Discover how these 8 countries encircling the Baltic Sea have been shaped by conflict over the centuries; from the Thirty Years' War to the end of the Cold War.

Discover the impressive capitals of St. Petersburg and Moscow and the Russian landscape of traditional towns and villages during this fascinating cruise. Engaging lecturers present Russia's dramatic history in preparation for visits to historic towns of the "Golden Ring" and along the Volga-Baltic Waterway. Highlights in Moscow include Red Square with the spectacular St. Basil's Cathedral, the world-famous collection of Faberge at the Kremlin's Armory Museum and a magnificent collection of Russian art at the Tretyakov Art Gallery. In St. Petersburg, a visit to the world-famous Hermitage Museum complements an excursion to Tsarskoye Selo which features the incomparable Baroque grandeur of the Catherine Palace.

Denmark’s capital is the starting point on this exploration of the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. Begin with time in Copenhagen before a ferry crossing takes you to Rostock, Germany, to board your motorcoach. Travel to fascinating Berlin, Germany’s once-again capital; to Poland, with overnights in Poznan and Warsaw; and to Vilnius, Lithuania, where guided sightseeing reveals how this city was influenced by the many invaders who left their marks. Visit the baroque Palace of Rundale on the way to Riga, Latvia’s capital and one of the most beautiful cities in the Baltics. Guided sightseeing shows off the highlights, then cross Gauja National Park and enter Estonia, with a stop in the seaside town of Parnu. Spend two nights in Tallinn and explore its Old Town, then on to Russia for guided sightseeing in Peter the Great’s splendid St. Petersburg. Traveling on the stretch of land between Lake Ladoga and the Baltic Sea, cross back from East to West and arrive in Helsinki, Finland’s capital. See Senate Square and the cathedral, then embark on an overnight ferry to Stockholm, Sweden, to see the main highlights on a guided tour—the perfect end to a perfect vacation.

Discover the best of Russia on this vacation that focuses on the old and new capitals. Spend three overnights each in Moscow and St. Petersburg with a good balance of organized activities and free time to explore as you please. In Moscow, visit Red Square, the Kremlin, and one of its cathedrals, and take a short ride on the Metro to see the famous stations. Admire the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergiyev, a splendid architectural treasure featuring a 5-tiered bell tower. An overnight train ride transfers you to St. Petersburg, the magnificent city built by Peter the Great. See the city’s landmarks on a guided sightseeing tour, and enjoy a visit to the Hermitage Museum in the Winter Palace, a masterpiece of baroque architecture and home to a collection of precious paintings. This memorable vacation will certainly broaden your horizons!

This leisurely vacation includes Poland, the Baltics, and the best of Russia. Start in Warsaw, Poland, and hear from a Local Guide about the tormented, often tragic history of this important gateway between East and West. Five days are dedicated to the Baltic States, three small countries that quite recently regained their independence. Stay two nights in Vilnius, Lithuania, where a special dinner with regional specialties at a local restaurant awaits you, as well as an interesting visit to the KGB Museum; two nights in Riga, Latvia, with a guided walking tour of the Old Town and the Art Nouveau Quarter; and one night in Tallinn, Estonia, where you will receive an amber gift surprise. In Russia, visit magnificent Catherine Palace (if closed: visit Pavlosk Palace) and continue to St. Petersburg for your three-night stay, with a special dinner of traditional Russian specialties, like caviar, blinis, and vodka, as well as an included visit to the Hermitage Museum.

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.

Visit all of Europe’s magnificent northern capitals: Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Guided sightseeing is included in all four cities, plus, we add a three-night stay in St. Petersburg. For the overnight Baltic Sea crossing from Stockholm to Helsinki, you will be accommodated in first-class, two-berth cabins. Special features are charming Tivoli Gardens (open mid-April to mid-September), magnificent Frogner Park, Catherine Palace (if closed, Pavlovsk Palace instead) and, above all, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. We included special dinners to give you a chance to taste the local specialties in Copenhagen, with a dessert choice of Danish cheeses, as is traditional in Denmark; the traditional Smörgãsbord dinner on the Baltic Sea cruise; and a special dinner of Russian delicatessen, like caviar, blinis, and vodka in St. Petersburg. A welcome dinner in Copenhagen and a farewell dinner in St. Petersburg are included, and a full day at leisure in Helsinki allows the possibility to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the pearls of the Baltic countries.

Visit all of Europe’s magnificent northern capitals: Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Guided sightseeing is included in all four cities, plus, we add a three-night stay in St. Petersburg. For the overnight Baltic Sea crossing from Stockholm to Helsinki, you will be accommodated in first-class, two-berth cabins. Special features are charming Tivoli Gardens (open mid-April to mid-September), magnificent Frogner Park, Catherine Palace (if closed, Pavlovsk Palace instead) and, above all, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. We included special dinners to give you a chance to taste the local specialties in Copenhagen, with a dessert choice of Danish cheeses, as is traditional in Denmark; the traditional Smörgãsbord dinner on the Baltic Sea cruise; and a special dinner of Russian delicatessen, like caviar, blinis, and vodka in St. Petersburg. A welcome dinner in Copenhagen and a farewell dinner in St. Petersburg are included, and a full day at leisure in Helsinki allows the possibility to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the pearls of the Baltic countries. Board the high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where you’ll spend three nights and see the sights, including Red Square, opulent St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum.

Set out from a resurgent Warsaw for the burgeoning Baltic capitals. Compare Russia's two great imperial cities with Soviet style Minsk.

