Day 1 : Amsterdam/NETHERLANDS

One of Europe's leading cities, Amsterdam's rings of canals and traditional Dutch architecture are unmistakable. Rich in art, history and culture, Amsterdam is home to the Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank's house, and the Rijksmuseum, which houses many works by Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Day 2 : Hamburg/GERMANY

Hamburg's port on the river Elbe has been busy since medieval times, when it was a cornerstone of the Hanseatic League. It is a graceful city of parks and lakes, and grand old buildings like the Rathaus (City Hall). Brahms and Mendelssohn were born here, and Hans Leip, who wrote Lili Marlene.

Day 3 : Hamburg/GERMANY

Hamburg's port on the river Elbe has been busy since medieval times, when it was a cornerstone of the Hanseatic League. It is a graceful city of parks and lakes, and grand old buildings like the Rathaus (City Hall). Brahms and Mendelssohn were born here, and Hans Leip, who wrote Lili Marlene.

Day 4 : At Sea

Day 4 : At Sea

Day 4 : At Sea

Day 5 : Wismar/GERMANY

Day 6 : Bornholm/DENMARK

Green Bornholm island is a favorite escape for Danes in the summer. The sea is blue, the sun is warm, the fields are bright with flowers, and the island is blessed with picturesque, round, whitewashed churches. On a bluff overlooking the sea: a ruined castle. For lunch, try local smoked herring.

Day 7 :

Baltiysk, Russia

Day 8 : At Sea

Day 9 : Tallinn/ESTONIA

Tallinn is the capital of the recently independent republic of Estonia. In the medieval old town, with its winding cobbled streets, there is a marvelous cathedral and Gothic town hall dating from the 14th Century.

Day 10 : Helsinki/FINLAND

Finland's national capital is a spacious Neoclassical city in fine white granite, whose upbeat pace and fashion sense belie the Finnish reputation for conservatism. The massive Temppeliaukio Church is carved out of solid stone, while on the Esplanadi, famous Finnish designers like Marimekko or Iitala demonstrate a lighter, more modern style.

Day 11 : Mariehamn/FINLAND

Day 12 : Stockholm/SWEDEN

Distributed across fourteen immaculate islands in a sheltered Baltic bay, crisscrossed by scenic bridges, Sweden's capital is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. It is a sightseeing smorgasbord, including the medieval "city between the bridges," the vast Royal Palace, and the City Hall, which hosts the yearly Nobel Prize ceremonies.