2017 - APT Small Ships

50 CRUISE APPEAL This Soft Expedition cruise will dock alongside in ports and will feature Zodiac landings in select locations. This cruise will appeal to guests who: ✫ Want to experience the beauty of Norway's vast fjords and explore the treasures of the Baltic region ✫ Have an interest in northern European culture ✫ Would like to taste traditional Baltic cuisine ✫ Wish to explore unique and remote coastal destinations from aboard the luxury of a small ship ✫ Visit a beautiful fjordside fruit farm in Lofthus ✫ Tour the home of Edvard Grieg, then enjoy a private piano concert featuring his masterpieces ✫ Ride the scenic Flåm Railway, which will take you on one of the world's steepest narrow gauge rail journeys ✫ Enjoy an elegant evening at the Russian ballet in the prestigious Hermitage Theatre ✫ Cruise along the Baltic Sea coastline and stop to explore the major port cities of Tallinn, Riga and Klaipeda ✫ Freedom of Choice Sightseeing™ in Mariehamn, Helsinki, Tallinn, on Saaremaa Island, in Riga, Visby, Klaipeda and on Christianso Island CRUISE & TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Norway & Best of the Baltics 23 Day Soft Expedition Cruise & Land | MS Island Sky Norway | Sweden | Finland | Russia | Estonia | Latvia | Lithuania | Poland | Denmark Day 1. Arrive Oslo. Arrive in Oslo, the capital of Norway, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. This evening, get to know your fellow travellers at a Welcome Dinner. Two Night Stay: Oslo, Grand Hotel. D Day 2. Oslo. A morning sightseeing tour of Oslo will take you to see the city's most famous wonders, including the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Wander amid more than 200 sculptures made in bronze, granite and wrought iron, then continue to the Viking Ship Museum to see interesting displays featuring three large Viking ships. This afternoon, visit the Norsk Folkemuseum, one of the largest open-air museums in Europe. With collections from around the country, the museum shows how people lived in Norway across the centuries from 1500 until today. B Day 3. Oslo, Lofthus. Today, journey to Lofthus, Norway's largest fruit-growing region. Lofthus is actually the collective name for several groups of farms extending from north to south along the eastern coastal slopes of Sørfjord. Cistercian monks came here from York, England in the 13th century and pioneered a fruit-growing industry. The idyllic fjord and the rolling hills that stretch towards the beautiful Folgefonna Glacier have inspired artists from across the world for centuries. Stay: Lofthus, Hotel Ullensvang. BD Day 4. Lofthus, Bergen. This morning, visit a beautiful fjordside fruit farm, in the area known as 'Norway's fruit orchard'. Soak up the picturesque fjord surrounds before enjoying a morning tea with the local farm owners, sampling freshly-made cakes. Afterwards, continue your journey to the charming city of Bergen. On the way, disembark your coach and board a cruise across Hardangerfjord, the third largest fjord in the world. Then re-board your coach, and travel to Bergen. After arriving at your hotel, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Two Night Stay: Bergen, Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. BD Day 5. Bergen. Embark on a tour of Bergen, including a trip to the famous fish market. Then take the funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen to see spectacular views of the city framed by the sea, fjords and mountains. Later, head to Troldhaugen, the home of composer Edvard Grieg. Now a living museum, the property includes Grieg's villa dating from 1885. Take a guided tour before enjoying a private piano Freedom of Choice TM Sightseeing Signature Invitation Visit the 12th-century Urnes Stave Church, set beside Lustrafjorden in Norway E X P E D I T I O N S O F T E X P E D I T I O N www.aptouring.com.au

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