From Berlin to the Baltic Coast

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Itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 London to Berlin, Germany.

   Fly by scheduled flight to Berlin. On arrival transfer to the MS Thurgau Chopin in Tegel and embark. Meet your fellow guests and crew this evening during the welcome dinner on board.

2. 2

   Day 2 Chorin Abbey & Niederfinow Boat Lift.

   Spend a leisurely morning sailing towards Eberswalde. After lunch, join an excursion to the Cistercian Chorin Abbey. Founded in 1258 by Cistercian monks of Lehnin, it had a far-reaching influence on the Slavic population that occupied the region during Medieval times. It was completed in 1334, and for two centuries was home to more than 400 Benedictine monks. The Abbey was dissolved in 1542 following the Protestant Reformation, causing it to be abandoned and it eventually fell into disrepair. After the reunification of Germany in 1990 restoration began and continues to this day. It is generally considered to be one of the finest examples of ‘Norddeutsche Backsteigotik' (North German Brick-Gothic), typical of North German architecture in towns of the Hanse. The church is designed like a basilica with three naves and a seven-sided apse. Staircase turrets flank the western façade, which features three windows surrounded by a rose window. All that remain of the conventual buildings are the abbot's residence, brewery and the remains of an old mill. Return to the ship and early this evening experience the Niederfinow Boat Lift where the vessel will be lowered 36 metres. This marvel of 20th century engineering opened in 1934 and is the oldest working boat lift in Germany.

3. 3

   Day 3 Szczecin, Poland.

   This morning relax on board as we cruise along the Oder River to Szczecin. Originally the German town of Stettin, it was effectively the ‘port of Berlin' and so suffered heavy Allied bombing during World War II. It has since been rebuilt to recapture some of its original style and appeal, with tree-lined avenues and parks, based partly on Haussmann's 19th century rebuilding of Paris. Today it is a lively city with a patchwork of architecture inherited from different ages. This afternoon we will explore the city on a panoramic drive and see the embankment boulevard of Waly Chrobrego, Grunwald Square, the rose garden, the Cathedral Basilica of St James, the old Town Hall and the Gothic Pomeranian Ducal Castle.

4. 4

   Day 4 Swinoujscie, Usedom Island.

   Sail over breakfast to the island of Usedom which combines the traditional architecture of spa resorts with beautiful nature. It became a popular holiday destination in the late 19th century and played host to many monarchs and artists. On a morning tour we will stop at the charming spa town of Ahlbeck with its characteristic pier built in 1898. The town offers picturesque historic buildings, long promenades and a sandy beach. Enjoy some time to relax here for a coffee and cake before we return to the ship for lunch. Enjoy the afternoon sailing towards Wolgast where we will arrive this evening and moor overnight.

5. 5

   Day 5 Peenemunde & Rugen, Germany.

   During breakfast we sail from Wolgast to Peenemunde. On arrival we visit the Peenemunde Historical Technical Museum. From 1936 to 1945, the research stations in Peenemunde formed the largest armaments centre in Europe. Up to 12,000 people worked simultaneously on guided weapons, most famously the world's first cruise missiles and the first ever functioning large-scale rockets. We continue with a visit to the Maritime Museum, the largest submarine museum in the world. Return to the ship for lunch and sail to Lauterbach. This afternoon we arrive at Germany's largest island, Rugen. Here we visit the extraordinary site of Prora, one of the largest buildings in the world built on Hitler's orders to house wounded soldiers while they recuperated. Although more than half has been destroyed it still holds the nickname of “Colossus of Rugen”. We continue on to the town of Binz for a walking tour before returning back to the ship for dinner.

6. 6

   Day 6 Rugen & Greifswald.

   This morning we will continue our exploration of Rugen Island. We head north to the Jasmund National Park, the smallest in Germany but certainly no less dramatic for it. See the white chalk cliffs which tower up to 161 metres above the Baltic Sea. This afternoon we will join a guided walking tour of Greifswald. This former Hanseatic city escaped the ravages of World War II and its skyline is defined by three churches, the Lanker Nikolas (‘Long Nicholas'), Dicke Mary (‘Fat Mary') and Kleine Jakob (‘Small Jacob'), which were perfectly captured by painter Casper David Friedrich.

7. 7

   Day 7 Stralsund.

   After breakfast we will take a walking tour through the heart of the old city of Stralsund. Stralsund was a major trading centre of the Hanseatic League in the 14th and 15th centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries it became part of the Swedish crown, then in 1815 it became part of the Kingdom of Prussia and was thus an important base for the Prussian Navy. The UNESCO Heritage Site boasts attractively restored buildings including the grandiose Town Hall, and the 13th century St Nicholas' Church, with its ornate Gothic and Baroque altars and the world's oldest astronomical clock, which dates from 1394. Return to the ship for lunch and this afternoon join a visit to the Ozeaneum (Baltic Sea Museum). Witness the various aquaria display marine habitats of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the North Atlantic. This evening enjoy the farewell dinner on board.

8. 8

   Day 8 Stralsund to London.

   Disembark this morning and transfer to Hamburg Airport for our scheduled flight to London.

Meet your Experts

A distinguished team of guest lecturers, expedition leaders and specialist hosts will be travelling with you on selected departures — enriching your voyage with their insight, expertise and company.

Major General Peter Williams

Major General Peter Williams served for over 30 years in the Coldstream Guards, specialising in intelligence and military diplomacy. His operational experiences included two tours in Northern Ireland, two years in Oman in the mid-1970s in the immediate aftermath of the Dhofar campaign and three tours in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. His final posting was to Moscow, where in 2002 he set up and ran for three years NATO's Military Liaison Mission during the brief window of optimism in NATO-Russian relations. Peter also worked for six years in Berlin during the Cold War, firstly in the 1970s as a battalion intelligence officer, covering East Berlin and the Berlin Corridor route to West Germany, and then twice in the 1980s as a member of BRIXMIS (the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany), conducting 3-man intelligence collection patrols out on the groun

Major General Peter Williams will be on the following tour dates: 16 to 23 June 2027 • 26 September to 3 October 2027

The Ship

Thurgau Chopin

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