Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Helsinki
Upon arrival in Helsinki, transfer from the airport to the hotel on your own. Hotel check-in. Rest of the day at leisure.
Helsinki at your leisure - plenty of time to explore, discover, and enjoy Helsinki, the cosmopolitan jewel of Finland. Visit the open-air markets, the Rock Church, browse through the array of designer boutiques before setting sail on the Baltic cruise from Helsinki to Tallinn.
Overnight in Helsinki
Day 2: HELSINKI – TALLINN | Tallink Shuttle: Star/MegaStar
Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out.
Helsinki Private Highlights Tour — Meet your guide in the hotel lobby to begin the sightseeing tour of the Helsinki peninsula & introduces the life of the Capital of Finland and Helsinki´s various historic and architectural periods, all of which combine to create a harmonious urban milieu. The impressive Temppeliaukio (Rock) Church is a must-see, the church is carved into solid rock and combines both high technology and a close relation to nature in its architecture. A short pause is made to see the monument of the famous Finnish composer Sibelius, situated in Sibeliuspuisto park. Another important landmark we’ll visit is the Olympic Stadium, designed in the functionalist style. The Helsinki Olympic Games have held in 1952. On our way back to the city center, a photo stop at Oodi Helsinki Central Library allows you to admire a hugely significant site in central Helsinki facing the steps of the Finnish parliament building. This is a new concept of a library, nicknamed “book heaven” with a unique design built using only local material blending the interior and exterior spaces for public events.
The magnificent historical center is a great example of 19th-century architecture. The Senate Square offers a view of the impressive Helsinki Cathedral, which towers above the square and the main building of the Helsinki University, the National Library, and the Government Palace. In the middle of the square is a statue of Czar Alexander II. The Uspenski Cathedral, the largest Orthodox church in Northern Europe dominates the eastern skyline of the city center, nearby Presidential Palace, The Ateneum Art Museum, the Finnish National Gallery, and the contemporary Kiasma art museum & Finlandia Hall.
Once in the city center, we will take a moment for some free time at the bustling Market Square, where you can catch a glimpse of the busy, everyday life in the unique Old Market Hall, do some shopping or explore some more on your own. A splendid scenic drive takes you to the cruise port to board the Tallink Ferry to Tallinn at 13:30. Upon arrival in Tallinn, you will be transferred to your hotel. Hotel check-in.
Tallinn Private Old Town Walking Tour & Medieval Feast — Discover the highlights of the charming historic heart of Tallinn, history, and culture, learn some enchanting medieval legends, see delightful panoramic views from the upper old town, and visit iconic locations on the streets of an 800-year-old town. Once the journey through Tallinn’s old town comes to an end, you will be able to continue discovering the local traditions, you are welcomed at Olde Hansa – the residence of a rich medieval merchant. Here you are served a grand feast, the genuine and plentiful repast of a wealthy medieval home. Food is carried to the table until everyone has had more than plenty. The honorable guests are served from the finest pottery and glassware, fair maidens are dressed in the best clothing and joyful melodies worthy of a king are played.
Overnight in Tallinn (B, D)
Day 3: TALLINN – RIGA | Private Tour with Seaside Pärnu & Sigulda Castle Visits
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will travel from Tallinn to Riga on a private tour complete with lunch and visits to panoramic seaside Pärnu and medieval castle ruins at Sigulda.
Following your pick-up in Tallinn, begin your guided tour & transfer through the beautiful scenic countryside and historic sites on the way, we drive to the summer capital of Estonia. The city of Pärnu offers a small-town charm paired with the liveliness of a seaside resort. After touring the long beach promenade and old town center, we will be continuing towards Riga. We will admire the panoramic Baltic sea coast before arriving at the Sigulda Castle, built by the legendary medieval order of Livonian Brothers of the Sword. Gauja National Park is the largest and oldest of the national parks in Latvia, characterized by an eye-catching variety of landforms, sandstone hills, picturesque views, and a unique atmosphere.
