigulda, Cesis Castle, Turaida Castle courtyard, Turaida Castle. Center: An original alter table at Cesis Castle

The church spires of Riga Old Town in Latvia. Left to right: 13th century Riga Cathedral, 19th century St. Saviour’s Anglican Church, 15th century St. Peter’s Church

The Freedom Monument in Riga, Latvia.

Lithuania

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania, was built in three phases, from the 14th to 15th century. It was damaged in the 17th century and fell into disrepair. Over the years, the Ducal palace was the residence of numerous Lithuanian nobles. Reconstruction began in the early 20th century and, today, it is a major tourist attraction

Amber Museum and Botanical Park in Palanga, Lithuania.  The palace and gardens, once owned by Count Felix Tiskevicius, were constructed in 1897.  In 1963, it became the Amber Museum and park.

The Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus, or Vilnius Cathedral, stands in the Old Town section of Vilnius, Lithuania. The late 18th century building was designed in Neoclassical style, but also embraces Palladian and Baroque features. It is the primary Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Lithuania.

Nida is the southern-most Lithuanian town on the Curonian Spit, which extends from Klaipėda, Lithuania to Kaliningrad, Russia. Many of its buildings have unique architectural details, including unique weathervanes.

House of Perkūnas. This Gothic building is located in the Old Town of Kaunas, Lithuania. Built by Hanseatic merchants in the mid-15th century, it has been a school and theater, and home to the Jesuits - its current occupants. Perkūnas was the common Baltic god of thunder, an important deity in Lithuanian mythology.

Dancers perform at the Football Federation Stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania during the Lithuanian Centenary Song Festival in 2018.  The year 2018 also marked 100 years since Lithuania declared independence from the Russian Empire.

Dancers perform at the Football Federation Stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania during the Lithuanian Centenary Song Festival in 2018.  The year 2018 also marked 100 years since Lithuania declared independence from the Russian Empire.

Dainų Šventė (Song Festival) sign at Cathedral Square in Vilnius in 2018. The year 2018 also marked 100 years since Lithuania declared independence from the Russian Empire.

House of Perkūnas. This Gothic building is located in the Old Town of Kaunas, Lithuania. Built by Hanseatic merchants in the mid-15th century, it has been a school and theater, and home to the Jesuits - its current occupants. Perkūnas was the common Baltic god of thunder, an important deity in Lithuanian mythology.

Delphiniums at an old farm near Rusnė in the Suvalkija region of southwest Lithuania.

The Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai is a testament to the faith and resolve of the Lithuanian people. The first crosses may have been erected after the 1831 uprising against the Russian Empire, when people couldn’t locate their fallen family members. The Soviets destroyed the crosses at least 3 times, but new crosses appeared the next day.

Palanga, Lithuania, north of Klaipėda, is a lovely seaside resort town with beautiful sand dunes, nice beaches, a pier into the Baltic Sea, and many restaurants and shops.

Nida is the southern-most Lithuanian town on the Curonian Spit, which extends from Klaipėda, Lithuania to Kaliningrad, Russia.  It boasts expansive sand dunes and a unique sun dial.

Kaunas Castle, Lithuania was built in the mid-14th century on the banks of the Nemunas River, near its confluence with the Neris River. Today, about one-third of the castle is intact with some reconstruction. The round tower houses an art gallery.

The White Stork is the national bird of Lithuania and is a common sight, particularly on top of telephone poles. In fact, the country has the highest known nesting density of storks in the world.

Pilies Street, near Cathedral Square, in the Old Town of Vilnius which contains numerous shops, restaurants and pubs.

Kaunas Town Hall and City Museum. Since its initial construction in 1542, the “White Swan” has served variously as town hall, archives, church, warehouse, theatre, and provisional residence of the tsar. Now a museum, it is also a popular wedding palace outside which happy couples pose for their wedding photographs.

Aušros Vartu Gatve (Gates of Dawn Street) in the Old Town section of Vilnius, Lithuania.  The building aglow in yellow is the Lithuanian National Philharmonic.