Treasures of St Petersburg: Capital of the Baltic

Board Le Soleal in Copenhagen in the late afternoon. Connected to the far eastern side of Sealand Island, a few kilometers away from the Swedish coasts, Copenhagen offers you the high color of Scandinavian capitals. You can discover the city's riches that weave through the canal networks and through the historical districts of Christiansborg and Nyhavn. Many palaces provide an apercu of Danish history. For eating, you can try out the smorebrod, a traditional dish composed of several kinds of smoked fish.

Enjoy the luxuries of Le Soleal as you cruise to Tallin, Estonia.

Opening onto the Baltic Sea, to the far north of Estonia, the town of Tallin has a picturesque architecture charm. Stroll through its little streets in the heart of the medieval center where its gothic town hall has been standing since 1404. To get a taste of this town’s rich past, visit the Kiek in de Kök tower, the Orthodox Alexander Nevski cathedral, or Toompea castle. Try some of the local dishes, such as the smoked herring, roast elk, and salmon with wild berries.

*This day choose between two optional excursions:
 
- Tallin & Folklore: Guided walking city tour around the Old Town, Upper Town, and Lower Town, visiting the the Russian Orthodox Church, the 13th-century Gothic-style Dome Cathedral, the Long and Short Leg Streets, and St. Catherine's arts and crafts center.

- Gothic Treasures of Tallin: Coach tour to the Old Town and Upper Town stopping at  Kiek in de Kök Tower, the old Hanseatic town, the 15th-century Town Hall, and St. Catherine's arts and crafts, with short walking excursions.

Capital of the Russian Empire from 1712 to its collapse in 1917, St. Petersburg has preserved a truly unique ensemble of architecture from this period, making it one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. There is so much to see here: Pavlovski Palace (the Czar's summer residence), Peter and Paul Fortress, the Pushkin Museum, the magnificent Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, and of course the world-renowned Hermitage Museum where more than three million items are on display. The pomp and ceremony of the Czars still hangs in the air of this UNESCO World Heritage site.

*On day four choose between three optional excursions:

 - Folkloric Russian Show Officer's Assembly: Tour to the Anichkov Palace – a unique monument of history and architecture, overlooking both Nevsky prospect and the Fontanka River. Visit the modern Concert Hall “Carnival” and proceed to the exciting auditorium, where a professional folklore group, well known all over the world, introduce you to the treasure of national Russian art and Russian cultural traditions. Hear popular folk songs "Katiusha" and "Kalinka".

- St. Isaac & the Church of our Savior on the Spilled Blood: Visit the well-known Isaac’s Cathedral and the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood. At the end of your visit, enjoy some leisure time to stroll along the Neva River or to do some shopping in the heart of the nearby flea market.

- Panoramic City Tour & Peter and Paul Fortress: Drive tour passing by the Saint Isaac’s Square, Palace Square, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Field of Mars and the Marble Palace, the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood, and the Nevsky Prospect.

* On day five choose between three optional excursions:
 
- Yussoupov Palace and Canal River Cruise: Boat ride excursion to the Yusupov Palace on the Moika Embankment, an outstanding historic and architectural monument of the late 18th until the early 20th centuries. Visit the palace's unique private theater and the basement chamber, where the young prince Felix Yusupov and his contemporaries took part in the murder of a Siberian peasant monk, psychic, and adventurer – the infamous Grigori Rasputin!

- The Hermitage Museum: Visit the Hermitage Complex integrated by the Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage and the New Hermitage, all connected to the Winter Palace. At the end of the tour have some time to appreciate the collection of French Impressionists, containing the world-famous works by Renoir, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and others.

- Peterhoff Palace & Hermitage Museum: Coach tour to Peterhof (also known as Petrodvorets), the town of palaces, fountains and gardens, the most brilliant of all the former summer residences of the Russian czars. Visit the world’s famous Hermitage Museum, a set of six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva, right in the heart of St. Petersburg. 

*On day six choose between three optional excursions:

- The Russian Museum: Visit the Russian Museum, the main repository of Russian art in St. Petersburg. The Museum is housed in the former “New Michael Palace” built by Alexander I for his younger brother Grand Duke Michael.

- Pushkine & Pavlosk Palaces: Drive tour to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), an 18th-century summer residence of the Russian Czars. Visit the Catherine Palace, one of the masterieces of the world architecture. Then take a short drive to Pavlovsk, the former summer Royal residence of Emperor Paul I, and before starting your tour to Pavlovsk enjoy a Russian tea party served in the Pavlovsk Palace Restaurant. 

- Kazan Cathedral & Nevsky Prospect: Coach tour to one of the most picturesque avenues of the city – Nevsky Prospekt, to visit Kazan Cathedral. After an inside visit of the Cathedral, walk to the Square of Arts. From the square, proceed to the Griboedov Canal – another important historical waterway. Enjoy a cup of Russian tea with some Russian pastry and a short rest at a local restaurant right by the Church on the Spilled Blood. Next, walk by the Church on the Spilled Blood. Continue walking along the Moika River and the Mikhailovsky Garden towards the Mikhailovsky Castle. Finaly, walk to one of the most picturesque places in St. Petersburg – the Maple Alley. 

Seated in the southern peninsula of Finland, Helsinki offers the buzz of a cosmopolitan city that has opted for both elegance and beauty. Explore its historical center where the soft hues of neoclassical buildings are juxtaposed with spectacular modern constructions. The bustling Kallio district is teeming with boutiques and restaurants where you can taste some local specialities like graavilohi - a sweet, marinated, aromatic salmon dish. Keskuspuisto park, a stone’s throw from the center, is a good place to sit and unwind.

Disembark in the early morning in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. In Gamla stan, meaning “old town” in Swedish, you can stroll at your leisure in picturesque medieval streets until you reach the majestic Royal Palace. On the green island of Djurgården, you can visit several very different kinds of cultural centers: the Vasa museum is dedicated to a 17th-century three-mast, the ecomuseum of Skansen presents traditional customs, and the ABBA museum is dedicated to the legendary pop group. For a fantastic, all-encompassing view of Stockholm, you can take a ride in SkyView, a glass-encased sphere gondola that takes you to the top of the world’s largest building, the Ericsson Globe, a Stockholm landmark.