After lunch, we will explore the castle ruins located on the edge of the ancient Gauja river valley offering dramatic views of the steep slopes below. Gutmanis Cave, the widest and highest cave in the Baltic countries at the bottom of the valley is also the oldest tourist attraction in Latvia with wall inscriptions dating to the 17th century. Thereafter we will end our day with a short drive to Riga, ending at your hotel. Hotel Check-in.
Overnight in Riga (B, L)
Day 4: RIGA – STOCKHOLM | Tallink Romantika — overnight cruise
Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out.
Riga Private Old Town Tour with Art Nouveau Quarter & Museum — visit highlights the most unique characteristics of this capital city´s elegance left by the centuries of medieval trading, exchange of culture and traditions. Meet your guide in the hotel lobby and start the sightseeing tour we will admire the iconic views of the Daugava river over the water, historic Riga Castle, and the National Library of Latvia. An impressive collection of Art Nouveau buildings is presented in the bustling Art Nouveau Quarter to explore the characteristic dazzle of the facades.
Enjoy a guided tour of the Art Nouveau Museum right in the center of the celebrated district itself. Entering through one of the most impressive spiral staircases, the museum offers a glance into the world of the early 20th-century lifestyle. After the extravagant decor on the outskirts of the old town, we will experience something quite different walking the streets of Old Riga. On the way to the medieval heart of Riga, we will also see the Freedom Monument, erected in 1937 to commemorate the country’s desire for freedom in the early 20th century, and the beautiful surroundings of the National Opera.
The heart of Riga boasts a rich medieval heritage with a lovely quaint Old Town encircled by a perfect example of architectural styles when old encounters the new. The contrast of the robust medieval setting is as powerful as the traditional Latvian Black Balsam herbal liquor. Thereafter, you will be guided to see such magnificent highlights as the Statue of Roland, Town Hall, House of Blackheads, and the Riga Cathedral. The Three Brothers - oldest housing dwelling houses in Riga and beautifully represents a period in the town history as an object of the main trade and political aspirations for neighbors nearby. The Swedish Gates and parts of the fortification wall still exist as a delightful reminder of the Nordic rulers of the past.
Free time will be reserved to enjoy a spot of shopping or a coffee break. Drive back to the cruise harbor or your hotel. Transfer to Riga port to board the cruise ship for Stockholm at 17:30.
Dinner and overnight onboard the ferry. (B, D)
Day 5: STOCKHOLM
Buffet breakfast on board. Enjoy the most beautiful archipelago before arriving in Stockholm at 10:30 am. Car transfer to your downtown hotel. Hotel Check-in.
Best of Stockholm Private Tour with Vasa Museum & City Hall Visit — you will be met at the exit of the ferry terminal by an English-speaking guide for a panoramic drive through the city center. A scenic drive next brings us to Stadshuset, Stockholm’s City Hall, where we’ll take a guided walk through this massive, fortress-like red brick structure. The building, known for its tower whose cupola is topped with the three golden crowns of historic Sweden – the national coat of arms. Here we’ll make our way to the famous Blue Hall, scene of the annual Nobel Award banquet, and the Golden Hall, with its 18 million gold mosaic tiles that illustrate Swedish history. Take a short break to shop for souvenirs and gifts that commemorate City Hall and Stockholm.
Continue on to Gamla Stan, the Old Town, where Stockholm began over eight centuries ago for a brief guided walking tour, you can savor the romantic atmosphere and sense the antiquity of the 16th- to 19th-century buildings, baroque doorways, and regal coats of arms. We’ll see the Stortorget – the square that serves as the hub of the Old Town, and the old Stock Exchange, now the home of the Nobel Museum and the Swedish Academy. We will then drive to the neighboring island of Djurgården, known as Stockholm’s outdoor recreation center, and such historic sites as the National Museum and the Royal Dramatic Theater, followed with a visit to the Vasa Museum, built specifically to house the Vasa, the oldest fully-preserved ship in the world.
Rest of day at leisure - enjoy the trendy and vibrant capital of Sweden on your own.
Overnight in Stockholm (B)
Day 6: STOCKHOLM
Breakfast at the hotel. Individual departure and transfer to Stockholm Airport on your own (or book an optional transfer) You may also request an optional overnight cruise to Helsinki.