Travel by panoramic coach on a tour that offers fascinating insights on the lives of those who make the sometimes-harsh landscape of Iceland’s Westfjords their home. Beginning from the pier, you’ll drive through the streets of Isafjordur and out along the coastal road for a tour of wondrously remote Bolungarvik, a fishing village towered over by its surrounding mountains. Nearby, you’ll stop at the outdoor Ósvör Museum, where a century-old fisherman’s hut has been restored, complete with the tools of the trade – and the fisherman.

On another leg of the journey, you’ll find yourself up amidst breathtaking views of the magnificent mountains of the Djup, largest of the West Fjords and the Buna River. Not far from that spot, you’ll stop to admire a beautiful stepped waterfall in Tunguskogur and take an opportunity to taste the freshest, clearest mountain water you may ever have encountered. Back in Isafjordur, you’ll stop in at the Maritime and Folk Museum, which calls one of the town’s oldest and best-preserved houses its home. The museum presents an excellent collection of artifacts related to the region’s maritime history – as well as a sizable accordion collection. Gotta have something to do during those long winters.

Venture into the beautiful Thingvellir national park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site only about 30 miles from Reykjavik, and ranking at the top of Iceland’s attractions. This national park offers outstanding sceneries of mountains surrounding a vast lava plain covered in green moss and wild flowers. Head to the Geyser area where you’ll see hissing springs, bubbling pools and other geothermal phenomena. Lunch will be served nearby, amongst these scenic surroundings.

Another highlight of your day is the Gullfoss waterfall. The ‘Golden Waterfall’ is the most famous of the country’s many waterfalls. Here, the river Hvita drops 96 feet in two falls, creating an awesome spectacle. Being located on an old magma chamber, Hveragerdi is notorious not only for its abundance of hot springs, which heat the community’s greenhouse industry, but also for its earthquakes.

Gain a greater understanding of Northern Ireland and its culture by following a foodie guide through Belfast, pausing every so often to sample classic dishes and delicacies.

After departing from the pier, you will soon reach the heart of Belfast, where you will commence a walking tour, accompanied by a local food enthusiast. The exact locations to be visited will be determined the day of the excursion, but they will definitely be establishments that best represent the cuisine of Northern Ireland. These will be the markets, restaurants and cafés that the locals frequent, rather than those typically found in guide books.

You may well start at St. George’s Market, the oldest covered market on the entire island of Ireland. While browsing the stalls and soaking up the atmosphere, you will sample delicacies that are distinctly Irish. You may be offered a chunk of fried eel or a bite of Belfast bap, a hearty sandwich typically loaded with Irish bacon, scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese.

Continuing on to other foodie locales, you might try a few spoonfuls of colcannon, a mixture of mashed potatoes, cabbage, cream and butter. Of course, potatoes appear in all sorts of classic dishes such as Irish stew, Ulster fry and boxty, a tasty potato pancake.

Other Irish staples that you may sample include fluffy soda bread and wheaten farls. The latter is a griddle cake that is served in quarters known as farls.

Enjoy an enlightening introductory walk through Nanortalik, the southernmost town in Greenland. Founded in 1797, Nanortalik is the country’s 10th-largest town despite having only about 1,350 residents. Even the translation of its name, which means “the place with polar bears,” indicates that nature not people rules supreme.

For an authentic glimpse into daily life in this rather remote town, you will see the local school, police station and fire department. As you walk about, the guide will describe in detail the challenges and joys of living in Nanortalik. You will also browse the open-air museum in old town, a collection of colonial-era buildings such as turf huts that reflect the area’s history. Inside, you will find exhibits of model boats, leather clothing able to withstand harsh conditions and fishing gear that the indigenous Inuits use. It is believed that the Inuits were among the Arctic people that invented the kayak about 4,000 years ago.

