magine engaging in vibrant discussions with some of the world’s greatest leaders. On this twelve-day trip through the Baltic Sea region, you’ll have unprecedented access to former presidents of the Soviet Union and Poland as well as prime ministers and ambassadors, giving you the unique opportunity to learn firsthand about eastern European politics and matters of state from the policymakers themselves.
     Begin in Stockholm, where you’ll be free to spend the early part of the day touring the city before embarking late in the afternoon for a cruise across the Baltic Sea aboard the privately chartered Le Diamant. Joining you on board for a series of lectures and round-table discussions will be Jack Matlock, former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, among other dignitaries. After a day at sea, you’ll dock in Gdynia, Poland, on the mile-wide Gulf of Gdansk, considered Poland’s Riviera because of its silky sand beaches and sweeping dunes. While in Poland, you’ll visit Gdansk’s shipyard, birthplace to the country’s Solidarity movement, and participate in a forum with Lech Walesa and other key Solidarity leaders. On a walking tour along Gdansk’s Royal Road, you’ll encounter the Church of St. Mary’s and Neptune’s Fountain.
    In Riga, Latvia, the largest of the three Baltic capitals, you’ll embark on a walking tour of the Old Town and get an up-close look at the city’s kaleidoscope of architectural styles.
   From Latvia , you’ll cruise to Estonia to tour the cobbled lanes and ornately decorated guild halls of its capital city, Tallinn . Later that afternoon, the prime ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will greet you at a reception in town.
   The final stop on this remarkable journey is St. Petersburg, Russia. You’ll arrive early and then disembark Le Diamant for a private tour of the Mariinsky Theater. After lunch, you’ll travel to see the summer palace of Peter the Great, with its gilded waterfalls and fountains.
   Your stay also will include visits to the Hermitage Museum—established by Catherine the Great to house her art collection—and the Peter and Paul Fortress, which contains the tombs of all Russian czars. You’ll also enjoy a private lecture and reception with Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union. On your final night, you’ll be entertained with a catered dinner and private musical performance at one of St. Petersburg’s palatial nineteenth-century estates.

Please read our terms and conditions and other important information

12 days

Moderately active

From $9,890

Accommodations, meals as specified, excursions, visa fees, port taxes, gratuities

U.S. domestic and international airfare, individual transfers, passport fees, travel insurance

Donald Baumer, professor of government, has been a member of the Smith faculty since 1977. His early work focused on employment and training policy, culminating in a book (co-authored with Carl E. Van Horn) titled The Politics of Unemployment. Other research and publication projects have covered Senate leadership and public images of the political parties. He also directs Smith’s Washington internship program.