From Copenhagen with its Little Mermaid and Tivoli Gardens, travel to Stockholm, scene of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium. Board your ship with first-class, two-berth cabins for your overnight Baltic Sea cruise and a traditional Smörgãsbord dinner. In Helsinki, a full day at leisure offers the possibility to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the pearls of the Baltic countries. On to St. Petersburg, where visits to the Hermitage Museum and magnificent Catherine Palace (if closed: Pavlosk Palace instead) are included. Via Novgorod, travel to Moscow, capital of Russia for three nights and guided sightseeing including visits to the Kremlin, Red Square, and the Armory Museum. The stop in Smolensk gives you insight into characteristic Russian city life, and a special highlight is an exclusive lecture about daily life during the times of the Iron Curtain, accompanied by a glass of Russian champagne. Continue to Minsk, capital of Belarus, almost totally destroyed during WWII but today a showcase city. End in Warsaw and enjoy a farewell dinner with local specialties, folklore entertainment, and wine at a local restaurant.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive In Copenhagen, Denmark. Welcome to Copenhagen! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day #2 Copenhagen. Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Church of Our Savior and the Stock Exchange. Visit the lavish ROYAL RECEPTION ROOMS in Christiansborg Palace and take pictures of Amalienborg Palace and of the wistful LITTLE MERMAID. Afternoon at leisure; optional excursions are available. Tonight, visit TIVOLI GARDENS, the city’s colorful amusement park (May to mid-September). (B)
Day #3 Copenhagen–Stockholm, Sweden. From Elsinore beneath Hamlet’s Kronborg Castle, take a FERRY to Helsingborg and drive through the romantic Swedish Lake District to Stockholm. (B)
Day #4 Stockholm–Overnight Cruise to Helsinki, Finland. Stockholm, scene of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium, is settled on 14 islands between Lake Mälar and the Baltic. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Royal Palace, Riddarholm Church, and the blue and gold chambers in the CITY HALL, where the annual Nobel Prize banquet is held. In the late afternoon, board your ship for the overnight BALTIC SEA CRUISE to Finland and [LF] enjoy the traditional Smörgåsbord dinner. (B,D)
Day #5 Helsinki. After breakfast on board, sightseeing with a Local Guide 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)
Day #6 At Leisure in Helsinki. A full day at leisure offers the opportunity to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia and known as one of the “Pearls of the Baltic” countries. (B)
Day #7 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 St. Petersburg. (B,D)
Day #8 St. Petersburg. Enjoy your guided sightseeing tour of this fascinating city. 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 now houses 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 visit ST. ISAAC’S CATHEDRAL. (B)
Day #9 St. Petersburg. Travel to Pushkin, home of Russia’s last czar, and visit magnificent CATHERINE PALACE (if closed, visit PAVLOVSK PALACE instead). Balance of the day is at leisure, and exciting optional activities are available. (B)
Day #10 St. Petersburg–Novgorod. Drive to Novgorod. Orientation features the restored Kremlin and venerable churches dating as far back as the 11th century. (B,L,D)
Day #11 Novgorod–Tver–Moscow. Through the Valdai Hills to Tver on the Volga, the “Mother River” of Russia, where lunch has been prepared for you. Continue via Tchaikovsky’s Klin to Moscow. (B,L)
Day #12 Moscow. Follow your Local Guide to 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 #13 At Leisure in Moscow. A full day at leisure to further explore this fascinating city. Your Tour Director will have suggestions how to spend your day. (B)
Day #14 Moscow–Smolensk. Travel via Borodino, site of the cruel battle between Napoleon’s Grand Armée and the Russian Army in 1812, to Smolensk. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the impressive town walls, the 17th-century USPENSKY CATHEDRAL, and the monument to General Kutuzov, the brilliant strategist who conquered Napoleon’s military genius. Tonight, enjoy a glass of [LF] Russian champagne during an exclusive LECTURE about daily life during the times of the Iron Curtain. (B,L,D)
Day #15 Smolensk–Minsk, Belarus. Travel via Katyn Forest and the White Russian plains to Minsk, the Belorussian capital. After lunch, enjoy sightseeing with a Local Guide in this historic city. Post-war architects were given carte blanche to reconstruct a showcase city; Minsk was almost totally destroyed during World War II. (B,L)
Day #16 Minsk–Brest–Warsaw, Poland. Have lunch in Brest, best known for the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, on your way to Warsaw, Poland’s beautiful capital. (B,L)
Day #17 Warsaw. Your Local Guide takes you to the medieval STARE MIASTO (Old Town); the HISTORICAL MUSEUM, where you can watch a moving film showing the city before and after war-time destruction; the 14th-century CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN; the Palace of Culture and Science; the Marszalkowska residential development; and a picture stop at the Ghetto Monument. This evening, [LF] a special farewell dinner with local specialties, folklore entertainment, and wine awaits you at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your vacation. (B,D)
Day #18 Warsaw. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Hotels:
COPENHAGEN Imperial (F)
STOCKHOLM Scandic Sergel Plaza (SF)
HELSINKI Glo Hotel Art (SF)
ST. PETERSBURG Crowne Plaza Ligovsky (SF)
NOVGOROD Park Inn Veliky Novgorod (F)
MOSCOW Marriott Moscow Grand (SF)
SMOLENSK Rossiya (F)
MINSK Minsk (F)
WARSAW Sofitel Victoria (D)