Winter in the Baltics, Helsinki & Stockholm

There are buffet breakfasts in the hotels offering plenty of choice including cold meats, cheese, eggs, bread, jams, juice and coffee.

Dinners are taken in the hotel restaurants or in local restaurants and will be hearty meals. Cuisine in this area is often centred around pork, veal, fish, potatoes, sauerkraut, and soups such as borsch (beetroot soup – in Lithuania this is also served cold). Dumplings are also popular and, in Trakai, large and delicious baked dumplings called kibinai are traditionally served.

Travel is by private bus and scheduled boat services. The journey times vary and there are some longer distances to cover (up to 186mi/300km), which will mean several hours on the bus. However, we feel this is essential to see all the highlights.

The hotels typically used are found in the day-to-day itinerary. However, below is a selection of the notable places we stay.

Vilnius: Comfort Hotel LT – Rock’n’Roll Vilnius (nights 1-2)

With an industrial style and music theme, our Vilnius hotel has plenty of personality. The 80 rooms are all air conditioned with underfloor heating in the bathroom, plus the Mellow restaurant serves a menu packed with local produce. Other nice additions are a free-to-use gym and a lobby shop selling beers, snacks, sandwiches and more.

Riga: Islande Hotel (nights 3-4)

Near the Daugava River, the Islande has a magnificent panoramic view of Riga Old Town. It’s located in a green area of Ķīpsala island, a 12-minute walk from the Old City, and offers a wide range of amenities, including a bowling alley, sauna, gym, two restaurants and a summer terrace.

Helsinki to Stockholm: Overnight ferry (night 8)

On our journey between the Finnish and Swedish capitals, we stay on the Silja Symphony or Silja Serenade (above) ferries. Both offer a comfortable stay on the Baltic Sea, with modern cabins, a variety of restaurants and cafes, plus a spa.

Stockholm: ProfilHotels Riddargatan (night 9)

An excellent location near the action and Scandi style makes ProfilHotels Riddargatan an ideal spot to explore the Swedish capital. There’s also a library for some downtime plus a lobby bar for a glass of wine.

Worth knowing

If you opt for the single supplement, please note that in some hotels, this may mean having a room with a single bed.

Normally four to 16, plus local leader and driver.