Insight Vacations

Northern Capitals Reviews

14 Northern Capitals reviews from past travellers that booked with Global Journeys.
4.64
AVG. RATING 4.64 / 5
14 Reviews
5 Star
71%
4 Star
21%
3 Star
7%
2 Star
1 Star

< Back To Northern Capitals

A little too long but very interesting   0 , NSW, Australia, Jul 2019
We have booked Insight Vacations tours on several previous occasions, so we had a good idea of the standards to expect. This tour was a real mixed bag. The hotels and food in Russia and the Baltic countries were up to the high standard expected of Insight Vacations, however the hotels in the Scandinavian countries did not meet the standard expected ...read more of Insight Vacations. The Scandinavian countries are very expensive and this was reflected in the quality of the hotels. It would appear that the Insight Vacations budget would not stretch to the international chain standard of hotels.

The other disappointing aspect of the tour was the balance between included sightseeing and optional tours. There were a lot of the latter. On the positive side, the countries were amazing, especially Russia. The tour was probably a little too long. It would have been enough to have just the Scandinavian countries and Russia. The Baltic countries (especially Belarus and Lithuania) did not add a great deal extra. Booking with Global Journeys was fabulous. The service was of a high standard, personal and efficient. Questions were answered promptly and all relevant information provided. A highly recommended travel company.
Great tour of Russia and more 0 , NSW, Australia, Jul 2019
Northern Capitals and Russia tour was a great tour. The tour starts in Berlin and I would suggest if you haven’t been to Berlin before that you arrive at least a day before to get a good look at Berlin. You get a welcome dinner and a city tour the next day with the afternoon free. Insight offer an optional tour to Potsdam which is a little expensive. ...read more You can catch the train out to Potsdam. We did this when we were in Berlin in 2014. It was easy on the train and we had a very enjoyable day without time constraints.

The journey to Rostock was scenic and the crossing to Denmark was smooth sailing. In Copenhagen we went to the Tivoli Gardens which was pleasant but not a highlight. It was busy and is basically a theme park with a 1950 feel. On our second night we dined by ourselves along the picturesque canal. The restaurants are a little pricey but the food was of a good standard. Stockholm was interesting and we did the optional dinner which was expensive however we dined at a small restaurant on the edge of a lake. It was very beautiful and the quality of the food was good. We did the optional tour to see the Vasa, which was very interesting. The Baltic Cruise overnight was good, cabins were small but of a reasonable standard. Helsinki was nice. Enjoyed the city tour and the markets near the harbour.

The drive to St Petersburg was scenic and an interesting insight into their road rules. We were fortunate or not to have the front row seats on the coach that day. It is a long day in the coach however Alex our tour guide made sure we had a couple of stops and plenty of treats! The Russian border checks took some time and they were not welcoming. We had some rain in St Petersburg however it didn’t stop us from seeing all the sights and we really enjoyed St Petersburg... perhaps they should allow another day in this beautiful city... so much to see. We did the Neva river cruise, Peter and Paul Fortress and the Russian Folklore optionals which we really enjoyed.

Onto Moscow which was a beautiful surprise. The optionals tours were great however expensive but we probably will not go back to Russia so we were happy to see as much as we could. Russia was not what we expected and was the most enjoyable part of our trip. We then travelled to Minsk in Belarus which we viewed as a stopover on the way to Vilnius. The distance to travel to Vilnius is about 400km however it does take most of the day due to the very long queue to cross the border. This border crossing was the longest and most unfriendly of them all.

We enjoyed our time in Lithuania and did both optionals, the dinner which was nice and the KGB tour which was very interesting and sad. Onto Warsaw which was very heavily bombed in the war so lot of the buildings are not the original however they have done a good job at restoring the Old Town. Did the optional tour to Wilanow Palace however we did not do the Chopin concert but fellow travellers said it was really good. Expect some days to be long days travelling in the coach. We would recommend this tour to people who have seen Europe and want to get a taste of the north. This was our 9th tour with Insight Vacations and whilst some of the hotels were average and rooms small they were centrally located.
Great way to see Moscow and St Petersburg for the 1st time!   2 , NSW, Australia, Aug 2018
We had a great time. A great way to see Moscow and St Petersburg for the 1st time. We spent 3 days in Berlin before the tour started, which I recommend to have some free time before the tour starts and have a good look around by yourself. I wish we had more time in Denmark, Sweden and Finland. I enjoyed the Baltic cruise. We did most of the the optional ...read more tours. We were prepared to do so, as we wanted to see all we could.

The ones we liked the best were Russian ballet, Russian folklore show, Chopin concert & Wilanow Palace. We both agreed that Russian Mosiac could have been missed. But it depends on what you want to see. Our tour director Piotr worked hard to make sure we enjoyed our holiday. Our coach driver Romulus worked hard to make sure we got to our destinations. Remember it is a tour, so it means early starts, at times rushing about and long coach rides. But still, we enjoyed our time. Special thanks to Hannah at Global Journeys for helping with our holiday. Couldn't have done it without your help. Thanks again!
Fantastic Russia and Scandinavia   1 , NSW, Australia, May 2018
This was our 10th Insight Tour and it was a very well organised tour. Cities and Sightseeing were excellent as was the food. The Hotels were some of the best we have stayed in. We even ventured out by ourselves in St Petersburg and Moscow with no trouble. The only downside was that there was about 3 days that involved very long travel days in the coach, ...read more with the longest being the Moscow to Minsk day that was over 700Km and 10Hrs with only a few stops and a quick lunch break. The next being the Copenhagen to Stockholm at 600Km and over 8 Hrs. But this didn't detract from the overall fantastic tour. Maybe it should be a few days longer.

