Cruise and Maritime Voyages

The capital of the Emerald Isle is, with its friendly locals, fascinating history, legendary literary tradition and charming mix of medieval, Georgian and modern architecture, a city of unforgettable character. It lies on the east coast of Ireland along the banks of the River Liffey. Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, Trinity College and the beautiful square St Stephen’s Green lie south of the Liffey, whilst the glorious Custom House, majestic Four Courts and famous General Post Office add grace to Dublin’s Northside. Crossing the river the high-arched Ha’penny Bridge is one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks.

Part old Norse, part modern city, the Icelandic capital has a quirky character of its own. Although Reykjavik is one of the world’s smallest capital cities, it is home to almost half of Iceland’s population. Mosaics, murals and sculptures are found throughout the oldest part of the town where brightly coloured houses with tin roofs are watched over by the towering Hallgrimskirkja Church. The classic ‘Golden Circle’ featuring vast lava fields, bubbling mud pools, crashing waterfalls and spouting geysers, is a popular optional excursion along with the chance to bathe in the famous geothermal Blue Lagoon.

Once the site of an annual Viking gathering, Tórshavn is today one of the smallest and most pleasant capital cities in the world. It sits on the southern tip of Streymoy, one of eighteen islands in the Faroese archipelago. Tinganes is the old part of the town where characteristic, red wooden buildings with turf-covered roofs cluster on a narrow peninsula. It juts into the natural harbour around which the modern town has been built. The Faroe Islands have a wild and dramatic landscape, which is a magnificent backdrop to optional excursions showing how islanders live on this remote and unspoiled archipelago.

The capital of the amazing Orkney archipelago, the Royal Burgh of Kirkwall sits almost exactly in the centre of Mainland, dividing the island into East and West. The magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral, a legacy of the town’s rich Viking heritage, dominates Kirkwall’s skyline. In its shadow, the town is a cluster of grey stone buildings lining narrow, flagstone streets. Excursions explore these beautiful islands whose history can be traced back some 6,000 years through Neolithic standing stones and the magnificent archaeological site of Skara Brae. Modern day Orkney is a hive of creative activity and its craft workshops are perfect for a special souvenir.