As I travel, I always learn something new.
Something I didn't know before moving overseas is that
there are six small countries or "microstates" that exist within Europe.
​
Some you may know like...
Vatican City
 Monaco
Liechtenstein
Others may be more foreign like...
Malta, an island between Italy and north Africa
Andorra, between Spain and France
San Marino, in north-central Italy

In two years we've managed to visit Monaco and Vatican City .
This past month we decided to take a day trip to Ravenna, Italy
and I realized that San Marino was only one hour away.
Prime time to add another microstate to the list!

Have you ever been to a microstate?
We'd love to hear about it in the comments!

We began our journey in the city of Bergen.
On the west coast of Norway it is known as the "gateway to the fjords."
Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf is the main attraction, 
being a UNESCO World Heritage site of colorful old homes.
Don't forget to grab a bite to eat at the daily fish market!

Latvia is tucked between Estonia and Lithuania,  
these three countries are known as the Baltic states.

In order to reach Riga our ship had to sail down the Daugava River,
dominated by lowlands and small sandy beaches.
We docked at a small lumber yard and shuttle bused into town.

Estonia's charming capital city is one of the most well preserved 
medieval towns in Europe and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As our cruise ship prepared to dock, 
we were greeted with a spectacular view of the fortified city!
Grey stone towers, red tiled roofs, and Russian onion domes  pierced the sky.
I had not expected such a dramatic skyline for this small, little-known port city.

Getting off of the ship on the second day was much easier.
Just a quick scan of our passports and we were back in Russia!

Peter and Paul Cathedral lies at the center of the fortress.
It serves as the final resting place for almost all of the Russian emperors and empresses.
Everyone from the founding father (Peter the Great) to the last tsar (Nicholas II) is buried here.

We spent two amazing days in St. Petersburg during our Baltic cruise.
The first morning in Russia started with a very long line waiting to get off the cruise ship,
followed by more waiting in line to have our passports
and tour tickets looked over by customs officials.
After a few stern glances up at me and back at my paperwork,
I was given the stamp of approval to enter Russia.

Read our St. Petersburg Travel Guide

Our first stop was the capital of Finland, pronounced HELL-sink-EE.

​We began the day at the Hakaniemi Market Square
sampling the fresh produce and local food.

Planning a Trip? View our Helsinki Travel Guide

Scandinavia has always been high on my travel wish list, but the task of planning such a trip seemed overwhelming, not to mention expensive! After scanning the latest cruise offers I found two cruise itineraries that caught my eye: the Baltic Capitals and the Norwegian Fjords. Ultimately I decided that the Baltics would provide more variety and 'pins on the map' than the fjords of Norway.
If you still can't decide, then visit BOTH on a back-to-back cruise!

​​Our vacation time was limited to two weeks,  so I was thrilled to find a 7 Day Baltic Capitals cruise that began and ended in Stockholm. It gave us a few extra days to explore Stockholm, which many Copenhagen cruisers had later wished for. We also planned a quick stopover in Norway to take the famous Norway in a Nutshell tour before heading home. 

​Most Baltic cruises begin out of Copenhagen (Denmark) or Stockholm (Sweden) making a loop around the Baltic Sea and visiting ports such as:

• Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Frederica, Denmark
• Stockholm , Sweden
• Helsinki , Finland
• St. Petersburg. Russia
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Riga, Latvia
• Klaipeda, Lithuania
• Gdansk, Poland
• Kiel, Rostock, or Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany

Even after my second trip to Amsterdam, I still find myself drawn to this magical city of old world charm and hip, modern day beauty that defines Amsterdam.
​Now what makes Amsterdam so special? I'll tell you why!