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Northern Capitals

9 days
8 nights

Rates

Dates

Rates:

USD
EUR

PER PERSON:

$ 3,200.00 (double)
$ 4,700.00 (single)

Dates:

ALL YEAR ROUND

Hotels:

4* centrally located

Included:

2 nights in Riga
2 nights in Tallinn
2 nights in St. Petersburg
1 night ferry Helsinki-St. Petersburg
1 night ferry Riga-Stockholm
Daily Breakfast
Dinners as indicated
Sightseeing tours with an English speaking guide - per itinerary 
All entrance and admission fees per itinerary
Airport/ Train Station / Port / Hotel transfers
All taxes and service charges

Highlights & Experience:

Overnight cruise Stockholm to Riga
Private walking city tour n Riga
Private transfer from Riga to Tallinn with sightseeing en route
Private walking city tour in Tallinn
Ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki
Ferry Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Helsinki
St. Petersburg City Tour
Hermitage Tour
Pushkin Tour (including St. Catherine Palace and Amber Room)
Petergoff Tour (Park, Palace and Fountains)
Visit to St. Isaac Cathedral

 

Optional Services:

Optional add-ons:
Private cty tours and transfers in Stockholm and Helsinki

Itinerary:

Day 1  : Helsinki, overnight ferry to St. Petersburg

19:00 - Departure from Helsinki
You need to be at the sea terminal around 17:00 (5:00pm) for check-in and boarding. Departure is at 19:00 (7:00pm). Dinner and overnight onboard (B, D)

Day 2  : All day in St. Petersburg, overnight at the hotel

9:00 Arrival in St. Petersburg

Breakfast onboard. Arrival in St. Petersburg at 9:00 am. Disembark and go through passport control procedure. Your guide will meet you outside the customs.

Your visa-free St. Petersburg tour starts with a city sighgtseeing including the center with Nevsky Prospect, Admiralty Building, Kazan Cathedral, Strelka with Rosstral Columns, Canal Griboyedova, Fontanka, the Palace Square with Winter Palace, Summer Gardens, St. Isaac Cathedral, Spilled Blood Church and other remarkable landmarks. The tour includes visits to Spilled Blood Church, Peter-and-Paul Fortress and Faberge Museum.

Peter-and-Paul Fortress was built in 1704 to defend the city from naval attacks, however it never served its primary purpose. Instead, its historical mission turned out to be rather gruesome: thousands of workers died while building the fortress, many political prisoners, including Peter's own son Alexi were kept and tortured in its cells. The tombs of the Romanov family are also in its Cathedral.

The stunning Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in March 1881. The construction of the church was almost entirely funded by the Imperial family and thousands of private donors. Both the interior and exterior of the church are decorated with incredibly detailed mosaics, designed and created by the most prominent Russian artists of the day 

Famous Faberge Museum at the Shuvalov Palace with the biggest collection of Faberge works including famous Easter eggs.

After a delicious Russian cuisine meal at the local restaurant, you will get to the hotel around 17:00 (5:00 pm). Time to rest or explore on your own. Overnight in St. Petersburg. (B, D)

* total tour time is 7 hours. Start and end times might vary depending on how fast you go through passport control procedure

Day 3  : All day in St. Petersburg

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we drive to Peterhof, through the suburbs and summer houses (dachas) of the local people. In Peterhof, we will visit the Upper and Lower Park with fountains, dominated by a spectacular Grand Cascade. The Grand Cascade with its gilded statues is the centerpiece of the park. Stroll around and learn about the unique pumpless fountain system, enjoy "trick fountains" invented by Peter the Great to entertain his guests, walk along the Gulf of Finland' with its beautiful sea views and St. Petersburg panorama.

Another visit today is to the Hermitage Museum. We will spend several hours in the main building where you will see old European masters including Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Michelangelo, Rubens, Titian, and Rembrandt, etc.**

* Petergof fountains are closed approx. from the end of September to mid-May. We will visit Yusupov Palace with Gregory Raspitin cellars instead. 

 

Options: Evening performance: folk show or ballet
Day 4  : All day St. Petersburg, overnight cruise to Tallinn

19:00 - Departure from St. Petersburg on Saturday

18:00 - Departure from St. Petersburg on Sunday 

In the morning we drive to Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo) to visit the famous Catherine Palace with its legendary Amber Room. Designed by the Italian architect Rastrelli, it is one of the top St. Petersburg landmarks. The town itself is a charming suburb named after the greatest Russian poet, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. 

Our visa-free cruise to St. Petersburg comes to an end. Some free time before heading back to the ferry terminal. Check-in and boarding atarts at 17:00 (5:00pm). Departure is at 19:00 (7:00 pm). Dinner and overnight onboard (B, D)

Day 5  : Tallinn sightseeing

9:00 am Arrival in Tallinn on Tuesday

12:30pm Arrival to Tallinn on Mondays*

On Mondays the ferry stops in Helsinki before arriving in Tallinn from 7am - 8:30am

18:30 Departure to Stockholm, or you may disembark in Tallinn 

Arrive in Tallinn*. Optional walking tour of Old Tallinn. Your guide will meet you at the terminal. Explore Tallinn on a guided walking tour of old town - an example of Gothic architecture in the Baltic and Nordic countries. The tour includes Toompea Castle fortifications, the Dome Church (13th century), the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky (19th century), Town Hall Square (15th century), St. Catherine's Passage, where artists of St. Catherine guild present their work, St.Olaf’s Church. Free afternoon. Return to the seaport on time to depart at 18:30 (6:30pm) to Stockholm. Overnight onboard (B, D) 

*on Mondays a short stop in Helinki before arriving in Tallinn

Options: 3H Walking tour of Old Tallinn $75 per person
Day 6  : Tallinn to Riga by private car

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we depart by our private car and travel to Riga. On our way to the Latvian capital we'll make a shortstop in Pärnu, a relaxed summer holiday resort which is very popular with Estonian, Russian and Finnish families. Then, we head south along the Baltic coast until we cross the border with Latvia. Lunch break in the small town of Sigulda (lunch included). After lunch, photo time: we'll admire the ancient ruins of the Sigulda Castle before crossing the Gauja River and arriving in Turaida, where we'll see the recently reconstructed red-brick medieval castle.We'll reach Riga in the afternoon. Check-in at the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Riga (B)

Day 7  : Riga

Breakfast at the hotel. 6-h sighseeing in Riga including Old town and Jurmala Seaside resort. Overnight in Riga (B)

Day 8  : Riga, overnight ferry to Stockholm

Free day in Riga.  In the evening board overnight ferry to Stockhom. (B)

Day 9  : Stockholm

Arrive in Stockholm in  the morning. Disembark after breakfast. (B)

Notes:

RUSSIAN VISA IS NOT REQUIRED

This itinerary can be done in reverse order