James Beard Foundation: Baltic Beauty

Experience Northern Europe's picturesque small ports and cities on this Baltic cruise. Venture inland to Berlin and admire Museum Island art and artifacts prior to a 3-course meal at the Reichstag Building during an overnight stay near Germany's capital. Attend the Baltic Philharmonic's elegant Chopin concert in Gdansk, Poland. Wander beneath stalactite formations and along glassy underground lakes inside Sweden's pristine Lummelunda Caves outside Visby. Explore Central Riga's UNESCO Art Nouveau buildings, Medieval churches and the Dome Square, prior to taking in breathtaking city views from the spire atop the Latvian National Library. Stroll Tallinn's narrow cobblestone Old Town paths on your way to sample Estonian artisan cheeses paired with rich and nutty local rye bread. Dip a kayak blade in the clear waters of a pristine archipelago teeming with seabirds and Baltic wildlife outside Helsinki, Finland. Float past Stockholm's Old Town museums and monuments while snacking on Swedish appetizers and cocktails.