Day 3 MAINLAND
U.S.A.
/
COPENHAGEN
,
DENMARK
We transfer to the airport for our flight to
Copenhagen
. This is the time to check out the Duty Free store.
Day 4
COPENHAGEN
,
DENMARK
After arriving in
Copenhagen
, time to rest or start exploring
Denmark
’s capital. Mingle with the locals along the pedestrian shopping mall or visit a museum. This evening meet your traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.
Day 5
COPENHAGEN
Full breakfast. Our sightseeing with a local guide features the
Church
of
Our Savior
and the Stock Exchange. Visit the lavish ROYAL RECEPTION ROOMS IN
Chris
tiansborg Palace and shoot your pictures of
Amalienborg
Palace
and of the wistful LITTLE MERMAID. Tonight visit
TIVOLI
GARDENS
, the city’s colorful amusement park with its smorgasborg of restaurants. Don’t stop at the first one you see, do the grand circle before deciding where to eat.
Day 6
COPENHAGEN
/
STOCKHOLM
,
SWEDEN
Full breakfast. From
Elsinore
beneath Hamlet’s
Kronborg
Castle
take a FERRY to
Helsingborg
, a wonderful experience on a “small cruise ship” with numerous restaurants, shopping and gambling activities available. Drive through the Swedish Lake District past industrial towns like
Linkoping
, Saab headquarters, on your way to
Stockholm
.
Day 7
STOCKHOLM
/ NIGHT FERRY TO
FINLAND
Full breakfast.
Stockholm
is settled on 14 islands between
Lake
Malar
and the Baltic. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the
Royal
Palace
,
Riddarholm
Church
, and the blue and gold chambers in the CITY HALL, where the annual Nobel Prize banquet is held. In the late afternoon, board your ship for the overnight BALTIC SEA CRUISE to
Finland
.
Day 8
HELSINKI
Full breakfast. After breakfast, you will visit the City Hall and Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the grand railroad station, the LUTHERAN CATHEDRAL, the Olympic Stadium, and the
SIBELIUS
MONUMENT
. Stop at the OPEN AIR MARKET. You may be lucky enough to try cloud berries preserves. Dinner included.
Day 9
HELSINKI
/
ST. PETERSBURG
,
RUSSIA
Full breakfast. Along the coast to Hamina and the Russian border. After completing frontier formalities, cross the
Karelian Isthmus
on the way to
St. Petersburg
. Dinner included.
Day 10 ST.
PETERSBURG
Full breakfast. Founded by Peter the Great, construction began in 1703, and the city eventually spread over 100 islands linked by 700 bridges. It suffered severe damage during World War II, when a cruel 900-day siege claimed nearly a million victims. Sightseeing with a Local Guide today shows how the city has been restored to its former splendor. Drive along elegant Nevsky Prospect, admire ST. ISAAC’S CATHEDRAL, and continue to Pushkin, home of Russia’s last czar, and visit magnificent CATHERINE PALACE (if closed, visit PAVLOVSK PALACE instead).
Day 11
ST. PETERSBURG
Full breakfast. Today visit the
Winter
Palace
complex. Formerly the residence of the czars, it now houses the world-famous
HERMITAGE
MUSEUM
with celebrated works by Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, and the major French impressionists. Optional activities available.
Day 12
ST. PETERSBURG
/
NOVGOROD
Full breakfast. Today drive to
Novgorod
. Orientation features the restored Kremlin and venerable churches dating as far back as the 11th century. Lunch and dinner included.
Day 13
NOVGOROD
/ TVER /
MOSCOW
Full breakfast. Through the
Valdai Hills
to Tver on the
Volga
, the “
Mother
River
” of
Russia
, where you can have lunch. Then via Tchaikovsky’s Klin on to
Moscow
. Lunch included.
Day 14
MOSCOW
Full breakfast. Follow your guide to
RED SQUARE
, the center of this 850 year-old city. At its core is the Lenin Mausoleum and St. Basil’s Cathedral. Inside the KREMLIN, a city-within-a-city, admire the medieval towers, cathedrals, and palaces. At the
ARMORY
MUSEUM
see treasures such as Ivan the Terrible’s throne. Also see the Bolshoi Theater, Novodevichy Convent, and enjoy a sweeping, panoramic view from Sparrow Hills. Of course you will also see the Bolshai Theater.
Day 15
MOSCOW
/
SMOLENSK
Full breakfast. Travel via
Borodino
, site of the cruel battle between Napoleon’s Grand Armee and the Russian Army in 1812, to
Smolensk
. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the impressive town walls, the 17th-century USPENSKY CATHEDRAL, and the monument to General Kutuzov, the brilliant strategist who conquered Napoleon’s military genius. Lunch and dinner included.
Day 16
SMOLENSK
/
MINSK
,
BELARUS
Full breakfast. Through
Katyn
Forest
and the White Russian plains to
Minsk
, the Belorussian capital. After lunch enjoy sightseeing with a Local Guide in historic
Minsk
. Post-war architects were give carte-blanche to reconstruct a show-case city: 67% of
Minsk
was destroyed during World War II. Lunch and dinner included.
Day 17
MINSK
/
BREST
/
WARSAW
,
POLAND
Full breakfast. Have lunch in
Brest
, best known for the treaty of Brest-Titovsk, on your way to
Warsaw
,
Poland
’s beautiful capital. Lunch and dinner included.
Day 18
WARSAW
Buffet breakfast. Your guide takes you to the medieval STARE MIASTO (Old Quarter), the 14th century CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN, the
Palace
of
Culture
and Science,
Lazienki
Palace
, and the Marsalkowska residential development. In the HISTORICAL MUSEUM watch a moving film showing the city before and afater wartime destruction. Tonight maybe an optional Polish dinner and polka party?
Day 19
WARSAW
/
POZNAN
/
BERLIN
,
GERMANY
Buffet breakfast. Stop in the river
port
of
Poznan
for a short orientation drive, then on to
Berlin
. Tonight is your chance to sample
Berlin
’s fine restaurants!
Day 20
BERLIN
Buffet breakfast. Sightseeing with a guide in the once divided metropolis includes the Kudamm, the restored Reichstag, monumental Bradenburg Gate, Charlottenburg Palace, the 210 foot Victory Column in vast Tiergarten Park, and a visit to the KAISER WILHELM MEMORIAL CHURCH. Drive along
Unter Den Linden Boulevard
, pass the German State Opera House and, of course, stop for pictures at Checkpoint Charlie. In the afternoon an optional excursion to historic
Potsdam
is available. Tonight a farewell dinner with wine will be served at your hotel. Dinner included.
Day 21
BERLIN
/ CONTINENTAL
U.S.A.
Buffet breakfast. We leave
Berlin
via air to the continental
U.S.A.
and if connecting flight is unavailable, we spend then night at an airport hotel on the mainland.
Day 22 CONTINENTAL
U.S.A.
/
HONOLULU
We depart for our return flight to
Honolulu
.