Tour “6 capitals. Amber Roads of the Baltics and Scandinavia"

01 September 2019 Travel time: with 11 august 2019 on 18 august 2019
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I would like to note right away that the tour was successful, without any complications and serious comments. Only positive emotions remained! Thank you all!


Day one. Departure from the South Terminal, the bus stops at the Potbellied Hata, departure at 04:30 . It is not very convenient to get from other cities, they waited from midnight at the South Terminal. Considering that they wrote "collection for 2 hours" it seems to be nothing, but in reality the guide said on the phone that the fee for 30 minutes. at the Van Hool T916 bus. And indeed in 30 minutes. before departure, a chaotic party of people began and luggage was loaded in the dark. Nobody controlled anything. Only at the entrance to the bus we were counted. We left exactly at 04:30. The road in the Chernihiv region wishes the best. We did not stand on the border with Belarus for a very long time, we are going. At first, the road is free - similar to Chernihiv. Further, like an autobahn, but "in Belarusian" - you have to pay, and the state is Chernihiv, but with separate sections of a flat road (E271). Where are the vaunted autobahns of Belarus? I don’t think that we were specially taken along the “waves” - there is only one straight road to the Lithuanian border. The roadside around Minsk is well-groomed. In order not to be unfounded, there is a video where the bus constantly throws from side to side, and the driver "flies" in his spring-loaded seat. We had seats in the first part of the bus, for an additional fee, and we did not regret it, but those who were in 1st and 2nd places were a little uncomfortable.

We crossed the border with the European Union (Lithuania) and hid our passports deeper. Well, finally, a normal road has begun, from which it doesn’t make you sick and your teeth don’t chatter. In the evening (21:00 - due to the fact that the departure from Kyiv at 4:30) we arrived at the hotel in Vilnius "Zemaites". We ran to the supermarket, which is opposite the hotel across the street. They tried to pay with a card for paying salaries / pensions, but they didn’t know (forgotten) what a Visa / Master electron is, let’s say the most advanced one (I’ll say in advance that there were no problems further in ALL countries and ferries, there was a second device or combined devices, where you can stick all kinds of cards), apparently, the girl did not fully own. We paid in cash.

Second day. Vilnius. Morning at the hotel, breakfast is good, and the hotel itself is good, a paid sightseeing tour (modest, but paid because there is no other). Free time we used to climb to the observation deck - a view of the whole city! Even the ongoing construction work did not interfere. It is difficult to climb on foot, there is a funicular, but it works at will, we saw it working. Transfer to Riga, sightseeing tour included in the price. Self-time for a photo session at the filming locations of Sherlock Holmes and 17 Moments of Spring. We moved to Tallinn, settled in the hotel "Dzingel".

Third day. Tallinn. Sightseeing tour and we went to the paid "More about Tallinn". If it weren’t for our guide, the local would have cut it (“we won’t make it in time because of traffic jams”), so thanks to ours - he demanded the locals work in full. Free time, it's a pity that there are so many tourists on the observation deck.


Transfer by ferry from 18:00. Everything is fine and the "coupe" for four is also fine. Concert and dancing, and food for those who want and can eat A LOT for 36 €, and then with a slight swing... And for the rest, a buffet with a modest but sufficient assortment of food and drink without overeating and cheaper. Morning, breakfast. By some coincidence, breakfast was included for 13 euros.

Fourth day. Stockholm, got off the ferry at 11:00. Normal sightseeing tour included in the price. We visited the metro on our own (our guide advised the "blue line", however, we forgot to ask which stations are more beautiful), at the cost of one ticket for 75 minutes. we invested minute by minute. We spent the night at the Scandic hotel.

Day five. Oslo, good sightseeing tour included in the price. We wanted to take a boat ride, but we couldn’t handle the ticket machine, and it’s good - we went to the opera house, beautiful views, an interesting building! We saw and felt more than on the tour. Moving to Sweden, overnight at the "Scandic" hotel.

Sixth day. Transfer to Copenhagen via the Ø resund bridge with a visit to the observation deck on it and the passage at the "Turning Torso" in Malmö . Copenhagen sightseeing tour included in the price. Finally, we went on our own on a boat for 105 DKK/person. We took a 1.5-hour one with an audio guide, although we wanted an hour one, but it took an hour, and this one left after 10 minutes. Headphones are better than our own with a 3.5 mm jack, we had. Crossing the strait by ferry. For those who are thirsty for all inclusive for 25€, for the rest, a great buffet with an assortment of food and drinks. Accommodation at the "Fischereihafen" hotel in Rostock.


