Advice on Baltic Ports part 2

[Little Nell]

Hope people can help with advice on our remaining poc on our Baltic cruise.

 

They are Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Copenhagen is a late sailing.

[kruzseeka]

Hope people can help with advice on our remaining poc on our Baltic cruise.

 

They are Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Copenhagen is a late sailing.

 

The best bit for Stockholm is the sail in and out although the city is lovely. The sail away, especially if it's a sunny day so you will get a sunset, is wonderful. It takes about three hours but best closest to Stockholm where the islands are more concentrated. - allow a couple of hours. You sail past so many islands many of which have holiday homes - very picturesque. The sail away is often relatively early as the pilots have to navigate the ship through the archipelago before it gets dark - although in the summer that shouldn't be too early.

 

There are different berthing points and a shuttle is sometimes needed to get in and out of the centre. (One berth has access to the water buses I think so that could be an alternative way of getting in quite quickly - but you'd need to know where you were docked and do a little research on that one.) The berths aren't far out but in our experience the traffic tends to be very congested and around 9am it can be slow going - I think the need to get over bridges to get anywhere create bottlenecks and it's got a lot of waterways! So I think with the possibility of an earlier than usual sail away (4pm?) and slow traffic getting in I think this is a port to get off fairly promptly and have an idea of what you want to do to make the most of your time.

 

It's a lovely city to wander around - there's Gamla Stan which is the old town where the Palace and Parliament are also located (you can get very close) but it is quite a compact area so doesn't take too long to explore. There's a pretty square in the centre of Gamla Stan where there's a fountain and some building associated with Nobel - an Institute? Attractive buildings and photogenic.

 

You can do boat tours - we did once but although relaxing and quite interesting I felt I wasn't getting to see as much as I would like - it's a sedate pace which may appeal to some but also being low down I didn't feel we were getting the best views especially sailing round green Islands - perhaps better off in the centre of things for a first visit.

 

We did very much enjoy the Vasa Museum. Very much more interesting than I had imagined it would be. We walked around the waterfront from the Palace area, over the bridge to Djurgarden (sp?) which is the island where the Museum is located but you can get a water taxi. We did once did a City Hall tour which was interesting but perhaps not the best use of time on a first visit. But a very attractive city to explore - no need to do a trip unless you really want to.

 

We love Helsinki though it's not everyone's cup of tea. But again an easy place to DiY. Top tips: go to the Rock Church - it's absolutely fabulous. So spiritual and beautiful in its simplicity and for me creates such a sense of peace and serenity - it's hard to convey but this place is something special. It's hewn out of rock with a copper coiled domed roof and is such a contrast to the ornate churches you will see in say St P's.

 

The Sibelius Park is lovely and the monument quite a feature. It apparently split the population in terms of how they view it but we find if very interesting and impressive.

There is a circular tram route - often called the tourist tram (? 3T) which you can pick up from the centre to very close to the park, meander back via the Rock Church to Senate Square. The Cathedral here is impressive from the outside, less so inside imo so perhaps with lots else to see you can skip that. From Senate Sq you can drop down to the Harbour where there's a great outdoor market with take-away food stalls - loads of fresh fish dishes!

 

The Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral sitting on the hill overlooking the Harbour is also worth a look plus the indoor market along the quayside - very colourful. There are some pretty gardens in the centre and the café which looks like a big conservatory is good for a coffee break.

 

So lots to do here. Friends came back last year saying it was their favourite PoC and the Rock Church the place which had made the greatest impression. You will need a map though and plan your day/route for efficiency. We've done all the above on foot in one day but it was exhausting - too much really - we were about ten years younger though!! The tram helps by taking you to the furthest point out you need to go so significantly reduces the amount of walking.

 

Copenhagen is very walkable too. It depends where you berth, if it's the new port then you will probably have a shuttle if so. Otherwise you may dock near the Mermaid (so much smaller than you would imagine) and be able to walk in through an attractive route. You walk through the square bounded by the Palaces and sentries on duty but it's very relaxed and surprising how close you are.

 

The best thing here I think is to include a boat/canal trip. The Nyhavn is the favourite postcard shot here - the colourful wharf buildings painted in typical Hanseatic style. Here you can pick up the canal ride which will give you a real taste of the city. There is a good shopping area too but it's an extremely expensive place. Don't bother with the Ice Bar unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for a small shot. We ferreted it out with some difficulty thinking it would be an experience but decided it wasn't worth it - our friends did exactly the same thing independently and came to the same conclusion as we discovered when they got back on board!

 

We've only ever seen the Tivoli Gardens through the railings. I think it comes into its own at night so with a late departure they may well run a trip there. We once had a late stop there on Celebration and Thomson offered an evening Tivoli Gardens excursion - perhaps worth considering. It is primarily a fair ground.

 

But another easy DiY on foot and by canal boat. No need for a trip unless you want to see something special. Enjoy. You have a treat in store! ;)

[Little Nell]

Fantastic information, Kruzseeka. Thank you so much.

 

It is printed and added to the ever expanding folder :)

[happy v]

I would agree with Kruzseeka (doesn't everyone?) on the sailaway from Stockholm. Definitely one of the best, be prepared for a late dinner. We also went to Gamla Stan, very nice, we went in the Palace but If you are about to go/been to St. P. I wouldn't really recommend it. We did watch the changing of the guard though and enjoyed that.

 

If I was staying late in Copenhagen I would go to Tivoli Gardens as they're lit up in the evening and have good firework displays. I haven't seen them just read about it.;)

 

Embarrassingly I can't remember Helsinki, but if there are botanical gardens that is where we went.:o

 

Oh isn't planning exciting?:D