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Great Rail Journeys · Escorted group tour

Highlights of the Baltics & Scandinavia

16-day escorted rail journey from London through Scandinavia and the Baltic capitals.

Illustration of Highlights of the Baltics & Scandinavia

Great Rail Journeys' 16-day Highlights of the Baltics & Scandinavia is an escorted group tour from London through six countries via rail, coach, and ferry. You travel Eurostar Plus from London St Pancras to Brussels, then First Class rail through Cologne and Bremen to Copenhagen, where a guided tour includes the Nyhavn Canal by boat and Amalienborg Palace. The route continues north by high-speed rail to Stockholm for three nights, crossing the Øresund Bridge into Sweden and passing forests and lakes. A short flight carries the group over the Baltic Sea to Riga, where a three-hour guided tour reveals the 13th-century cathedral, House of the Black Heads, and medieval architecture. Coach travel along the Gulf of Riga leads to Tallinn's cobblestone streets, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and the oldest surviving town hall in northern Europe. A morning ferry crosses the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki, where the guided tour showcases Senate Square, the rock church, and the 1952 Olympic Stadium.

What to know before you look closer

  • The tour offers two return options: a flight from Helsinki to London on day 13 (13-day duration) or an overnight ferry from Tallinn to Travemünde plus rail back to London (full 16 days). Confirm which suits you before booking.
  • The single-room supplement is GBP 1,000 above the price of half a double room, a significant premium.
  • Group size can reach 40 travellers; confirm your departure date's expected group size with Great Rail Journeys.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Bremen

    By rail from London to Bremen

    Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar in Plus class to Brussels, enjoying a light meal at your seats. Continue by First Class rail via Cologne to Bremen, an attractive Hanseatic city on the banks of the Weser. Check in to the four-star hotel opposite Burgerpark and Holler Lake. Dinner together in the hotel's restaurant.

    Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner

  2. Day 2railovernight: Copenhagen

    To Copenhagen by high-speed rail

    Travel by train via Hamburg to Copenhagen, crossing the Kiel Canal via the Rendsburg High Bridge and passing through historic Odense. Arrive in Copenhagen and check in to the four-star hotel overlooking the city hall near Tivoli Gardens. Three-course dinner at a nearby restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  3. Day 3overnight: Copenhagen

    Discovering the delights of the Danish capital

    Guided tour of Copenhagen including Amalienborg Palace, the Little Mermaid statue, and a cruise along the Nyhavn Canal. Lunch features traditional Danish smørrebrød. Evening free to explore Copenhagen's restaurants.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  4. Day 4overnight: Stockholm

    Copenhagen to Stockholm via the Øresund Bridge

    Cross the iconic Øresund Bridge into Sweden, travelling through scenic landscapes of red wooden houses, boreal forests and lakes. Arrive in Stockholm and check in to the centrally located four-star hotel for three nights. Dinner in the hotel's restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  5. Day 5overnight: Stockholm

    Uncovering the old-world beauty of Stockholm

    Guided coach tour of Stockholm including the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, the medieval Old Town streets, and Stockholm's City Hall where the Nobel Prize ceremony is held. Free time for lunch and the afternoon/evening.

    Meals: Breakfast

  6. Day 6overnight: Stockholm

    Day at leisure in cultural Stockholm

    Free day to explore Stockholm at your own pace. Options include Fotografiska, the Viking Museum, Vasa Museum, Skansen open-air museum, the ABBA Museum, or the Stockholm metro art gallery. Dinner independently.

    Meals: Breakfast

  7. Day 7overnight: Riga

    Across the Baltic Sea to Riga

    Transfer to the airport for a short flight over the Baltic Sea to Latvia. Check in to the four-star hotel in Riga's Old Town. Free time to explore the park, national art gallery, natural history museum and the Freedom Monument. Dinner at the landmark hotel.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  8. Day 8overnight: Riga

    Stepping into history on a tour of Old Riga

    Three-hour coach tour of Riga's Old Town including the House of the Black Heads, the town hall square, the Three Brothers medieval buildings, and entry to Riga's 13th-century cathedral. Free afternoon to explore Art Nouveau architecture on Albert Street.

