Enjoy Britain in Full Bloom Sailing Cruise

Departure 07.00 pm This coastal strip in southern Hampshire, blessed by the Gulf Stream, has always been an easily defensible natural harbor. Indeed Henry VII made it his Royal Dockyard at the end of the 15th century. Still an important Royal Navy base, the vast port of Portsmouth is situated on the peaceful west coast of Portsea Island, a spit of land that stretches far out to sea. In the old harbor, historic ships with grandiose names proclaim the city's glorious past and several museums are devoted to the navy and seafaring. Where once adventurers and admirals set sail to re-write the English history books, countless yachts now rock gently in numerous marinas. The lavishly renovated quayside with its looming, futuristic Spinnaker Tower and the long seafront at Southsea are now the beating heart of modern life in the city.

Arrival 01.30 pm, Departure 07.00 pm A piece of France fallen into the sea and grabbed up by the English' is how Victor Hugo described his place of exile in the Bay of St. Malo, which is closer to the northern coast of France than the south coast of England. Guernsey, the second largest British Channel Island, later inspired Auguste Renoir to produce a whole series of paintings. Narrow, meandering roads bordered by hedges and embankments wind through the interior of the island, which boasts luscious vegetation courtesy of the mild Gulf Stream climate, while in the south, green hills give way to rocky cliffs on the sea's edge. Here, spectacular crags, bays and sandy beaches have been shaped by the vast tidal range pummelling the rock. The pretty island capital of St. Peter Port overlooking the large sheltered harbor and castle boasts a fascinating mixture of styles in a tangle of terraces and stepped gardens.

Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 06.00 pm The old harbor town of Dartmouth in the southern English county of Devon is set in forested hills on the west bank of the Channel estuary. Since the 15th century, Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle, which faces it, have guarded the entry to the town. Little has changed since 1539 in the cobbled Bayard's Cove with its small fort on the old harbor. Sailing boats and yachts now roll gently where great ships once set sail for new shores. Charming old houses line the narrow streets leading from the promenade up the steep slope with its numerous steps. Located in a dominant position above the town, the Britannia Royal Naval College bears testament to the historic significance of seafaring and the navy.

Arrival 01.30 pm, Departure 07.00 pm It's no coincidence that Cornwall is often chosen as the setting for romance novels. The county in the southwest of England is simply too romantic: wild flowers on steep cliffs, lonely beach bays, small fishing villages and last but not least the sunny and mild Atlantic climate will warm your heart. A particularly magical highlight is the deep blue bay in front of the port city of Penzance. Here the legendary St. Michael's Mount rises from the sea. At low tide you can reach it on foot from the village of Marazion: A dam paved with old stones leads over to the tidal island.

Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 01.30 pm Off the south west coast of Cornwall, some 150 small islands and islets emerge from the sea. The privately-owned Tresco is the second largest of the five inhabited British Scilly Isles and has a reputation as an 'island in bloom' thanks to the mild Gulf Stream climate. The subtropical Tresco Abbey Gardens, set up in the 19th century by Augustus Smith on the lands of an old Benedictine Abbey, are home to exotic plants from many regions of the world. This small Garden of Eden is set in a natural paradise with subterranean caverns, sheer granite cliffs, idyllic white sandy beaches, emerald water and spectacular violet-red sunsets.

Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.

Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 05.00 pm What makes for a perfect city break? If you come to Belfast with an ambitious wish list, you can quickly check one item off after another: An impressive castle? Check. An innovative gastro scene? Check. Rustic pub culture, Titanic Museum, one of Britain's best weekly markets, a haunted prison? It's all there! The historical Belfast is now a vibrant, cosmopolitan capital city – despite the political conflicts that plunged it into turmoil for many decades. The numerous street art murals illustrate the city's turbulent political history.

Arrival 07.00 am In the wake of the Celtic Tiger boom and financial crisis, Dublin, the Irish capital in the east of the Emerald Isle continues to be young, dynamic and European. It adeptly combines tradition and innovation in a small space. O'Connell Street in the Northside of Dublin shimmers with the lofty steel Millennium Spire and a brand new district has sprung up in the docklands with futuristic glass buildings and a Calatrava bridge. The old Half Penny Bridge takes you right into the heart of the city. Here you will find the lively, cobbled Temple Bar district with its numerous Guinness pubs, Dublin Castle, which is over 800 years old, and the soaring spires of St. Patrick's and Christ Church Cathedrals. Behind the neo-classical façade of the historic Trinity College, founded in 1592, is a magnificent library and the 1,200 year-old Book of Kells.

Itineraries are subject to change.