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Departing on 17 Aug 2026 from aboard the EXPLORA III - Cruise No: 2242197
Spanning 14 islands, more than 50 bridges and many more museums, Sweden’s capital is naturally known as the ‘Venice of the North’. Gently pedal on a cultural discovery of this Baltic Sea archipelago; tread the cobblestone streets to the iconic city hall, the world’s first open air museum, the adored ABBA exhibition, and the royal family residence of Drottningholm where the opera house still retains original stage machinery. Heighten your interest with two other UNESCO heritage sites, a woodland cemetery and the archaeological site of Birka. Dine at the Hornhuset district, perhaps only after strolling small streets that narrow to 90cm at Mårten Trotzigs Gränd. And for further sustenance, wander down to fashionable Strandvagen Boulevard and open-air Hornstull Marknad for new and vintage goods.
Spanning 14 islands, more than 50 bridges and many more museums, Sweden’s capital is naturally known as the ‘Venice of the North’. Gently pedal on a cultural discovery of this Baltic Sea archipelago; tread the cobblestone streets to the iconic city hall, the world’s first open air museum, the adored ABBA exhibition, and the royal family residence of Drottningholm where the opera house still retains original stage machinery. Heighten your interest with two other UNESCO heritage sites, a woodland cemetery and the archaeological site of Birka. Dine at the Hornhuset district, perhaps only after strolling small streets that narrow to 90cm at Mårten Trotzigs Gränd. And for further sustenance, wander down to fashionable Strandvagen Boulevard and open-air Hornstull Marknad for new and vintage goods.
Compact yet richly packed with Soviet history and architectural charms, there’s plenty to explore in Riga with its UNESCO-acclaimed medieval old town, where cobbled streets wind up at colourful squares. Gaze at the wonderful eclectic buildings, from gothic and baroque, to innovative art nouveau. Listen to the Latvian National Opera, drink age old liqueur seasoned with 24 herbs, or find plenty of personal space on the 20-mile stretch of fine, sandy beaches. Build up an appetite whilst bartering at Riga’s flavourful Central Market. Then step down into cosy restaurants that serve up hearty Latvian truffle and seafood dishes. Known as the Pearl of Latvia, it’s easy to understand why.
Visit Visby on the island of Gotland for authentic Swedish riches. Well-preserved walls protect the city and set the scene for what lies within. You’ll be warmly welcomed with cuisine, culture, nature and Viking archaeology. With a long history and UNESCO World Heritage ruins dating back to the 12th century, this orderly medieval town rejoices in being one of Scandinavia’s best-preserved towns. Roam peaceful streets on foot or by bike to boutiques selling warm woollens for winter and shelves laden with local crafts. Visit the lengthy Lummelunda Cave in a nature reserve, experience the traditional Swedish coffee ritual and taste beer at the local brewery. Soak up the history and atmosphere in well-groomed Visby for a slice of time gone by.
The beautiful harbour town of Rønne is housed on the rocky island of Bornholm, home to narrow streets lined with merchant timber houses and small craft shops proudly displaying creative passion. Gently stroll to the heart of the art scene at Hjorths Fabrik museum and join workshops to create your own ceramic artefacts. In contrast to the bustling harbour, discover the fascinating street food market and cruise across waters in a private yacht. Charming and romantic, use a bike and roll around this pretty town at your own pace.
A privileged glimpse at the best of Northern Europe, from the greenest cities in Denmark to the stunning fjords of Southern Norway, and a stylish haven in North Germany. Days of exploration blend with idyll days at sea for a journey unlike any you’ve known before. Copenhagen and Goteborg, while each distinct, both share titles of being ranked as two of the world’s greenest cities. A powerful sense of creative design and a zest for the cosy Hygge lifestyle bestows a wonderful joyous vibe on both locales. Recharged. Renewed. A day at sea leads us past a maze of islands swimming in a narrow fjord to call on Norway’s crown city of Oslo. History is more than nostalgia here and it is proudly on display at the Viking Ship Museum and City Hall, where the much-anticipated Nobel Peace Prizes are awarded each year. Don’t miss the formal gardens at Frogner Park, where more than 200 sculptures present humanity’s emotions in beautiful and bizarre displays. Have you ever found yourself smiling this much? Not until you board a fast-boat to experience lovely Lysefjord and glide along Hegjane Waterfall, or discover a mountain stairway, created by Nepalese sherpas, to Preikestolen (pulpit rock) for soul-enriching cliff-views. Fuel the spirit with the neo-Nordic food scene that has put Stavanger on the culinary map. But don’t forget her history within Stavanger Cathedral that is Norway’s oldest. From the North Sea, we ply the Elbe River more than 130 kilometres inland to call upon Hamburg, Germany’s “capital of cool.” Affluent shopping promenades mix with endowed museums, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the iconic architectural concert hall; all have a role in cementing Hamburg as a must-do retreat amongst the most sophisticated social circles. Once the home of designer Karl Lagerfeld who, like the city, anticipated what came next in fashion, media and moguls.
