Visit all of Europe’s magnificent northern capitals: Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Guided sightseeing is included in all four cities, plus, we add a three-night stay in St. Petersburg. For the overnight Baltic Sea crossing from Stockholm to Helsinki, you will be accommodated in first-class, two-berth cabins. Special features are charming Tivoli Gardens (open mid-April to mid-September), magnificent Frogner Park, Catherine Palace (if closed, Pavlovsk Palace instead) and, above all, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. We included special dinners to give you a chance to taste the local specialties in Copenhagen, with a dessert choice of Danish cheeses, as is traditional in Denmark; the traditional Smörgãsbord dinner on the Baltic Sea cruise; and a special dinner of Russian delicatessen, like caviar, blinis, and vodka in St. Petersburg. A welcome dinner in Copenhagen and a farewell dinner in St. Petersburg are included, and a full day at leisure in Helsinki allows the possibility to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the pearls of the Baltic countries. Board the high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where you’ll spend three nights and see the sights, including Red Square, opulent St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum. Then, fly south to Simferopol, capital of Crimea, and continue to Yalta, with visits to Livadia Palace, the summer residence of the last czar, and the Palace of Count Vorontsov, as well as an exciting excursion to Svastopol and Balaklava to visit the former Soviet submarine base in the caves. Continue to Kherson for a lunch with local specialties, and arrive in splendid Odessa, Ukraine’s main harbor. Enjoy guided sightseeing and a special visit to the Museum of Partisan Glory and see the caves, used by smugglers and during WWII as a hiding place for Soviet partisans. Next, fly to Kiev, capital of Ukraine, where a visit to the Cave Monastery has been included. A special farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your vacation.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Copenhagen, Denmark. Welcome to Copenhagen! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for [LF] a welcome dinner at your hotel and as dessert a selection of Danish cheeses, as is traditional in Denmark. (D)
Day #2 Copenhagen. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Church of Our Savior and the Stock Exchange on the way to Christiansborg Palace, where you visit the elegant ROYAL RECEPTION ROOMS. Drive past the National Museum and the Royal Theater, and stop for pictures of Amalienborg Palace with its lovely flower gardens and of the wistful LITTLE MERMAID. In the afternoon, exciting optional excursions are available. Tonight, visit TIVOLI GARDENS (mid-April to mid-Sept.), the city’s colorful amusement park. (B)
Day #3 Copenhagen–Gothenburg, Sweden–Oslo, Norway. From Elsinore beneath Hamlet’s Kronborg Castle, board your FERRY for Helsingborg, then drive to Gothenburg, Sweden’s thriving second-largest city, and admire its beautiful parks, botanical gardens, and well-kept canals during your orientation tour. In the afternoon, continue along the Skagerrak coastline to Norway. Evening arrival in Oslo. (B,D)
Day #4 Oslo. Norway’s capital is a study in farsighted urban planning, seeking growth in harmony with nature. Your Local Guide will take you to the National Theater, Parliament, and the Royal Palace. Stroll through magnificent FROGNER PARK, with Gustav Vigeland’s 200-plus extraordinary bronze and granite sculptures, and visit the modern CITY HALL. Optional excursions are available for the afternoon and evening. (B)
Day #5 Oslo–Stockholm, Sweden. Trace the King’s Road, an ancient trade link between the northern capitals connecting Oslo, Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, and St. Petersburg. Cross the Swedish border to scenic Värmland, beautifully described in Selma Lagerlöf’s Saga of Gösta Berling, on the way to Karlstad on Lake Vänern. Pass the ancient garrison town of Örebro and modern Eskilstuna, known for its stainless steel, and proceed to Stockholm. (B)
Day #6 Stockholm. Stockholm, scene of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium, is settled on 14 islands between Lake Mälar and the Baltic Sea. Your included morning sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Royal Palace, Riddarholm Church, and the festive blue and gold chambers in the CITY HALL, where the annual Nobel Prize banquet is held. Choose from our exciting optional excursions to make the most of your stay. (B)
Day #7 At Leisure in Stockholm–Overnight Cruise to Helsinki, Finland. Most of the day at leisure. Why not join an excursion to Uppsala. Tonight, board your ship for the overnight BALTIC SEA CRUISE to Finland and [LF] enjoy the traditional Smörgåsbord dinner. (B,D)
Day #8 Helsinki. After breakfast on board, guided sightseeing of Helsinki features the City Hall and Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the monumental railroad station, the great LUTHERAN CATHEDRAL, the Olympic Stadium, and the SIBELIUS MONUMENT. Time to browse for souvenirs in Helsinki’s local arts and crafts OPEN-AIR MARKET. (B,D)