Ride the metro through Stockholm with the local commuters and become immersed in the culture by participating in typical daily activities. Upon arriving in the T-Centralen station, the main hub of Stockholm’s subway, you will notice that the walls have been painted with stylized flowers and striking leaf creepers. Artists have enhanced more than a dozen stations, making the metro the world’s longest art exhibition. This original artwork is meant to create a calming atmosphere, and it does. Continuing on, you will see that the Stadion station, one of the first cave stations, is painted with a bright rainbow to remind travelers that the sky is close by. From there, you will walk to Östermalmshallen for a snack at the beautiful 19th-century market hall. One more ride on the metro will bring you to Södermalm, perhaps the most bohemian neighborhood in Stockholm. A visit to a supermarket will present yet another glimpse into local life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Ride the subway through Stockholm for a genuine idea of what it’s like to live there.
• See how local artists have painted the subway stations to enhance their beauty.
• Mingle with the locals in a bohemian neighborhood and at a typical supermarket.

Settle in for a panoramic driving tour through Porto as a prelude to dining on dishes made to pair with the city’s namesake port wine. While traveling through the city’s historic district, which is so architecturally important that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site, you will pass landmarks such as the Casa da Música concert hall and the cathedral where famed Portuguese explorer Henry the Navigator was baptized in the late 1300s. This immersion into Porto will also provide insight into the production of port, the fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley. Taylor’s Port Lodge in nearby Gaia offers the ideal setting for an exquisite tasting of appetizers created especially to pair with these wines. Tour the famous cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia while learning the history of Port wine. The family run company was founded hundreds of years ago in 1692, and has since been the best known and well respected winery in the area.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Wander through modern Le Havre with the confidence and familiarity of a local, the result of experiencing the city through the eyes of a resident. Although Le Havre was heavily bombed during World War II, it has been rebuilt with such architectural unity and integrity that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site. You will enjoy a panoramic view of modern Le Havre while riding the funicular with the locals. As the residents go about their daily business, getting on and off the funicular, you will feel like an integral part of the city. In time, you will walk through Le Havre to one of the guide’s favorite bakeries. While lingering over a flaky croissant or a sweet Madeleine cake, you can watch the world unfold before you. To become further immersed in daily life, you will then browse a bustling market where the locals will be socializing as they select ingredients for their evening meals.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Follow a local guide around Le Havre, an architecturally rich World Heritage site.
• Ride the funicular through town with the locals to experience an authentic slice of life.
• Ride the funicular through town with the locals to experience an authentic slice of life.

Drive through Greenland’s diminutive capital, which nestles at the head of a fjord, and trace the town’s history through its marquee attractions.

After departing from the pier, you will go to the suburbs of Nuussuaq to have a photo stop at the private boat harbor. Then proceed with a panoramic drive to the viewpoint at Iiminaq passing the more contemporary suburbs Qinngorput and the University. Take pictures of the fjord at the photo stop by the cemetery. you will soon find yourself in downtown Nuuk, the world’s smallest capital and Greenland’s biggest town. Nuuk means “headland,” a reference to its location at the tip of a peninsula at the mouth of an extensive fjord system.

Missionary Hans Egede officially founded the city in 1728, although Inuits, Vikings and various other groups had lived here on and off for about 4,000 years. It’s still a captivating historical setting. As you drive around town, pausing every so often for photos, you will see landmarks that include the Parliament, the University of Greenland and Katuaq, a cultural venue whose modern design was inspired by the magical play of light on the ice and snow.

The National Museum occupies several buildings around the colonial harbor, where a statue of Egede overlooks the sea. Other prominent historical buildings include Nuuk Cathedral. Consecrated in 1849, it was constructed with so-called half-timbering, a technique where the timber frame was filled with soapstone and talc. That was later covered with the red paneling seen today.

-You will also drive through Nuuk’s neighboring suburbs, which include Nuussuaq and the more contemporary Qinngorput district. Regardless of where you travel, the craggy mountains provide a majestic backdrop as you return to the pier.

Experience the joys of two iconic Scottish activities: drinking a wee dram of whisky and playing the bagpipes.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive at a downtown venue for a whisky tasting. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society will host the event, in which the whiskies will be served at cask strength. That means the drams will not have been subjected to chill filtration or any other interference that would alter their tastes.

You will be served three drams, a dram being an eighth of a fluid ounce. The tasting will reveal the remarkable variety within the distillation processes and present the complexities that the different oak casks and aging times impart.

