2021 Helsinki > Berlin

Draw open the old Iron Curtain

Once, these cities and lands were hidden by the heavy veil of what was then known as the Iron Curtain. Today, you’re free to discover them at your leisure.

Some love Berlin for its modernity and its thriving culture, while others love it for its dramatic history. Not only is it an amazing place to visit, it’s the perfect gateway for your trip to the equally intriguing Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Tour Code:: IRBH
Duration:: 13 days
Departure City:: Helsinki
Return City:: Berlin

Selected Itinerary

13 Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Helsinki

Welcome to Helsinki where you will enjoy an overnight stay.

Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2 - Helsinki > Tallinn

This morning join a guided tour of Helsinki and see such highlights as the beautiful harbour area and Senate Square including the impressive Lutheran Cathedral. Afterwards relax on board your hydrofoil ride across the Baltic Sea to Tallinn. Arrive in Tallinn and settle in your hotel, your home for the next two nights.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 3 - Tallinn

Today you’ll discover Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Tallinn’s famed Town Hall.

Freechoice

Visit the KUMU Art Museum, with its wide range of classic and contemporary art. Alternatively, be seduced by the incredible exhibits at the Seaplane Harbour Museum.

This evening, enjoy a delicious dinner at one of Tallinn’s superb local restaurants.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - Tallinn > Sigulda > Riga

Leave Tallinn behind, and journey to Sigulda, set in the Gauja River Valley and known as the Switzerland of Latvia. Explore the stunning landscapes of this region and visit Turaida Castle. Arrive in Riga and settle in your hotel, your home for the next two nights.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 - Riga

Embark on a discovery of Riga’s Old Town, then tour the Ethnographical Open-Air Museum for an insight into Latvia’s heritage. Tonight, enjoy an evening of traditional Latvian folk music with dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 - Riga > Vilnius

This morning we leave Riga and travel to Vilnius. We’ll visit Rundale Palace and its magnificent gardens. Our next stop is at the extraordinary ‘Hill of Crosses’. This symbol of Christian resistance to the Soviets features millions of small Crosses, which were repeatedly bulldozed during the occupation. This evening we arrive in Vilnius for our two night stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Vilnius

Relish in an insightful walking tour around the Old Town with its many famous examples of baroque architecture. You’ll see all the famous landmarks, including the University, the Gates of Dawn, with its remarkable chapel, and the famous Vilnius Cathedral.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 8 - Vilnius > Warsaw

After breakfast we depart Vilnius. Our route will take us into the amazing Mazurian region, which
encompasses 4,000 lakes in a pristine setting, where a great deal of the landscape remains virgin
forest. We cross the border into Poland and continue on to the capital Warsaw. You can look
forward to staying here for the next two nights.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 9 - Warsaw

Warsaw was largely destroyed in World War II, but the historic centre has been rebuilt and since attained World Heritage status. Today you’ll visit the Jewish Ghetto with a local guide for a striking reminder of the suffering endured in WWII. You’ll also see the monument to the Ghetto heroes, the Palace of Culture and the Chopin Memorial – all remarkable landmarks of this diverse and history-rich land.

Freechoice

You have two vastly different but equally interesting options. Tour the opulent Royal Castle, or learn more of the plight of the Jewish community on a visit to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

Enrich

This evening enjoy an exclusive piano concert of Chopin’s immortal music in a Manor House, followed by dinner. This is an experience with something for all the senses, so indulge to the full in all the wonderful sights, sounds and tastes on offer.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Warsaw > Berlin

This morning you will be taken to the main train station where you board a train for the journey across the heart of Poland and into the German capital, Berlin. Upon arrival transfer to your luxurious hotel, for your three night special stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 11 - Berlin

Your introduction to Berlin begins with a guided tour, see the Brandenburg Gate, State Opera House, then drive ‘Unter den Linden’ and visit the former Checkpoint Charlie area. Then, enjoy a true highlight with coffee and cake under the glass dome of the renovated Reichstag Building that was set on fire in 1933.
This afternoon enjoy time at leisure to explore this magnificent city further. You may wish to discover the cities thriving art scene or soak up its café culture.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12 - Berlin

Freechoice

Visit the moving Berlin Wall memorial and the Hackesche Höfe, then ride Berlin’s subway and learn the historic details of the city’s cold war period. Alternately, journey to Potsdam, where a local guide will share their insights on the town and its history. Later, visit the Cecilienhof Palace where the Potsdam Treaty was signed in 1945.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 13 - Berlin

After breakfast you’ll be transferred to Berlin Airport for your onward or homebound flight with memories of a truly unforgettable trip.
This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above.

Meals Included: Breakfast