The perfect vacation in Northern Europe and Russia! From Copenhagen with its Little Mermaid and Tivoli Gardens, travel to Stockholm and sail to Helsinki, where a full day at leisure offers the possibility to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia and 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. Stay here for three nights, with guided sightseeing that includes visits to the Kremlin, Red Square, and the Armory Museum. The stop in Smolensk gives you insight into characteristic Russian city life before continuing to Minsk, the capital of Belarus. End in Warsaw and enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. First-class two-berth cabins with private facilities make your Baltic Sea crossing comfortable.

Day 1 Arrive in Copenhagen, Denmark
Time to rest or to start exploring Denmark’s capital. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)

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. Your Tour Director will have suggestions how to spend your afternoon. Tonight, visit TIVOLI GARDENS, the city’s colorful amusement park (May to mid-Sept.). (Breakfast)

Day 3 Copenhagen–Stockholm, Sweden
From Elsinore beneath Hamlet’s Kronborg Castle, take a FERRY to Helsingborg and drive through the Swedish Lake District on your way to Stockholm. (Breakfast)

Day 4 Overnight Cruise to Helsinki, Finland
Stockholm 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. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5 Helsinki
After breakfast on board, sightseeing with a Local Guide features City Hall and Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the monumental railroad station, the great LUTHERAN CATHEDRAL, the strikingly modern TEMPPELIAUKIO ROCK CHURCH, the Olympic Stadium, and the SIBELIUS MONUMENT. Then, browse for souvenirs in Helsinki’s local arts and crafts OPEN-AIR MARKET. (Breakfast)

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. (Breakfast)

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. (Breakfast, Dinner)

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 admire ST. ISAAC'S CATHEDRAL. (Breakfast)

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. (Breakfast)

Day 10 St. Petersburg–Novgorod
Drive to Novgorod. Orientation features the restored Kremlin and venerable churches dating as far back as the 11th century. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 11 Novgorod–Tver–Moscow
Through the Valdai Hills to Tver on the Volga, the “Mother River” of Russia, where you will have lunch. Then, via Tchaikovsky’s Klin to Moscow. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 12 Moscow
Follow your Local Guide to RED SQUARE, the center of this 860-year-old city. At its core is 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. (Breakfast)

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. (Breakfast)

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. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 15 Smolensk–Minsk, Belarus
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. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

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. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 17 Warsaw
Your Local Guide takes you to the medieval STARE MIASTO (Old Town), 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. In the HISTORICAL MUSEUM, watch a moving film showing the city before and after wartime destruction. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your vacation. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 18 Warsaw
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

INCLUDED FEATURES

Copenhagen:
Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing, the Little Mermaid; visit the Royal Reception Rooms in Christiansborg Palace; Tivoli Gardens (May to mid-Sept.)

Elsinore:
Ferry crossing with a view of Hamlet’s castle

Stockholm:
Guided sightseeing, visit the City Hall

Stockholm-Helsinki:
Baltic Sea overnight crossing in first-class two-berth cabins with private facilities (dinner included)

Helsinki:
Guided sightseeing, Sibelius monument, visit the Lutheran Cathedral, the Temppeliaukio Rock Church, and the Open-Air Market

St. Petersburg:
Guided sightseeing, visit the Hermitage Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and Catherine Palace (if closed, visit Pavlovsk Palace instead)

Novgorod:
Orientation

Tver:
Included lunch

Moscow:
Guided sightseeing, visit Red Square and the Armory Museum in the Kremlin

Smolensk:
Guided sightseeing, visit Uspensky Cathedral

Minsk:
Guided sightseeing

Brest:
Included lunch

Warsaw:
Guided sightseeing, visit the Stare Miasto, St. John’s Cathedral, and the Historical Museum; farewell dinner at a local restaurant

Note:
Slight changes to the day-by-day itinerary cannot be excluded.
Accommodation in Smolensk is the best available.
Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler. A separate visa for Belarus is necessary.
Security cruise regulations require clients’ family and first name, D.O.B., gender, and nationality at time of booking.

INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

MEALS
Full buffet breakfast; 5 lunches; 7 three-course dinners, including a welcome dinner in Copenhagen and a special farewell dinner with wine in Warsaw.

