Must-Sees - Baltic Sea
A Baltic Sea cruise taking in Russia, the Baltic states and Scandinavia provides an opportunity to go back in time to a Europe where royal and imperial families reigned over regions brimming with culture. This historical heritage can still be seen in all the area's major cities.
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The Essentials - Baltic Sea
Before setting off on a Baltic Sea cruise, discover some of the cultural traits of this region, with its blend of both Nordic and Slavic influences. Historic city centres and modern architecture, peaceful countryside and an ultra-connected society: tradition and modernity standing side-by-side.
Read more
Must-Sees - Baltic Sea
A Baltic Sea cruise taking in Russia, the Baltic states and Scandinavia provides an opportunity to go back in time to a Europe where royal and imperial families reigned over regions brimming with culture. This historical heritage can still be seen in all the area's major cities.
Walk around Stockholm's old town - Sweden
Located on Gamla Stan island by the water, Stockholm's old town is made up of typical narrow paved alleyways and buildings. This is the place people come to gauge the pulse of a stunning city as well as to visit its oldest cathedral and, of course, the royal palace. Although you can't go into all the 608 rooms this impressive building contains, you will still be charmed by the royal apartments in Baroque and Rococo style. Nearby, City Hall watches over the Swedish capital like a lighthouse. Each year, it hosts the banquet put on for the Nobel Prize ceremony.
Take in Tallinn's medieval ambiance - Estonia
The Estonian capital is a lovely size and has managed to preserve its remarkable medieval centre. The upper town is also nice to visit with its watchtowers, squares and paved alleyways with old arches and its superb Russian Orthodox church dating from 1900. To continue enjoying your immersion in Tallinn's past, there's nothing better than an Estonian folk performance.
Marvel at Saint Petersburg, "the Venice of the North" - Russia
Saint Petersburg is nicknamed the "Venice of the North" thanks to its many canals. One of the best ways to see the city's numerous palaces and castles (Stroganov, Anitchkov, etc.) that showcase its prosperity in past centuries is to go for a panoramic boat ride. Once back on land, the magic continues with visits to various unmissable landmarks like the splendid Yusupov Palace, St Isaac's Cathedral and the iconic Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood.
Wander around the galleries at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg - Russia
The architecture of the Hermitage building — one of the biggest museums in the world — is itself exceptional. From the outside, the green, white and gold facade, the columns and the huge pediments set the tone. Enter the buildings (Hermitage Theatre, Small Hermitage, Large Hermitage, New Hermitage, Winter Palace and General Staff Building) to find yourself in the lap of luxury, surrounded by magnificent decor. With huge staircases, colonnades, floors decked out in marble or sumptuous parquet, walls decorated with mouldings, gilding, mosaics, bas-reliefs, other paintings and more, almost 1,000 rooms are open to the public covering 66,000 square metres and showcasing over 60,000 works selected from the museum's 3-million-strong collection.
Treat yourself to a tour through Finland's rural past
Although the Finnish capital offers plenty of charms, you can also take a more unusual trip to Seurasaari Island a few kilometres from the city centre. The ethnologist Axel Olai Heikel chose this green area as the site for no fewer than 85 buildings (houses, farms, windmill, cafe and shop). Gathered from all over the country, put back up on the island and authentically decorated, these buildings provide an insight into everyday Finnish life between the 12th century and the start of the 20th century.
Explore Riga on land and on the canals - Latvia
Take a guided boat tour on the Daugava River snaking through Riga to get an initial impression of the city, its tower-filled historic centre, its castle, its landmarks and its parks. If you want more from your visit to the Latvian capital, there's nothing better than walking around the city centre next. Riga Cathedral is worth a detour with its impressive 6,700-pipe organ. In Town Hall Square, St Peter's Church with its bell tower and the House of the Blackheads are worth a visit.
Wander round Copenhagen - Denmark
The best-known thing about Copenhagen tends to be its iconic little mermaid statue. Yet, the Danish capital often surprises visitors. There are lovely walks to be had through the pedestrian city-centre streets with their designer boutiques, art galleries, cafes and tea rooms. The solemn royal Amalienborg Palace, the jubilant Tivoli Gardens and the quiet Nyhavn waterfront confirm that Copenhagen is a multi-faceted and lively city that makes a great stopover destination.
The Essentials - Baltic Sea
Before setting off on a Baltic Sea cruise, discover some of the cultural traits of this region, with its blend of both Nordic and Slavic influences. Historic city centres and modern architecture, peaceful countryside and an ultra-connected society: tradition and modernity standing side-by-side.
