drlaz

How would you split 12 days among those cities? It's acceptable to zero out any city except Stockholm: we land there on the new discount flights on Norwegian Air. Two days there minimum to sleep off 10 time zones.

I know Kiev sounds a little eccentric, but we've never been to an Orthodox city, and having lived in Jerusalem during the intifada, waking up to the sound of distant artillery is nothing new. Riga is on the list because if we go to Kiev, best cheap flights are on Air Baltic so we are at the minimum changing planes in Riga's airport.

Interests: history, architecture, art. Four adults (two adult children).

PalenQ

adults taking themselves to a potential war zone is fine but taking kids into a potential war zone?

thursdaysd

Kiev? Are you nuts? I loved Lviv, I doubt I'd even head there right now but if you insist on Ukraine go there rather than Kiev. But if you're just interested in Orthodox churches you don't have to go to Ukraine. Perfectly good Russian Orthodox churches in Helsinki and Riga. And don't short-change Riga, it has some of the best Art Nouveau buildings anywhere.

Rather than jetting off to Kiev, take the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn for two or three of nights, and then the bus to Riga.

PQ, s/he said adult children, presumably they can make their own decisions.

PalenQ

Oops sorry I neglected to read adult kids - in that case if they want to go to a potential war zone they are responsible for their own decisions.

PalenQ

Have not been to Riga but the other three.

Stockholm I think has to most to linger over and is one of the most beautiful cities in Scandinavia - Helsinki to me is at most a few days.

Be sure to take the overnight ferries between Stockholm and Helsinki - one of the most awesome boat rides anyway as it follows a rugged rock archipelago most of the way and in summer you can see things way into the night. Silja Line is one company offering services.

Ruby99

We did 4 nights in Copenhagen, 3 nights in Helsinki, 2 nights in Tallinn and 4 in Stockholm last year (plus one night on the ferry from Tallinn to Stockholm, which I also highly recommend). To me, that was well divided, and I think we could have used 2 more days in Stockholm.

Riga is the culture capital for 2014, so would be interesting to go there this year.

drlaz

Booked Stockholm 4, Riga 2, Kiev 5. Friend promises to arrange evacuation from Ukraine if necessary.

thursdaysd

So, have you been yet?

drlaz

Yes. Got to watch history being made in Kiev; stayed right on Maidan Square. No sense of danger. On the other hand, Riga is worth more than 2 days.

thursdaysd

Glad to hear it worked out!

Yes, Riga is a very worthwhile destination, and next time try to add Lviv as well.

PalenQ

I still think any tourism in the Ukraine today - now - is just daft - you make it sound like a walk in the park which it could be but a park full of dry deadwood waiting for a spark to become a conflaguration say if Russia invaded Eastern 'Russian' Ukraine.