London to Baltic States
Rail and Sea Adventure

Day 1: London to Brussels and Cologne

Meet your Undiscovered Destinations’ tour leader, at London’s impressive Gothic revival St. Pancras station. Take a late morning Eurostar, with lunch served at our seats, to Brussels, where will connect to a German ICE train onto Cologne. We will make our way on foot to our hotel located next to the city’s famous cathedral for an overnight stay. Overnight Hilton Cologne or similar. (L) 

Day 2: Cologne to Hamburg

After breakfast we will have the morning to explore Cologne on our own. Wander around the vibrant streets and lively squares and admire the Romanesque townhouses. And of course, do visit the city's impressive UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral which is the largest in Northern Europe. Later we will return to the station and take an afternoon train, for the four hour trip passing through Lower Saxony, north to Hamburg. We have scheduled a few hours in Hamburg, with the option to leave our luggage at the station, whilst we have dinner (payable locally) at a nearby restaurant. At around 10pm we will board the Swedish Railways operated sleeper train bound for Stockholm. Our accommodation will be private compartments with toilet facilities located at the end of the corridor. A light breakfast will be served before our arrival in the Swedish capital at about 10am the next morning. Overnight sleeper train (private single or double compartment). (B) 

Day 3: Stockholm

At around 10am our sleeper train pulls into Stockholm’s Central Station, from where we will walk to our hotel which is conveniently located adjacent to the station. Check in for a two night stay. After lunch (payable locally), and time to freshen up*, we will meet our local guide for an afternoon walking tour. Discover some of the city's most charming and exciting attractions. Visit the colourful buildings in the Old Town's Stortorget square, admire the official Royal Palace, and learn about the Statue of St. George. Finish at the home of the Royal Swedish Opera before returning to our hotel. Overnight Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel or similar. (B) 

*Please note that early check-in at the hotel is subject to availability. In the event that our rooms are not available luggage can be stored at the hotel until we return from our walking tour. 

Day 4: Stockholm and overnight ferry to Estonia

After a leisurely breakfast we will meet our local guide and set off on a four hour walking tour to delve deep into Stockholm's culinary scene. Get a comprehensive introduction to Swedish food and learn about the culinary history of this Scandinavian country. Walk approximately 2 miles (3.5 km) through the bustling city, stopping at seven local restaurants. Taste various foods such as fish soup, meatballs, and Swedish salty liquorice; all tastings are included and add up to a full meal. After the tour we will return to the hotel to collect our luggage and in time for a transfer to Stockholm’s Värtahamnen ferry terminal where will check-in for the Tallink operated crossing to Estonia. As our impressive ship sets sail enjoy spectacular views as it navigates the Stockholm Archipelago which is made of some 30,000 islands. We will take dinner onboard served in the ship’s fine dining a la carte restaurant. Overnight Tallink Ferry – outside (window) en-suite cabin including dinner and breakfast. (BD) 

Tallink Ferry

The ferries serving Scandinavia and the Baltic States are amongst the largest and most comfortable to be found anywhere in the world. These are no ordinary vessels and are often referred to as ‘cruise ferries’ given the wide range of onboard facilities available. These include a choice of restaurants, shops, bars with live entertainment and even a sauna. 

Day 5: Tallinn

At around 10:30 our ship will dock in the Estonian capital, Tallinn. We will be transferred the short distance to our hotel, and subject to availability check-in. After time for lunch (payable local), we will meet our guide and set off on a walking tour. We will explore Tallinn’s UNESCO listed Old Town, with ample time to view landmarks including Toompea Hill and the Aleksander Nevski Cathedral while learning all about a unique and fascinating city. Return to our hotel at around 5pm, after which the remainder of the day is yours to relax or to explore on your own. Overnight Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection or similar. (B) 

*Please note that early check-in at the hotel is subject to availability. In the event that our rooms are not available luggage can be stored at the hotel until we return from our walking tour. 

Day 6: Lahemaa National Park

At around 9am we will meet our local guide and set off for a visit to the Lahemaa National Park, situated about an hour’s drive to the east of the capital. As well as its abundant nature, the park also celebrates Estonia's culture heritage and is home to ancient fishing villages and 17th-century manor houses. Our first stop will be at the Jägala waterfall, the highest in Estonia. Then we continue to the Sagadi Manor which was built in 1753. After visiting the manor’s museum, we will take a stroll in the beautiful gardens. Our next stop will be at the 400-year-old fishing village of Altja before our tour ends with an easy walk along the Viru Bog Trail. We follow a forest path that leads to a boardwalk where we reach a tower for views over the bog. From the park we head back to Tallinn arriving at our hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection or similar. (B)

Day 7: Tallinn to Riga, Latvia

After breakfast we will meet our driver for the journey by road to Riga. About three hours after leaving Tallinn, we will make a stop at a stop at Turaida Musuem or ‘God’s Garden’ in ancient Livonian, a green knoll, capped with a fairy-tale red-brick castle built in 1214. From Turaida we continue about one hour to the Latvian capital, Riga. Check-in at our centrally located hotel for a two night stay. Overnight Grand Palace Hotel or similar. (B) 

Day 8: Riga

After a leisurely breakfast we will meet our local guide and set off on foot for a two hour walking tour. Wander through the city’s scenic cobblestone streets and learn about the history of Riga. Explore the Old Town and take in the main sights including St. Peter's Church, St. Jacobs Church, St. Dom Cathedral, the Powder Tower, the Swedish Gate, and the Three Brothers. Return to the hotel around lunchtime or explore more of Riga on your own. Overnight Grand Palace Hotel or similar. (B) 

