Islands and cities, from the North Sea to the Baltic

<p>With featured guest Lech Walesa, former President of the Republic of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, for a two-hour event in Gdansk. He will share his personal testimony during an exclusive meeting on board.<p></p>Embark on an 10-night cruise aboard Le Champlain to discover iconic islands and towns of Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Estonia and Finland.<p></p>Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. On this cruise, you can stroll through the countryside and villages of Bornholm,enjoy a visit to Gdansk and fall under the spell of the music at a Chopin concert and attend an Estonian folk show in Tallinn. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab). The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).<p></p>From Fredrikstad, Northern Europe's best preserved fortified town, you will sail towards the southern part of Denmark, along the shores of the Limfjorden strait, to reach the city of Aalborg. Founded by the Vikings, it is home among other things to the archaeological remains of a circular fortress built during the same period.<p></p>Le Champlain then heads for the Danish capital, Copenhagen, before reaching Gudhjem, a charming village lying on the small Danish Island of Bornholm, much admired by Danes for its varied landscapes of granite and long sandy beaches.<p></p>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.<p></p>Le Champlain will 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. A UNESCO Heritage Site, this once-opulent city still has remarkably well-preserved ramparts, public buildings, merchant houses and warehouses. <p></p>You will then head towards Stockholm. Built on water, the Swedish capital embraces nature, which is omnipresent there. Its blend of medieval architecture, colourful houses and trendy neighbourhoods makes it a particularly enjoyable city to visit.<p></p>On Saaremaa, dive into the complex history of this island, Estonia’s largest. First invaded by the Vikings, it became Danish then Swedish before being taken by the Russian Empire and later occupied by the Germans. In 1991, it finally became Estonian when the country gained its independence.<p></p>You will also 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.<p></p>Finally, you will then chart a course Helsinki. Located on a peninsula surrounded by almost 300 islands, the verdant capital of Finland will charm you with its Art Nouveau architecture.</p>