On Bygdøy, a short ferry ride from the city centre, you can find the Fram museum, where the original explorer ship Fram is located. We recommend a visit to this historic relic and a city tour of Oslo.

Filled with historic sites and museums, vibrant cafés and excellent shopping, Denmark’s capital city is perfectly in tune with its past and its present.

At Sea

With its exciting fusion of eclectic architectural styles, Helsinki is a truly breathtaking city of wide boulevards and verdant parks and gardens, where Art Nouveau design and the sumptuous majesty of its neoclassical cathedrals go hand in hand.

St. Petersburg boasts over 1,000 architectural and historic monuments, including the former imperial palace, which houses the collected treasures of the Tsars.

Estonia’s engaging capital reveals a rich mix of Scandinavian, Russian and German influences. The overwhelming aura of its 14th and 15th century heritage still remains amongst central Tallinn’s medieval streets and picturesque houses.

We sail towards the sixth country of our schedule – Poland. Enjoy life on board and more lectures.

For centuries the small cliff coves at Gudhjem offered shelter to the fishermen landing their catches on shore. Today Gudhjem’s charms have attracted a new catch to the area, tourists, who are fast becoming the town’s principal form of revenue.

A chance to re-cap your experiences as you sail
towards Oslo.

You arrive in Oslo in the morning.

International flights (see details below)
Travel insurance
Luggage handling
Optional excursions & gratuities

Price includes:
Return flights in economy class from London Heathrow
to Oslo including current taxes and charges

Not included:
Travel insurance
Regional departures and upsell classes may be available, please contact us for details

The following are a selection of excursions available during your voyage. They enable you to expereince the highlights of the voyage and all are escorted by local expert guides. We recommend that you pre-book any of the optional excursions you want to participate in as numbers may be limited and only remaining places are sold on board.

For all excursions we recommend sturdy and comfortable footwear due to the different terrains, as well as wind and waterproof clothes. We also suggest wearing several layers and taking with you sunglasses and sun lotion.

Unless otherwise mentioned excursions may not be combined.

This guided coach tour is an excellent introduction to Stockholm passing many of the main sights of the city and including a visit to one of the top attractions – the Vasa Museum. Your tour begins with a drive up to Fjällgatan for a panoramic view of the city.

You’ll then cross Gamla Stan, the enchanting medieval Old Town, before passing the Royal Palace overlooking Stockholm’s inner harbour and the Royal Dramatic Theatre before you reach the island of Djurgården. This is regarded as Stockholm’s amusement and recreation centre with not only great parklands but also museums such as the Skansen Open Air Museum and the Vasa Museum, housing the Swedish warship of the same name. Once considered to be one of the world’s largest and most prestigious warships, the Vasa sank in Stockholm’s inner harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628. It was salvaged in 1961 and today, restored to much of its former glory, the Vasa represents an authentic piece of living history.

Continue through the Diplomat areas and through Östermalm, a fashionable neighbourhood before returning to the ship.

Duration 3 hours £39pp (Tour Code ESTO1)

A tour including one of the most beautiful buildings in Stockholm the City Hall and also the charming Old  Town.
 
Begin with a drive up to Fjällgatan for a panoramic view of the city. Drive west along Söder Mälarstrand and across the Western Bridge spanning Riddarfjärden and offering extensive views of the city skyline.

In the distance you will see the three crowns atop the imposing City Hall, beautifully situated by the shores of the Lake Mälaren. Inaugurated in 1923 after 12 years of work by the combined elite of Swedish construction workers, sculptors, artists and craftsmen. Renowned for its architecture, murals, mosaics and for being the site for the annual Nobel Prize banquet. Experience the grandeur and spaciousness of the impressive Blue Hall and Golden Chamber and enjoy the beautiful view from the Garden.

Continue to the modern shopping and business areas at Hamngatan and Sergels Torg. Pass the Royal Opera and the Parliament building before crossing the bridge back to Stockholm’s oldest quarter, the Old Town with the dominating Royal Palace. Witness the historic elegance of the exterior of the dominating Royal Palace and enjoy a stroll along the narrow, twisting alleys and cobblestone streets with buildings dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries with baroque doorways and coat of arms. At Stortorget, the Great Square, stands the Old Stock Exchange, now home of the Swedish Academy and the Nobel (Prize) Museum. Experience the medieval intimacy of what is today a living historical monument of international renown before returning to the ship.

Sauna, Sisu and Sibelius are three words often associated with the Finns. Jean Sibelius, the renowned Finnish composer lived outside of Helsinki but was a frequent visitor at the Kämp restaurant, the City Hall and many other places.

This city tour will give you a good introduction as you drive through the neo-classical Senate Square, surrounded by public buildings built in the old centre in the mid-19th century. You see the Esplanades and drive to the Mannerheim Street passing several historically important buildings and parks.

