Prague, Berlin, Scandinavia & St Petersburg Cruise

Day 1 Depart Australia
Today we board our flight to Prague.

Day 2 Prague, Czech Republic
This afternoon we arrive in Prague. After clearing customs, we will be met by our private coach and transferred to the city. We travel to the top of Hradčany, Prague’s Castle District, where we will enjoy stunning panoramic views. We walk past the famous castle guards and into Prague Castle with our guide to learn about the statues and monuments and hear exciting tales of myth and legend. We see St. George’s Basilica, the oldest building still inside the castle today, which dates back to 920AD. We also see the impressive St. Vitus Cathedral, celebrated as one of the finest Gothic buildings in the world, which was begun in the 14th century and finally completed in the 20th.

Day 3 Prague
This morning we will have an overview sightseeing tour. We will pass the Estates Theatre, where Mozart conducted the premiere of his opera Don Giovanni in 1787, then head into the Old Town Square, the medieval heart of Prague, and learn about the city’s thousand year-old history. We will see the beautiful Astronomical Clock and the exquisite Charles Bridge, and visit the elegant Jewish Quarter and Wenceslas Square, the scene of the 1969 Czech Uprising, and 1987 Velvet Revolution. This evening we enjoy an included welcome dinner to celebrate the start of the tour.

Day 4 Dresden, Germany
This morning we travel to Dresden. There are few city silhouettes more striking than Dresden’s. The classic view from the River Elbe’s northern bank takes in spires, towers and domes belonging to palaces, churches and stately buildings; indeed it’s hard to believe that the city was all but wiped off the map by Allied bombings in 1945. Upon arrival we will have a sightseeing tour, which covers all the major highlights in the historic city centre, such as the Theatre Square, The Zwinger, The Royal Palace, the Church of Our Lady, the Royal Cathedral, the Royal Mews and the Procession of Princes. We will learn about the rise of the city to become a major cultural centre before it met its tragic fate during WWII. We visit Dresden’s spectacular Frauenkirche, one of the most remarkable reconstruction projects ever to have taken place in Germany, if not the world. We will then be transferred to our hotel.

Day 5 Berlin, Germany
This morning we travel to Berlin. We will first visit the town of Colditz. On a cliff overlooking this small town is Colditz Castle, famed for its dramatic escape attempts by prisoners of war during WWII. It has stood on this site since the Middle Ages. During WWII it was known as Oflag IV-C, a German abbreviation of “officers’ camp”, a prisoner-of-war camp for high-profile allied officers who had repeatedly escaped from other camps. We will tour the castle, learn the truth behind this notorious camp and see the site of the famous escape attempts. We continue on to Berlin, the capital of Germany. This evening we will enjoy an included dinner.

Day 6 Berlin
This morning we enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city. Berlin is a modern city, which is being revitalized after the many years of communist rule in the city’s East. We explore this exciting city of museums and modern architecture, visiting the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag and much more. The rest of the day will be free.

Day 7 Berlin
Today we travel the short distance to Sanssouci, the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. We will have a tour of the palace and have time to enjoy the vast gardens, including the Sicilian and the Nordic gardens, the Marly Garden (Marlygarten), awash with flowers, blossoming shrubs and statues, is contrasted by the more sombre atmosphere of the Friedensgarten. To the south of Palace Sanssouci lie the Charlottenhof, the Rose Garden, the Dichterhain, the former carp pond and a sculpture of the San Ildefonso Group.

Day 8 Embarkation
Today we travel to the port of Warnemunde to board the Regal Princess for the start of our Baltic cruise to St Petersburg.

Day 9 At sea
A day to enjoy the facilities of the ship. This afternoon test your knowledge with a fun game of The Senior Trivia.

Day 10 Oslo, Norway
This morning we arrive in the city of Oslo, capital of Norway. We will be met by our private coach and have a sightseeing tour of this beautiful city. We will visit the Viking Ship Museum and see ships that are over 1000 years old. We will also see the Thor Heyerdahl’s “Kon Tiki” Museum that contains the raft on which he sailed across the Pacific.

