Scandinavian Wonderland & Christmas Markets

About this Cruise

'Scandinavian Wonderland & Christmas Markets' is another new Ponant adventure, nine nights, to Baltic cities including Stockholm, Helsinki, Gdansk and Riga, with a call at the Swedish island of Gotland. It’s a magical time to visit, with snow-dusted scenery and the smells of mulled wine and gingerbread drifting through Christmas markets. Passengers will get to attend a private concert at the Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic.

With featured guest Julien Gueslin, chief curator and head of the Musée de La Contemporaine.

Le Commandant Charcot reveals new scenery and invites you aboard to discover the emblematic Baltic cities, at the dawn of the magical Christmas season. Along the coasts bordering the Baltic Sea, winter is setting in. Cold winds are blowing across the roofs of these former strongholds. As the festive season approaches, soak up the warm atmosphere of the Christmas markets, where the aromas of mulled wine, cinnamon, ginger bread and sweet treats tantalizingly pervade the maze of picturesque alleyways.

From the refined cocoon of Le Commandant Charcot, opening onto the exterior, you will plunge into the enchanted panoramas of fascinating rocky islets, captivating nature and scenic old towns. Here, the towns shimmer. Like a starry sky, the illuminations of these emblematic cities will immediately immerse you in the enchantment of Christmas, a tradition that is well-established in the history and hearts of the Scandinavians. Accompanied by the sound of traditional singing, you will be captivated by the concerts, markets, and other culinary discoveries. Here, during an exceptional cruise, you will discover the skerries, the islands that rise out of the deep blue waters like majestic guardians.

Strolling around the markets, by the light of the falling night, you will be able to contemplate the architecture of each of these towns, which reflects their identity and their history. In some of them, there are paved streets echoing the Art Nouveau era, and impressive fortifications and wide, straight streets demonstrate the prowess of military urban planning while, in others, the gothic and baroque styles of architecture blend in with modern buildings to create a unique urban landscape. This is a final magical interlude amidst captivating scenery before you sail towards elegant Helsinki, which will be the final port of call on this enchanted journey.