Max group size: 100

Itinerary

Tuesday & Wednesday, June 29 & 30

USA / Edinburgh, Scotland

Depart on your independent overnight flight to Edinburgh. Upon arrival, transfer independently to our hotel. We gather the evening of the 30th for a welcome dinner and briefing.

Thursday, July 1

Edinburgh / Leith / Embark Island Sky

After breakfast a city tour highlights sights along Edinburgh’s most famous avenue, the Royal Mile, including Holyrood Palace, once the home of Mary Queen of Scots, and today, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland, and stunning St. Giles Cathedral. At the top end of the street sits Edinburgh Castle and its magnificent gardens. We tour the castle and enjoy lunch before transferring to the port of Leith to embark the Island Sky.

Friday, July 2

At Sea

As we transit the North Sea today we take advantage of our shipboard time on this action-filled voyage to learn more about the dynamic countries rimming the Baltic Sea. Our team of lecturers prepares us for the exciting cultural and historical encounters ahead.

Saturday, July 3

Sylt Island, Germany

The beautiful, windswept, 24-mile-long island of Sylt (pronounced zoolt) is the northernmost point of Germany and part of the ecologically fragile Frisian archipelago which stretches between Denmark and The Netherlands. The inviting sandy beaches—the longest in Germany—are known for their “wandering dunes,” and the vast tidal flats on the eastern edge of the island are feeding and resting grounds for migratory birds and are protected within a national park. Unique to the region is the architecture of the houses found in island villages, their thick reed roofs slope all the way down to the ground and blend with the surrounding vegetation. Since the mid-19th century, European visitors have been coming to Sylt for its pure, iodine-rich air and therapeutic baths. After lunch on shore go for an optional bicycle tour from the village of Kampen, or enjoy free time to explore Westerland, the charming capital of Sylt.

Sunday, July 4

Kiel Canal Transit

Early this morning we begin our transit of the historic 61-mile-long Kiel Canal and sail from the North Sea into the Baltic. Kaiser Wilhelm I set the first foundation stone in place on June 3, 1887. Nine thousand workers spent the next eight years constructing the canal from Brunsbuttel to Holtenau, where Kaiser Wilhelm II laid the final stone on June 21, 1895. The canal was internationalized by the Treaty of Versailles. Today the Kiel Canal is one of the busiest man-made waterways in the world.

Monday, July 5

Ronne, Bornholm Island, Denmark

After breakfast we step ashore on serene Bornholm Island, endowed with sugar-white sand beaches, dramatic cliffs, thick forests, and heather-clad hills. Its picturesque port, Ronne, is paved with cobblestones and lined with small shops and cafés. Included in our island explorations are the ruins of Hammershus Castle, Scandinavia’s largest medieval fortress; the unique, round 12th-century churches, Osterlars and Nylars; the charming half-timbered fishing hamlet of Gudhjem; and Denmark’s third-largest forest, Almindingen. The island has a long-standing artistic tradition, and we visit studios renowned for their glass blowing and pottery.

Tuesday, July 6

Gdansk, Poland

After breakfast we set out for a full-day tour of this city whose history spans nearly 1,000 years. The Solidarity Monument, in front of the Gdansk shipyard, is our first stop along the Trail of Solidarity which commemorates the dramatic events of December 1970 when workers rioted against the Communist regime. At the shipyard we view the exhibition, Roads to Freedom, a fascinating audio-visual portrayal of those important, world-changing events.

We enjoy a walking tour through lively Old Town with its magnificent collection of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings and monuments. We pass through the Golden Gate, a grand ornamental arch; walk down Long Street lined with buildings sporting elaborate facades and ornate gables; and the 15th-century Palace of Artus, where Neptune’s Fountain commemorates Gdansk’s Hanseatic past. We also visit medieval St. Mary’s Church, the world’s largest brick church with 30 brilliantly decorated chapels. After lunch there is time at leisure for further exploration.

Wednesday, July 7

Klaipeda, Lithuania

Klaipeda has been an important port since its founding by the Teutonic Order in the 13th century. Our exploration begins with a drive to the amber center of Palanga, stopping along the way to stroll through the Botanical Park with its 500 varieties of trees and bushes. We then visit the Amber Museum, housed in a 19th-century neo-Renaissance-style mansion, whose 15 rooms of exhibits—4,500 pieces of amber—reveal the secrets of this “Baltic Gold.” Learn about the origins of amber, where it is found, how it is processed, and how it came to possess its international value.

