Copenhagen to Southampton (London)

Effortlessly cool and down to earth, Copenhagen is a contemporary, clean and classy highlight of Scandinavia. A city built to be liveable, Copenhagen has refused to compromise, resulting in a forward-thinking metropolis that’s green and clean. Swim in the waters of Havnebadet Islands during summer, or shelter from winter’s bite by snuggling in beside a roaring open fire during winter. You can even hop on a train to Sweden, traversing the famous span of a Nordic Noir star - the Öresund Bridge. It takes just a touch over half an hour to step off the train in Malmö. There’s only one way to truly explore Copenhagen and that’s on two wheels. Easy bike hire schemes will get you moving across this flat city, designed with bikes at the forefront of the mind. Choose a model with electronic assistance to take the strain out of any journey, giving you the freedom to whizz around and explore the modern angular architecture of the centre, and the pastoral colours of Nyhavn waterfront. Head out to the Little Mermaid statue, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale - the strikingly-restrained statue is the perfect landmark for Copenhagen; unshowy, self-assured and utterly irresistible. The Danish concept of hygge is very much alive here, and you’ll feel that warm cosy feeling as you visit cafes illuminated by the warm glow of hanging filament bulbs, and stuffed to the brim with thick, dusty books. Home to mega-brewer Carlsberg, Copenhagen is also a city for hop enthusiasts, and there is a thriving craft brewing scene to sample. Danish Smørrebrød sandwiches are a must try, or for something a little more substantial, settle in for a culinary voyage and try a taster menu – the city’s restaurants are littered with Michelin stars.

Denmark’s fourth largest city comes with what Danes do best – Viking landscapes, modernist architecture, superb local food and lots (and lots) of good beer. Starting with number one, visitors to Aalborg will need to experience the strange otherworldliness that is Lindolm Hoje. One of Scandinavia’s best preserved Viking burial sites, the impressive site was covered over by a sand dune in around 1000 AD, thus preserving the stone markings. Archaeologists from the National Museum began a proper excavation of the site in 1889 but it wasn’t until 1958 that the site’s potential was fully realised. Widely considered be the most notable of ancient landmarks in Denmark, no visit to Aalborg is complete without a visit here. History lovers will want to continue their tour of this pretty Danish town by not missing out on Voergaard Castle - one of the best preserved renaissance castles in Denmark. The castle houses an extensive and unique collection of European art and furniture, including works by Goya, Rubens, Raphael and El Greco, together with treasures from the personal belongings of Napoleon 1, Louis XIV and Marie-Antoinette. If you prefer your landscapes more urban than historical, then not to be overlooked is Aalborg’s architecture. Think a Jon Utzon (the man behind the Sydney Opera House) cultural centre, one of the best concert halls in Europe and a repurposed power plant, and you have culture galore at your fingertips. If all that has made you hungry then expect a gastronomic voyage with anything from fine dining to a covered street food market. Washed down by a locally produced beer – of course! Aalborg is home to six microbreweries so visitors are spoilt for choice.

The Granite City sparkles like silver in the Scottish sunshine, and there is over 8,000 years’ worth of history to dig into in this pretty city of cobbled streets and hunched cottages. Located far to the north of the British Isles, Aberdeen is third only to Edinburgh and Glasgow in terms of size. Shaped by its maritime location, granite foundations and offshore oil industry, today’s Aberdeen is a prosperous powerhouse, alive with arts and culture. Surrounded by the Cairngorms Mountains’ sepia-hues – and the North Sea’s windswept coastline - Aberdeen was forged by the granite quarried from its earth. Local stone is everywhere from the Houses of Parliament to Waterloo Bridge – but arguably the finest examples of the material’s beauty are in the city itself. The barnacled spikes of Marischal College - the world's second largest granite building – and the grand turreted masonry of the Town House leave a lasting impression. Johnston Gardens add some colour to the city’s canvas, and you'll often spot wedding dresses floating among the blooming rhododendrons and ornate bridges. Aberdeen Maritime Museum takes visitors on a voyage through the region’s seafaring heritage, and North Sea oil exploration. Stop for a coffee and watch fishing vessels and trawlers toing and froing from the harbour, surreally mingling with city centre buildings in the unusually central harbour. Old Aberdeen is a fairy-tale walk of cobbled streets and eccentric stone houses where no stone is the same, while the Footdee fishing village, or 'fittie' as the locals pronounce it, consists of historic leaning cottages and ramshackle huts for the city's fishing community.