You will enjoy a classical musical performance in the beautiful St John’s church or in the crypt of the main Dom. Between the pieces of music, a Sibelius expert will tell stories about the composer and his famously wild life! From here, you will continue with your tour with a visit to the famous Temppeliaukio Kirkko, the church hewn from solid rock with a ceiling lined with copper. As a fitting end to your tour, you will visit the Sibelius park to view the magnificent monument built in honour of the great man himself.  From here you will return to the city centre where you may enjoy some more sightseeing, time permitting, before returning to the harbour.

Duration 3.5 hours £63pp Tour Code EHEL1

Important: Please note that excursion participants will not need a VISA. If you choose not to purchase any excursions and explore St Petersburg on your own, you will need to apply for a personal tourist VISA. This needs to be arranged through specialist agencies and via the Russian embassy in your country of residence.

Video-taping and taking pictures in Russian museums:
This often carries an extra fee, please see excursion description remarks.

St. Petersburg is situated on the banks of the River Neva and the numerous islands of its delta. This panoramic city bus tour starts with a drive along the banks of the Neva where a rich parade of sights can be enjoyed; the ochre painted Menshikov’s Palace, the impressive building of Peter the Great’s 12 Ministries, the Academy of Sciences and The Chamber of Curiosities.

You continue past the Artillery Museum and pass along the Petrograd side where Art Nouveau architecture flourished at the end of the 19th century. You will see the Aurora cruiser, which signalled the start of the revolution in 1917 by firing a single blank shot from its bow gun. You then cross the Trinity Bridge, from where one can observe the Summer Garden, the oldest park in the city. The coach approaches one of the main landmarks of St. Petersburg – the Church of Resurrection on Spilled Blood built on the site where Alexander the Second was assassinated on March 1, 1881.

You will also pass Nevsky Avenue; Russia’s most famous street that has figured prominently in Russian history and literature. From here the coach turns into the Isaac’s Square, dominated by the majestic Saint Isaac Cathedral. You will also pass Decembrists Square on our way back to the ship.

Duration 3.5 hours £23pp (Tour Code ESTP1)

St. Petersburg is often called the Venice of the North. The city is situated on 42 islands with more than 60 small rivers and canals crisscrossing the city. The main waterway of the city is the River Neva. While your boat glides past the magnificent palaces facing the Neva, granite walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the dominating gilded spire of  Peter’s & Paul’s Cathedral, your guide will tell you about the city’s  fascinating history.

In the distance you will see the onion shaped domes of the Smolny Cathedral. After disembarking your Neva Cruise, you will visit the Yusupov Palace. The Yusupov Palace on the Moika Embankment is an outstanding historic and architectural monument of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. It presents a fine example of the Russian classicism. The Yusupovs were great collectors of art, and their collection was known well beyond Russia. Not only is the palace a remarkable architectural monument, but it is also one of the most mysterious places in the city, full of occult memories; a historical site, tied to the fall of imperial Russia. It was here that Grigory Rasputin, a peasant monk who had gained control over the Tsar's family through his alleged supernatural powers, was murdered by the young prince Felix Yusopov.

Your guide will escort you to the cellar, where ‘Madame Tussauds’ style wax figures re-enact the whole event for you. The Palace had always been one of imperial St. Petersburg’s centres of aristocratic social life. The balls at the Yusupov's were so wonderful and exuberant that they were long remembered by the contemporaries.
NB: This tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. Photo and Video Costs are not included.

Duration 4 hours £38pp (Tour Code ESTP4)

Your tour begins with the drive to Pushkin where you tour the Catherine Palace. This masterpiece of world architecture was designed by architect Rastrelli in 1752 for Empress Elizabeth, who named it Catherine Palace in honour of her mother, Catherine I, who originally owned the estate. Rastrelli used a hundred kilograms of pure gold for the exterior gilding and contemporary visitors even complained that the palace blinded their eyes on sunny days!

During the tour of the palace you will see the Great Staircase and the impression of golden corridors. Of special interest is the Amber Room of the palace, which was once considered to be the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. The amber wall panels were presented to Peter the Great in 1717 by King Friedrich Wilhelm. The existing Amber Room is now a successful restoration as the panels were too heavy (800kg) to dismantle and evacuate when the Second World War broke out. They were promptly looted by the Nazi army, dispatched into Germany and never seen again. The restoration work is still ongoing in some rooms of the palace after the destructions of the Second World War. After the tour of the palace you may enjoy a short walk in the park. The 1400 acres of grounds are dotted with charming pavilions set around the central lake.

A one-hour transfer will bring you back to St. Petersburg where you will enjoy a traditional Russian lunch served at one of the best local restaurants.