This leisurely vacation includes Poland, the Baltics, and the best of Russia. Start in Warsaw, Poland, and hear from a Local Guide about the tormented, often tragic history of this important gateway between East and West. Five days are dedicated to the Baltic States, three small countries that quite recently regained their independence. Stay two nights in Vilnius, Lithuania, where a special dinner with regional specialties at a local restaurant awaits you, as well as an interesting visit to the KGB Museum; two nights in Riga, Latvia, with a guided walking tour of the Old Town and the Art Nouveau Quarter; and one night in Tallinn, Estonia, where you will receive an amber gift surprise. In Russia, visit magnificent Catherine Palace (if closed: visit Pavlosk Palace) and continue to St. Petersburg for your three-night stay, with a special dinner of traditional Russian specialties, like caviar, blinis, and vodka, as well as an included visit to the Hermitage Museum. Board the high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where you’ll spend three nights and see the sights, including Red Square, opulent St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum.

This leisurely vacation includes Poland, the Baltics, and the best of Russia. Start in Warsaw, Poland, and hear from a Local Guide about the tormented, often tragic history of this important gateway between East and West. Five days are dedicated to the Baltic States, three small countries that quite recently regained their independence. Stay two nights in Vilnius, Lithuania, where a special dinner with regional specialties at a local restaurant awaits you, as well as an interesting visit to the KGB Museum; two nights in Riga, Latvia, with a guided walking tour of the Old Town and the Art Nouveau Quarter; and one night in Tallinn, Estonia, where you will receive an amber gift surprise. In Russia, visit magnificent Catherine Palace (if closed: visit Pavlosk Palace) and continue to St. Petersburg for your three-night stay, with a special dinner of traditional Russian specialties, like caviar, blinis, and vodka, as well as an included visit to the Hermitage Museum. Board the high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where you’ll spend three nights and see the sights, including Red Square, opulent St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum. Then, fly south to Simferopol, capital of Crimea, and continue to Yalta, with visits to Livadia Palace, the summer residence of the last czar, and the Palace of Count Vorontsov, as well as an exciting excursion to Svastopol and Balaklava to visit the former Soviet submarine base in the caves. Continue to Kherson for a lunch with local specialties, and arrive in splendid Odessa, Ukraine’s main harbor. Enjoy guided sightseeing and a special visit to the Museum of Partisan Glory and see the caves, used by smugglers and during WWII as a hiding place for Soviet partisans. Next, fly to Kiev, capital of Ukraine, where a visit to the Cave Monastery has been included. A special farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your vacation.

The perfect vacation in two majestic cities! Start with a special welcome dinner with your traveling companions that features caviar, blinis, pickled cucumber, and vodka, and enjoy guided sightseeing including visits to the world-famous Hermitage Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and the magnificent Catharine Palace (if closed, visit Pavlovsk Palace instead). Travel by high-speed Sapsam Train to Moscow, where sightseeing includes Red Square and the Kremlin. An included farewell dinner celebrates the success of your Russian vacation.

Start with a special welcome dinner with your traveling companions that features caviar, blinis, pickled cucumber, and vodka, and enjoy guided sightseeing including visits to the world-famous Hermitage Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and the magnificent Catharine Palace (if closed, visit Pavlovsk Palace instead). Travel by high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where sightseeing includes Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum. Then, fly south to Simferopol, capital of Crimea, and continue to Yalta, with visits to Livadia Palace, the summer residence of the last czar, and the Palace of Count Vorontsov, as well as an exciting excursion to Svastopol and Balaklava to visit the former Soviet submarine base in the caves. Continue to Kherson for a lunch with local specialties, and arrive in splendid Odessa, Ukraine’s main harbor. Enjoy guided sightseeing and a special visit to the Museum of Partisan Glory and see the caves, used by smugglers and during WWII as a hiding place for Soviet partisans. Next, fly to Kiev, capital of Ukraine, where a visit to the Cave Monastery has been included. A special farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your vacation.

Visit all of Europe’s magnificent northern capitals: Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Guided sightseeing is included in all four cities, plus, we add a three-night stay in St. Petersburg. For the overnight Baltic Sea crossing from Stockholm to Helsinki, you will be accommodated in first-class, two-berth cabins. Special features are charming Tivoli Gardens (open mid-April to mid-September), magnificent Frogner Park, Catherine Palace (if closed, Pavlovsk Palace instead) and, above all, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. We included special dinners to give you a chance to taste the local specialties in Copenhagen, with a dessert choice of Danish cheeses, as is traditional in Denmark; the traditional Smörgãsbord dinner on the Baltic Sea cruise; and a special dinner of Russian delicatessen, like caviar, blinis, and vodka in St. Petersburg. A welcome dinner in Copenhagen and a farewell dinner in St. Petersburg are included, and a full day at leisure in Helsinki allows the possibility to join an optional excursion to Tallinn, capital of Estonia, known as one of the pearls of the Baltic countries. Board the high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where you’ll spend three nights and see the sights, including Red Square, opulent St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum. Then, fly south to Simferopol, capital of Crimea, and continue to Yalta, with visits to Livadia Palace, the summer residence of the last czar, and the Palace of Count Vorontsov, as well as an exciting excursion to Svastopol and Balaklava to visit the former Soviet submarine base in the caves. Continue to Kherson for a lunch with local specialties, and arrive in splendid Odessa, Ukraine’s main harbor. Enjoy guided sightseeing and a special visit to the Museum of Partisan Glory and see the caves, used by smugglers and during WWII as a hiding place for Soviet partisans. Next, fly to Kiev, capital of Ukraine, where a visit to the Cave Monastery has been included. A special farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your vacation.