Afterward we drive to the Old Town for a walking tour. Its centerpiece is beautiful Theatre Square and from it, narrow streets meander between the fachwerk, half-timbered buildings, and the houses and shops of amber craftsmen. Later return to the port by motorcoach or stay in the Old Town and return to the ship on your own in the early afternoon.

Thursday, July 8

Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden

This morning we arrive at Gotland Island, Sweden, the largest island in the Baltic. Its splendid city of Visby, a World Heritage Site, is famous for its intact medieval architecture, especially the 44 guard towers built as part of the city walls in the 11th and 12th centuries. We drive to Almedalen, a green oasis in the center of bustling Visby, then walk down the Strandgatan, past lovely medieval granaries and the city’s oldest building, the Powder Tower. We visit the Botanical Garden, known for its exotic plant collection, birds, and stunning roses and magnolias, and reboard our coach for the ride up to a splendid panoramic viewpoint of the city and its spires. From ancient Dalman’s Gate we continue our tour on foot back into town along charming cobblestone streets, to visit the impressive St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Gotland Museum with its excellent medieval collections.

Friday, July 9

Riga, Latvia

Our day in Latvia showcases the rich historical and cultural landmarks of this 800-year-old Hanseatic river port that gained its independence in 1991. Separated by the Daugava River—the embarkation point for Viking travelers heading east—the modern city is a major industrial and financial center, while Old Riga is an architectural showcase of towers and spires, 17th-century guild merchant houses, churches, and a castle, all interlaced with picturesque cobblestone streets. Our walking tour takes us to multiple landmarks, including the Blackheads House, one of the oldest buildings in Riga; St. Peter’s Church, a superb Gothic masterpiece; the 15th-century Three Brothers merchant houses; and St. Jacob and St. John churches. We also visit Riga’s most prominent landmark, the 13th-century Dome Cathedral, whose organ concerts are legendary. We end our walk at the castle, the residence of Latvia’s president.

We continue our exploration by motorcoach, driving past lovely parks along the City Canal lined with the stunning Art Nouveau architecture built in 1899 during the German / Scandinavian movement knows as Jugendstil. We view Bastion Hill, commemorating those who died in 1991 during an anti-Soviet rebellion; the University of Latvia; and the Freedom Monument, dedicated to the nation’s struggle for freedom.

Saturday, July 10

Tallinn, Estonia

Today we set out for old town Tallinn, a visual feast of soaring spires, towers, and turrets—the legacies of its founders and rulers: the Danes, Swedes, Germans, and Russians. Country-wide pride has brought about a renaissance in restoration and reconstruction since 1991 and Tallinn proudly proclaims itself the finest preserved city in the Baltic. During a walking tour of upper Old Town we visit Palace Square, bordered by the pink baroque Toompea Castle which now houses the Estonian Parliament, and the magnificent cupola-crowned Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. We also visit the oldest church in Estonia, the Gothic 13th-century Dome Church. From a nearby viewpoint, the colorful city spreads out below us.

In the lower Old Town we visit the Town Hall Square, once a medieval marketplace; one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, founded in 1422; and stroll along St. Catherine’s Passage in the Latin Quarter, famous for its artisan workshops. After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit Kadriorg Park and Palace, built by Peter the Great as a summer residence. We also visit Song Festival Grounds, whose roots reach back nearly 140 years; the 16th-century St.Bridget’s Convent; and the stunning Russalka Monument, commemorating an 1893 shipwreck and now a traditional part of the local wedding ceremony where newlyweds come to lay down their flowers. In the late afternoon we drive back to our ship along a lovely coastal route.

Sunday & Monday, July 11 & 12

St. Petersburg, Russia

We arrive in splendid St. Petersburg in the early afternoon and enjoy two days of exploration. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, St. Petersburg remains a beautiful Baltic seaport, spreading along the Neva River Delta and laced by 19 canals crossed by 320 bridges. Highlights of our visit include St. Isaac Square with its grand cathedral and Baroque palaces; the Winter Palace houses Catherine the Great’s incomparable Hermitage Museum. A special tour showcases this jewel of the city and its extensive galleries of Italian and Spanish art, as well as Impressionist and modern art collections—among the world’s finest. Its crowning glory, the Gold Room, houses a dazzling array of jewelry by Russian, European, and Asian craftsman, as well as the famous Scythian and Greek gold.

During our time here, we also drive across the Neva River to the burial place of the tsars, Peter and Paul Cathedral, its 18th-century domes dominating the skyline. We visit the spectacular Church of Resurrection, and drive along Russia’s most famous street, the Nevsky Prospect, lined with magnificent palaces, churches, and theaters.

Tuesday, July 13

Helsinki, Finland

After breakfast disembark and transfer to the airport for your independent flight homeward.

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