Name: Iceland and British Isles cruise
Brand: Swan Hellenic
SKU: D2226081711

Itinerary

Make sure there is sufficient timeto explore this diminutive but dramatic capital city. Despite its small size, you won’t be short of things to see and do. To get your bearings, take the elevator to the top of Hallgrímskirkja. This church, designed by famed Icelandic architect Gudjón Samuelsson is one of the most distinctive buildings in town. When you return to earth, visit the city’s other renowned building Harpa Concert Hall, located at the heart of Reykjavík's regenerated harbour – also the home of the Maritime Museum. Speaking of cultural spaces, tour the National Museum to learn the story of Iceland from past to present. The Reykjavík Art Museum houses an impressive contemporary collection including eye-catching pieces by Erró. And, of course, just 50 kilometres outside the city lies Thingvellir National Park, the site of Iceland’s original Viking parliament.

Kayaking with Expedition team

Optional

Ten million Atlantic puffins make Heimaey, a 13-square-km island in the Westman Islands off southern Iceland, the largest puffin colony in the world from mid-April until the beginning of August. Despite a population of 4,000 people, puffins have even been spotted in the town of Vestmannaeyjar. The fascinating Eldheimar museum charts the story of the town’s devastation by lava from the Eldfell volcano in 1973. Nearby is Vestmannaeyjar Bird Cliff.

With Viking-era origins, Djupivogur, a tranquil fishing village with fewer than 500 residents, is renowned for its unhurried pace of life and the art installation 'The Eggs at Merry Bay,' featuring 34 granite eggs representing local bird species. Nearby, Vatnajökull National Park, covering 14 percent of Iceland, offers a wild expanse with Europe's largest ice cap, Vatnajökull Glacier, thundering glacial rivers and active volcanoes.

Cut adrift in the Atlantic, between Scotland and Iceland, the Faroes are a self-governing archipelago in the Kingdom of Denmark. On the southern tip of Streymoy, the largest of the 18 islands, the lively little capital of Tórshavn (Thor’s Harbour) charms with its rainbow-hued clapboard warehouses, grass-roofed wooden churches and the quaint old quarter, Tinganes. Off the radar for many, the Faroes are fast becoming known for their scenery.

Tvøroyri is the main port of Suðuroy, the southernmost of the Faroe Islands, founded in 1836. Once one of the largest towns and a key fishing hub, it now hosts a village museum, an art gallery, and the cultural centre SALT. Nearby, Hvannhagi, with its unique geological landscape and diverse flora, is considered ideal for a national park. Suðuroy, the only Faroese island with coal deposits, also offers tours of a working mine.

Nearer Norway than the Scottish mainland, the solid, stone-built town of Lerwick is the capital and only town of the Shetland Islands, a subarctic Scottish archipelago with Viking roots. The port has a Dutch flair with 17th-century Fort Charlotte. In the island's south, Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement reveals an exceptional archaeological site spanning 5,000 years of history. Around 1,500 tiny Shetland ponies roam freely on the islands.

Ramshackle Stromness is an 18th century stone seaport, barely changed since Captain Cook's ships stopped in 1780. The Pier Arts Centre housing modern art is often described as a "little seaside Tate". Just 12 km north, prehistoric Skara Brae is Northern Europe's best preserved Neolithic village, predating Stonehenge and the Giza pyramids

Portree is the largest town, capital and gateway to the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides. fringed by cliffs, Portree's harbour, with a pier designed by engineer Thomas Telford, is surrounded by colourful homes and is best photographed from the viewpoint next to the Royal Hotel. Popular as a base for hiking, to the north is the Old Man of Storr, a rocky pinnacle popular with hikers.

One of Britain’s most beautiful stretches of water, The Sound of Mull, between Mull and the Scottish mainland, is a dreamlike destination with ancient fortifications, beaches and cliffs always on view. The waterway takes in distant peaks often wreathed in mist. Three lighthouses stand guard, while a number of wrecks sit below on the seabed.

Nestled on Loch Linnhe's shores, Fort William is a hub for outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife spotting such as seals in Loch Linnhe and the gateway to Ben Nevis, the UK's highest peak, nearby. The Cromwell-built fort of 1654 survived a Jacobite siege in 1746. A plinth at its remnants marks the start of the 73-mile "Great Glen Way." The town's history is featured at the West Highland Museum, and the Ben Nevis Distillery is renowned for its whisky.

This small town is the gateway to one of Northern Ireland’s most popular destinations - the Causeway Coast with clifftop walks and beaches. Top of the bill is UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway with its 40,000 basalt formations. The crashing Atlantic on one side, towering cliffs the other, it is Northern Ireland’s number-one attraction, leaving the question: is this prehistoric volcanic activity or the handiwork of two legendary Celtic giants?

Set in the middle of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man is a self-governing kingdom designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Horse-drawn trams run along the seafront promenade and nearby is the Manx Museum, home to an extensive collection of artefacts documenting the history of the island. The ruined 11th-century Peel Castle is located on the island’s west coast. Renowned for the T.T. Motorbike Races, the north hosts the Isle of Man Motor Museum.

Your cruise comes to an end today in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland’s capital. It’s at times gritty and in places, gorgeous – Georgian squares, hidden parks and tree-lined canals. It’s lively, complex, cosmopolitan and eminently walkable. So bid farewell to Vega and start exploring, if time allows before your flight home. Come full circle and visit The Long Room in the Old Library in stately Trinity College to inspect the Book of Kells, which was produced on Iona. The Long Room itself is much lauded for its beauty – it’s a stunning, two-storey, barrel-vaulted space that houses 200,000 of Trinity’s oldest books and manuscripts. Elsewhere the new Museum of Literature Ireland, the National Museum of Ireland, Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedrals, the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol, Glasnevin Cemetery entice visitors – just be sure to stop into a snug somewhere for a pint.

This itinerary provides general information about each destination. Also, please be aware that some of the venues and highlights mentioned may not be open or accessible on the day we visit. For the most accurate tour program, we recommend contacting your Swan Hellenic agent or travel agent closer to your departure date.

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YOUR SUITE TYPE

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Number of Guests:

Oceanview D4

20 m²

Oceanview Staterooms measure 20m²(215ft²) and can accommodate two guests. They feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a flame-effect fireplace and a luxurious bathroom.

Oceanview M4

20 m²

Balcony D5

25 m²

Balcony Staterooms measure 25m² (269ft²) – including a 5m² (54ft²) private balcony – and can accommodate two or three guests. They feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a flame-effect fireplace and a luxurious bathroom.

Balcony M5

25 m²

Balcony D6

25 m²

Junior Suite

32 m²

Junior Suites measure 32-36m² (344-388ft²) – including a 6m² (65ft²) private balcony – and can accommodate two guests. They feature a king size bed, have a separate living room area, and luxurious en-suite bathroom.

Suite

41 m²

Suites measure 41m² (441ft²) – including a 5m² (54ft²) private balcony – and can accommodate two or three guests. They feature a king size bed, and have a separate living room, with a flame-effect fireplace. There’s also a luxurious ensuite bathroom with separate bath tub and a walk-in shower.

Premium Suite

41 m²

Premium Suites measure 41m² (441ft²) – including 8m² (86ft²) private balcony – and can accommodate two guests. They feature a king size bed, separate living room, and flame-effect fireplace. There’s also a luxurious ensuite bathroom – with separate bath tub and shower – and a walk-in wardrobe.