The Baltic Express: Tallinn, St. Petersburg and Helsinki
DAY 1
Upon arrival in Tallinn you are met and transferred to your hotel for a relaxing evening.
DAY 2
Start exploring the Estonian capital with a sightseeing tour that will take you from the Castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Toompea Hill, past the Church of Transfiguration of Our Lord, the Dome Church (the oldest in Estonia) to Tallinn’s postcard landmark – the medieval Town Hall. You will also travel through the beautiful suburbs of Kadriorg, Merivalija and to the sandy beach at Pirita where you will see the ruins of St. Bridget’s Convent. Take a stroll along the streets of the Old Town and see the beautiful medieval churches and houses up close. The day will end with a dinner of traditional Estonian cuisine at one of the city’s quaint central restaurants.
DAY 3
Visit the open-air Museum at Rocca al Mare where you will see examples of rural architecture brought here from different corners of the country, including its islands. Historic farmhouses and other buildings are arranged into about a dozen farmsteads representing different ethnographic regions of Estonia. Upon return to the city, tour the Museum of Estonian History. Housed in a 15th century building, which is an attraction in itself, this museum covers mostly the country’s earliest history. Complete your tour with a visit to the Museum of Energy where you will learn about the history of energy production from the 13th century to present day. In late afternoon, depart by coach for St. Petersburg. Arrive in St. Petersburg late in the evening and transfer to hotel.
DAY 4
Take a sightseeing tour of the city, which includes major sites such as the Bronze Horseman, the Spirit of Basil Island, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Cathedral of the Spilled Blood. You will have a chance to go into one of St. Petersburg’s landmarks – St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the city from its colonnade. Complete your tour with a visit to the famous bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
DAY 5
A full-day tour will take you to two of the city’s most popular palaces – the Peterhoff (Peter the Great’s summer palace) with its world-famous gilded fountains reaching down from the Grand Palace to the Baltic Sea, and Catherine’s Palace in the town of Tsarskoye Selo. At the end of the day, enjoy a farewell dinner and a folklore show in one of the city’s historic palaces.
DAY 6
In the morning tour the world-famous Hermitage Museum in the ornate Winter Palace and learn about the countless treasures housed here. This afternoon you will say good-bye to Russia and take a first-class train for the capital of Finland, Helsinki. Arrive in Helsinki and check into a hotel near the train station, in the city center.
DAY 7
The day is free to explore the city on your own. After this day, you may continue on a tour of Europe or take a flight back home.
Europe By Rail
Train travel is the most convenient and easy way of getting around Europe, especially if you are visiting smaller towns not serviced by airlines. You get to see diverse landscapes that change from country to country, and observe everyday life in the cities, small and big, as well as the countryside.
Those of you who are planning to continue touring around Europe by train will find useful information and will be able to make train reservations on the Rail Europe website: www.raileurope.com.