A special treat of the tour is a visit to the magnificent St. Isaac Cathedral (1818 – 1858) designed by French architect August Montferrant. The Cathedral is named after St. Isaac of Dalmatia whose Saint Day (May 30) coincides with Peter the Great’s birthday. The vast and opulent interior covers 4 000 sq m (43 000 sq ft). Inside the church is filled with hundreds of impressive 19th century works of art. Some 100 kg of pure gold went into gilding the huge dome. The décor of the church was most expensive after the architect used Russian rose marble, gray marble from Finland, green from Genoa, and yellow from Sienna. The floors are finished in Russian, Italian and French marble. 14 colours of marble and 43 other types of semiprecious stones and minerals were used for the decoration of the Cathedral.

NB: Lunch is included. This tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. The terrain may be uneven or steep. Photo and Video Costs are not included.

Duration 8.5 hours £87pp (Tour Code ESTP2)

St. Petersburg lies on the banks of the River Neva and the numerous islands of its delta. The city’s rich architecture and history comes alive as your coach travels along the bustling avenues and embankments of the city. Your first photo stop will be at the St. Isaac’s Square, dominated by the majestic Saint Isaac Cathedral (1818 - 1858), its dome being the 4th largest in the world.

In the centre of the square is a monument to Nicholas the First. From the River Neva you will drive to the birthplace of the city, the Peter and Paul Fortress. Visit the fortress and the Peter and Paul Cathedral. This magnificent church was built between 1713 and 1732 and is the city’s highest building at 404 feet. Following the visit to the Fortress, the coach drives past the Artillery Museum and passes along the Petrograd side where Art Nouveau architecture flourished at the end of the 19th century. The next stop is at the Aurora cruiser which signalled the start of the revolution in 1917 by firing a single blank shot from its bow gun. The coach proceeds to one of the main landmarks of St. Petersburg – the Church of Resurrection on the Spilled Blood. From here you will reach Nevsky Prospect – not just St. Petersburg’s, but Russia’s most famous street. A delicious, typical Russian lunch will be served to you in one of the best St. Petersburg restaurants.

Following lunch you will continue the exploration of the city with a visit to the world-famous Hermitage Museum – the “Crown Jewel” on the museum list in St. Petersburg. Founded in 1764 as a private museum of Catherine the Great to which only she and her closest courtiers had access, today it is Russia’s largest art museum that owns an astounding 3 million pieces of art. The collection occupies four buildings: the Winter Palace, the Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage and the New Hermitage. You will get a tour of all these buildings, and explore their beauty and arts.

Duration 9 hours £83pp (Tour Code ESTP3) 

NB: Lunch included. There may be some waiting time before you enter the Hermitage and the tour includes approximately 2 hours of walking.  Due to the vastness of the museum it is not possible to see it all and the areas to be visited will be established by the curator upon arrival. Please, note that the route may change due to current traffic circumstances. This tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. Photo and Video Costs are not included.

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This unique tour is specially designed for people who enjoy seeing a city on foot. A coach will take you from the pier to the downtown area of St. Petersburg and finally proceed to the Bronze Horseman, the most famous monument to the founder of St. Petersburg – Peter the Great. According to a 19th century legend, enemy forces will never take St. Petersburg while the "Bronze Horseman" stands in the middle of the city.

From this square you start your promenade along the River Neva embankment towards the main square of the city. You then approach the Palace Square, considered to be the main square of the city. Here you board the coach to continue to the Square of Arts, dominated by the famous monument to Alexander Pushkin. The square itself is a remarkable architectural ensemble and, at the same time, has become one of the most important cultural centres of the city. Every single building facing the square is either a theatre or a museum.  The coach will be waiting on the square while you explore it, and will take you back to the ship along the city’s main street – Nevsky Prospect. It is lined with magnificent architectural ensembles and offers a wealth of cultural interests: libraries and museums, palaces and beautiful mansions, numerous theatres and movie houses, clubs, cafes and restaurants.

NB: This tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. The terrain may be uneven or steep.

Duration 3.5 hours £23pp (Tour Code ESTP5)

A UNESCO World Heritage Site – Tallinn is a wonderfully preserved city of the Hanseatic League. Departing from the pier, your coach will circle around the Old Town, offering magnificent views of the medieval city walls.

You disembark and start your guided walking tour in the Upper Town with its watch-towers, graceful spires and winding, cobbled streets. Visit the Russian Orthodox Church, inaugurated in 1900 and the 13th century Gothic style Dome Cathedral. You can view the exterior of the Castle which is now the seat of Estonia’s Parliament. Built on a cliff top the Upper Town provides a superb vantage point from which to admire the red-gabled roofs and spires of the Lower Town. Your tour continues as you follow your guide down Long and Short Leg Streets to the Lower Town. You pass by the highlights of the Lower Town including the apothecary, which opened in 1422, the Great Guild House and the 15th century Gothic Town Hall.

