Highlights of the Baltics & Scandinavia

Along with our fellow travellers and Tour Manager, we leave London St Pancras this morning on our tour of the delightful capitals of Scandinavia and the Baltic. Boarding the Eurostar to Brussels in Standard Premier Class, we enjoy a light meal at our seats before arriving in the Belgian capital.

From here, we travel by First Class rail via Cologne to Bremen - an attractive city on the banks of the Weser. As part of the Hanseatic League of merchant towns, Bremen was an important trading centre in the Middle Ages and its historic wealth is still visible today. There is also a bronze sculpture to the animals featured in the Brothers Grimm's tale, the Town Musicians of Bremen, outside its 600-year-old town hall.

Our 4-Star hotel is a short distance from the station, opposite the sprawling Burgerpark and the attractive Holler Lake. This evening, we get to know one another better over dinner together in the hotel's restaurant.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

After savouring a relaxed breakfast in our hotel this morning, we head to the station to travel by train via Hamburg to Copenhagen.

Enroute to the Danish capital, we cross the Kiel Canal via the inventive Rendsburg High Bridge, an early 20th-century iron cantilever bridge standing at 130ft. Travelling through the Danish archipelago, we pass through historic Odense. As the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, Odense has long been associated with myths and legends. Originally meaning 'Odin's sanctuary', it was here that the last Viking king was killed in 1086.

Copenhagen exudes a dynamic spirit amid its classical appearance and was at the forefront of the recent craft beer boom. Today, its regenerated Meatpacking District boasts an array of celebrated breweries and eateries. Arriving this evening, we check in to our 4-Star hotel overlooking the city hall near the famous Tivoli Gardens before heading out to enjoy a three-course dinner at a nearby restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we get to know our new surroundings better as we embark on a guided tour of Copenhagen, seeing the city's most famous sights.

Arriving at the stunning Amalienborg Palace, we can admire this large octagonal structure surrounded by four identical classical palaces - one of which is home to Denmark's monarch, King Frederik X. By the waterside, we discover the world-famous bronze statue that honours Hans Christian Andersen's much-loved fairytale Little Mermaid. Afterwards, we cruise along the Nyhavn Canal, the delightful 17th-century waterfront bedecked by colourful buildings, charming bridges and historic boats that was once the home of Hans Christian Andersen. Today it buzzes with visitors and people relaxing at the many restaurants and café bars.

For lunch, we sample a traditional Danish smørrebrød - an open sandwich traditionally made with rye bread and filled with cod, beef or egg. The evening is free to explore at leisure and you might like to try New Nordic cuisine in one of Copenhagen's illustrious restaurants or opt for something more traditional, such as the national dish stegt flæsk - fried pork belly.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Leaving Copenhagen after breakfast at our hotel, we also wave farewell to Denmark as we cross the iconic Øresund Bridge that links Copenhagen with the Swedish city of Malmö. Europe's longest combined road and rail bridge was notably featured in the TV series The Bridge, which played a key role in introducing the world to the 'Nordic noir' crime fiction genre.

Travelling through Sweden's atmospheric interior, we delve deep into scenic scenes of picturesque red wooden houses, thick boreal forests and peaceful lakes dappling the landscape. After leaving Norrköping look out for the shimmering Bråviken, an attractive inlet that spills out into the chilly Baltic Sea.

As the train makes its way into Stockholm, we can enjoy delightful views of the waterways and charming Gamla Stan. Sweden's distinguished capital hosts a wealth of treasures, from palaces and museums to picturesque medieval streets. Our 4-Star hotel in Stockholm is centrally located near the station. We check in for three nights and have dinner in the hotel's restaurant this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A guided coach tour of Stockholm introduces us to the Swedish capital this morning. Built across 14 islands, connected by 57 bridges, Stockholm has a fascinating 750-year history and a wide selection of world-class attractions. We see the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town and one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in the world. Here, the small winding streets reveal craft shops, antique stores, art galleries and cafés. The impressive cathedral is also found in this historic area.

There is free time to lunch independently before we visit Stockholm's dominating red-brick City Hall this afternoon. Set on the eastern shores of Kungsholmen island, this is where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held annually. During our time here, you have the option to climb the tower for panoramic views across the city. The rest of your afternoon and evening is free. Perhaps you might like to take a boat trip before discovering Stockholm's burgeoning reputation for stylish and creative cuisine at one of the city's many excellent restaurants.

• Breakfast

Today is free for you to soak up the delights of the Swedish capital at your own pace. Stockholm brims with fascinating art galleries and museums, including Fotografiska which focuses on contemporary photography and has hosted exhibitions of some of the world's finest exponents.