The Tour Director was average and we only had 26 passengers, he relied a lot on the local guides which were good. The optional extras are always hard to judge if they are worth it. We did those that we thought were reasonable as most of them were expensive. Those that did the Russian Ballet were disappointed and the Lithuanian Dinner didn't have Traditional Dancers and would of been better going to a restaurant ourselves. Overall I would recommend this tour but be prepared for some long bus days. As usual the booking process with Global Journeys and Yvonne was very easy and always recommend them.
Capital Cities, long journeys. 5 , NSW, Australia, Sep 2017
Northern Capitals is an apt description. Unfortunately, journeys between are lengthy and some capitals could be missed! Some are fabulous and more time in Berlin St Petersburg and Russia would be better. Always read the itinerary.
Wonderful tour in every respect! 6 , QLD, Australia, Jun 2017
We were hesitant about doing a coach tour as we normally travel independently but felt this would be the best way to see Russia. We did Insight's "Northern Capitals and Russia" tour in July 2017 and we couldn't recommend it highly enough. We booked more than 12 months in advance and were disappointed that we missed out on the Insight "Fly Free" airfare ...read more deals which were released in September prior to the tour in June. On tour, we were really pleased with what we were able to see and what was included and we saw a lot!

We took most of the Optional experiences, which did mean we were "on the go" most of the time, however we were prepared to put the effort in to see as much as we could whilst away. Most days we walked between 15,000 to 18,000 steps. Piotr (Tour Director) and Werner (Driver) were professional and made everything on tour go smoothly. The accommodation was excellent, we had a triple share room and on some occasions we were given a suite and twice we received interconnecting rooms, which was a real bonus. We would recommend this Insight Tour for anyone wishing to visit Russia, Scandinavia, Lithuania and some eastern European cities.
Northern Capitals & Russia with Insight 2 , VIC, Australia, May 2017
The weather was still pretty cold, but the tour was excellent. We did have the best bus driver and the best tour director. We did enjoy every minute of this tour.
Amazing trip! 2 , NSW, Australia, Jun 2016
This trip was amazing, accommodation perfect, coach excellent, tour guide outstanding. Would highly recommend it. Michelle many thanks for all your help in organising my booking.
Expensive optionals 2 , NSW, Australia, Jul 2015
A day early in Berlin helps relax before the tour. Most significant tours/events are 'optional' at a price which can significantly add to the tour cost. An extra post-tour day in Warsaw helps recovery from the tour.
Delivered all we expected and more 1 , Australia, Sep 2014
The tour delivered all we expected and more. We had not been to any of the places on this tour and every experience, while different, was great. The efforts of our Tour Director, Alex, no doubt enhanced all aspects of this trip. The arrangements by Global Journeys, including support with Russian Visas assisted greatly.
Northern Capitals & Russia 0 , NSW, Australia, Jun 2013
This was an amazing once in a lifetime experience. Our tour guide was great and made us all feel very welcome. We travelled as a family with 2 children. I was really impressed that my children were able to enjoy the activities and were welcomed by the other guests. Thank you for such an enjoyable journey.
Fantastic tour. Best tour director ever! 1 , Australia, May 2013
Fantastic tour. Best tour director ever!
Completely happy with all aspects of the tour 1 , Australia, Aug 2012
We were completely happy with all aspects of the tour. We have travelled with other companies but found Insight to be better organised, better hotels, great guide and driver, great local guides better all round. They also had some little touches which were appreciated. The included meals were fabulous and in wonderful venues. We highly recommend Insight ...read more and Global Journeys. Our dealings with Yvonne were all we could expect with prompt answers to my calls and enquiries and also in her absence.
Accommodation was first class 4 , Australia, Sep 2011
The Insight tour to Northern Europe Capitals and Russia was generally excellent. The Tour Director and Driver were both excellent and very caring. The Tour Director was most knowledgeable and at times humourous in her commentary. The accommodation was first class with exception of Vitebsk in Belarus which was a poor Russian concrete construction hotel ...read more with poor facilities. Meals where provided, were first class with exception of Vitebsk, where we were given our Russian ration. My greatest critisim was the local tour leader in Berlin who had great difficulty in filling in an hour let alone filling in 2 hours of the tour, given Berlin with its recent history since WW2. I received more information talking to a German man alongside the Berlin Wall. The tour guide in Vitebsk seemed to being giving the tour party the local Communist line on how good the city was and how well the people were treated by the Russians. The visit to the Marc Chagall home was a waste of time as the tour group (cut in two), rooms were so small for the tour party that crowded into the house to hear the Guides (translated from Russian) that they could not see the paintings/photographs on the walls. The Chagall Museum and its etchings were not generally appreciated by the tour party and it had a limited appeal to audiences. It appeared the visits to the Chagall locations were a fill-in as there was nothing better to see in Vitebsk. By comparision the visit to Vilnius, with a similiar history to Vitebsk, was brilliant. Overall the tour was both educational and entertaining and the tour group mixed very well to make a happy time. Would highly recommend Insight tours.
Results 1-14 of 14