12 Baltic & Northern europe Baltic bound


Discover the beauty of the Baltic and beyond on a series of memorable cruises to this land of stunning landscapes and outstanding cultural sights


The Baltic offers picture-postcard towns and cities set in sparkling seas


Main The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood Below The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen


T


he Baltic Sea is an increasingly popular destination for British cruisers. And for good reason. As well as offering picture-postcard towns


and cities set beside sparkling seas, the region has world-class art and architecture, and plays host to a variety of cultural highlights. in high summer, the ‘white nights’ of the midnight sun means it is never fully dark, and many towns and cities hold festivals in celebration. English is widely spoken, and the climate is similar to that of the UK. Saga offers a number of cruises to this diverse and fascinating region, all of which leave from either Dover or Southampton, so there are no concerns with flights or luggage allowances. Quest for Adventure will cruise to a number of


new, lesser-known destinations this year including Turku, Vaasa and Oulu in Finland; and luleå and Visby in Sweden, where there is an option to go hiking. Helgoland, a small German island in the North Sea visited by very few ships and which has a wealth of Second Word War history, is new for 2013. Quest’s Route of the Arctic Convoys sets sail from Dover on 6 June, calling first at Newcastle and


12 | saga.co.uk/cruises


Kirkwall, on the Orkney islands, where there is the chance to visit the italian chapel built by pOWs. The cruise includes a total of eight Norwegian ports


before and after time spent in russian waters, including Bodø, where there is an option to go hiking. The stops in russia include Murmansk, Archangel and the Solovetsky islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous as a monastic settlement. The cruise also features some fascinating lectures


on the Arctic Convoys, which took place during the Second World War as a vital sea bridge delivering supplies to russia. Saga Sapphire has two stand-out cruises to


Northern Europe this year: Best of the Baltic which departs 6 May from Southampton and 28 May and 11 September from Dover, which includes stops in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo plus an overnight in St petersburg, which will give guests the opportunity to make the most of this architecturally outstanding city.


Melodies of Norway departs Dover on a seven-night music-themed cruise on 21 May and includes three days cruising around the Hardanger region of Norway.


April/MAy 2012


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