Stockholm to the Baltics Part 1 Stockholm to Riga
I had a smooth flight with British Airways from London to Stockholm and then took the bus for the airport to downtown, which cost SEK99. This is definitely the cheapest and most convenient way to get into the centre of the city.
I spent the night at the Sheraton Hotel which is well placed for Railbookers customers as it’s just a short walk from Stockholm Central Station. This is also where the buses from the airport arrive. The Sheraton is a large hotel without much atmosphere but as I say, it is conveniently located. I spent the afternoon and early evening walking around the city, which really is on the doorstep of the hotel. The Old Town area of Gamla Stan with its myriad of narrow streets is just a short walk away.
For dinner I decided to check out what was on offer at the railway station and was pleasantly surprised at the variety of eating options. There was also a Co-op supermarket which is where I bought my provisions for an in-room dinner. Stockholm Central Station has a lounge for passengers travelling first class that offers complimentary drinks and light snacks and is a great place to pass away the time waiting for a train. Throughout the station there is free Wi-Fi and there are left luggage lockers which came in useful for me the next day.
An early start in the morning saw me in the breakfast room at 7.30 as I wanted to make the most of the day. The Sheraton's breakfast buffet was superb! After stuffing myself at breakfast I felt the need to walk it off so once again went out exploring on foot after dropping my bags in a left luggage locker. In the summer Stockholm is very much an outdoors city with lots of al fresco drinking and dining. I'm not sure how it would be in winter.........
The next stage of my journey was the ship from Stockholm to Riga operated by Tallink. The ship was the Isabella which is a large Ro-Ro ferry. The departure point in Stockholm is central enough to walk to. I got there by taking the underground and changing onto a bus to get to the port, a very easy journey at a cost of SEK 36. A word of warning about taxis in Stockholm.... There are a number of cowboy drivers and apparently the taxi trade is unlicensed!! I was advised that a taxi could cost SEK360 for a 10 minute ride!
Once onboard the ship I settled into my cabin, I had a 4 berth outside cabin with an en suite bathroom to myself. This was comfortable enough but I would recommend the upgraded cabins with more space. You can board the ship from 15.00 and the departure from Stockholm was right on time at 17.00. The journey out of Stockholm was a lovely experience as you cruise through the Stockholm Archipelago for a couple of hours or so before hitting the open sea. The ship has a variety of dining options from a self-service cafeteria to a smorgasbord option and an à la carte restaurant. I decided to go native and opted for the smorgasbord which was excellent! As I had spent the earlier part of the day exploring Stockholm I decided to have an early night and forsook the opportunity to have a drink in the Sky Bar or dance the night away in the onboard club, which stayed open until 5am.
An on time arrival into Riga and a quick hop on the tram (having exchanged some Swedish money to Latvian Lats aboard the ship) saw me at the Tallink hotel Riga at 11.30. There is a Tallink bus that connects the ship to the hotel costing LAT 2 but you need to pre buy the ticket on the ship, which I didn't! The Tallink Hotel is again another great hotel for Railbookers customers as it is a 5 minute walk from the railway station in Riga. It’s a modern design hotel with a very good restaurant.
Riga train station was a surprise to me as the last time I was here was 20 years ago and it has changed beyond recognition. Lots of shops and cafés give it a great atmosphere. After a good day’s exploration of Riga and a good night’s sleep, it was time to head off to Tallinn…