Top tips
Dos. In the Baltic countries, whether it's Estonia, Lithuania or Latvia, people represent numbers using only the fingers and not the thumb. "One" is indicated with the index finger, "two" with the middle finger, etc.
Don'ts. In Russia and the Baltic countries, shaking hands with one person on one side of a porch and the other person on the other side is said to bring bad luck, as does the act of remaining standing in a doorway. Both parties must be on the same side of the entrance when greeting each other. In Finland, people never interrupt each other: each person speaks in turn.
Unique features
Along the Baltic coast, whether in Russia, Finland or the Baltic countries, ice bathing is a strongly anchored tradition. Hailed for its beneficial effects on blood circulation and in strengthening the immune system, it's an activity that has to be prepared for properly. In Russia, those who take part in the practice are nicknamed morji (walruses).
Essential phrases
| English | Estonian | Russian | Finnish |
| Hello / Good evening | Tere/ Tere õhtust | Zdrastvouitie / Dobri vietcher | Hyvää huomenta / Hyvää yötä ! |
| Goodbye | Nägemist | Da zvidania | Näkemiin |
| Welcome | Tere tulemast | Dobro pajalovat | Tervetuloa |
| Excuse me / Please | Palun | Izvinitie, pajalousta | Anteeksi |
| Thank you | Aitäh / Suur tänu | Spassiba | Kiitos (paljon) |
| Yes / No | Jah / Ei | Da / niet | Kyllä / ei |
| My name is... | Minu nimi on... | Menia zavout... | Nimeni on... |
Gastronomy
Inhabitants of the Nordic countries, from Canada to Finland, are particularly fond of a small berry that grows in peat bogs close to marshes, especially in Lapland: the cloudberry, or lakka. These small yellow fruits picked in summer and rich in vitamin C are preserved for winter and used to make delicious tarts, jams, cordials and liqueurs.
Myths & legends
Amber, treasure of the Baltic Sea, has inspired many legends. According to traditional stories and tales, these translucent pearls of pine resin symbolise the tears of Jūratė, goddess of the mermaids and fiancée of Potrimpo, god of the sea, and the shards of her underwater amber palace. The goddess incurred the wrath of the gods by falling for the charms of the brave fisherman Kastytis, and to punish her, Perkūnas, the god of thunder and the sky, killed her lover and struck down her palace and Potrimpo chained her to the ruins forever.
In the spotlight
Estonia is one of the most digitally cutting edge countries in the world and also the birthplace of Skype. It even sometimes referred to as E-stonia, which is the nickname that's been given to this little nation that has become a paradise for startups. Having e-resident status in Estonia allows digital entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world to domicile their companies in the country and enjoy the benefits of both an advantageous tax system and access to the European market, all managed remotely. With the exception of marriages, divorces and property purchases, all administrative processes in the country are carried out online and more than 90 percent of the population have electronic ID cards.
Culture
Books. In The Man Who Spoke Snakish (Grove Press Atlantic, 2015), winner of the French prix de l'imaginaire 2014 in the foreign novel category, the Estonian author Andrus Kivirähk evokes the world of the ancestors and casts a discerning eye over the present by immersing the reader in a phantasmagorical universe populated with mythical creatures and featuring dialogues between humans and animals.
Music. The kantele, a kind of traditional five-stringed zither and a national symbol in Finland, though it's also found in Russia and the Baltic countries too, was once used to accompany both the songs of bards and poets and traditional folk dancing. The delicate sounds of this sacred instrument served to intensify the romanticism of the national narrative in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century. The repertoire associated with it has broadened and expanded since its introduction into the school and conservatory curriculums in the 1970s and 80s.
Film. Actor, director and producer Aki Kaurismäki is one of the iconic figures of European arthouse cinema. Influenced by the French New Wave and cinema burlesque, this Finnish artist uses depictions of marginalised or quirky and off-the-wall characters in his films to paint a poetic and melancholic picture of fragile societies. He has shot several films in France, including La Vie de Bohème (1992) and Le Havre (2011). The Man Without a Past (2002) and The Other Side of Hope (2017) were respectively awarded a Grand Prix at Cannes and a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
Facts and figures
24The 24th of June (Saint John's Day) is a special date in the calendar in all the Nordic countries. It is a date on which people celebrate the return of the sun, which stays shining in the sky till midnight at this time of year. It's also an occasion for lighting bonfires and partying long into the night. The shortest nights of the year occur between the 11th June and the beginning of July. Saint Petersburg puts on numerous cultural events during this period to go hand in hand with the general buzz and excitement in the city and take advantage of the particularly unique quality of the light, which renders the famous Beliye Nochi (All Nighters) so sublime.
