There are some itineraries that appeal to our inner explorer immediately. The Baltic Heritage itinerary from Princess Cruises visits an incredible seven countries over the course of 14 days; that’s a lot of exploring for not a lot of annual leave. It’s a roundtrip cruise from Southampton too, so you’ll visit Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Poland without setting foot on a single flight. Now, what is it they say about cruising being for tourists and not true travellers..?
Princess Cruises 14-night ‘Baltic Heritage’ sailing departing from Southampton on 8 September 2018. Fares from £1,299pp.
Southampton – Zeebrugge (Belgium) – Copenhagen (Denmark) – Stockholm (Sweden) – Helsinki (Finland) – St. Petersburg (Russia) – Tallinn (Estonia) – Gdansk (Poland) – Southampton
Read on for more on the Baltic treasures set to be unveiled on the exciting itinerary.
Medieval squares, the swan strewn Lake of Love, warm waffles and enough chocolate to make your dentist nervous. We love Bruges. The city could have come straight out of the Brothers Grimm storybooks, it’s the mini cruise capital and the perfect place to start your adventure around Northern Europe with Princess Cruises. Climb to the top of the Belfry for views over the city, before resting your feet on a river cruise and finishing off your afternoon with a Belgian beer in the Markt Square.
Copenhagen could quite quickly become one of the best places you have ever cruised to. The coolest and officially happiest city in the world has a foodie scene to rival anywhere else on earth and neighbourhoods that will have you house hunting in minutes. Tivoli Gardens, one of the world’s oldest and arguably its most charming theme parks, is unmissable and kids will go wild for the National Aquarium Denmark; the largest aquarium in Northern Europe. Copenhagen ticks all the boxes.
Your arrival into Stockholm begins with one of the world’s most incredible port approaches as your ship negotiates the archipelago’s hundreds of isles. Stockholm itself spreads across 14 islands, its neighbourhoods connected by bridges. From Norrmalm, the city’s modern centre, to upmarket Östermalm with its Strandvägen seaside boulevard, every neighbourhood in this Swedish highlight offers something totally unique. Plus, there’s an ABBA museum; what more convincing could you need?
It may be often overlooked in favour of its Scandinavian neighbours but that simply means that Helsinki feels like a secret waiting to be discovered. There’s a peace in the air that is instantly relaxing in Northern Europe’s most futuristic city, the cutting-edge Design District an open-air hive of creativity with its galleries, museums, boutiques and design studios. Getting out on the water is a must with all those islands to explore. Start with picturesque Porvoo, where the old town looks just as it did in the Middle Ages.
It’s hard to believe that regal, flamboyant St Petersburg was once swampland. Nowadays Russia’s cultural capital is a rabbit hole of imperial treasures left behind by the Tsars. The onion-domed exterior of the elaborate Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood and the mint green façade of the Hermitage are instantly recognisable. Revel in the regalia of the Palace Square and walk alongside the Romanov residence-lined Neva River.
Estonia’s compact capital is a real charmer. One of the Baltic’s most walkable cities, it is a living, breathing museum of medieval life. That being said, there is nothing antiquated about this destination. Free Wi-Fi covers almost all the city and skyscrapers and achingly hip restaurants continue to appear between the ancient spires and Hanseatic merchant houses. See the modern metropolis at Kumu Art Museum and the bohemian Creative City, before skipping for a glance of yesteryear at the landmarks, including the Raekoja plats and Peter The Great’s Petrine Baroque Kariorg Palace.
Gdansk is one of cruising’s lesser-visited ports, something that makes your time there feel all the more special. Long a port city, the maritime connotations run deep in a destination that has never been quite so popular with travellers as it is now. Beer gardens line the harbour, delivering refreshments in between river cruises and walks in the Main Town. Gdansk doesn’t feel quite like any other cruise port you have visited and therein lies its charm. Who doesn’t love a new adventure?
Have we whet your appetite for a Baltic cruise? Join Sapphire Princess as she visits an amazing seven countries on one cruise. Call your cruise sales consultant on 01246 819819 to find out more.
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