Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia

On June 8 we will dock in Riga, Latvia and on June 9 we will visit Tallinn, Estonia.  We look forward to experincing the great history and culture of these two Baltic countries.  Here is some information from Princess Cruises website on each of these ports. 

Riga, Latvia
Capital of Latvia and the largest city of the Baltic Republics, Riga has long been a center of commerce and culture. Founded in the 13th century, the city rose to prominence as a member of the Hanseatic League, the great German-Baltic trading consortium that dominated Northern Europe during the Middle Ages. In the long struggle for Latvian independence, Riga has been ruled by Germans, Swedes and Russians. Today this "Little Paris of the Baltic" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its architecture including one of the finest collections of Art Nouveau buildings in Northern Europe.

The city's German heritage contributed to the city's rich architecture. Riga's Art Nouveau buildings are outstanding examples of the German style known as Jugendstil.

 

More information about Riga, Latvia can be found here.

Tallinn, Estonia
Like Latvia and Lithuania, the Baltic republic of Estonia has survived a turbulent history. The small nation was conquered and ruled by the likes of Teutonic Knights, Polish princes and Russian Tsars. For 51 years, Estonia remained a pawn in the Soviet empire, until the burgeoning freedom movement led to independence for the Baltic Republics in 1991. Like its sister republics, Estonia maintained its ties to the Western tradition, retaining the Latin alphabet and Catholic and Protestant faiths. Once a member of the historic Hanseatic League, Tallinn is the political, commercial and cultural center of Estonia.

More information about Tallinn, Estonia can be found here and here.