DAY 1 - ARRIVAL IN HELSINKI You should arrive at the airport to take your flight to Helsinki. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. You will stay in the four-star Scandic Simonkenttä
located right in the heart of Helsinki. A modern hotel with large, comfortable bar and lounge areas looking out over one of the main squares and the Chapel of Silence. The rooms are classically Scandinavian in design and feature cosy wood panelling and crisp white linen.
DAY 2 - HELSINKI Helsinki is a beautiful, bustling capital city - an idyllic archipelago nestled on the Gulf of Finland and boasting over 300 islands. Surrounded by lush forests and vast, picturesque parks, both Central Park and Kaivopuisto Park offer stunning views overlooking the sea, just two of the city’s tranquil spots that provide us with an uplifting breath of fresh air. Our morning tour takes us around many of
Helsinki’s highlights, including its striking Railway Station, the gold-topped Russian Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral and the sculptural Sibelius Monument created from organ pipes. During the afternoon, we’re free to explore the city’s vastly varied sights
DAY 3 - SUOMENLINNA FORTRESS Today, prepare to be transported back in time as we take a short ferry ride from the mainland to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Suomenlinna Fortress. Despite a tumultuous history, the fortress is now the epitome of peace and tranquillity. Our expert guide will bring the fort’s history back to life as we explore Suomenlinna’s four bastions, as well as a wealth of other attractions within the fortress walls, including deep and eerie connecting tunnels, a turquoise-topped dual use church/lighthouse, the ominous canons, lakes, gardens and even a beach. Outside of the crumbling fortress walls, we meander through the cobbled streets, across connecting bridges and in between old wooden buildings now home to quaint restaurants and artists’ workshops. In the afternoon you’ll have some free time where you may choose to head back to Helsinki or stay on Suomenlinna.
DAY 4 - TALLINN Today, we leave Finland in our wake and cross the Gulf from Scandinavia to Estonia. We dock in the port of Tallinn and drive east along the coast until we arrive at picturesque Kadriorg Palace. Built in the 18th century by Russian Emperor Peter the Great as a gift to his wife Catherine, this sweeping confection of a building now houses one of the country’s best art collections. Here, we take a guided tour of its intricate interior, taking in the exquisite and mesmerising ceiling in the main hall, as well as the impressive manicured gardens and fountains that the palace overlooks. After this most regal outing we continue to Tallinn to settle into our hotel before heading out for dinner in a local restaurant. You will stay for two nights at the four-star Nordic
Forum Hotel. Located at the geographical centre point of Tallinn and just moments away from the Old Town. The bright, stylish hotel boasts a large bar and restaurant as well as a top floor heated swimming pool with views of Tallinn’s famed towers. The rooms and public areas are designed to reflect a combination of Old Town and nature.
DAY 5 - TALLINN Estonia’s capital Tallinn is, quite simply, a time warp. Its fairy tale UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, a rabbit-warren of atmospheric streets neatly situated below an impressive hilltop Upper Town, offers endless discovery; an ancient castle, a pastel-coloured baroque Parliament building, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. As you enter Tallinn’s Old Town through its landmark
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14th century Viru Gate, you’re immediately struck by the heady fragrance of fresh blooms from the plethora of flower shops that line the road ahead. Sitting in the shadows of the church steeples, castle walls and grand cathedrals you’ll happen across a hotchpotch of winding streets and alleyways, colourful buildings and traditional traders. Stroll through Catherine’s Passage, an atmospheric hidden alleyway lined with all manner of artists’ workshops. Once we’ve enjoyed our morning walking tour of the upper and lower Old Town with a local guide, there’s time to seek out various local treasures, wander through the shadows of the city walls, or maybe just a short stop to sip a coffee and watch the world go by.
DAY 6 - TARTU After breakfast we continue our tour to Tartu, Estonia’s second largest city. On our arrival we’ll have time to enjoy lunch and explore one of the many impressive museums that give Tartu its reputation as Estonia’s cultural capital. The Old Town Square is the perfect place to people watch and take in the views of the Emajogi River, the Kissing Students Fountain, the pretty pink Town Hall and the curious Leaning House - home to the Tartu Art Museum. Not only that, but the Medieval St John’s Church, boasts some of the best views over the Old Town from its belfry. We set off again mid-afternoon on our journey to
Riga, capital of Latvia, where we’ll settle into our hotel before heading out for the evening to sample some local cuisine in a nearby restaurant. You will stay in either the four-star Radisson Blue
Ridzene or the four-star Wellton Hotel & Spa. The Radisson Blue Ridzene sits by a delightful park
with a pretty lake and fountain, just a short walk from the Old Town. The bright and airy lobby leads through to a striking glass pyramid-roofed dining room, reminiscent of the Louvre. The Wellton Hotel & Spa is located in the Old Town itself, just a short walk from the main squares and the iconic marketplace. The hotel boasts a wonderful spa if you wish to treat yourself after seeing the wonderful sights of Riga. Rooms have a light and airy feel with neutral tones.
DAY 7 - RIGA Today, we visit beautiful Riga, largest of the Baltic State cities. Situated at the mouth of the River Daugava, this charming, cosmopolitan city offers a real mix of architectural styles. Spires of dark, gothic churches tower above the shadowy cobblestone streets below. During our morning walking tour, we explore these
hidden delights and the Medieval maze that makes up the Old Town, including the striking foliage-covered Powder Tower - home to the Latvian War Museum, and the central Dome Square - the heart of seven atmospheric streets. Stand on the marked spot on the square and you can see all three golden cockerels on top of the Old Town church spires. During the afternoon, you’re free to explore the
city as you wish, a stroll through Riga’s famously vast Central Market, five pavilions of old Zeppelin hangars so iconic that it’s included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, along with the city’s Old Town.
DAY 8 - RETURN FLIGHT After breakfast it’s time to bid a fond farewell to the beauty of the Baltics and take the transfer for the flight home.
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