Cruise Deals: Explore the Baltic Nations

Curious holidaymakers and those who really like value for money should consider booking cruise deals. Among the most popular cruises are those to the Baltic nations of northern Europe which include a number of well known capital cities. Belgium, Amsterdam, Russia and Sweden all play host to Baltic cruises as well as Denmark, Finland and Estonia. The picturesque city of St Petersburg in Russia is one of the most popular destinations on a Baltic cruise because of the city’s grand past which has left a myriad of interesting cultural attractions.



As the capital of Tsarist Russia St Petersburg has enjoyed unrivalled wealth in the past and is home to some of Russia’s most famous landmarks. The coloured domes that top the Church on spilled blood are probably the most famous of Russia’s sites, featuring prominently on news coverage of national parades and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Built in 1881 the church commemorates the death of Alexander II who was assassinated on the spot where it was later built. St Isaac’s cathedral is another of St Petersburg’s famous churches and bears an uncanny resemblance to St Paul’s in London and the Pantheon in Paris.

Cheap cruise passengers with a taste for art should head to the hermitage, a collection of grand buildings that play host to some of Russia and the world’s cultural heritage. Holidaymakers can see unrivalled art collections that were built up by Russian Tsars over the ages and tour some of the grand palaces that helped ferment the Bolshevik revolution. There are the palaces that make up the hermitage and its surroundings or opulent residences like Peterhof, which like many European palaces was built to resemble or even rival the opulence of Versailles. With a grand cascade of 37 bronze statues and 64 fountains the palace goes some way towards being Europe’s grandest stately home.



Stockholm and Copenhagen are two other popular cruise destinations for those on Baltic cruises. The Swedish capital Stockholm oozes charm and makes for a great place to visit during the summer or winter months. One of the first things holidaymakers will notice is the city’s cleanliness and how modern, clean and ornate the subway system is. Stockholm really is a showcase for Scandinavia’s relatively Utopian image. Holidaymakers visiting Copenhagen as part of their cruise packages will find that the Danish capital is also clean, modest and welcoming. Having grown from a harbour town that has existed for a millennium Copenhagen is a very historic and picturesque destination.



Closer to British shores holidaymakers will stop off in the cities of Buges and Amsterdam. The Dutch capital is a famous party town, notorious for being liberal enough to allow marijuana and prostitution. The city’s famous red led district is a bit seedy at night but during the day it is full of curious holidaymakers and giggling couples wandering in and out of the areas shops. Bruges in Belgium is less about hedonism and more for those who have a real appreciation of history. The beautiful historic city centre has even been named as a UNESCO world heritage site.