From the Atlantic to the North Sea, Heritage and Landscapes Luxury Cruise

In the heart of the Clyde Valley, the bustling city of Glasgow contrasts starkly with the wild beauty of the surrounding countryside. Scotland's biggest city overflows with landmarks from its extensive artistic heritage and outstanding architectural tradition. The city's chequerboard layout makes walking through the major pedestrian thoroughfares easy: go with the flow and let the lively street atmosphere take you past the many Victorian monuments. Don't miss the collections on display in the numerous museums and art galleries. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is an outstanding example.

Loch Linnhe is located in the Scottish Highlands, stretching between the Isle of Mull and Fort William. Sail in the heart of picturesque landscapes and admire the formations of the magnificent mountains and valleys surrounding the loch, including the famous Ben Nevis. The pure waters of Loch Linnhe are teeming with marine life; harbour seals may be found among its faithful inhabitants.

A port town on the eastern shore of Loch Linnhe, Fort William is sometimes described as the "Outdoor Capital of the UK."  Because it sits at the base of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the British Isles, and is in close proximity to the dramatic landscape of Glencoe, it is a popular destination for hikers and rock climbers. For those looking for a less adventurous experience, the nearby Ben Nevis Distillery offers tours and tastings, and Old Fort and Old Inverlochy Castle are interesting historical sites.

Loch Ewe, located in the Northwest Highlands, is a sea loch surrounded by mountains, looking out onto the North Atlantic. It was an assembly point for maritime trade in the past and military ships used to gather there during the Second World War to organise safe convoys to the Arctic. On its shores, the loch shelters a remarkable botanic garden, Inverewe Garden, whose many hundreds of tropical plants and species prosper thanks to the Gulf Stream. Protected from the violent winds by endemic pine trees, the garden, which was created in 1862 by landowner Osgood Mackenzie and his daughter Mairi Sawyer, will unveil unsuspected colours, shapes and perfumes. It is now managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to glimpse some of Scotland’s wild animals: red squirrels, red deer, otters, seals or golden eagles.

The stone houses stand proudly facing the sea in the charming town of Stromness, the second most populous town in Scotland’s Orkney Islands. Long ago called Hamnavoe – meaning “safe harbour” – because of the safety it provided to Viking travellers, sailors and merchants sailing around Great Britain, the town has retained its gentle way of life. Strolling along its picturesque streets will immerse you in the history of the fishermen and whale hunters, but also allow you to discover a lively town with a living culture.

Foula, lying some twenty nautical miles west of the Shetlands, is the archipelago’s most remote island as well as one of the most remote inhabited British islands: it only has thirty inhabitants, who still observe the Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. The island rock measures 12.5 km2 (4.8 square miles) and is characterised by its high cliffs, the largest of which reach 365 m (almost 1,200 feet). Inland, there are farms in the heart of huge expanses of moors and peat bogs where flocks of sheep and herds of ponies live in total freedom. The Vikings were the first explorers to come here and they named it Fugløy or “bird island”. You will be able to explore these green windswept landscapes, to the cliffs of Hiora Wick and Gaada Stack, home to nesting colonies of seabirds, including fulmars, Atlantic puffins and eiders.

A conical dry stone tower dating back to the end of the Iron Age, the Broch of Mousa is one of the many buildings constructed in the Highlands and in the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetlands archipelagos to fend off invaders. Constructed circa 100 BC, it is the tallest broch still standing, at 13 metres (almost 43 feet), and the best-preserved in Europe. Its excellent state of perservation can be explained among other factors by its isolated location and its massive construction: it has a single entrance passage and thick walls, with a diametre that is smaller than that of other brochs. The building was used over the centuries and is mentioned in the Norse sagas, Egil's Saga and the Orkneyinga Saga.

Many colonies of birds have chosen to nest on the towering sandstone cliffs on the eastern coast of the Isle of Noss. The many ledges sculpted into the rock effectively make for ideal breeding sites for the gannets, puffins, guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, razorbills, arctic fulmars and great skuas that populate this territory. Separated from the island of Bressay by a sound of only 100 metres (328 feet), this wild island in the Shetland archipelago has been a national nature reserve of Scotland since 1955. Make the most of this unique opportunity you have to discover this isolated Eden, bathed by the North Sea.

Welcome to a small, typically Norwegian village. Located on the north-east of Selbjørn Island, in Hordaland county, this historical former trading port has managed to retain all its authenticity. The four great burial mounds atop the King’s Mountain were long prominent landmarks for the Viking boats sailing in the region.

Located at the end of Byfjord, Bergen was the capital of Norway in the 12th and 13th Centuries and has preserved some very beautiful monuments from the time when it was home to royalty. Wandering through Bergen’s streets means going back in time, in search of the hidden treasures that have been listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. A veritable openair museum, Bergen is home to a thriving artistic community of painters, potters, jewellers. The Bergen cable car offers you a splendid panorama over the port and the surrounding fjords. Do not miss the visit to the old quarter with its narrow streets, a testimony of the power of the hanseatic League that controlled trade in Northern Europe at the end of the Middle Ages.

Itineraries are subject to change.