Lithuania & Latvia (plus NYC)
Villnius, Lithuania
I’ve always wanted to explore more of the Baltics, and now that I’m just a three-hour flight away, I booked a trip to Lithuania and Latvia over the Dublin bank holiday weekend - something I’d been looking forward to for a while. The whole trip felt like stepping straight into a fairytale, and visiting during autumn was absolutely gorgeous with all the fall foliage.
It all started with an early morning flight to Vilnius. It was a cold, rainy, and grey day when I landed, and I had to work for most of it - but I loved staying at a cozy little boutique hotel right in the heart of Old Town. It was such a great vibe. I did a little bit of walking around, but I was so exhausted from the intense work week and lack of sleep that I mostly worked before falling asleep late.
The next morning, I made the call to sleep in and cancel all my planned tours and just explore at my own pace on foot. This was very hard for me to do but I’m trying to be more comfortable with unplanned time. I visited the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in the former KGB headquarters, which was a harrowing experience, and then spent the rest of the day getting lost in the gorgeous city and its architecture. My favorite part was walking up to Gediminas Tower and Three Crosses Hill for stunning views over the entire city, followed by a walk along the Vilnia River just listening to the water run. It was so peaceful and completely reset my nervous system. From there, I wandered into Užupis - an eclectic, artistic area of town - before treating myself to some spa and massage time. It was the absolute best way to spend a Saturday.
driving from villnius to riga
Early Sunday morning, I went for a walk and then met my private driver for the five-hour trek to Riga. I packed up my backpack and off we went.
I arranged to stop at two places along the way: Trakai Castle and the Hill of Crosses. Sadly, Trakai Castle wasn't open yet, so I couldn't go inside, but it was gorgeous to see from the outside. It’s one of the oldest castles in the country, dating back to the 1300s.
The Hill of Crosses, however, was an experience beyond words. It actually moved me to tears to see the more than 200,000 crosses that people have left behind. Each cross is placed in honor of someone, and no one really knows how this sacred hill originally came to be. Standing out there in the middle of nowhere was so deeply moving that it brought tears to my eyes and prompted me to send a prayer and a wish to my loved ones who have passed.
Riga, Latvia
After a long 5 hour drive, I was so excited to finally get to Riga. I t was so beautiful as well - though comparing the two, I think Vilnius felt a bit smaller and even more charming, whereas Riga gave off bigger city vibes. That said, Riga was just as clean and pristine as Vilnius. It was very cold, but the incredible architecture of the buildings made it worth it!
Once again, I made the executive decision to cancel all my scheduled tours on Monday and just do my own thing. For my own sanity, I very much needed less structure and nowhere I had to be at a specific time. I visited the Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum, which was solemn and deeply eye-opening. I also visited the KGB Corner House, which was one of the most intense and heartbreaking tours I have ever done in my life - people were actually openly crying during it. I couldn't bring myself to take any photos because of how heavy it was; hearing and learning about what took place in that building was truly brutal.
Afterward, I decompresssed with more walking and stopped for a bowl of delicious carrot soup at a cozy spot called Cafeterius. Sitting in a cafe, eating hot soup, and reading a good book is my absolute happy place - there is not much that brings my soul more joy.
Overall, it was an amazing trip, but it was also a reality check that I need to get more sleep and take better care of myself. I realized I was still carrying knots of work stress in my stomach, and it was nice to finally let all of that go over the weekend. Since getting back to Dublin, I’ve been focusing on small, daily habits to keep my work stress in check!
I can’t wait to explore more of the beautiful Baltics. Estonia, I’m coming for you next! xoxo
NYC
Side note: Before my trip to the Baltics, I spent a week back home in NYC. It was so special to finally be reunited with Derek, and we decided to play tourist on Saturday - walking up to Central Park, doing a Gilded Age mansion tour along 5th Avenue, and staying at a beautiful hotel in FiDi for a little staycation. It was so nice to be back in the motherland and visit all my favorite spots (including Whole Foods and Target!).
Derek had to fly out for work on Sunday morning, and then I spent the rest of the week at an intense but great team onsite in our NYC office. It was a complete whirlwind with very early mornings and late nights, but so fun to connect with my team in person. I took an overnight flight back to Dublin on Wednesday and went straight into the office to lead a workshop (after a quick 1-hour catnap on my couch!) and finished off the work week strong (but absolutely exhausted).
The following week, I left for Lithuania and Latvia. It’s definitely been a lot of travel lately, and I’m so excited to settle back into Dublin life and figure out my next adventure!
