Historic Cities of the Baltic Sea

With featured guest Giuliano da Empoli, Italian writer and journalist.

PONANT invites you to discover the historical cities along the Baltic Sea. You will embark on Le Dumont-d'Urville for a 9-day cruise about the cultural wonders of the Hanseatic League.

Departing from Stockholm, your ship will first head to Helsinki. Located on a peninsula surrounded by almost 300 islands, the verdant capital of Finland will charm you with its Art Nouveau architecture.

You will visit Tallinn, emblematic city of the Hanseatic League, the large trading network that dominated the Baltic Sea for several centuries. Listed as UNESCO Heritage Site, this once opulent city still have remarkably well-preserved public buildings, merchant houses and warehouses.

You will also discover Riga, capital of Latvia. A unique blend of different architectural styles, the old town will open itself up to you like the pages of a history book.

Le Dumont-d'Urville will then sail to the Swedish island of Gotland and call at Visby, a site that was important for the Hanseatic League in the Baltic Sea around the 13th century. UNESCO Heritage Site, this once opulent city still has remarkably well-preserved ramparts, public buildings, merchant houses and warehouses.

You will return to Sweden in Karlskrona. This city, whose history is intrinsically linked to the Swedish Navy, boasts exceptional UNESCO-listed architecture that is characteristic of late-17th-century European naval cities.

Your ship will then call at Gdansk, famous for its amber stone and its shipyards. The former Hanseatic city will reveal some of its architectural treasures, in Gothic and Baroque styles, restored or rebuilt.

You will set a course for the charming fishing village of Gudhjem. Located on the small Danish island of Bornholm, it is very popular among the Danes for its gentle way of life and its beautiful landscapes of rock formations.

Your ship will finally reach Copenhagen, where you can explore its canals and historic districts.