SUPERIOR HOTELS - (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class
Copenhagen Imperial (F), Stockholm Scandic Sergel Plaza (SF), Helsinki Radisson Blu Royal (SF), St. Petersburg Angleterre (SF), Novgorod Beresta Palace (F), Moscow Marriott Moscow Grand (SF), Smolensk Rossiya (F), Minsk Minsk (F), Warsaw The Westin Warsaw (SF)

OPTIONALS

Important Note: the following list of optional excursions are examples only for this vacation as they are the excursions that are being offered for this vacation in the current travel year. These optional excursions might or might not be offered next year, as well as new optional excursions might be offered. Information about what optional excursions will be offered for your vacation will be available later this year into next year. If no example excursions are listed, please check back later.

Here's a list of optional excursions you can enjoy during your vacation. Whether it's a special dinner, a local show or a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into an historical site, optional excursions are a wonderful way to enrich your vacation even further. Plus, they give you flexibility. We include the must-see sites and experiences, and we also understand that people take interest in different activities and may want to craft a more personal vacation by hand-picking optional excursions that appeal to them.

Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, days of operation, group interests, and general feasibility for your vacation. The approximate value listed gives you a good, general idea of what you can expect to pay but may vary once you are on your vacation. Some information provided might be in a foreign currency.

CITY: Copenhagen

Historical Copenhagen
Discover the charming Renaissance-style ROSENBORG CASTLE, housing the Crown Jewels. Then on to the RESISTANCE MUSEUM, which tells the thrilling story of Denmark's role during World War II.
Approximate value: EUR €40 per person

North Zealand Castle and countryside
Visit the Renaissance FREDERIKSBORG CASTLE, once a royal residence. Then on to Fredensborg Palace and Hamlet's Kronborg Castle, before taking the scenic route back to Copenhagen.
Approximate value: EUR €46 per person

Danish Dinner
The perfect way to round out your day in Copenhagen. Savor a traditional three-course Christmas dinner with drink in a cozy, family-run restaurant.
Approximate value: EUR €58 per person

CITY: Helsinki

Archipelago Cruise
Enjoy Helsinki at its most beautiful, embraced by the spectacular seascape of the Archipelago. Cruising along the narrow Degerö Canal, you catch glimpses of fabulous villas and gardens. Refreshments are served on board.
Approximate value: EUR €41 per person

Finnish Dinner
Enjoy a delightful Sami-style Dinner, including a drink, in one of the finest Sami restaurants in Helsinki.
Approximate value: EUR €52 per person

CITY: Moscow

Tretyakov Gallery
The TRETYAKOV GALLERY displays masterpieces of Russian Art including the most complete and high quality collection of Russian icons, among them are the stunningly vibrant 15th-century sacred icons of Andrei Rublev, and works of Russian Realists and Romantics of the 19th and early 20th century.
Approximate value: EUR €28 per person

Enemies at the Gates
At the 360-degree panoramic pavilion of the PANORAMA MUSEUM, imagine yourself standing on the rooftop of a house in the village of Semyonnovskaya at the height of the Battle of Borodino, when General Kutuzov faced Napoleon's Grand Army in the war of 1812. Later drive to Poklonnaya Hill to the impressive Victory Park where the WWII MUSEUM features dramatic dioramas depicting the moment when Nazi troops were poised to strike at Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad. A moving Memorial Hall invites contemplation of the country's estimated 27 million who died during the war.
Approximate value: EUR €39 per person

Subway Ride and Red Square
No visit to Moscow is complete without a tour of its elegant graffiti-free SUBWAY stations! Marvel at ceiling mosaics, brightly colored stained glass, life-size bronze statues and giant chandeliers. Later stroll in RED SQUARE, passing the tomb of Lenin and breathtaking St. Basil's Cathedral.
Approximate value: EUR €28 per person

The famous Circus of Moscow
The Nikulin Moscow Circus, founded in 1880, with its tradition and reputation continues to be the standard by which all other circuses are judged. The current show combines drama, history, folklore and, most of all, excitement and entertainment. Have a laugh with the clowns or hold your breath with the aerial performers!
Approximate value: EUR €45 per person

Orthodox Moscow
The NOVODEVICHY CONVENT, founded by Vasily III in 1524 and recently proclaimed a Unesco World Heritage Site, is an outstanding example of 'Moscow baroque' architecture of the 17th century and the most important historical center of Orthodoxy. Its adjacent CEMETERY contains the graves of distinguished Russians including Nikita Khrushchev, Boris Yeltsin and Raisa Gorbachyova. Later visit the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR, the tallest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world.
Approximate value: EUR €35 per person

