Going into the Baltics for a trip was a unique experience being far from the Eiffel Tower and other typical big European attractions. As expected it is a quieter corner of Europe with comparatively small driving distances to their neighbors Poland or Russia. I thought Lithuania was the "quietest" of the three, but spotty weather could have also been to blame. The Hill of Crosses outside of Siauliai was quite a site as the hill is packed with thousands of crosses that seem to be springing out of the ground. Riga's giant markets within walking distance of the old town in Latvia were an amazing place to grab fresh lunch and to just take in the sheer size of one of the biggest markets in Europe outside of Turkey. Heading further north into Estonia I found the peeling paint on the wooden houses of Parnu to warrant a half day of walking around looking for different color combinations and textures on the houses.
While not being a church goer myself a couple of the chapels in downtown Helsinki warrant a visit just because of their alternative designs. Kammpi Chapel is right in the middle of the city, yet is completely quiet and inviting for anyone looking to escape the noise of the city for awhile. Moving on o Stockholm I was fortunate to show up while Yayoi Kusama had an exhibition on display. I found these "infinity" rooms with their mirrors and lights to be enthralling and disorienting at the same time and I would highly suggest going to her exhibition if it comes to your city!
