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of Changing Tides History CCRUISINGR U I S I N G TTHEH E BalticBaltic SeaSea DEENMARKNMARK ◆ POOLANDLAND ◆ ESSTONIATONIA ◆ ST. PEETERSBURGTERSBURG ◆ FIINLANDNLAND ◆ SWWEDENEDEN FFeaturingeaturing GGuestuest SSpeakerspeakers LEECHCH WAAŁŁEESA˛SA FFormerormer PPresidentresident ooff PPolandoland aandnd SEERGEIRGEI KHHRUSHCHEVRUSHCHEV Son of Nikita Khrushchev JJuneune 8 ––17,17, 22017017 Dear MIT Alumni and Friends, Explore the lands and legacies forged by centuries of Baltic history and hear fi rsthand from a participant in pivotal 20th-century moments—former President of Poland, Lech Wał˛esa—and Sergei Khrushchev, the son of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and attend an enriching lecture by President Wał˛esa, a historic world leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and another by Dr. Khrushchev, a noted author and award-winning scholar, on this unique Baltic Sea voyage. One of the great cruise itineraries of the world, it features six Baltic countries and seven UNESCO World Heritage sites and is scheduled during the best time of year when you can experience the luminous “White Nights” of the summer solstice. Experience the cultural rebirth of the Baltic States and imperial treasures of St. Petersburg, Russia, while cruising aboard the exclusively chartered, Five-Star small ship M.S. LE BORÉAL, which features only 110 deluxe Suites and Staterooms. Immerse yourself in the historic epicenter of the Solidarity movement in Gda´nsk, Poland; enjoy the well-preserved medieval Old Town of Tallinn, Estonia; and spend two days docked in the heart of regal St. Petersburg, with an early-opening tour of the world-acclaimed State Hermitage Museum and visits to the Peter and Paul Fortress and the spectacular czarist palaces at Petrodvorets and Pushkin. Walk amidst the stunning architecture of Helsinki, Finland; and tour the seldom-visited Hanseatic League town of Visby on Sweden’s Gotland Island. Extend your trip with a pre- and post-cruise option in Norway and Sweden. Sharing this program with MIT are alumni from Dartmouth College and members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Smithsonian. The number of cabins available in each category are limited so sign up today! If you have any questions or to make a reservation, please call the MIT Alumni Travel Program at 800-992-6749, or email [email protected]. You may also contact the tour operator, Thomas P. Gohagan & Company, at 800-922-3088. I hope you decide to join us. Sincerely, Melissa Chapman Gresh Director, MIT Alumni Travel Program P.S. Please visit our website at alum.mit.edu/travel for details and updated information on all of our trips. Find us on Facebook at MIT Alumni Travel Program! U.S. Cruising the Baltic Sea Thursday, June 8 Sunday, June 11 Depart the U.S. Spend the day at leisure cruising the Baltic Sea while enjoying a series of enriching Copenhagen, lectures today and throughout the trip, Denmark including Dr. Khrushchev’s presentation. Hanseatic Cog Ship Friday, June 9 This evening, attend the Arrive in Copenhagen, Captain’s Welcome Reception. Denmark’s vibrant world-class capital of great heritage and seafaring traditions, and Tallinn, Estonia embark the Five-Star M.S. LE BORÉAL. Monday, June 12 Having largely escaped the ravages Gda´nsk, Poland/Lech Wał˛esa of World War II, Tallinn’s UNESCO Saturday, June 10 World Heritage-designated Old Town Once a fl ourishing Hanseatic League has remained virtually unchanged for port, today Gda´nsk showcases its glorious 600 years. During the walking tour, architectural heritage in the meticulously restored, elegant patrician mansions featuring late Renaissance and Baroque façades in the Stare Miasto (Old Town). Stroll along the pedestrian-only Droga Królewska (the Royal Route) to see the iconic Neptune’s Fountain and the 14th-century Artus Court, a Gothic guildhall inspired by the ideals of Britain’s legendary King Arthur, which now houses a fascinating collection of Polish artifacts. In 1980, shipyard workers led by Lech Wał˛esa founded the Solidarity movement, the fi rst independent trade Visby’s medieval wall, constructed in the 13th century, union in Eastern Europe and the key stretches two miles in length around the town. factor in winning the Polish struggle against Communism. Visit the historic see Toompea Castle—the seat of Lenin Shipyard, where the movement Estonia’s Parliament—the landmark began, and its Monument to the Fallen Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Shipyard Workers. Enjoy time to explore 13th-century Church of St. Nicholas. Gdan´ sk’s lovely Old Town at your own pace. Visit the medieval Town Hall, the only By special arrangement, meet the intact Gothic-style hall in Northern Europe. leader of the Solidarity movement, former Enjoy time on your own to explore Tallinn’s President of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize Old Town before returning to the ship. Laureate Lech Wał˛esa, on board the ship this evening. Mr. Wał˛esa will discuss his St. Petersburg, Russia perspective on Solidarity, globalization and Tuesday, June 13 