CITY: Novgorod

Splendors of Ancient Russia
The peaceful town of Novgorod with its many colorful church domes is truly a photographer's dream! Visit the 12th-century ST GEORGE CATHEDRAL at the Yuriev Monastery on the picturesque shores of Lake Ilmen. Later admire the work of Greek builders in the 11th-century ST SOPHIA'S CATHEDRAL within the red brick walls of the local Kremlin. Finally visit the VITOSLAVLITSY MUSEUM OF WOODEN ARCHITECTURE and marvel at the work of the famous and talented Novgorodian carpenters
Approximate value: EUR €39 per person

CITY: St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg in Depth
While in St. Petersburg take advantage of a series of optional visits conducted by your tour director and local experts; these are offered as a special package, designed to maximize sightseeing opportunities and enhance your stay. Should any of the visits be unavailable for operational reasons, a suitable alternative will be found. Visit PETER-AND-PAUL FORTRESS and CATHEDRAL, where most czars since Peter the Great are buried; the LOG CABIN that Peter the Great built himself, as he also was a carpenter; see the Church of Spilt Blood, with its onion domes one of the landmark of St. Petersburg and visit the Battleship AURORA. Plus much more! Please ask your Tour Director for further additions to this package and more information.
Approximate value: EUR €52 per person

Folklore Show
Do not miss the opportunity to attend this entertaining folklore show with music and dance in an elegantly decorated 19th-century building. Champagne, caviar and canapés are included.
Approximate value: EUR €45 per person

St. Petersburg Romantic Canals
Board your private boat and admire some of the city's most famous attractions such as the Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress and the Admiralty. Enjoy live-performances of well-known Russian folk songs and savor caviar and champagne or vodka.
Approximate value: EUR €39 per person

Yusopov Palace
This unique noble palace follows the different styles and trends in Russian architecture over the course of two centuries and represents a milestone in Russian art, culture, history and politics. The YUSOPOV PALACE boasts 180 sumptuously furnished rooms, and houses the private art collection of the Yusopov family. In this palace Gregory Rasputin was assassinated in 1916, and a waxwork tableau in the cellar recreates the scene of his murder
Approximate value: EUR €30 per person

Russian Dinner
Your Tour Director will accompany you to a typical Russian restaurant to savor some of the most famous specialties of this region.
Approximate value: EUR €36 per person

CITY: Stockholm

Swedish Dinner
Your Tour Director escorts you to a fine restaurant where you dine in true Swedish style. Note: On summer evenings it may be possible to continue on to a colorful folk dancing show. If so, the price is EUR 69.00 per person.
Approximate value: EUR €57 per person

Old Town and Lunch
During a pleasant walk in the well-preserved - Old Town, you will gain insights into the history of the Swedish capital and its world-famous handicraft and crystal production. Take advantage of some shopping before you taste a delicious lunch in a typical medieval wine cellar.
Approximate value: EUR €45 per person

Wasa Ship Museum
See the most richly ornamented war vessel built in Europe. The WASA sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised in 1961. Note: this excursion can also be offered with Skansen Park for EUR 42.00 per person.
Approximate value: EUR €30 per person

Skansen Park and Open Air Museum
Founded in 1891, Skansen is said to be the oldest open-air museum in the world. Located on the island of Djurgarden, a royal park near the center of Stockholm, it provides accurate insight into Sweden's heritage and natural history based on well-documented knowledge. If you are lucky, you might also see moose and reindeer.
Approximate value: EUR €27 per person

CITY: Warsaw

Chopin Concert
The piano music of Poland's national composer Frederick Chopin perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this once war torn land. Enjoy an exclusive private concert of evergreen mazurkas, waltzes and polonaises performed by a leading pianist. A treat for all music lovers! A glass of sparkling wine is served during the intermission.
Approximate value: EUR €39 per person

Polish Dinner
Savor a Warsaw-style, three-course dinner including local specialties with drinks.
Approximate value: EUR €43 per person

Wilanow Castle
Explore the beautiful baroque Summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski with its palatial rooms and immense gardens. The CASTLE now houses one of Poland's newest museums.
Approximate value: EUR €29 per person

PRICES
From approx $4,079 US per person double occupancy