I have just returned from 7 days on Riviera’s Charms of the Baltic Signature Tour to Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga. A part of the world I had never visited but will certainly visit again. The Baltic region is full of history, vibrant capital cities and medieval towns.
We started off in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, an area made up of 300 islands sitting on the Gulf of Finland, and it certainly didn't disappoint.
Finland boasts being the happiest country in the world and I'm told their culture of saunas contributes to this. Most houses have a sauna, and they say this promotes wellbeing. There are several saunas on the waterfront and, if you're brave enough, you can cool off with a plunge in the Baltic Sea.
What I hadn't known was the history of Finland and how it belonged to Sweden, then Russia, only getting its independence from Russia after the Russian Revolution. There was a starkness to the architecture, reminding me of Eastern Europe, with a Russian Orthodox church and a stunning Lutheran cathedral.
Our morning tour took in many more highlights, including a visit to the Sibelius Monument in the park and the stunning library voted best in the world.
The waterfront area was very bustling, with food markets and market stalls. A very orderly city, feeling very safe.
One of the main tourist attractions is a visit to Suomenlinna Island, the Gibraltar of the North, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A fortress founded by Sweden in the 1700s, a short 20-minute ferry ride from the main waterfront area. This fortress was surrendered to Russia and became a naval base.
Now this is a museum and one of the most popular places to visit in Finland. As well as exploring the four bastions, it's got cobbled streets, restaurants, cafés and local artists’ workshops. A lovely place to go for a picnic.
What was very different at this time of year was the 19 hours of daylight. Great if you are a night owl.
There is a very frequent ferry service from Helsinki to Sweden and Tallinn, and from here we got the ferry to Tallinn in Estonia.
Tallinn was a real gem. The old town was like a page from a fairy tale. Again, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A lower walled old town with cobbled streets and a huge town square with restaurants, a medieval town hall and a pharmacy which dates back to the 14th century and is Europe’s oldest, full of churches and cathedrals, and the upper town with spectacular viewing points and an impressive Russian Orthodox cathedral.
A real fairy-tale city that must be stunning at Christmas. Easy to walk around and with a great tram service. It has a beach and a long coastal promenade.
One of the main tours to do in Tallinn is to visit Kadriorg Palace. This is an 18th-century Baroque-style palace Czar Peter the Great gifted to his wife Catherine as a summer palace. This is now a world-class art museum and hosts beautiful gardens.
Again, I didn't realise the Russian influence and Estonia only got its independence in 1991.
We continued our tour with a coach ride to Riga, the capital of Latvia, going via the university town of Tartu. Riga is the largest Baltic city. It was very cosmopolitan with beautiful gardens and canals.
This had a beautiful old town with Gothic churches and cobblestone streets. Again, this area is a UNESCO site alongside the Central Market inside old Zeppelin hangars.
Lots of beautiful restaurants in the medieval buildings in the square and a very lively social scene in the evenings. This is another country that only got independence in the 90s.
There appeared to be a general theme throughout the three cities that they all value their independence and how strategic the Baltic Sea is, especially in this current climate.
This Riviera Signature Tour showcased the best these cities have to offer, with excellent guides, and a real highlight was the included restaurants. (Sword fights are optional!)
These cities you can easily visit individually for a few nights, especially at Christmas time.
Thanks to Riviera Travel for opening my eyes to what the Baltics have to offer.
Want to find out more about visiting the Baltics? Visit me at Miles Morgan Travel, Abergavenny. Phone: 01873 566028 Email: [email protected]
