In the days of sail Viking longships & Hanse roundships plied the waters of the Baltic, & for centuries the area formed the axis of a five-nation power struggle, as bids were made for glory both on land & at sea. Today towering ferries & container ships criss-cross routes between cities with a proud past, & travellers are entranced by legendary castles & captivating palaces. This is the fascinating story of the northern inland sea & of the peoples of its shores, from the ice age to the nuclear age.