Before each dram is sampled, one of the society’s members will describe the whisky’s characteristics. Some whiskies might taste spicy and dry while others may be heavily peated with strong smoky flavors. The experience will be enlightening and entertaining.

Your immersion into the world of bagpipes will be just as fulfilling. Louise Marshall, one of Scotland’s most renowned pipers, will lead your workshop. She has played for Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Benedict XVI, and her instruction will be based on years of experience.

Marshall will teach you basic chanter techniques, show you how bagpipes work and describe the instrument’s history. If you wish to look the part, Scottish attire such as kilts, sporrans and feather bonnets will be available.

Cruise to nearby Catalina Island and spend hours doing whatever you please at the beach, even if it is nothing more industrious than sunbathing. The island is only a mile and a half from the mainland, but it seems to be light years away from civilization. Small and just 60 feet high at its peak, Catalina Island contains several diverse eco-systems, including sand dunes, mangroves and reefs. Still, it is the long stretch of unspoiled beach that is most impressive, perhaps even to Christopher Columbus, who named the island when he landed in 1494. Most of the diversions on Catalina Island revolve around beach activities. Sip a cool welcoming drink, stretch out on the sugar-white beach and watch the waves gently break on the shore. You might also read a book in a cushy lounge chair, enjoy a meandering walk with absolutely no destination in mind and swim in the inviting turquoise sea.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Cruise to an idyllic island just off shore and spend hours relaxing at the beach.
• Stretch out on a lounge chair and bask in the sun or put up the provided beach umbrella.
• Stroll along the beach, which becomes less crowded the farther you walk from the dock.

OVERVIEW

Heighten your appetite with a walk through Qaqortoq to sample Greenlandic and Inuit cuisine at a local restaurant or in the Community Hall. You’ll spend about 25 minutes along the immensely scenic route through the heart of South Greenland’s largest city – still a compact, charming place where gardens flourish, colorful historic homes line the streets and public artworks celebrate the region’s rich cultural history. But then, there’s no better way to get a true taste of a culture than by its food. The offerings at this excursion’s designated venue change frequently but typically include traditional Greenlandic and Inuit dishes featuring high-protein meats – a diet meant to sustain early locals through harsh, physically demanding winters. Greenlanders have been whalers for some 4,000 years, so look for a taste of that to be served – perhaps thinly sliced like carpaccio or quick-cooked like veal to seal in its flavor. Lamb is also popular here, raised naturally and allowed to range the upland pastures freely. Other traditional specialties might include dried seal, grilled Arctic char or smoked reindeer. Tasty local crowberries, which look like blueberries, are used liberally in sauces and desserts. No worries; you’ll burn off any excess calories on the walk back to the ship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a leisurely, scenic walk through Qaqortoq’s downtown – alive with color and charm.
• Visit a local restaurant specializing in traditional Greenlandic dishes made from regional ingredients.
• Enjoy a tasting likely to include whale meat along with dried seal, smoked reindeer or free-range lamb.
• Discover the flavor of Greenland’s answer to blueberries: the crowberry.
• See a few more sights and shed a few calories on the pleasant walk back to the ship.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light jacket or windbreaker.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant as needed.

Meet a Nordic designer and discover how she upcycles discarded waste materials to create green fashions. The venue for this enlightening experience will be the Telliskivi Creative City, a former industrial complex that has been converted into the largest creative center in Estonia. Of all the studios and galleries, the one that Reet Aus owns may be the most inspiring. She is committed to ending the fashion industry’s throwaway culture by creating clothing with excess textiles that would otherwise end up in a landfill. By upcycling or turning old garments into higher-quality sustainable ones, she helps to reduce Estonia’s carbon footprint. You will find a similar environmentally conscious atmosphere at the photography museum Fotografiska. After browsing the exhibits, you will enjoy lunch at a zero-waste restaurant, where the dishes are as creative as the photography. Views of Tallinn’s World Heritage site, Old Town, will enhance the dining experience.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Meet a designer that upcycles discarded textiles to create sustainable fashions.
• See stylish high-quality clothing made with materials once earmarked for the landfill.
• Browse a photography museum and dine in its zero-waste restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.