Enchantment of Northern Europe

Day 1, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Arrive this morning in Copenhagen, the royal capital of Denmark and one of Europe’s oldest capitals, and transfer to Seven Seas Navigator, your home away from home for the next 11 days. Enjoy a private Cocktail Reception pre-dinner and proceed to one of the great dining venues for dinner onboard the luxurious ocean liner.

Day 2, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Explore Copenhagen on one of the many included shore excursions. Copenhagen was a fishing village until the middle of the 12th century, but then grew in importance after being fortified in 1167. Because of its harbor, it soon became a place of commercial importance. 

Day 3, WARNEMUNDE -BERLIN, GERMANY: Warnemünde is a sea resort and district of Rostock in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and your gateway to nearby Berlin. This morning, disembark the ship and board the coacher your ride to Berlin for our 2-day INCLUDED overland tour of Historic Berlin and Royal Potsdam. Upon reaching Berlin, explore the iconic landmarks of former West Berlin, such as the Keiser Memorial Church, Kurfürstendamm Boulevard, Wittenberg Platz, Victory Column, and Brandenburg Gate. Following a typical German lunch, continue to former East Berlin and visit landmarks such as the Humboldt Forum, Nikolai Quarter and the Berlin Cathedral. Next, have a guided tour of the cupola on the rooftop of the famous Reichstag building and head to the Käfer Restaurant for a refreshment while enjoying the breathtaking views of the city below. Transfer to the hotel and  enjoy a free evening to explore Berlin’s nightlife on own. 

Day 4, BERLIN-POTSDAM-WARNEMUNDE, GERMANY: After breakfast and check-out, begin with a tour to the city of Potsdam and visit Glienicke Palace and  the renowned Glienicker Brücke. This bridge gained significance during the Cold War as the site for exchanging spies between East Germany and West Germany, and was featured in the movie “Bridge of Spies.” Our tour then takes us to St. Nicholas’ Church, the Dutch Quarter, the New Palais, and the Russian Quarter, among others. After lunch, visit the magnificent Sanssouci Palace which served as the residence for various Prussian kings and queens, and re-board the coach for the scenic drive back to the port in Warnemünde.

Day 5, WARNEMUNDE, GERMANY: Today amble through 800 years of maritime history on your INCLUDED guided Rostock walk that also includes a brewery stop and free time for independent exploration.  Sample fresh-brewed German beer along with its ideal accompaniment, a salty pretzel and enjoy the lively harbor and university city along the Warnow River. Your stroll through the city center provides encounters with ancient towers, imposing fortifications, gabled houses from the 15th century and inspiring churches and abbeys, foremost of which is Marienkirche, a true Gothic stunner.

Day 6, CRUISING THE DAY OF FINLAND: Today is a day at leisure to enjoy the amenities of your beautiful ship. Meet your group again for a private piano concert performed by Daniel V. onboard.

Day 7, HELSINKI, FINLAND: Helsinki is Finland’s capital city and an architectural delight. The city is laid out with spacious streets interspersed with many gardens,  parks, and nearby islands which all add to Helsinki’s visual appeal. Beautiful neo classical buildings surround town squares and the cathedral is probably the most recognized of all Helsinki landmarks. Immerse yourself in the life of famed Finnish composer Jean Sibelius by visiting his former residence and enjoying a private concert of his music on an INCLUDED excursion. Sibelius was immensely productive composing more than 300 works in the first 20 years.  See the upstairs study where he wrote and the piano where he tried out his new compositions, meander through the gardens and snack on canapés before continuing on to a nearby auditorium for a concert performed by of several of Sibelius’ masterpieces performed by an award winning  violinist and pianist.

Day 8, HELSINKI, FINLAND: Today, see two of Helsinki’s most avant-garde buildings through the eyes of an architectural historian guide on the INCLUDED excursion. The façade of the Oodi Central Library boasts a striking undulating shape that celebrates Finland having one of the world’s highest literacy rates. But only a third of the library contains books, the rest being devoted to public spaces such as a recording studio, movie theatre, restaurants and top-floor Citizens’ Balcony. The innovative use of steel beams allowed the middle floor to be built without columns for an unobstructed view from one end to the other. The guide will also detail the advanced technologies used to construct the Helsinki Music Centre. In particular, discover how acoustic technician Yasuhisa Toyota designed the main concert hall in a terraced, vineyard style so the audience surrounds the musicians. Much of the interior is underground to prevent the building from towering above the surrounding ones. 

Day 9, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: The “Venice of the North,” spanning 14 small islands at the outflow of Lake Mälar into the Baltic, Stockholm is the largest city in Scandinavia and architecturally one of the finest in the world, with broad streets, waterside parks and many pedestrian walkways. Our INCLUDED Nobel Prize Gala Experience will start with a walk through the atmospheric streets of Old Town where we will stop for lunch that features a menu from a past Nobel Prize gala. Stockholm’s oldest district, known as Gamla Stan, features an abundance of buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries, Europe’s largest royal palace and the city’s narrowest street, which is just two feet wide. While meandering about, you will pass through Stortorget, the great square that serves as Old Town’s hub. Across one of the waterways that divides Stockholm, you will find City Hall, the venue for the Nobel Prize banquet that is held each December. Constructed with 8 million red bricks and topped with three golden crowns, the building is an architectural icon.

Day 10, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: Today we enjoy a day at leisure to further explore Stockholm at our own pace. We will join the group again this evening for our second concert performed by Daniel Vnukowski followed by our Farewell dinner. 

Day 11, STOCKHOLM-DISEMBARKATION: This morning we end our wonderful voyage and we transfer to the airport for our flight home.