Scandinavia and Northern Europe

The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.

Skagen is a world of windswept beauty, a finger of reef where sun-bleached dunes meet swathes of pastel sky. Denmark's most northerly town on the tip of the peninsula is famed for fishing (you won't find a tastier shrimp salad on homemade rye), while its poetic seascapes and luminous evening light has inspired many an Impressionist artist. Skagen's main attraction is the sandy Skaw (after which the town is named) at Grenen Beach - a tapered spit where two worlds literally collide. Here, the north seas of Skagerrak and Kattegat meet, crashing together in the middle, but always look separate. While standing for the obligatory photograph with a foot in each sea, you'll often spot whales and seals, and in springtime follow the swoop and fall of hundreds of rare migrating birds. Such natural beauty is the inspiration for many local artists. Browse their wares in the abundant galleries, jewellery and craft shops.

Whether you're an art buff or a fan of Mother Nature, Denmark's second largest city Aarhus has something to offer to everyone. Much of its vibrant social scene centres on the thriving waterfront area of Vadestedet and in the city itself you'll find pedestrianised shopping streets interwoven with narrow lanes and timbered houses and cafés. Just south of the town is Marselisborg, and here you can visit a wildlife sanctuary or head off on a walk through the stunning Scandinavian forest. Another out of town attraction, ideal for families, is one of the largest Legoland Theme Parks in Europe.

Kiel is a port city on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast. In the old town, the rebuilt, medieval St. Nikolai Church hosts classical concerts. Holstenstrasse and Dänische Strasse are streets lined with shops. Along the Kiel Fjord, the Maritime Museum displays model ships and nautical instruments in a former fish auction hall. Cruise ships dock at the Ostseekai Terminal in Germania Harbor.

An unbelievably beautiful city, Stockholm is surrounded by clear water and unspoilt countryside that stretches deep into urban areas. The largest part of the city lies in its medieval quarter, Gamla Stan, which was built across three bridge-linked islands. In its narrow streets you'll find countless bars, restaurants and boutiques, but if you still have time to spare, then there are over 150 museums and galleries to explore. For the ultimate experience, take a cruise past majestic buildings, tree-lined squares and spacious boulevards to capture the essence of this city of islands.

An unbelievably beautiful city, Stockholm is surrounded by clear water and unspoilt countryside that stretches deep into urban areas. The largest part of the city lies in its medieval quarter, Gamla Stan, which was built across three bridge-linked islands. In its narrow streets you'll find countless bars, restaurants and boutiques, but if you still have time to spare, then there are over 150 museums and galleries to explore. For the ultimate experience, take a cruise past majestic buildings, tree-lined squares and spacious boulevards to capture the essence of this city of islands.

A small but perfectly formed Hanseatic town, no wonder Visby is described as the 'Pearl of the Baltic' or, even more evocatively, as the 'town of roses and ruins'. This popular Swedish cruise port on the west coast of the Baltics largest island, Gotland, was once a Viking trading post but it later developed into the Baltics main Hanseatic centre between the 12th and 14th centuries. Embark on one of our cruises to Visby and you will discover more than 200 warehouses and wealthy merchants stone dwellings from that time remain within its two-mile long medieval walls, making it the best-preserved fortified commercial settlement in northern Europe and earning it World Heritage site status. From here, your Visby cruise tour will take you on a stroll through rose-scented alleyways to the lovely Botanical Gardens. Visby bring cruises here a mixture of ancient and modern, with plenty of lively cafes and interesting shops to go with the living history and fascinating selection of museums.

Latvia's capital and cruise port Riga dates back to the 1100's, its inhabitants have endured long periods of occupation ever since, controlled by the Swedes, the Poles and most recently the Russians. Now they have regained independence, they are embracing western culture with enthusiasm and cruise visitors to Riga will find the city full of excellent restaurants, lively bars and Internet cafes, while its historic heart has remained unchanged for centuries. When taking one of our Riga cruises, a stroll through the narrow streets of its walled Old City is a must; take time to view the magnificent organ and medieval wall mountings of the Dome Cathedral. Shop for fabulous amber jewellery, fine linen and beautifully made wooden toys at the shops and street markets and look out for the city's Freedom Monument, which depicts Milda, the spirit of Riga, reaching for the stars. Riga cruise highlights also include the War Museum, housed in a well-preserved 18th century defence tower, where you can learn more about the country's troubled past at.

Warnemünde is your gateway to all things Hanseatic, which means that many of the most popular excursions offered from Warnemünde cruises provide a fascinating tour through living medieval history. Nearby Rostock still emanates some of its former glories as a major Hanseatic city. Its pedestrianised old town is full of narrow atmospheric streets, cutting between impressive centuries-old buildings. City Hall, in the New Market Place, is particularly impressive, but the 15th century St. Marien Church, with its astronomical clock, is Rostocks true focal point. From Warnemünde-Rostock, your cruise tour takes you to the magnificent 700-year-old brick cathedral of Bad Doberan is only 10 miles away. Railway buffs will love the antique railway that runs from there to the beach resort of Heiligendamm, which is 30 minutes steaming away - through landscapes of charming villages, coastal scenes and the beautiful Doberan Linden Alley.

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen was the adopted home of Hans Christian Andersen - commemorated in the waterfront sculpture of his Little Mermaid. And, true to the spirit of its most famous resident, Copenhagen has a fairytale magic all of its own. Discover the beauty of the Copenhagen cruises while visiting the delightful Tivoli Gardens, where you can soar above the city in a hot air balloon suspended from a Ferris Wheel. Stroll down leafy byways as dusk falls and hundreds of lights twinkle through the trees or in the shops and cafés of Stroget, Europe's longest pedestrianised shopping street. With a variety of destinations to explore, cruises to Copenhagen have plenty to offer. Enjoy another stroll along the Nyhavn Canal, browsing the market stalls and looking at the fine old sailing ships moored near its banks. You will find more history at the magnificent Christiansborg Palace, the National Museum - home to fascinating Viking relics - and at Kronberg Castle - the former Elsinore of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.

The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.