Great Baltic Cities 5-Star Cruise

Gdańsk (Danzig in German) is a port city on the Baltic coast of Poland. At the center of its Main Town, reconstructed after WWII, are the colorful facades of Long Market, now home to shops and restaurants. Nearby is Neptune Fountain, a 17th-century symbol of the city topped by a bronze statue of the sea god. Gdańsk is also a center for the world’s amber trade; boutiques throughout the city sell the ossified resin.

As Lithuania’s oldest city, Klaipeda dates back to the 7th century and there is history crammed into every nook and cranny of the city. Much of the historic centre does not exist anymore, although the Prussian influences are still clearly visible throughout the city especially in the town square and adjoining streets.

Rīga is the largest, liveliest and most cosmopolitan of the Baltic capitals. A heady mixture of the medieval and the contemporary, the city has much to offer architecture and history enthusiasts in the narrow cobbled streets of Old Rīga and the wide boulevards of the New Town, where beautiful examples of Art Nouveau architecture line Strēlnieku iela and Alberta iela.

With its cobbled streets, narrow lanes and hidden courtyards, it gives the impression of stepping back in time. To the east, Old Rīga is bordered by Bastejkalns Park, beyond which lies the New Town. Built during rapid urban expansion between 1857 and 1914, its wide boulevards are lined with four- and five-storey apartment buildings, many decorated with extravagant Art Nouveau motifs. If you want to see the city unfold before you, with its melange of church domes, vast parks, ribbon of river and squat Soviet creations, follow the urban throng to Šķūņu iela to St Peter’s Church, a large red-brick structure with a graceful three-tiered spire; climb the tower for excellent panoramic views.

From the doors of St Peter’s Church, Rātslaukums (Town Hall Square) is straight ahead and dominated by the House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams), whose facade is an opulent masterpiece of Gothic architecture and which once served as the headquarters of Rīga’s bachelor merchants, who adopted the North African, non-white St Maurice as their patron (hence the name “Blackheads”).

Tallinn, Estonia’s compact, buzzing capital, with its enchanting heart surrounded by medieval walls, has been shaped by nearly a millennium of outside influence.

Raekoja plats, the cobbled market square at the heart of the Old Town, is as old as the city itself. On its southern side stands the fifteenth-century Town Hall (Raekoda), boasting elegant Gothic arches at ground level, and a delicate steeple at its northern end.

Near the summit of the steeple, Vana Toomas, a sixteenth-century weather vane depicting a medieval town guard, is Tallinn’s city emblem. The well-labelled and informative museum inside the cellar hall depicts Tallinn town life through the ages, and there is a good view from the belfry. For an even better view of the town square, climb the spiral staircase of the Town Hall Tower.

The fourteenth-century Church of the Holy Ghost (Puhä Vaimu kirik) on Pühavaimu is the city’s oldest church, a small Gothic building with stuccoed limestone walls, stepped gables, a carved wooden interior, a tall, verdigris-coated spire and an ornate clock from 1680 – the oldest in Tallinn.

Contrasting sharply is the late Gothic St Nicholas’s Church (Niguliste kirik), south-west of Raekoja plats. It now serves as a museum of church art, including medieval burial stones and the haunting Danse Macabre (“Dance With Death”) by Bernt Notke.

Perhaps their country’s harsh climate encouraged the Finns’ love and respect for design and the arts. Whatever the cause, there’s no denying that Helsinki is one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in Scandinavia. Hailed as the “Daughter of the Baltic,” Finland’s capital is a city of graceful neoclassical buildings, striking modern architecture and spacious boulevards dotted with squares and parks. In the past century, Finland has nurtured some of the major creative talents of Western culture, from the composer Sibelius to architects Eliel & Eero Saarinen and Alvar Aalto.

The centre of Finnish commerce and culture, Helsinki is home to some 616.000 people. Much of the city’s neoclassical architecture dates from the period of Tsarist rule, which began in 1809 after political control of Finland passed from Sweden to Russia, Finland gained its independence in 1917.

When your cruise ship pulls into this small Swedish port, you’ll be greeted by ferries transporting travellers to Gotland island. Nynashman hosts a harbour party each summer where boaters and travellers alike flock. The small and laidback town offers picture-taking opportunties from the surrounding scenic nature and of course, the Baltic Sea.

Beautiful Visby is a stunning sight as you sail into Gotland, its Cathedral, stone building rooftops and the old city wall are the ports stunning backdrop. Just a short walk from the ship, you can follow the old city wall round to the original entrance into the city, dating back to the 12th Century, much of the original town has survived, and wandering its UNESCO World Heritage streets is the perfect way to spend your day on shore.

Following your departure from the Sapphire Princess, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight home to Dublin.