Day #9 At Leisure in Helsinki. A full day at leisure offers the opportunity to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the “Pearls of the Baltic” countries. (B)
Day #10 Helsinki–St. Petersburg, Russia. A pleasant drive along the coast to the Russian border. After completing frontier formalities, cross the Karelian Isthmus on the way to magnificent St. Petersburg, where [LF] a special dinner with traditional Russian delicatessen like caviar, blinis, pickled cucumber, and vodka awaits you. (B,D)
Day #11 St. Petersburg. Founded by Peter the Great, construction began in 1703 and the city eventually spread over 100 islands linked by 700 bridges. It suffered severe damage during World War II, when a cruel 900-day siege claimed more than a million victims. Start with the Winter Palace complex. Formerly the residence of the czars, it is now home of the world-famous HERMITAGE MUSEUM, with celebrated works by Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, and the major French impressionists. Next, drive along elegant Nevsky Prospect and admire ST. ISAAC’S CATHEDRAL with its gilded dome and marble columns. (B)
Day #12 St. Petersburg. Travel to Pushkin, the home of Russia’s last czar, for a visit to magnificent CATHERINE PALACE (if closed, visit PAVLOVSK PALACE instead). Afternoon at leisure; suitable optional activities are available to enhance your stay in St. Petersburg. (B)
Day #13 St. Petersburg–Moscow. Transfer to the railway station and board the high-speed SAPSAN TRAIN to Moscow. (B)
Day #14 Moscow. Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes RED SQUARE, the center of this 865-year-old city. At its core are the Lenin Mausoleum and St. Basil’s Cathedral. Inside the KREMLIN, a city-within-a-city, admire the medieval towers, cathedrals, and palaces. At the ARMORY MUSEUM, see treasures such as Ivan the Terrible’s throne. Of course, you will also see the Bolshoi Theater. (B)
Day #15 At Leisure in Moscow. Another day to further explore this fascinating city. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel with your traveling companions to celebrate the success of your vacation. (B,D)
Day #16 Moscow–Simeropol–Yalta. Transfer to the airport and fly to Simferopol, the capital of Crimea. On arrival, enjoy a beautiful drive to the famous Crimean coast, where a guided visit to LIVADIA PALACE, the summer residence of the last czar, Nicholas II, awaits you. Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met here in 1945 to discuss the dividing of East and West after the war, usually referred to as the “Yalta Conference.” Arrive in Yalta, a beautiful resort favored by the nobility in the 19th century and still today by the rich and famous. (B,D)
Day #17 Yalta. Start today with a guided sightseeing tour of Yalta. The afternoon is reserved for a visit to the PALACE OF COUNT VORONTSOV in Alupka, unique for its location but also for the combination of various styles of architecture. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. (B,D)
Day #18 Yalta. Excursion to Sevastopol & Balaklava. A scenic drive along the Crimean coast will bring you to Sevastopol, the harbor city that still houses the Russian Black Sea fleet. During the city tour we will visit the stunning PANORAMA PAINTING, a reminder of the heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1855. Next, stop in Balaklava to visit the former SOVIET SUBMARINE BASE in the caves, now turned into a museum. On our way back to Yalta we will make a picture stop at the “Swallow’s Nest,” the picturesque castle that was built on the edge of a cliff. (B,D)
Day #19 Yalta–Kherson–Odessa. After breakfast, leave the peninsula and drive to Kherson, on the mouth of the Dnepr River, for an orientation drive and lunch with local specialties. Afterwards, drive through the famous farm fields of the Ukraine to Odessa. (B,L,D)
Day #20 Odessa. Odessa is the Ukraine’s biggest harbor and known for its beautiful architecture and great atmosphere. Morning sightseeing features the harbor, the Potemkin Stairs, Primorsky Boulevard, the Opera House, and more. The afternoon is at leisure. Tonight is your chance to join an optional dinner to try out the specialties of the region. (B)
Day #21 Odessa. Drive to nearby Nerubayske and visit the MUSEUM OF PARTISAN GLORY, and see the caves, created by limestone mining. This network of about 2,500 miles of tunnels was later used by the smugglers and during World War II as a hiding place for the Soviet partisans. (B)
Day #22 Odessa–Kiev. Transfer to the airport and fly to Kiev, capital of the Ukraine on the mighty Dnepr River. This afternoon, visit the CAVE MONASTERY, the 1,000-year-old orthodox Christian complex, listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (B)
Day #23 Kiev. Kiev is one of Eastern Europe’s oldest cities. Guided sightseeing features the Golden Gates, the St. Sophia Cathedral, the remains of the city wall and Vladimir Hill, and a stroll along Andrew’s Descent in the Old District. Later, an interesting optional excursion is available to see more of this fascinating city, and tonight a special farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant has been prepared to celebrate the success of your Ukraine vacation with your traveling companions. (B,D)
Day #24 Kiev. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)