progress in the region, with time for Peter the Great founded majestic St. Petersburg questions and answers. in 1703 as his “Window on the West.” Cover photo: Spanning 14 small islands where shimmering Lake Mälaren meets one of the largest archipelagos in the Baltic Sea, Stockholm balances medieval and Renaissance architecture with modern urban design. Photo this page: Peter the Great himself partially engineered the resplendent plexus of waterfalls, fountains and statues that adorn the foreground of the sumptuous Grand Palace at Petrodvorets. NORWAY FINLAND NNærøyærøy RUSSIA FFjordjord FLÅM T ETERSBURG STALHEIM S . P HELSINKI BERGEN MYRDAL OSLO TALLINN STOCKHOLM a e ESTONIA S SWEDEN c i VISBY t l a DENMARK B UNESCO COPENHAGEN World Heritage Site North Cruise Itinerary Train Routing Sea GDA´NSK Air Routing POLAND Pre-Cruise Option Tallinn, a hub of culture and comm the 600-year-old spires and gables After cruising into the heart of the city, show performed in the Nikolaevsky enjoy a specially arranged, early-entry Art Center is offered. guided tour of one of the world’s greatest art repositories, the incomparable St. Petersburg State Hermitage Museum. Former czarist Wednesday, June 14 palace of Catherine the Great and a This morning, visit the imperial compound UNESCO World Heritage site, of Pushkin and Catherine the Great’s its spectacular collections are rivaled elaborate rococo palace, a UNESCO World only by the museum’s lavish interior. Heritage site, highlighted by a special This afternoon’s panoramic tour of visit to the extraordinary Amber Room the historic city center, a UNESCO World which is said to be the “Eighth Wonder Heritage site, features legendary landmarks of the World.” Then, savor a lunch of scattered across more than 100 islands and traditional Russian specialties. linked by more than three times as Enjoy a guided tour of the splendid many bridges. St. Petersburg’s main parklands and extravagant UNESCO thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospekt, showcases World Heritage-designated Grand Palace exquisite examples of Russian Baroque and of Petrodvorets, commissioned by neoclassical architecture. See the ornate Peter the Great to rival the Palace Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood of Versailles. The elaborately landscaped (Church of the Resurrection of Christ), grounds feature magnifi cent formal built on the site of Emperor Alexander II’s gardens and cascading fountains. Return to assassination, and the 19th-century St. Isaac’s St. Petersburg by hydrofoil, skimming Cathedral, with a striking golden dome that over the Gulf of Finland. is one of the glories of the city’s skyline. Visit St. Petersburg’s fi rst building, Helsinki, Finland the Peter and Paul Fortress, constructed to Thursday, June 15 secure the country’s access to the sea, and Helsinki was named the World Design the impressive Baroque Cathedral of Saints Capital in 2012 for its innovative use of Peter and Paul, containing the tombs of design in stimulating an urban environment. 32 czars, from Peter the Great to Nicholas II, Stand on deck as the ship approaches the th the last of the Romanovs. city for the best view of the 18 -century The evening is at leisure. An optional maritime fortress of Suomenlinna, opportunity to attend a Russian folklore a UNESCO World Heritage site. The traditional fi shing boats and colorful edifi ces along Copenhagen’s Nyhavn canal retain the waterfront’s authentic 18th-century maritime character. merce since the Hanseatic League, refl ects its history in St. Petersburg’s Church of the Resurrection of Christ is that defi ne its picturesque skyline. a showcase of neo-medieval Russian architecture. On a panoramic city tour, see the stately Enjoy time at leisure before returning Senate Square and the diplomatic quarter to the ship. This evening, attend the of Kaivopuisto. Visit the modernistic Captain’s Farewell Reception. Temppeliaukio Church, or “Church of the Rock,” impressively hewn out of Stockholm/U.S. natural bedrock. Enjoy free time to explore Saturday, June 17 Helsinki’s lively Market Square before Be on deck as you cruise through the scenic reboarding the ship. Stockholm archipelago, the gateway to Sweden’s magnifi cent “Venice of the North.” Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden Disembark and continue on to explore the Friday, June 16 historic splendor and dramatic beauty of Call at the Baltic island of Gotland, rich Stockholm on the post-cruise option or in Swedish history with abundant ancient depart for the U.S. sites and more than 100 medieval churches. The marvelous Old Town of Visby, the former Baltic center of the Wonders of Norway Bergen ◆ Fjords ◆ Oslo ◆ Copenhagen Hanseatic League, is a UNESCO World By Flåm Mountain Railway and Coastal Ferry Heritage site and arguably the best Pre-Cruise Option preserved medieval city in Scandinavia. $2460 Double occupancy, $3060 Single occupancy On the walking tour of this “city of roses,” Immerse yourself in majestic Norwegian see the 13th-century walls, the original landscapes and traditional Scandinavian culture medieval gates, towers and stone warehouses.