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38 maltatoday, TRAVEL SUNDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2013 Shore excursions along the Baltic States and St Petersburg Marthese Bonello from MediaToday was accompanied by her writer and coordinated by SMS Mondial A dramatic changeover in planning our fourth cruise – which set sail on the Brilliance of the Seas earlier last July to the Baltic States and St Petersburg – was to book all the shore excursions with a tour provider that is licensed and reputable. Our choice fell on Orange Travel Group, knowing that our ship will not depart until our private tour bus has arrived. Our decision was also shared by 28 other Maltese passengers with a value added advantage of having Lilian – a feisty and deeply knowledgeable tour leader – topped with luxury 50seater air-conditioned coaches and a local tour guide at each destination. Visiting a port of call on a one-day visit to a foreign place is a whole lot different than spending a week at a resort or in a hotel. You have got a real deadline – that the ship very well may not wait if you get lost and are a few minutes late. Plus, ship terminals are often located outside the main tourist area, and it can be confusing to figure out how to get to the top attractions if you have never been to a port before. So this marked the end of to our independent shore excursions. Our first port of call was Denmark, as we explored the splendid city of Copenhagen – the capital city since 1417. What struck us most is the way the Danish embraced the use of bicycles, modified to carry their toddlers and shopping around a totally flat city. Almost 600 years of history unfolded in a series of architectonic landmarks namely the Christiansborg Castle, the fairytale-like Frederiksberg built on an islet in the middle of a lake, and Copenhagen's famous symbol the diminutive Little Mermaid. The magical fjords, which are narrow inlets with steep cliff-sides formed in valleys carved by glacial activities, bordered by evergreen trees, pebble-dashed with thousands of islands and dotted with pretty towns and quays – planted subliminal vistas in our heads and high ex- Even after seven centuries, the Town Hall still remains the social heart of the city, in the medieval city of Tallinn pectations of Stockholm. We started the tour by taking a view from Kungsholmen Island, where municipal architecture meets early Hollywood – and its tower provides a perfect platform for a panorama of the Stockholm Harbour famous for the foundering of The Vasa, way back in 1628 on its maiden voyage. The ship's remains are housed in the Vasa Museum illustrating this historical event, where for the next 333 years she lay in the harbour's mud until she was salvaged and moved to its museum preserving the Swedish maritime legacy. This city is so attractive and so user-friendly that your feelings about it will juggle between admiration and jealousy. Being here in peak summer, everyone is outdoors, on the waterfront in Kungsholmen – where the view embraces the magnificent city hall, and together with the boats and trees makes this one of the world's most beautiful harbours. There are top reasons for visiting Finland's capital city, Helsinki, from the Lutheran Cathedral to the pretty parks ideal for strolling through on a sunny summer day. This is also the The district of Frederiksberg in Copenhagen,built on an islet in the middle of a lake, gives the impression of being bang in the middle of a fairytale home town of Jean Sibelius, the Finnish musical genius born in 1865. The Temppeliaukio church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city; half a million people visit it annually. The stone-hewn church is located in the heart of Helsinki, maintaining the original character of the square. The idiosyncratic choice of form has made it a favourite with professionals and aficionados of architecture. My better half came for a nobler purpose: to shop at Stockmann. As the Finns say, "if you can't find it at Stockmann, you don't need it!" In the past Aeroflot and its Tupolev aircraft fleet scared us away from visiting Russia. Docking in St Petersburg on a luxury cruise liner opened up an appealing window. This former Russian capital has recaptured much of its glamour and presented a rich experience of history and culture over a two-day stopover. Day one started with over an hour's drive to Peterhof which Svetlana, our Russian tour guide, promised was "more beautiful than Versailles" – since it was conceived by Peter the Great to rival the French temple of extravagance. This estate must have lost most of its former glory following wartime bombardments and decline. Nevertheless the restorations of the lavish rooms, gardens and pavilions have brought this venue back its splendour. Before heading back to the ship we had the chance for a pop into the historical centre and the unfailing visit to souvenirs shop. The second day involved an energetic sightseeing programme. The trip along the canals of St Petersburg was refreshing and unveiled the architectonic grandiose of the Tsarist era. Peter and Paul Fortress, which is considered the birthplace of this city, opened up into an extensive complex with the burial place of the imperial family in the Cathedral and the History Museum. Founded by Catherine II in 1764, The Hermitage Museum captures the essence of world culture, highlighted with a collection of treasures from Palaeolithic to contemporary. Once inside we travelled through a roller coaster of civilisations, whilst concurrently keeping an eye on our group leader since getting lost in one of the four buildings can occur in a split second. Estonia has been occupied by Russians, Swedes and Germans leaving their marks on its landscapes and culture. We spent most of the day in a true medieval milieu and soon understood why so many have described Tallinn Old Town as mystic, addictive and mesmerising. Tallinn has managed to preserve the completeness and structure of its medieval and hanseatic origin. Most of the cobblestone streets and properties, important state and church buildings, citizens' and merchant's residences, barns and warehouses dating back as far as to 11th century, are preserved in their original form. Even after seven centuries, the Town Hall still remains the social heart of the city and during our visit it was bubbling with re-enactments of medieval events in authentic costumes and music. The oldest serving pharmacy in Europe, the tiny Raeapteek, is located right across the square. According to a legend, it is a birthplace of marzipan – a favourite local treat. For a true medieval feel we followed the route of old city walls and 26 watch towers which led us to the cosmopolitan side of the city. Here we discovered free wi-fi service to catch up with friends and get re-connected to the world. Our impression of Gothenburg was Volvo country – but this last port of call proved to be the cherry on the cake. The tour guide is passionate about his hometown and is also the manager of an information centre. He invited us all to his centre and illustrated the city's current achievements in environmental projects and the vision with timelines for an even greener city. His touring narrative was expertly divided between the historical past, present and future. As our bus drove through residential areas and uphill through a park for an awe-inspiring viewpoint over the city, we passed by the former dockland when Gothenburg was world-leading city in shipbuilding. Now this zone has been transformed into a prime residential area, with Chalmers University of Technology located nearby. Other places of interest included the Botanical Garden with about 430 acres of nature reserve among the amazing Japanese Glade and 4,000 various species and cultivars; Masthugget Church built in 1914 on a high hill close to the city and representing the national romantic style in Nordic architecture; the famous Poseidon Fountain; the Museum of Fine Arts; the Concert Hall; the Municipal Theatre and Gustav's Square with a shopping stopover for the last minute bargain hunters. Travel Facts For booking and enquires contact: SMS Mondial 311, Republic Street, Valletta Tel: 22776000 or valletta@smsmondial.com.mt www.smsmondial.com.mt