The 2018 World Cup in Saint Petersburg: Brazil, Neymar & the White Nights of Russia

There are trips you plan around a destination, and then there are trips you plan around an event.

The 2018 World Cup in Russia was the latter.

Our journey began in Stockholm, where World Cup fever had already taken over the Swedish capital. From there, we boarded an overnight ship across the Baltic to Helsinki, spent some time exploring Finland, and then continued east by train.

Stockholm → Helsinki → Saint Petersburg.

It was one of the more unusual—and memorable—ways I’ve ever arrived at a World Cup.

And waiting for us in Russia was Brazil and Costa Rica, the teams of two Real Madrid legends (and one former Barca player ;)): Marcelo, Keylor Navas, and Neymar. At the World Cup. In Saint Petersburg.

Helsinki to Saint Petersburg by Train

There’s something about crossing an international border by train that makes you appreciate the geography of a trip in a way flying never does.

Leaving Helsinki for Saint Petersburg, the scenery gradually changed as we traveled east through Finland toward the Russian border.

Then came passport control.

And eventually, Russia.

Flying from Helsinki to Saint Petersburg would obviously have been faster, but taking the train made our arrival feel like part of the journey. We’d traveled from Scandinavia across the Baltic and were now moving over