The glamourous age is alive and well. A privileged glimpse at the best of Northern Europe, from the greenest cities in Denmark to the stunning fjords of Southern Norway, and a stylish haven in North Germany. Days of exploration blend with idyll days at sea for a journey unlike any you’ve known before. Copenhagen and Goteborg, while each distinct, both share titles of being ranked as two of the world’s greenest cities. A powerful sense of creative design and a zest for the cosy Hygge lifestyle bestows a wonderful joyous vibe on both locales. Recharged. Renewed. A day at sea leads us past a maze of islands swimming in a narrow fjord to call on Norway’s crown city of Oslo. History is more than nostalgia here and it is proudly on display at the Viking Ship Museum and City Hall, where the much-anticipated Nobel Peace Prizes are awarded each year. Don’t miss the formal gardens at Frogner Park, where more than 200 sculptures present humanity’s emotions in beautiful and bizarre displays. Have you ever found yourself smiling this much? Not until you board a fast-boat to experience lovely Lysefjord and glide along Hegjane Waterfall, or discover a mountain stairway, created by Nepalese sherpas, to Preikestolen (pulpit rock) for soul-enriching cliff-views. Fuel the spirit with the neo-Nordic food scene that has put Stavanger on the culinary map. But don’t forget her history within Stavanger Cathedral that is Norway’s oldest. From the North Sea, we ply the Elbe River more than 130 kilometres inland to call upon Hamburg, Germany’s “capital of cool.” Affluent shopping promenades mix with endowed museums, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the iconic architectural concert hall; all have a role in cementing Hamburg as a must-do retreat amongst the most sophisticated social circles. Once the home of designer Karl Lagerfeld who, like the city, anticipated what came next in fashion, media and moguls.
If there is magic on the planet, then it is contained in water. On this journey, we discover liquid highways that have flowed for thousands of years through the most desirable destinations. Hamburg, seated on the Elbe River and straddling the North and Baltic seas, was built atop a group of narrow islands by medieval shipping merchants of the still proud Free and Hanseatic League. With six times as many canals as Venice, Hamburg owes its affluence to water. Today, the most notable network of canals wind through the gentrified neighbourhood of Speicherstadt. Once the largest warren of water-facing warehouses in the world, it is now a thriving UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with boats, bistros, shops and nightlife. Heavily hyped as the newest darling of achievement is the sensational waterfront Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Crowned with a wildly beautiful wave-like glass tiara, she lives up to her accolades as the most acoustically advanced concert hall in the world. Landmark architecture in Rotterdam is similarly set beside life-sustaining canals. Once a way to control tidal flooding, the canals, they now thoroughly reflect a lifestyle of marvellous urban living. Curious and cubist, the Kubuswoningen apartments seem to fall like stacked yellow squares into a quaint barge-lined canal. Here the promenade leads to Oudehaven, where the White House, the oldest high-rise building in the Netherlands, towers as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our quest for canals and culture continues to Zeebrugge that is forever linked by the Baudouin Canal to Bruges. Fairytale, charming, UNESCO, the accolades cascade like the currents. Everything here puts its best face toward the water. The Quay of the Rosary, the most photo-worthy point, was once where salt trading was valuable than gold. Even more revered, however, is the Basilica of the Holy Blood that is reported to have a venerated relic of Christ’s body brought here by the Count of Flanders. Water sustains the dream of the adventurer and there is no place it is more appreciated than aboard this journey.
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