The Highlands in the northern part of Scotland are known for their magnificent scenery, boasting a landscape of dramatic mountains and forested hills. This region also is of historic importance and full of legends including the fabled Loch Ness monster. For centuries, Scotland was England's principal enemy. Then in 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England, thus establishing the first political union between the two countries. Despite these ties, Scottish nationalism persisted. The resistance came to an end in 1746 when Bonnie Prince Charlie, in a sad but heroic attempt to reclaim the throne, was defeated in the Battle of Culloden. It changed the social structure of the Highlands forever. Powerful clans were disarmed; for many years wearing kilts was prohibited because the kilt was seen as a symbol of Scottish pride. Scotland ultimately was ruled from London. Invergordon is the port for Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands and junction of many routes. Over the centuries, Inverness was often the focal point of clashes between Highland chiefs, and the Crown. Today the town is a popular tourist attraction as well as a gathering place for the clans of the surrounding area. Enjoy the picture-perfect scenery and perhaps an opportunity to chat with a Highlander eager to introduce you to his fabled land and its rich heritage.

Derry, also known as Londonderry, is a city on the River Foyle in Northern Ireland. It’s known for the intact 17th-century Derry’s Walls with 7 gates. Within the walls, spired St. Columb’s Cathedral displays artefacts from the 1688–9 Siege of Derry. Near the Peace Bridge, the Tower Museum has city views and historical exhibits. Huge stained-glass windows adorn the neo-Gothic red sandstone Guildhall.

Who can say Liverpool without thinking of The Beatles? Home to the fab four, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and the Cavern Club, this northern English city is undoubtedly one of the most important places on the 20th-century music scene. Even UNESCO agrees - Liverpool became a City of Music (one of only 19 in the world) in 2015. So understandably, it’s bursting with pride. View less Not only for its most famous former residents but also its football team, its maritime heritage and its thriving cultural scene (it was Capital of Culture in 2008). A huge regeneration project over the past two decades has seen Liverpool blossom from being a below-par northern English city to a somewhere buzzing with charm. The arrival of the Tate Liverpool paved the way – quickly followed by the restoration of some 2,500 plus listed buildings (that’s more than any English city outside London). The waterfront revitalisation came next with bars, clubs, galleries and independent boutiques, giving Liverpool some of the best dining and shopping there is. Don’t leave here without tasting Scouse – a traditional beef stew – and from where Liverpudlians draw their nickname “Scousers”. Culturally speaking, Liverpool is “bang on” as Scousers would say. The three Graces (named after the Greek goddesses of charm, beauty and creativity) line the waterfront and are responsible in part for Liverpool’s second UNESCO gong as a World Heritage Site. Further afield, the lovely parks and Crosby Beach offer a welcome respite from the urban hub.

Located in County Kilkenny, the port of Belview is not only Waterford’s tidal port, but also Ireland’s closest multi-modal port to mainland Europe. The port was moved from Waterford in 1992 and sits on the northern bank of the River Suir, some 4 miles downstream from Waterford’s Viking Triangle. Belview not only providers the most modern docking facilities for cargo and cruise ships, it also permits excellent access to the various attractions Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, and Southern Ireland have to offer.

The picturesque little seaside town of Cobh, pronounced Cove, has a magnificent natural harbor, the second largest in the world. This contributed to Cobh's connection with some of the world's most famous ships. Of all the passenger ships that sailed from here though, the most notorious must be the Titanic, Cobh being her final port of call. Not surprisingly there are plenty of memorials to the ship in town including the not to be missed Titanic Experience. Through interactive experiences, visitors get the chance to experience life on board the ship and to discover more about the passengers who made that ill-fated voyage.

Standing on a triangular peninsula formed at the place where the rivers Itchen and Test flow into an eight-mile inlet from the Solent, Southampton has figured in numerous stirring events and for centuries has been of strategic maritime importance. It was from here that the Pilgrim Fathers departed for America in the tiny Mayflower in 1620 and many great ocean liners, such as the Queen Mary and the Titanic have followed since. The image of the thousand-year-old city was greatly blemished by the bombing during World War II and postwar planning caused changes almost beyond recognition.