All That Glitters is Amber: Discover the Baltic States

At Prestige Holidays, we offer a wide range of interesting escorted tours, each taking our clients on unforgettable adventures around the world’s most unique and inspiring locations. Our ‘Discover the Baltic States’ tour is a popular choice for culture lovers as guests are taken to some truly magnificent historical and cultural sites, some of which showcase the area’s rich amber-encrusted history.

Vilnius

The first day of the tour takes guests around Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and later to its famous Amber Museum – the perfect place to learn some base facts about the Baltic amber whose history is explored in more detail later in the tour. Discover the gemstone’s origins, its various colours and enjoy viewing the largest piece of amber in the museum, weighing a whopping 3 kilos. Vilnius’s museum also allows visitors to see artefacts dating back to early fifteenth and sixteenth centuries such as kilns, dishes and tiles located in the cellar.

Finally you will arrive at the amber gallery, one of my favourite parts of the experience. Here you will discover how modern jewellery makers fashion beautiful designs with this precious stone – many of these handcrafted items are available to purchase.

Palanga

After several days spent exploring other wonders of the Baltic States, day five will include a trip to Palanga, a stunning Lithuanian town. Following a peaceful stroll through the gardens, guests will then head to yet another fascinating museum – the Museum of Amber.

Situated in the centre of Birute Park, the stunning surroundings are reason enough to pay a visit to this attraction. Inside, you are able to learn not only about the formation process of the gem, but the extraction, processing and trade routes. Even those with extensive knowledge of gemstones may learn a thing or two from this visit.

The museum contains various archaeological exhibits, an amber morphology exhibition and several ancient collections on display – it really is an experience to remember.