Day 9: Riga to Vilnius, Lithuania

After breakfast we will meet our driver for the journey by road to Vilnius. This is not only quicker than taking the train, but it also gives us the opportunity to stop along the way at one of Lithuania’s major sights, the ‘Hill of Crosses,’ located about two hours from Riga. The fabled site is a symbol of defiance as much as a pilgrimage site. More than 100,000 crosses have been planted on this low hill, many of them strung with rosary beads that rattle softly in the breeze. The tradition began during the 1831 Uprising and reached its height in the 1960s, in defiance of anti-religious Soviet rule. At night locals crept here to lay crosses, infuriating their oppressors. Repeated efforts to bulldoze the hill during the 1960s and '70s failed to deter locals from placing crosses here, despite the harsh punishments for being caught. Today it is forbidden to remove a cross from the site, and any visitor may plant a cross (up to a certain size). From the Hill of Crosses, we will continue to Vilnius arriving at our centrally located hotel by mid-afternoon. After check-in, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight Radisson Collection Astorija Hotel or similar. (B) 

Day 10: Vilnius

After a leisurely breakfast we will meet our local guide and set off on a morning tour of Vilnius. We will take a stroll around the cobbled streets of the Old Town and visit the key sites including Cathedral square, Vilnius University buildings, the Gates of Dawn and Napoleon's favorite church of St. Ann. We will also visit the self-proclaimed “Republic of Užupis" – the city’s bohemian and artistic district. Return to our hotel around lunchtime or continue to explore more of Vilnius on your own. Later, at around 7pm, we will meet up as a group, and head out to have dinner with a local family. This unique experience will be an opportunity to get to know a local Vilnius family by dining with them in their own home. This private dinner offers an intimate experience of Lithuanian culture and cuisine, with a homecooked, seasonal meal based on traditional family recipes, along with lively conversation. This is a special opportunity to see a real slice of life in Vilnius. After dinner we will return our hotel on foot. Overnight Radisson Collection Astorija Hotel or similar. (BD) 

Day 11: Vilnius to Gdansk, Poland

Today we will leave the Baltic capitals behind and travel by road from Lithuania into neighbouring Poland. Our destination is the port city of Gdansk, which for good reason is becoming an increasingly popular destination and is well worth a visit. To break up the all day journey we will make a stop along the way on the Polish side of the border. Hidden in thick forest near the hamlet of Gierłoż, is one of Poland’s eeriest historical relics – 18 overgrown hectares of huge, partly destroyed concrete bunkers. This was Hitler’s main headquarters during WWII, baptised with the German name of Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair). A famous attempt to assassinate the Führer took place here in July 1944. After our stop will continue to Gdansk arriving in the later afternoon. After check-in at our hotel the evening is at leisure. Radisson Blu Hotel Gdansk or similar. (B) 

Day 12: Gdansk

After the long drive yesterday from Vilnius, we will keep this morning free to relax or to take a stroll until we meet our local guide for an afternoon walking tour. Stops will include the Pomnik Anny Walentynowicz monument. Learn about Lech Walesa, Anna Walentynowicz, and other heroes of the 1989 revolution which led to the foundation of a democratic state. Later we will stop at the Solidarity Square and hear the tragic story behind the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970. Visit the historic site where the “Gdańsk Agreement” of 31 August 1980 was signed - the Centre of worker protection of Gdansk shipyard, also known as Sala BHP.

We will continue to the Gdansk Shipyard (Stocznia Gdansk), where 17,000 ship builders began the civil resistance against the communist regime in 1980 before our final stop which will be at the European Solidarity Centre. Inside this modern museum, we learn about the history of Solidarity. We will see the original Tables of 21 Postulates - the written demands that the strikers at the Lenin Shipyard (now Gdansk Shipyard) made against the authorities in 1980, as well as other documents and photographs that record the trade union’s fight for freedom - the strikes, the 1989 round table talks, and first pluralistic election in Poland since 1947. A fascinating end to our tour. Return to our hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Radisson Blu Hotel Gdansk or similar. (B) 

Day 13: Gdansk to Berlin

After breakfast we will make our way to the city’s Glowny railway station, about a 15 to 20 minute walk or short taxi ride, where we will board a modern EuroCity train bound for Berlin. The journey takes between five and six hours, and drinks and meals can be purchased in the dining car. After passing through the Polish city of Szczecin, situated on the banks of the Oder River, the train crosses into Germany and onto Berlin passing rolling fields, forests, and small towns. Upon arrival at Berlin’s modern Hauptbahnhof or central station, we will walk to our hotel, conveniently located almost adjacent to the railway station. On this occasion our stop in Berlin will be brief, just the one night, before we continue to London the next day. But for those in the group who have not visited the German capital before, then just let us know at the time of booking if you would like to extend your stay in Berlin. Additional nights can be added, and you will return to the UK unescorted. Steigenberger Hotel am Kanzleramt or similar. (B). 

Day 14: Berlin to London

After breakfast we will go back to the station and just before 9am board a high-speed ICE train for Cologne, where we will connect to another high-speed service to Brussels. On both trains drinks and meals can be purchased in the bistro car. Our final train of the tour will be the Eurostar back to London, and during the journey a light meal will be served at our seat. Arrive in St. Pancras at around 6pm, marking the end to a truly remarkable flight free adventure. (BD)

After breakfast we check-out of the hotel and a private transfer will be provided to the international airport to coincide with your departure. (B)