We are a party of four middle-aged friends who are interested in taking a two to three-week car journey through parts of Eastern Europe in late spring.

We understand that there may be some problems in a car journey through this part of the world – including exorbitant car-rental costs, poor road conditions, unusually high traffic accident fatalities, limited road breakdown services and so on.

Can you help us to focus on a suitable itinerary and address some of the issues that may be involved? – Robert Kandt, via e-mail.

Times travel expert, Julia Brookes, responds: How about the former Soviet states on the Baltic? In the time available you could comfortably visit the capital cities of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, and stop en route to enjoy the various cultural and historic highlights of the region, including castles and traditional villages.

The main roads are of a good standard, and if you book through a company such as Baltics and Beyond (0845 094 2125, www.balticsandbeyond.com), you should get decent vehicles and the support of its team if anything goes wrong.

A 14-night self-drive tour, staying in three-star old town hotels, B&B, with airport transfers, car hire (new estate car), car collection or delivery, and information pack starts at £899pp, based on two sharing a twin/double room. Flights are not included, but Baltics and Beyond can help to find the best-priced flights available.

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