“Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” certified in 2026

Singing traditions in Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been and still are extraordinarily important. In Finland and Norway, their tradition is based on runosong. In Estonia, Setos are singing Leelo. In Eastern Latvia they have a multipart singing tradition called singing with pusbolss and in Lithuania people sing sutartinés. These singing traditions have preserved culture and language through centuries. They have also kept national and regional cultures alive despite decades of oppression. These traditions are still alive, and the Singing Heritage Route supports them, as well as giving them space to be sustainable elements of cultural tourism. 

Heritage

Songs and singing have been the main channel for cultures to share values and concepts before writing technology. Unlike other ancient traditions that have vanished, in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania they are still alive. The Baltic "Singing Revolution" movement in the 1990s was based on singing traditions. It shows the power of song and singing even in the present times.

Travelling today

Today the Singing Heritage Route provides an opportunity to hear and appreciate singing, and the meaning of traditions can be studied in various destinations along the way. Museums, villages, festivals and events, as well as beautiful landscapes and nature, war memorials, churches and other religious monuments are presented through these countries. Visitors can stay in local accommodation facilities, have local dishes in culturally rich environments and be part of the culture and traditions that are becoming rarer in the busy and modern world.