Day 11 Copenhagen, Denmark
We arrive in Copenhagen this morning. Our private coach will take us on a guided tour of this city, home of the world’s oldest monarchy, now with an Australian connection. We will see the Amalienborg Palace, home of the royal family since 1794, which is guarded by its own sentries, and Rosenborg Castle, a 17th-century fortress that houses the crown jewels. We will also see the Radhus, (city hall), Kongens Nytorv, a square surrounded by gracious old buildings, including the Royal Theatre and Charlottenborg, a 17th-century Dutch baroque palace. Of course, a visit to this wonderful city would not be complete without a visit to the Little Mermaid and also to Nyhavn, known for its old sailing ships.

Day 12 At sea
Tour members will be able to enjoy one of the many on-board activities today. This afternoon join fellow group members for a fun game of The Senior Bingo.

Day 13 Stockholm, Sweden
This morning we call in to the very beautiful city of Stockholm, capital of Sweden. We have a full day to explore the city with its rich cultural heritage. The city is surrounded by clear water and unspoiled countryside stretching into the heart of the urban area. Stockholm’s 750-year history has produced many beautiful buildings and cultural treasures. We will have a guided tour of the city, with a local guide, where we will visit the old centre of Stockholm, Gamla Stan, with its Royal Palace and City Hall, the location of the Nobel Prize Award dinner each year. Stockholm is often regarded as the Venice of the North with its many waterways and archipelago to the east. In the afternoon we will visit the Vasa Museum, home to the famous warship which sank on her maiden voyage in 1628.

Day 14 Helsinki, Finland
We have a sightseeing tour of Helsinki, the capital of Finland this morning. We see the modern architecture of the city, the Sibelius Monument and the modern underground Temppeliaukio church, which has been carved straight out of the bedrock. This afternoon we will travel to Porvoo, a charming historic town in the country side just outside of Helsinki. We will enjoy wandering its cobbled streets and seeing its traditional-style shops.

Day 15 St Petersburg, Russia
We will be in for a special treat today exploring beautiful St Petersburg. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as a northern port with an unrestricted passage to the Baltic. Peter the Great was the first Tsar to travel to Europe, returning with many ideas for reforms and different architectural styles. During our guided tour today, we will visit the oldest part of the city: St’s Peter and Paul Cathedral and fortress and the world-famous Hermitage Palace, with its wonderful art collection.

Day 16 St Petersburg
Today we will be visiting two stunning palaces. We begin with the imperial palace at Tsarskoye Selo; the Catherine Palace. Our local guide will show us many of the wonderful rooms including the Amber Room, the Green Dining Room and the Great Hall. There will also be time to see some of the formal gardens that are also a feature of this Palace. We then travel to see the amazing Peterhof Palace, which was built to rival Versailles and sits atop a hill overlooking the Gulf of Finland. Peter the Great drafted the layout for the awe-inspiring 121-hectare park and supervised the design of the palace fountains.

Day 17 Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is known for its medieval city with its cobblestone streets and gingerbread-style houses. We will have a guided visit to the centre where we learn about the history of this fascinating town, from the middle ages to its 1991 independence from the Soviet Union, and how the country is adapting to a western-style economy. During our time exploring Tallinn, we will see the Toompea (the Old Town), the Viru Gate and Raekoja Plats.

Day 18 At sea
Tour members will be able to enjoy one of the many on-board activities today. This afternoon join us for a game of The Senior Scattergories. This evening we will enjoy a farewell drinks party to celebrate our wonderful cruise together.

Day 19 Departure
This morning we arrive back at Warnemunde. After disembarking, we are transferred to Hamburg for our return flights to Australia.

Day 20 In flight

Day 21 Arrival
We arrive in Australia and the tour concludes.