Stockholm to St Petersburg a Baltic Journey
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STOCKHOLM TO ST PETERSBURG A BALTIC JOURNEY AUGUST 26 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 TOUR LEADER: ROBERT VEEL STOCKHOLM TO Overview ST PETERSBURG A BALTIC JOURNEY We are delighted to present this new itinerary, exploring the eastern Baltic in depth from the days of the medieval Hanseatic trade network to the Tour dates: August 26 – September 11, 2019 centuries of struggle for dominance between Sweden and Russia and the modern era, where forward-thinking societies were forged from revolution Tour leader: Robert Veel and the rejection of a colonial past. The impact of these diverse cultural and historic forces is often to be seen in the distinctive art, architecture, Tour Price: $11,345 per person, twin share music and design of the Baltic – in fact, it’s is hard to think of a destination where the arts have played such an explicit role in actively creating, rather Single Supplement: $2,690 for sole use of than simply reflecting, the broader culture. Nordic sensibility can be found double room everywhere, from the stirring tunes of Tchaikovsky, to the National Romantic art and architecture of Finland, to the principles of modern Booking deposit: $500 per person Swedish furniture design. Recommended airline: Emirates, Qatar & The Baltic Sea itself plays a key role, creating a route for trade and Finnair cultural exchange, and the itinerary includes two crossings of this waterway as well as visits to maritime museums and naval sites. We have Maximum places: 20 also taken the somewhat romantic option of arriving in St Petersburg by train. All the countries we visit have a strong musical tradition and we will Itinerary: Stockholm (3), Ferry (1), Riga (2), include at least two performances in the final program. Background talks Tallinn (2), Helsinki (4), St Petersburg (4) on tour will provide context for the sites we visit on walking tours, gallery visits and driving routes. Accommodation is in carefully selected and Date published: January 15, 2019 centrally-located hotels, several of them historical properties. Dr Matthew Dal Santo will join the tour in St Petersburg and provide his expertise on Russian History. Your tour leaders Robert Veel has a BA and MEd from the University of Sydney, where he taught for many years before becoming a founding director of Academy Travel. Since 1990 Robert has designed and led more than 50 tours to Europe, the United States and Asia, including tours to Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. “Robert is a true gentleman and a delight to have as our tour leader. His knowledge of the places visited definitely added greatly to the pleasure of the tour.” – Feedback from Robert’s Lakes & Villas of Northern Italy tour, April 2018. Dr Matthew dal Santo’s Honours thesis at the University of Sydney won the University Medal Enquiries and in 2004, while his Ph.D from Cambridge University saw him elected as a Fellow of bookings Trinity College in 2007. He is an expert on modern Russia, contributing to the ABC, the For further information and to Lowy Institute and other important secure a place on this tour organisations. please contact Jamal Fairbrother at Academy “Matthew’s interest in Russia and his knowledge of the history Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 and politics were inspirational. We learnt so much and we feel very 639 699 (outside Sydney) privileged to have participated in this tour.” – Feedback from Matthew’s St or email Petersburg & Moscow tour, September 2017. [email protected] Tour Highlights THE VASA MUSEUM The Vasa is one of the world’s best-preserved 17th-century warships, built by the King of Sweden to protect his Baltic possessions against Russia. It is exceptionally well preserved because it sank in Stockholm harbour, just 1,300 metres into its maiden voyage! The Vasa Museum is a must see, for the ship itself and the bigger picture of Baltic maritime history. ART NOUVEAU RIGA Riga has the highest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in the world, resulting from the city’s extraordinary growth at beginning of the 20th century, when it became the third largest city on the Baltic. The shift in styles in this period itself tells the history of Riga, from an early Russian- influenced style through to an independent style inspired by Finnish National Romanticism. MEDIEVAL TALLINN Tallinn is one of the few cities in the region to have preserved its medieval city walls. They were built in the 13th and 14th centuries, when the city was a key port in the Hanseatic League – a trade association that almost monopolised Baltic trade. Today the round, red-turreted towers offer beautiful views across the UNESCO World Heritage-listed medieval centre. ALVAR AALTO Few architects have achieved as much as Alvar Aalto, whose careful control of materials, volumes and light defined mid-century modernism. Helsinki is far and away the best place to explore the full range of his work from great public buildings such as Olympic Stadium and Finlandia Hall, through to his house and studio in a quiet leafy suburb. PETER THE GREAT’S CITY Russia’s moment of arrival as a European power is perfectly captured in the palaces of St Petersburg. These elegant, expansive neoclassical monuments express the calm, understated confidence of a super power and quickly became the Imperial style, as in Helsinki’s Presidential Palace, designed by Engel as the residence of the Russian Grand Duke of Finland. Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D. Tour start & finish time The tour begins at 4.00pm in Stockholm on Monday 26 August, at the Eden Park Hotel. The tour ends after breakfast in St Petersburg on Wednesday 11 September, at the Angleterre Hotel. Monday August 26 Arrive Stockholm Flights from Australia arrive at various times during the day. In the afternoon there will be a brief orientation tour of the area near our hotel. This evening we gather in the hotel for a light Above: The Stockholm archipelago, comprising thousands of islands dinner. (D) Below: An elaborate gold necklace, c300BCE, in the Stockholm History Museum; and Uppsala’s medieval Cathedral Tuesday August 27 Viking heritage and the city After a morning talk we stroll through the elegant Östermalm neighbourhood, admiring the many examples of early 20th century architecture and visiting the food hall. At the Swedish History Museum a museum guide shows us the jaw-dropping gold collection, with pieces dating back to 2,000BCE and including many Viking-era pieces. There is then time to visit the fine medieval galleries before a break for lunch. This afternoon we take a short boat cruise through some of the islands that comprise the Stockholm Archipelago, followed by an optional stroll through Stockholm’s oldest neighbourhood, the Gamla Stan. This evening we visit a local restaurant for our welcome dinner. (B, D) Wednesday August 28 Modern art and an ancient ship We visit Stockholm’s Moderna Museet, one of the world’s finest collections of 20th century painting. There is also an engaging architecture and design museum next door. We then take the tram to to Djurgården island. After a simple lunch in the Waldermarsudde estate, we visit the Vasa Museum. The centrepiece is the 64-gun warship Vasa, which sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was amazingly recovered in 1961, almost intact. Built at the height of Sweden’s naval power, she has become a symbol of Sweden’s Golden Age. You may also like to call in at the adjacent Nordiska Museet, a social history museum housed in a vast early 20th-century edifice. (B, L) Thursday August 29 Uppsala – ferry to Riga The university town of Uppsala, and hour north of Stockholm, is Sweden’s spiritual and intellectual heartland. Today’s excursion takes us to old Uppsala, with its Viking sites and then to the fine medieval cathedral, burial place of Swedish kings. We then call in at the Gustavianum, a museum on the campus of ancient Uppsala University. After a lunch break there is time to visit the 18th century botanical garden established by renowned Swedish botanist Carl Linneus. In the mid-afternoon we transfer to Stockholm ferry terminal for our 5.00pm departure for Riga.The first few hours of the crossing take us through the stunning landscape of the Stockholm archipelago. We have dinner on board. Accommodation is in comfortable A-Grade outside cabins. (B, D) Friday August 30 20th century Riga This morning there is a talk on our ferry before our 11am arrival in Riga. The principal city of the Baltic States has a 1,000-year history encompassing the Hanseatic merchants and a centuries long struggle for independence. On arrival we visit some key monuments in the city then stroll through the elegant district of Art Nouveau architecture just north of the old city. In the early afternoon we visit the National Art Museum, housed in a beautifully restored building. We then proceed to our hotel, with the later afternoon free. There is dinner in a local restaurant. (B, D) Saturday August 31 The old city This morning our local guide shows us the old town, crammed with historic buildings and winding laneways. We then continue to the vibrant city markets, housed in former WWII Zeppelin hangers. Nearby is a soviet-era district, still home to Riga’s sizable Russian population. This afternoon is free, but you might like to join the tour leader on an optional visit to the Riga Motor Museum, a delightful collection containing over 100 antique vehicles, including a priceless collection from the Soviet era. If Above: We travel by ferry across the Baltic from Stockholm to Riga, cars are not your thing, then there are galleries and other then Tallinn to Helsinki; and the Lutheran Cathedral in Riga, one of museums to explore in the old town.