Northern Europe

Baltic Sea

Grand capitals and centuries of history around the Baltic, from Stockholm to Tallinn.

Overview

Sailing the Baltic Sea

The Baltic strings together some of Europe’s most walkable capitals in one week. Stockholm’s island-spanning old town, Helsinki’s design district, and Tallinn’s medieval walls, all within a night’s sail of each other. Round-trip departures from Copenhagen or Stockholm keep it to one embarkation port.

Best time to sail: May – September

Where to Sail

The routes within the Baltic Sea

A classic week of capitals, and a longer route that reaches further around the sea.

Classic Baltic Capitals

The most-sailed route: a round-trip 7–9 nights through the four biggest Baltic capitals, with an easy excursion into Berlin along the way.

Copenhagen, DenmarkStockholm, SwedenHelsinki, FinlandTallinn, EstoniaWarnemünde, Germany (for Berlin)

Grand Baltic

A longer 11–14 night version that adds smaller Baltic ports beyond the four main capitals. Quieter, and better for travelers who’ve done the classic route before.

Copenhagen, DenmarkStockholm, SwedenHelsinki, FinlandTallinn, EstoniaRiga, LatviaGdańsk, Poland

Did You Know

Why the Baltic Sea is worth it

1Stockholm is built across 14 islands connected by more than 50 bridges, one reason locals call it 'Beauty on Water.'

2Tallinn's Old Town is one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe, with a city wall and watchtowers that have stood since the 13th century.

3Finland has more saunas than cars, roughly one for every two people in the country, and Helsinki's waterfront is packed with public ones you can drop into for an afternoon.

4Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue, inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, has been beheaded and vandalized more than half a dozen times since 1913, and is still faithfully restored each time.

A Closer Look

What the Baltic Sea actually looks like

Nyhavn, Copenhagen
The candy-colored 17th-century harbor that most Baltic itineraries start or end from, ten minutes on foot from the city center.

Tallinn Old Town
Red rooftops inside a medieval wall that has stood since the 13th century, one of the best-preserved old towns in Europe.

Gamla Stan, Stockholm
Stockholm's old town, spread across its own island, one of fourteen that make up the city.

Photos: Hanlu Cao, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hei1972, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Acediscovery, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

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