A Taste of the Southern Baltic

Enjoy the following tours while on your Southern tour of the Baltic.

Hamburg Snapshot
The “Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg” is Germany’s second-largest metropolis and one of Europe’s biggest ports. Elegant and cosmopolitan Hamburg is now a city of palatial office buildings, magnificent promenades, international musicals and extravagant shopping malls – and the famous Reeperbahn (Hamburg’s red-light district) in St. Pauli. The magical aura of “far-away places” is still alive in the Warehouse Quarter with its little canals, but Hamburg is also Germany’s greenest city with its many spacious lawns and lovely parks. After a 75-minute journey by coach you will arrive in Hamburg, where you will experience a panoramic overview of this bustling city. This tour will start with the City Hall, Germany’s oldest Stock Exchange, the “Speicherstadt” (the century old warehouse quarter which was built in Gothic redbrick architecture and houses fine spices, coffee and tea from all over the world), as well as the “Jungfernstieg”, one of the elegant and luxury shopping areas. Your tour will also take you around the “Aussen-Alster”, which is one of the top addresses in Hamburg and apart from private residences; numerous consulates and renowned businesses are based here. Drive past the “St. Pauli Landungsbruecken”, where the old sailing vessels used to dock and continue your journey along the world famous “Reeperbahn”, where at the beginning of the 17th century the “Reepers” made rigs. Nowadays this street together with the “Grosse Freiheit” and “Herbert Strasse” are referred to as “the mile of sin” and are a well know attraction worldwide as ‘The Beatles’ began their career here in 1962. A short drive will take you past the St. Nikolai War Memorial Church continuing passed the “St. Michael’s” Church, which was destroyed a number of times in the past, but then always reconstructed. Also known as the “Michel” by the locals, this church is the largest north German Baroque church and is Hamburg’s main landmark.
Enjoy some time at leisure in the city center before returning by coach to the quayside in Kiel. During the coach journey to/from Kiel, you will be accompanied by an English-speaking escort who will hand you over to a local Hamburg tour guide once you arrive in Hamburg.

Catherine’s (Summer) Palace & City Highlights (Visa Included)
Experience the city's highlights on a pleasant drive through St Petersburg. You will pass the Nevsky Prospect, St Petersburg's most famous street, the vast Palace Square, the University Embankment that is lined with buildings of the 18th century, and much more. Your drive will then take you through the suburbs to the opulent Catherine Palace. This estate, in what was formerly known as Tsarskoe Selo, was the summer residence of the imperial family.
Explore its grand state rooms, the superb white marble Grand Staircase and the spectacularly baroque Great Hall - an astonishing room of gilt, carved wood and mirrors - and the famous Amber Room that was stolen by the Nazi. It was recreated and reopened in 2003 after 23 years of restoration. IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
You will be required to provide your passport details at least ten days prior to your cruise departure date to assure you receive the required visa support documents which are necessary for you to participate in this tour and will be presented to the Customs/Immigration Authorities in Russia.

Historical Tallin
Your tour takes you to through the cultural center of Tallinn and the central park of Kadriorg, founded in the time of Peter the Great. Pass through the residential areas before arriving at Pirita marina and the ruins of the 15th Century convent of St. Birgit. Pause at Russalka, Estonia's most famous monument dedicated to the shipwreck in the Gulf of Finland in 1893. Returning to Tallinn, continue to The Old Town. The walking portion commences at Cathedral Hill and takes you along cobbled streets, past medieval houses, towers and bastions. Visit the 13th century Russian Orthodox Church and the Dome Church, then walk past the Castle, now home to Estonia's Parliament.