Rick Steves - Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports

NORTHERN EUROPEAN CRUISE PORTS

By Rick Steves with Cameron Hewitt

NORTHERN EUROPEAN CRUISE PORTS

Imagine yourself lazing on the deck of a floating city as you glide past the spiny skylines of Tallinn, Copenhagen, or St. Petersburg; the jagged fjords of Norways west coast; or the thousands of picture-perfect islands topped by quaint red vacation cottages in the archipelago between Stockholm and Helsinki. Stepping off the gangway, youre immersed in the vivid life of a different European city each day. Tour some of the worlds top museums, take a Scandinavian-style coffee break while you people-watch from a prime sidewalk caf, sunbathe on a surprisingly sunny and sandy Baltic beach, and enjoy some of Europes most expensive cities on the cheap. After a busy day in port, you can head back to the same cozy bedroom each night, without ever having to pack a suitcase or catch a train. As the sun sets and the ship pulls out of port, you have your choice of dining optionsfrom a tuxedosand-evening-gowns affair to a poolside burger after a swimfollowed by a world of nightlife. Plying the Baltic and North Sea waters through the night, you wake up refreshed in a whole new cityready to do it all again.

Cruising in Europe is more popular today than ever before. And for good reason. Taking a cruise can be a fun, affordable way to experience Europeif you choose the right cruise, keep your extra expenses to a minimum... and use this book to make the absolute most of your time in port.

Unlike most cruising guidebooks, which dote on details about this ships restaurants or that ships staterooms, Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports focuses on the main attraction: some of the grandest cities in Europe. Even if you have just eight hours in port, you can still ride a red double-decker bus through London, paddle a kayak on a Norwegian fjord, stroll Berlins Unter den Linden or Copenhagens Strget, and walk in Lech Wasas footsteps at the Solidarity shipyards in Gdask.

Use this legend to help you navigate the maps in this book.

Yes, you could spend a lifetime in Amsterdam. But youve got a few hours...and I have a plan for you. Each of this books destination chapters is designed as a mini-vacation of its own, with advice about what to do and detailed sightseeing information for each port. And, to enable you to do it all on your own, Ive included step-by-step instructions for getting into town from the cruise terminal.