Seventh Day. Moving to Berlin. Sightseeing, included in the price, and not described in the advertisement paid for 26 € "Berlin through time" with visits to the most famous places. Independent time, beer and curry sausages, but not in a restaurant, but at a kiosk at a table! We were led by a local guide to a store with "cheap" chocolate at 3.19-3.89 euros for 500-400 g. And individual chocolates for 1.05-1.25 euros. Upon arrival home, we found that in 500 g these are chocolate candies with filling and waffles, and such chocolate is also sold here for 100 UAH (3 euros). Moving to Poland, settling in the hotel "CHOPIN", we came across a room with "patina" old "vintage" furniture, everything else is modern.

Day eight. Transfer to Krakow, paid sightseeing tour (no other). Independent time for a photo shoot and lunch at "Babci Maliny" on the advice of a local guide. We bought a bison 0.5L in Krakow for 29 PLN (188 UAH), while in our country it costs 96 UAH. Moving to Lviv. The entrance to the bus terminal "A" - the road is a quiet horror - 300 meters of a nightmare. Exactly at 23:00 at the railway station.

Conclusions:

  • The organizers of "AccordTour" fulfilled their obligations, albeit with minor remarks. Separately, I would like to say about the "bonus" - travel on the Ø resund bridge. Why it is paid separately, it is clear to everyone (a lot has already been written by other tourists)! BUT why so intrigue "at the desire of the WHOLE group. " Maybe it's easier to "bury" these 10-15€ in the cost of the tour and give as a bonus an inspection of the bridge from the observation deck and a passage near the highest residential building in Europe (Turning Torso in Malmö )? Other operators do just that, they try to intrigue until the last moment and only notify before the bridge itself, and all this without additional fees and problems (for example, driving along the highest Millau viaduct). And so, well, part of the group does not want to, what to do? If it is written "excursion at will", then... group to fight? And they would give full information that there would be an inspection from the observation deck and another attraction, perhaps there were no disagreements. Transfer from Lviv to Kyiv at night by bus - perhaps this is not the best way to get there, but it was announced only when many people had already taken tickets, and on the website - "Arrival in Lviv... our tour is over. " But you can’t argue here - it seems that there are no night crossings and at the same time we (tourists) paid for this forced bus run to Kyiv, and not a “free transfer to Kyiv for those who wish” - free cheese in... everything is there.

  • The "bus" guide honestly worked on the route (talking about the upcoming visit to the city, about the country and about the flashing sights, he had enough knowledge about the history of countries to answer many questions). Resolved issues with accommodation (a couple of hotels were known a day or two before settling in them) and dealt with uncertain situations in the group. All. No additional jokes, jokes, everything is clearly according to the program.
  • Local guides - all tried to convey information to tourists in full. Special thanks to the guides in Berlin and Krakow, who conducted a tour with humor, and the understanding of a tourist trying to see in a few hours what the local population cannot see in a lifetime.
  • Communication - our guide gave his "Estonian" number, Viber and WhatsApp. All hotels and the ferry had free Wi-Fi. On the ferry, this is more relevant than ever, there is no usual communication on the high seas. And those who have satellite communications do not go on such trips. Our mobile operator provided "Ideal roaming" for 4 weeks: 50 min. or 500 MB for 100 UAH. 500 MB is beneficial for communication with everyone, because both the guide and almost all acquaintances have Viber or another messenger - you are always in touch.
  • Hotels along the route are all normal 3*. I would especially like to mention the Scandic chain - excellent, and the modest hotels in Germany "Fischereihafen" and Poland "CHOPIN", but they did not spoil the impression. We had enough service everywhere.
  • Food. Breakfasts in all hotels are sufficient, in some the buffet is "longer". Lunch combined with dinner had to be decided either in dry food or instant soups. We bought food in the supermarket only because upon arrival at the hotel late in the evening there is nowhere to go, and there is no desire, and the restaurant in the hotel, as a rule, sleeps. Excellent instant soups, like the manufacturer is the same as in Ukraine, but the taste is different - normal.