On verdant Djurgården island, you might like to explore Sweden's seafaring history at the Viking Museum or view a salvaged 17th-century warship at the nearby Vasa Museum. The world's oldest open-air museum, Skansen, is a vast showcase of pre-industrial Swedish life. One of Sweden's most successful exports is pop group, ABBA. The joyous museum honouring the four-piece gives music-lovers the opportunity to view their costumes and memorabilia. You can also take a chance and sing along with them on stage - virtually! Alternatively, head into the Stockholm metro network to admire the stations along what has been dubbed the 'world's longest art gallery'.

Stockholm offers up some fantastic options for dinner tonight. You might want to try seafood, iconic kjøttboller meatballs, or perhaps the traditional Sámi dish 'renskav', a creamy reindeer stew.

• Breakfast

With a picnic breakfast provided by our hotel, we make an early start today for a short morning flight over the Baltic Sea to Latvia.

The Baltic countries of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania each have fantastic, individual cultures, but they came together to throw off the shackles of the Soviet regime in the late 1980s. In 1989, more than two million people from the three countries formed a human chain stretching more than 400 miles from Vilnius in Lithuania, through Riga, to Tallinn in Estonia. This peaceful act resulted in independence for the Baltic states and, consequently, the breakup of the Soviet Union. It is a historic moment commemorated in Riga by two footsteps in the middle of Kaļķu Street in the Old Town, close to our 4-Star hotel.

After checking in, there is a free afternoon to unwind or explore. In the expansive park opposite our hotel, you can find the national art gallery and natural history museum, while the monolithic Freedom Monument signifies the border of Riga's stunning Old Town. Dinner this evening is at our landmark hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Home to around a third of Latvia's population, Riga has embraced its importance during its 900-year history. After breakfast at our hotel, we embark on a three-hour coach tour of the Old Town's beautiful sights.

Built in 1334, the amazingly ornate House of the Black Heads acted as a meeting point for the city's merchants and visiting traders. Today, it stands proud in front of the town hall square. One of the biggest delights of Riga's Old Town is its charming streets, where chocolate-box delights await at every winding turn - such as the painted houses of Jauniela or the iconic medieval buildings known as the Three Brothers. Our tour concludes with entry to Riga's 13th-century cathedral.

With a free afternoon, you could uncover why Riga is considered to have more Art Nouveau buildings that any other city. Albert Street is the best showcase of these spectacularly elaborate buildings. Riga's restaurants cater for all tastes, and you may be tempted to try Latvia's warming national dish - a hearty stew containing grey peas and smoked ham.

• Breakfast

Making our way to our second Baltic country after breakfast, we travel by coach along the Gulf of Riga and enter Estonia. Enroute to its capital, we discover a country with around half of its land covered with forests.

On arrival in compact Tallinn, we take a guided sightseeing tour by coach. One of the city's most iconic sights is the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with flowing arches topped by five onion domes. Located in the hilltop Toompea district - one of the country's few hills - we find more historic buildings here, including the Danish-German castle which now houses Estonia's parliament and the 13th-century St Mary's Cathedral, known as the Dome Church, which we enter.

In the Hanseatic-era lower city, we view northern Europe's oldest surviving town hall. The surrounding square is lined by beautiful cafés, restaurants and a historic pharmacy where it is claimed marzipan was invented. Before our tour concludes, we visit the mercantile House of the Blackheads - Tallinn's only preserved Renaissance building. Dinner this evening is in our hotel's restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This friendly, fairytale city is yours to explore on a free day after breakfast at the hotel. A leisurely stroll through the cobblestone streets of the lower and upper towns reveals Tallinn's historic beauty at every turn - especially in the hidden alleys of Master's Courtyard and Katariina käik.

There is also a fine array of interesting museums, including the Niguliste art museum and the unusually named Kiek in de Kök - translating as 'peek into the kitchen'. This ancient tower got its name thanks to its height, which allowed those inside to see into the windows of surrounding buildings. Today, it's home to a permanent exhibition of Estonia's military history and serves as an entrance point to the Bastion Tunnels, a subterranean network built during Swedish rule in the 17th century.

With the opportunity to dine independently, you might like to experience the unique Olde Hansa restaurant. Diners here can enjoy hearty medieval fare and performances - it is worth going in just for a look at the museum exhibits.

• Breakfast

We leave the beautiful Baltic countries after breakfast today as we board a morning ferry across the calm waters of the Baltic Sea to the capital of Finland. On arrival, we set out to discover the city on a guided coach tour.

Helsinki is a wonderful blend of the old and new and among the attractions we uncover is Senate Square - the oldest part of the city. Surrounded by noble neoclassical buildings, this attractive square is dominated by the green-domed cathedral. Finland hosted the Summer Olympics in 1952 and we view the stadium that held the Games and explore the city's contemporary architecture. From Helsinki University Library and the modernist national opera house to the abstract steel pipe monument honouring composer Jean Sibelius, we uncover inventive and stylish design. One of the most astounding sights is the 1960s Temppeliaukio church - hewn out of solid rock with a copper dome.