    Meals: Breakfast

  9. Day 9overnight: Tallinn

    Along the Gulf of Riga to Estonia's charming capital

    Travel by coach along the Gulf of Riga into Estonia. Guided sightseeing tour of Tallinn including the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Toompea hilltop district, St Mary's Cathedral (Dome Church), the oldest surviving town hall in northern Europe, and the House of the Black Heads. Dinner in the hotel's restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  10. Day 10overnight: Tallinn

    Discovering the medieval sights of Tallinn

    Free day to explore Tallinn's cobblestone streets, hidden alleys of Master's Courtyard and Katariina käik, the Niguliste art museum, and Kiek in de Kök tower with the Bastion Tunnels. Dinner independently, with the option to try the medieval Olde Hansa restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast

  11. Day 11overnight: Helsinki

    Ferry across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki

    Board a morning ferry across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki. Guided coach tour of Helsinki including Senate Square, the green-domed cathedral, the 1952 Olympic Stadium, Helsinki University Library, the national opera house, the Sibelius monument, and the Temppeliaukio rock church. Check in to the central four-star hotel. Dinner in the on-site restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  12. Day 12overnight: Helsinki

    Free time to explore Helsinki

    Free day to explore Helsinki's archipelago and islands. Options include the UNESCO World Heritage Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress, the Uspenski Cathedral in Katajanokka, the Allas sea pool, and the icebreaker fleet. Wide range of dining options from market halls to Michelin-starred restaurants.

    Meals: Breakfast

  13. Day 13railovernight: Baltic Sea (ferry) or London (fly option)

    Overnight ferry to Germany, or flight back to London

    Leisurely morning in Helsinki. Fly-home option: transfer to Helsinki airport for a flight back to London Heathrow, arriving early evening (13-day tour ends here). Rail-return option: transfer to the ferry terminal for an overnight ferry crossing to Travemünde, Germany, with ensuite cabins, lunch and dinner on board.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  14. Day 14overnight: Lübeck

    Arrival in Travemünde and a night in historic Lübeck

    Enjoy brunch on board as the ferry crosses the Baltic Sea. Disembark in Travemünde this evening after dinner aboard and transfer to the five-star hotel overlooking Lübeck's Old Town mercantile houses.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  15. Day 15railovernight: Cologne

    Inland to the Rhine by rail

    Leisurely morning to explore Lübeck's UNESCO-listed centre, including the Holsten Gate and the Salzspeicher storehouses. Around noon, transfer by coach to Hamburg, then board First Class rail to Cologne. Final dinner together in the hotel.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  16. Day 16rail

    Homeward bound

    Transfer to Cologne station for a morning First Class train to Brussels. Change to Eurostar Plus class for the return to London St Pancras, with a light meal en route.

    Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Board Eurostar Plus class from London St Pancras to Brussels, with light meal at your seat, then continue First Class rail through Cologne to Bremen on the Weser.
  • Day 3Guided tour of Copenhagen's Amalienborg Palace, the Little Mermaid statue, and a cruise along the Nyhavn Canal, with lunch of traditional Danish smørrebrød.
  • Day 4Cross the Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen into Sweden, travelling through red wooden houses, boreal forests, and lakes to Stockholm.
  • Day 5Guided coach tour of Stockholm's Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, medieval old town streets, and City Hall where the Nobel Prize ceremony is held.
  • Day 11Ferry across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki and guided tour of Senate Square, the green-domed cathedral, the 1952 Olympic Stadium, and the Temppeliaukio rock church.

Included

  • Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 12 nights' 4 & 5-star hotel accommodation
  • Eurostar Plus class travel
  • First & Standard Class rail travel
  • All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
  • All rail, ferry and coach travel throughout the tour (rail return option)
  • Flight from Helsinki to London Heathrow (fly home option)
  • All internal flights
  • Eurostar light meal
  • Breakfast each day
  • 1 lunch
  • 6 dinners
  • Group luggage transfers between hotels from Copenhagen to Stockholm
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included in the price?
Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes Eurostar Plus class, First and Standard Class rail throughout the tour, all internal flights, the ferry crossings, and coach transfers.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
It is escorted. A UK Tour Manager accompanies you from London through the end of the tour, overseeing all logistics and guiding sightseeing.
Which trains are used?
Eurostar (Plus class, London to Brussels and return), high-speed rail (Brussels to Bremen via Cologne, First Class; Bremen to Copenhagen, Standard), standard rail (Copenhagen to Stockholm via Øresund Bridge, Standard), and First Class rail (Hamburg to Cologne, Cologne to Brussels, and the return Brussels to London leg).
How many nights does the tour run, and can I take the flight option instead of the ferry?
The full tour is 16 days and 15 nights. On day 13 in Helsinki, you may choose to fly back to London Heathrow (tour ends, 13 days total) or take the overnight ferry to Travemünde and complete the 16-day rail return.
What hotels are included?
Four-star hotels in Bremen (Maritim), Copenhagen (Scandic Copenhagen), Stockholm (Scandic Continental), Riga (Radisson Blu Latvija), Tallinn (Radisson Blu), and Helsinki (Radisson Blu Aleksanteri), plus a five-star Radisson Blu Senator in Lübeck and a hotel in Cologne. All are 4 or 5-star except where not named explicitly.
What meals are included?
Great Rail Journeys includes breakfast each day, one lunch (smørrebrød in Copenhagen on day 3), Eurostar light meals, and six dinners in hotel restaurants or partner venues. Other meals are independent.

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