14-Day Exploring Norway'S North Cape In Summer Solstice Cruise

Day 1 - Dover, UK

Arrive: Sat 09 June 2029 / Depart: Sat 09 June 2029

Crossing the English Channel from continental Europe to Great Britain, the first view of England is the milky-white strip of land called the White Cliffs of Dover. As you get closer, the coastline unfolds before you in all its striking beauty. White chalk cliffs with streaks of black flint rise straight from the sea to a height of 350’ (110 m). Numerous archaeological finds reveal people were present in the area during the Stone Age. Yet the first record of Dover is from Romans, who valued its close proximity to the mainland. A mere 21 miles (33 km) separate Dover from the closest point in France. A Roman-built lighthouse in the area is the tallest Roman structure still standing in Britain. The remains of a Roman villa with the only preserved Roman wall mural outside of Italy are another unique survivor from ancient times which make Dover one of a kind.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Stavanger, Norway

Arrive: Mon 11 June 2029 / Depart: Mon 11 June 2029

A Romanesque cathedral and old medieval lanes blend beautifully with Stavanger's modern city and spectacular countryside. In 872, when Harald Fairhair won the Battle of Hafrsfjord near Stavanger, he united Norway for the first time. Huge harvests of brisling, herring and sardines have made the key of a sardine can the city symbol. Today, the town is the center of Norway's oil industry, and has become one of the country's most cosmopolitan cities.

Day 4 - Floro/Kinn

Arrive: Tue 12 June 2029 / Depart: Tue 12 June 2029

Florø is a town and the administrative centre of Kinn Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The town was founded by royal decree in 1860 as a ladested on the island of Florelandet, located between the Botnafjorden and Solheimsfjorden. Florø is Norway's westernmost town.

Day 5 - Froya

Day 6 - Bronnoysund

Arrive: Thu 14 June 2029 / Depart: Thu 14 June 2029

A coastal city, Brønnøysund’s origin dates back to its 13th century Viking heritage. In the intervening centuries, it has been settled by immigrants from southern Norway and Sweden, and its local Swedish-like dialect still carries echoes of this past. Brønnøysund sits on a narrow peninsula from the mainland, is surrounded by waterways dotted with a maze of small scenic islands. In this fairytale setting, picturesque, colorful houses are set amidst thick lush greenery, turquoise blue water and shallow bays. Towering above the town like a giant troll’s hat is the massive granitic monolith of Torghatten Mountain. Here can be found one of the great natural curiosities of the area, a 520’ (160 m) hole piercing completely through the center of the mountain. The Viking sagas surmised that it was the impact of a warrior horseman’s arrow that created the wound. However, it was actually formed during the last Ice Age by erosion from ice and water.

Day 7 - Svolvaer

Arrive: Fri 15 June 2029 / Depart: Fri 15 June 2029

Huddled together in what appears to be a wall of solid rock, the Lofotens are actually several islands. Their scenery, revealed when the ice disappeared from the last Ice Age, is held to be among the most dramatic in Norway. Svolvaer, located on the island of Austvaagoey, received town status in 1996, and is the Lofotens' most important city with about 4,500 residents. Dominating the town is the mountain peak called Svolvaergeita, a beacon for climbers. Fishermen flock here when the Norwegian Arctic cod enters the Vestfjord to spawn. Artists prize the picturesque setting and extraordinary light conditions.

Day 8 - Tromso, Norway

Arrive: Sat 16 June 2029 / Depart: Sat 16 June 2029

Many a polar expedition has begun from Tromso. The town was founded in 1794, but its roots go back to Hanseatic and, even earlier to Viking times. Situated inside the Arctic Circle on the forest-clad island of Troms, this spirited city is linked to the mainland by the spectacular Tromsobrua Bridge, built in 1960. During WWII, Tromso was one of the few places in northern Norway to escape bombing, and a number of old wood buildings still remain. At the Tromso Museum, the exhibits include an extensive display on the people of Lapland. The town also boasts both the world's northernmost university and brewery.

Day 9 - Alta, Norway

Arrive: Sun 17 June 2029 / Depart: Sun 17 June 2029

Alta is a town on Norway’s northern coast, at the head of Alta Fjord. It’s known for views of the Northern Lights, which inspired the cascading architecture of the Northern Lights Cathedral, built in 2013. Thousands of prehistoric rock carvings are at nearby Hjemmeluft Bay, where there are viewing paths and the World Heritage Rock Art Centre. South of town, the Alta River runs through steep Alta Canyon.

Day 10 - Honningsvag, Norway

Arrive: Mon 18 June 2029 / Depart: Mon 18 June 2029

The perpendicular cliffs of Nordkapp, or the North Cape, mark the very top of the European continent. This ultimate destination has long drawn adventurous royalty including Oscar II, King of Norway and Sweden, who visited in 1873, and followed by the King of Siam in 1907. The North Cape is located on the island of Mageroey, a name derived from a word that means "meager." While the landscape may have a lunar appearance, it is not really so isolated. Just 21 miles away, the main town, Honningsvåg, has some 4,000 inhabitants. In summer that number swells when the Sami people and their reindeer settle on the outskirts of town.

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Skagen

Arrive: Fri 22 June 2029 / Depart: Fri 22 June 2029

At the tip of the flat, sandy Jutland peninsula, Skagen is Denmark’s northernmost town and a popular holiday destination for Danes. It was long Denmark’s most important fishing port, but its popularity as a recreation area began at the end of the 19th Century when Queen Alexandrine, the wife of King Christian X, fell in love with the rustic character of the place and built the summer residence Klitgaarden. The royal couple invited other Scandinavian and European royalty to share holidays with them and Skagen’s reputation grew. At the same time, the Skagensbanen railway made travel to Jutland easier. Impressionist artists were attracted by the exotic sand- and seascapes and the vivid light reflected from the sea, and a school of Skagen Painters thrived in the first quarter of the 20th century. Arts and crafts still remain an important local tradition, and the town has many shops and galleries offering handmade goods to visitors. There is a venerable lighthouse near the peninsula’s tip, where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet, but due to their differing densities, their margins can clearly be seen. A St. Lawrence’s Church was built in Skagen in the 14th century, but it was eventually inundated by drifting sand dunes. The Skagen Church of today was built in 1841.

Day 15 - Copenhagen, Denmark

Arrive: Sat 23 June 2029 / Depart: Sat 23 June 2029

Denmark's capital is arguably one of the world's best-loved cities, and certainly the liveliest of all the Scandinavian capitals. It is a gracious and comfortable place, with a decidedly friendly, hospitable and fun-loving atmosphere. If there is such a thing as a cozy city, Copenhagen is it. From the lingering memory of the tales of Hans Christian Andersen to the colored lights of Tivoli Gardens, there is a delightful ambience that surrounds the visitor everywhere. Tidy, narrow streets are lined with tempting restaurants and cafes, and the pedestrian-only Stroget abounds with stylish shops. The spirited Copenhageners are imaginative and unconventional and exude a "do-what-you-want" philosophy that embraces and respects almost all aspects of life. Every friendly Dane you meet further illustrates the city's motto "Wonderful, wonderful, Copenhagen."