Our journey across the Baltic Sea took us from Copenhagen to Stockholm (pictured above), Tallinn, Saint Petersburg and Helsinki. Additionally, and maybe most gratifyingly, it allowed me to experience the other side of ship life – being a guest. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy it!
Before even reminiscing about all the destinations, I have to say we were spoiled by the amazing crew of the beautiful Serenade of the Seas. I got to see their perspectives bit more and appreciate what goes on behind the scenes. Not everyone is visible, but everyone tries their hardest. Serenade is a gorgeous, classy, old-style ship. There is a nautical air permeating all her venues and corridors. We knew we were going to have a great time, not least because we were meeting up with Sherry’s good friend onboard.
Stockholm, Sweden
Our first stop was Swedish capital, seat of government and host to Nobel prize ceremony, Stockholm. After our sunny week in England, Scandinavia greeted us the same way! That allowed us to explore majority of the city on foot. Since Stockholm stretches across 14 islands, it provided us with views of seafront walkways and bridges, surrounded by gorgeous, colorful parks. Even though we visited the Old Town and the Royal Palace, the most lasting impression was gained in the Vasa Museum.
It is a museum dedicated to the Swedish Navy flagship, “Vasa” which had been built in Stockholm shipyard in 17thcentury. Due to poor stability it sank on its maiden voyage and was lost. The whole story itself would have been impressive enough, had the museum not contained the actual ship, which had been discovered and salvaged in 1961 by an enthusiastic entrepreneur. For over 20 years, “Vasa” has been treated with protective coats and it is still made of 98% original materials. The cooler water and higher salt content of the Baltic Sea had prevented the bacteria in eating the wood and preserved it in cold depths. Incredible details attest to the craftsmanship that covers every inch of this flagship.
Tallinn, Estonia
Second stop of our cruise was Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. This city that combines modern architecture with cobblestoned streets and forts has a rich history. Due to it’s favorable location and the fact it didn’t see much war in its history, Tallinn has been remarkably preserved. Though the old cobblestones were not stroller-friendly, walk inside the fortified walls and forts, was well worth it. By pure luck, we came into the city on Day of Tallinn, May 15, which meant all museums had free admission. We visited the City Museum, which taught us the history of Tallinn, and entire country of Estonia as well.
There were plenty of other museums to explore, but once we heard there was a Children’s Museum, we knew that was our next stop. Situated inside the beautiful Kadriorg Park, it was an instant hit with our Little One. We ended up spending several hours just playing there, as well as strolling around the giant park.
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Third stop was the only city on the cruise that is not a capital, but it had been for two centuries! Saint Petersburg is just breathtaking. The city originated as an ambitious project of Russian Tzar, Peter the Great, who had been mesmerized by the architecture of Amsterdam and Venice. He wanted to combine their grandeur on the Russian soil. Not only he succeeded in a place where there used to be only a swamp, but it became the Imperial capital for the whole duration of Romanov dynasty. When Communists rose to power in 1917, Moscow became the country’s capital, but still Saint Petersburg retains the title of cultural center of Russia. And it’s easy to see why.
The city just breathes art. From spectacular domes of Church of the Spilled Blood to cascading fountains and gold-gilded gardens of Peterhof Palace we barely scratched the surface of its beauty. Home also to Hermitage, the second largest art museum in the world (after the Louvre), no wonder that the whole inner city has been declared UNESCO World Heritage site.
We were required to book a tour, as we couldn’t not just freely explore on our own without Russian visa. Unfortunately that meant we had to choose which sites to explore, but on a positive side, provided us with a guide who bestowed his local knowledge upon us. We ended up choosing to visit downtown area and the Church of the Spilled Blood (pictured left) and did not regret it. Even though it was officially named Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the new moniker remained in use because the Church was built on the site where Russian Emperor, Alexander II, was assassinated. Surrounded by river canals, it’s colored domes looks stunning. But when you enter inside and see all the murals it contains and details on them, you can only marvel. A majestic structure inside and out, and unique city altogether.
Helsinki, Finland
Second to last stop was another very walking-friendly city and Finland’s capital of Helsinki. As the ship’s stay there was shortest, we covered a lot of distance to try to absorb most of the sites it offers, and we absolutely loved the classy feel of the whole city. Maybe Helsinki’s most famous site is the Rock Church, which was, as the name implies, built inside a solid rock. This cavernous, yet incredibly sunny space offers great acoustics. We were again lucky, as there was a pianist performing at the time of our visit, so that added another dimension to our experience. From there, our strolls took us to different parks and squares, most notable the Senate Square. It houses their impressive Helsinki Cathedral and coincidentally enough, a statue of one Alexander II. Yes, the same Russian Emperor assassinated in Saint Petersburg!
Copenhagen, Denmark
Cruise had unfortunately come to an end, but not the trip. We stayed two additional days in yet another capital! Now, Copenhagen is expensive, but luckily there are enough sites and areas to visit that are free of charge. We loved walking the streets of Strøget, lounging in the Botanical and King’s gardens and sightseeing Nyhavn waterfront. It turned out a fitting, relaxing finale to our Scandinavian adventure.
