Region Overviews: Europe Travel Guide: Overview
Encapsulating 50 nations and a dizzying amount of cultural and natural diversity, Europe is a traveler’s playground.
The Baltic Sea is a fascinating region steeped in history. Copenhagen. Tallinn. St. Petersburg. Helsinki. Visby. Stockholm. Colorful modern port cities rich in cultural heritage, overflowing with magnificent architecture and bathed in the ethereal glow of the midnight sun. Navigate the trade routes of ancient seafarers. Then bike alongside locals on urban and rural cycling routes for the perfect blend of exploration on land and sea. Five unique countries, one incredible Backroads voyage.
THIS ITINERARY: 8 days, 7 nights
ACCOMMODATIONS: Small Luxury Ship
Start Copenhagen, Denmark / End Stockholm, Sweden
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
DAYS 1-2 Copenhagen sets the stage for this remarkable journey on the Baltic Sea | Travel the Danish Riviera by bike, passing white‐sand beaches and beautiful summer homes | Serene cycling paths lead to the Frederiksborg Castle, a noble display of Renaissance architecture perched in the middle of a lake | Enjoy plush amenities and Backroads camaraderie as our ship takes to the open sea | Partake in yoga or just sit back and enjoy the ocean breeze.
DAY 3 Our first port of call is UNESCO-designated Tallinn, Estonia—one of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities | A scenic spin along the Baltic coast takes you through lovely woodland and returns you to Tallinn's historic center via the sandy beaches of the Pirita Riviera | It's anchors aweigh this evening as our ship departs for Russia.
DAYS 4-6 Thanks to two centuries as an imperial capital, St. Petersburg is a treasure trove of history, art and cultural relics | Discover the city's grand avenues and intriguing side streets by bike, then stroll world-class museums, palaces and galleries | Pedal through the countryside to Pushkin and marvel at Catherine the Great's magnificent summer palace | Visit the famed Hermitage Museum, the world's second largest museum of art and culture | Explore the city's canals and waterways by kayak | Sail to Helsinki, where tree-lined bike paths lead away from the hustle and bustle of downtown to the Finnish coast.
DAYS 7-8 Enjoy the Finnish archipelago around Helsinki | Cycle along car-free bike paths through idyllic woodland and coastal scenery just beyond the reaches of the urban center | Set sail for cosmopolitan Stockholm, a perfect place to extend your stay.
Note that some departures sail on Ponant ships. Select a departure date for ship details.
Expansive ocean-view suites, personalized butler service and exquisite public spaces are the hallmarks of these intimate ultra-luxury ships. (pool, spa)
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy
Please note: Due to the multiple stateroom options available on this trip, reservations can only be made by contacting one of our Trip Consultants on 800-462-2848 or via email.
Click on dates for specific ships, pricing, and itinerary variations. Price is per person, double occupancy.
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
The key to a stellar day's ride is a bike that's perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.
This custom-designed titanium bike is lightweight and responsive, featuring Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting, 11-speed compact gearing, a premium Mavic Ksyrium Pro wheelset and a full carbon fork.
A proven classic, our most popular custom-designed titanium bike is suited for a wide range of cyclists. It features a comfortable ergonomic seat and a long wheel base that add to the bike’s control and stability.
Our newly redesigned titanium e-bike is a lightweight yet powerful machine unique in the world of e-bikes. It provides plenty of power to flatten the hills and more than enough battery range to cover the distance.
Ride like a pro with the top-of-the-line carbon Cannondale Synapse Hi-Mod Red ETAP AXS. Delivering phenomenal acceleration and handling in a light and powerful package—it’s built for hard-core riders.
$400 rental fee
This hand-built frame features Co-Motion's custom-designed cro-moly steel tubeset, powerful Avid disc brakes, Shimano Ultegra drive train, and a custom, upgraded wheelset. For experienced tandem riders.
$400 rental fee
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
The ships we sail on are like floating luxury hotels, so you can visit a new destination each day without touching your suitcase once you've settled in. Our ships are vastly smaller than most cruise ships and are custom‐designed with a variety of inviting spaces that offer plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing.
We sail with up to 30 Backroads guests per group. Occasionally there may be more than one Backroads group onboard and you may cross paths with the other group on routes or at restaurants. When this occurs, each group will have their own dedicated onboard Backroads leaders.
If you're new to Backroads active cruise trips, there are a few things you need to know. Although our average group size is larger than a typical Backroads tour, our ship-based trips feel smaller and much more intimate than a typical cruise. Additionally, even with an itinerary subject to fixed nautical schedules, we get out and explore far beyond the cruise norm. Although our time ashore may be shorter than an average Backroads Hotel trip, you still have the option to select a route that matches your pace. In larger cities, you can decide to shift gears and opt for less active site-seeing activities. It's important to note, our time ashore can be limited due to changes in the nautical schedule and ship tendering. Being onboard a ship provides the benefit of being able to take advantage of ship amenities: the fitness room, spa, sauna and swimming pool. In addition, there is the opportunity to relax in the inviting common spaces or the privacy of your room, complete with balcony. Your Trip Leaders will have information on the array of options to choose from. If having longer routes or more flexibility to explore is important for you, we recommend choosing one of our River Cruise or Hotel trips. If you love meeting new people and having more time to relax aboard the ship, and enjoy the ease of unpacking once, you'll love our approach to active ocean cruising. Nobody does it like we do.
On our active cruises, we seek out diversity by including regionally authentic and inventive meals for onshore lunches, picnics and the occasional onshore dinner. On-ship meals, though delightful, are meant to appeal to a wide cross section of passengers and may at times feel more conventional and less reflective of the region than on Backroads hotel trips.
In contrast to our Hotel trips, which typically have similar room categories, the Silversea and Ponant ships offer a wide range of stateroom categories to choose from. The top-tier staterooms often fill fast, so book as early as possible if this is important to you.
Due to Russian government regulations, a local cycling company in St. Petersburg supplies us with bikes and route support for our rides in Russia. Your Trip Leaders will accompany you on the routes but Backroads vans and bikes are not permitted to enter Russia. While you'll enjoy your selected Backroads bike, or your own personal bike, at our other ports of call, you'll have a comfortable, foldable hybrid bike for our two days of cycling in Russia. Rest assured, these quality bikes are ideal for urban maneuverability and you'll find the same high level of support along our routes as you would in other Backroads destinations.
Encapsulating 50 nations and a dizzying amount of cultural and natural diversity, Europe is a traveler’s playground.
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