At Blackhead´s, a medieval guild house, you will enjoy a typical folkore show. During the show coffee and cake will be served. On the grounds of the Dominican Convent is a colourful market, St. Catherine’s arts and crafts centre, where you can enjoy some free time before rejoining your coach and returning to the pier.
Remarks: Not suitable for guests with walking difficulties. Incl. folklore show and coffee/cake.

Duration 3.5 hours £31pp (Tour Code ESLL1)

Departing from the pier, your coach will drive around the medieval city wall which encompasses the Old Town before you start a guided walking tour through its atmospheric streets. Visit the Russian Orthodox Church, inaugurated in 1900 and filled with a stunning array of superb icons.

You’ll also visit the 13th century Gothic style Dome Cathedral and view the exterior of the Castle which is now the seat of the Estonian Parliament. Built on a cliff top the Upper Town provides a superb vantage point from which to admire the red-gabled roofs and spires of the Lower Town. Your tour continues as you follow your guide down Long and Short Leg Streets to the Lower Town. You’ll reach the Town Hall Square where you’ll find the oldest surviving Gothic Town Hall in Northern Europe. Across the square is a 15th century apothecary shop, probably the oldest pharmacy still in use. You’ll also walk past several medieval guild houses and merchants’ homes.

Lunch is served at a charming restaurant in the Old Town followed with some 30 minutes of free time for shopping at St. Catherine’s arts and crafts centre. You board the coach again and drive through the cultural centre of Tallinn and towards Kadriorg Park(Catherine's Valley), the largest park in Estonia. You visit the newly renovated Baroque Palace and the garden from the outside and continue with a visit to the Tallinn Song Bowl, a natural amphitheatre officially said to hold about 150,000 people. After this, you visit the St. Birgit’s Convent, a magnificent monument to 15th century limestone architecture.
NB: 3-course lunch with coffee/tea included.

Duration 7 hours £62pp (Tour Code ETLL2)

A great way to discover the recreation area of Tallinn is by bike. You get close to all sights whilst being active at the same time.

The route will take you straight from the harbour to the romantic Kadriorg Park and Palace, founded by Peter the Great. You will see the Estonian President’s Residence, modern art museum KUMU, the Estonian Song Festival Grounds and the Memorial complex, a monument of the Soviet times. After passing a contemporary residential area you will reach Pirita beach and the Olympic Yachting Centre.

You return to the harbour via the seaside bike road with panoramic views of both the Old Town and the new city centre. Bikes, helmets and vests will be supplied to all participants at the pier before departure.
NB: approx. 14 km by bicycle, incl. bike, helmet, safety vests and instructions.

Duration 3-4 hours £29pp (Tour Code ETLL3)

This combined coach and walking tour takes you to the Old Town of Gdansk. From the pier in Gdynia, you’ll drive into the suburban and commercial sections of Gdansk on your way to the Old Town.

Pass by the Gdansk Shipyards, previously known as the Lenin Shipyards, and “Solidarity Square”, with its famous monument commemorating the deaths of shipyard workers shot in December 1970 by the Communist regime.

The city’s 1,000 years of history have left a collection of buildings and monuments designed in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. During your guided walk you will see marvellous buildings decorated with elaborate facades with a myriad of ornate gables. You will pass by the Town Hall, Long Market and the beautiful 15th Century merchant’s Palace of Artus Court. Pause at Neptune’s Fountain to admire this monumental symbol of Gdansk’s Hanseatic past and its connection with the sea before walking down to the waterfront canal.

Then turn up Mariacka or St. Mary’s Street, which delights its visitors with its lively atmosphere, quaint shops and lovely terraced buildings. Visit St. Mary’s Church – the pride of Gdansk. Gothic St. Mary’s is the world’s largest brick church, accommodating some 25,000 worshippers. Situated in the centre of Old Town, this medieval church took 159 years to build and its deceivingly plain exterior belies a bright, spacious interior with large windows and more than 30 beautifully decorated chapels.

NB: Incl. entrance fee St. Mary’s church. Walking information: cobblestones in Old Gdansk. It takes about 1 hr 15 minutes by bus from Gydnia to Gdansk.
 
Duration 3.5 hours £28pp (Tour Code EGDA1)

We recommend that you pre-book to secure space on your chosen excursions. Excursions can be pre-booked up to two weeks prior to departure. If you book excursions on board you will be charged in Norwegian Kroner and the ship’s exchange rate is used. The price in your local currency may therefore be different due to fluctuations in the exchange rate. 

Physically demanding/disabled people: Unfortunately our excursions have not been specifically adapted for people with disabilities and some are not suitable for people with walking difficulties. Please see notes on individual excursions. 

NB: All durations given are approximate and excursions may be subject to minimum/maximum numbers as well as local weather conditions. The operators reserve the right to change the contents of any excursion without prior notice.