  • The drivers handled the route professionally. Well, then a couple of times we went to the wrong place, quickly in 5 minutes. fixed. The fact that the sightseeing bus rarely (and then only at urgent request) turned on the upper wiper intended for tourists, the fact that the windshield is covered in midges and water stains are trifles. What they are wearing... it's nice to look at the drivers of sightseeing buses from other countries, there is a uniform. Let it be just a shirt and trousers, but the same, but I won’t even describe about ours - everyone knows, but this is the fault of the company. The fact that the answer to the question about the idle seat to the tourist was “we are not mechanics” is also a trifle (of course, we “pecked” a specific tourist with the whole group so as not to distract the drivers, because this did not concern us), although if you read the rules, then the driver is responsible for the condition of the equipment, and if he improperly accepted the car from the mechanics, then... The fact that cold air was blowing from the speaker at the neighbors and the solution was found by an experienced tourist (we have such a bitter experience as pneumonia after a trip on a different route) - adhesive tape, which sealed the defective / missing speaker. The fact that some speakers did not work, I understand that the first interfere with the driver. The fact that the sound from the speakers was either clearly weak or wheezing, well, our bus is already living its second life. Why do guides mostly speak directly into the microphone and because of this, the airflow creates interference. And probably because no one taught/told them how to use a microphone. The fact that films were constantly stuck, regardless of what medium - a laser disc or a flash drive - you yourself understand why. The fact that they hooked a parked car. It is strange in general how the drivers of such a huge car squeezed through the narrow streets of Europe and did not demolish it anymore. It's good that the police arrived in 30-40 minutes. and in 10 min. everything was decided, but it was already late and the group was eager to "go to bed".
  • Settlement in all outlets - by international payment cards (from "electronic" to the most modern "3D Secure"), street vendors mostly use cash.
  • Such trips are for people who can quickly follow a guide and perceive or ignore information on the fly. In almost all visited cities, construction work is underway, sometimes they create some inconvenience. And be careful - there are an abundance of bicycles and electric scooters in all cities!
  • Weather. For two weeks, a week, a day before the departure, we studied the forecast for the cities - almost everywhere they promised continuous downpours. In fact, it rained either at night or on the road. In the cities, the umbrella was pulled out once or twice, and then for 10 minutes. Exposed parts of the body tanned like in the south!
  • Wishes:

  • On the bus: I would really like to have a pair of USB connectors in the individual lighting unit above each pair of seats to charge gadgets. This is especially true for overnight travel. It, of course, is the problem of a tourist and a power bank to help. BUT! After all, this is a TOURIST bus or what? Even in express trains and trains of Ukrainian production, this is. It's understandable, old cheap buses. . . and stretch one cable? If these are company buses or constantly work for it.
  • Introduce mandatory cleaning of bus windows by drivers and the inclusion of "wipers" intended for tourists, if drivers do not want to comply with the requirements of the "Rules of the road" clause 2.3 and clause 31. And dress drivers in some form!
  • Guides - maps that they give out in each city, mark the collection point: by piercing the entire pack of cards at once with a needle or making a mark with a pen. In Copenhagen, a local guide has put on EVERY map the main points of interest and how to get to them! You can feel the maternal care for tourists! After all, we have more than one group a day!

  • I would also like from the beginning of breakfast to departure at least 1.5 hours. Let breakfast start at least at 5 am to leave early. But this is how the tour operator will negotiate with hotels.
  • To all tourists. "Check in" at the place of loading onto the bus. Everyone has smart and google maps and count the time. There were no delays in our group.
  • The result of the trip is 1500 photos and 2.5 hours of video, reinforcing our impressions and giving us the opportunity to advertise this tour to our friends. And do not believe those who say "why are you staring at the camera! ", because after such an eventful trip not all memories will remain, but photo and video recording of yourself against the backdrop of sights will help you remember where you were after a while and help you tell your friends. We didn’t go shopping, because the main thing is to see the world! Those who do not have enough goods in Ukraine - shoppers to help.

    Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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    Пульт в автобусе
    Берлин
    Поцелуй
    Отель в Польше, с
    Наши водители
    Водители других стран
    Настройка языка на катере
    Схема метро Стокгольм
    Осло
    Паром,
    Мальме
    Вильнюс наш отель
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