Russia And Northern Europe

2012 Season
Departs From: Copenhagen

From 2,671EUR

Length:  18 days from Copenhagen to Warsaw, or 19 days incl. travel

Overview

This is 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, known as one of the pearls of the Baltic countries. On to St. Petersburg, where, among other spectacular features, visits to the Hermitage Museum and magnificent Catherine Palace (if closed: Pavlovsk Palace instead) are included. Via Novgorod, travel to Moscow, capital of Russia. Stay here for three nights with 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 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.

Duration:  18 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
19 June, 2012	06 July, 2012
10 July, 2012	27 July, 2012
31 July, 2012	17 August, 2012
07 August, 2012	24 August, 2012
14 August, 2012	31 August, 2012
21 August, 2012	07 September, 2012
04 September, 2012	21 September, 2012
11 September, 2012	28 September, 2012

City Highlights

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

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, visit the Lutheran Cathedral, Sibelius Monument, 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

Headsets throughout the tour

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.

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. (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-Sept.). (B)

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. (B)

Day 4   Overnight Cruise to Helsinki, Finland. Stockholm, scene of Stieg Larsson�s Milennium, is settled on 14 islands between Lake M�lar 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. (B,D)

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 Olympic Stadium, and the SIBELIUS MONUMENT. Then, 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. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel. (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 admire 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 you will have lunch. Then, via Tchaikovsky�s Klin to Moscow. (B,L)

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. (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 Arm�e 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. (B,L,D)

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. (B,L,D)

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 wartime 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, enjoy a farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your vacation. (B,D)

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

Meals:  Full buffet breakfast daily (B); 5 lunches (L); 7 three-course dinners (D), including a welcome dinner in Copenhagen, a special farewell dinner with wine in Warsaw

Hotel Information:  COPENHAGEN Imperial (F), STOCKHOLM Scandic Sergel Plaza (SF), HELSINKI Radisson Blu Royal (SF), ST. PETERSBURG Angleterre (SF), NOVGOROD Park Inn Veliky Novgorod (F), MOSCOW Marriott Moscow Grand (SF), SMOLENSK Rossiya (F), MINSK Minsk (F), WARSAW The Westin Warsaw (SF)


Terms and Conditions

Note: Flights are NOT included with the Tour and unless otherwise stated above transfers are also NOT included.

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