Checking in to our hotel amid the Art Nouveau buildings of charming Katajanokka, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure until dinner in the on-site restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

The Finnish capital lies across an archipelago and is surrounded by more than 300 islands. Many of them are connected by regular ferry services and scenic boat cruises, which you could enjoy at leisure after breakfast in our hotel. One island attraction is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, with bastion walls, tunnels, cannons and an array of historic exhibits.

Our historic neighbourhood of Katajanokka also oozes charm and interest as it is home to the magnificent Uspenski Cathedral, the largest Greek Orthodox church in northern Europe and adorned with numerous golden finials. Finns are renowned for their sauna culture and the brave might like to embrace the local lifestyle and take a dip in the nearby Allas sea pool. At the other end of our urban island, you can see the fleet of immense icebreakers that keep Baltic shipping lanes clear during winter.

Helsinki boasts a wide range of eateries where you could enjoy lunch or dinner - from attractive market halls to seafood specialists along the waterside and Michelin-starred restaurants.

• Breakfast

There is a leisurely morning after breakfast to enjoy a stroll along the waterfront or unwind at our hotel. If you have opted to return to the UK by air, you say farewell to your Tour Manager and transfer by coach to Helsinki airport for your flight back to London Heathrow - arriving in the early evening.

However, if you're returning to the UK by rail, we transfer to the ferry terminal for our overnight ferry crossing to Travemünde in Germany. Checking in to our ensuite cabins, we can relax with lunch and dinner provided on board. As we set sail this afternoon, we glide through the Gulf of Finland with the options to take advantage of the onboard amenities including shops, bars and lounges. Overnight, we continue southward across the Baltic Sea between the Swedish coast and the Baltic countries.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Formed by glacial erosion just over 10 million years ago, the Baltic is the planet's youngest sea but that hasn't held back this important body of water throughout history. As we enjoy brunch onboard this morning, we are following in the wake of Vikings and centuries of traders.

Being almost enclosed except for the narrow Danish Straits benefits the Baltic by making it very calm to cross, which helped the trading of amber and fish in the Middle Ages. Forming a coalition of merchant guilds stretching across around 200 towns in the Baltic and North Sea, the Hanseatic League led the way in the seabound commerce and resulted in some fantastically wealthy towns. From Bremen to Riga and Tallinn, we have visited many Hansa cities on our Scandinavian and Baltic exploration - and we spend tonight in the league's de facto capital, Lübeck.

Disembarking the ferry in Travemünde this evening after dinner aboard, we make the short transfer to our 5-Star hotel overlooking the evocative mercantile houses of Lübeck's Old Town for the night.

• Breakfast

With a leisurely morning after breakfast, you could explore the nearby delights of Lübeck's UNESCO-listed centre. Close to the hotel, you will find the restored medieval Holsten Gate, an iconic brick Gothic structure with two circular towers. You can also admire the crow-stepped gables of the ancient Salzspeicher - storehouses used to contain the once-valuable commodity of salt. On a walk of the Old Town's cobbled streets, you get an understanding of why Lübeck is known as the 'city of the seven spires' as many church and cathedral spires pierce the sky.

Around noon, we leave lovely Lübeck as we transfer to Hamburg by coach. Here, we board the First Class carriages of a train and travel direct to Cologne for the night. Straddling the Rhine, Cologne is renowned for its twin-spired Gothic cathedral and large squares. After checking in to our hotel, we gather this evening for our final dinner together.

• Breakfast, Dinner

The final leg of our incredible journey awaits after breakfast this morning as we transfer to Cologne station for a morning train to Brussels in First Class seats. In the Belgian capital, we change to Standard Premier Class on the Eurostar and enjoy a light meal in our seats on the way back to London St Pancras.

As we dash through Belgium, northern France and the Kent countryside, we can begin to recall the many highlights provided by the stylish and charming cities we have visited. From Copenhagen's classical palaces and colourful canalside buildings to Stockholm's grand squares and well-preserved medieval lanes, Scandinavia showcased its laid-back elegance and rich culture.

Arriving in the Baltic countries, gorgeous Riga and Tallinn unveiled their enchanting charms in their picture-perfect old towns. Finland's capital, Helsinki, captivated with its blend of grand historic squares and inventive modernism before we cruised the Baltic Sea to Germany.

As the Eurostar pulls in to St Pancras this afternoon, we say a fond farewell to our Tour Manager and fellow travellers with whom we have shared these unforgettable memories.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Meal