21 nætter fra Dover (London), England med Seabourn Sojourn

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.

Mange huse i Norge er træhuse, men specielt i Trondheim finder du en stor koncentration af træhuse. Krydstogtskibet ligger til kaj centralt i byen, og der er gode adgangsforhold hvis du ønsker at besøge Trondheim til fods. En meget stor attraktion er Nidaros Katedralen, der er Skandinaviens største middelalderbygning, og en vigtig destination for kristne pilgrimme. Som mange andre bygninger har katedralen været ramt af adskillige brande, men er altid blevet bygget op igen. Tag en gåtur langs kanalen. Går du over broen, kommer du ind i et meget hyggeligt kvarter, med gamle velbevarede huse og små kunstbutikker. Har du tid, så besøg Kristiansen fortet eller det store fiskemarked Ravnkloa.

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.

Svolvær er Lofotens hjerte, og tiltrækker naturelskere, eventyrlystne og kunstnere i jagten på det meget specielle lys. Fra den maleriske havn i Svolvær er der udsigt over Vestfjorden. Nyd at besøge en fiskerby, hvor ældgamle søfartstraditioner er bevaret. De omkringliggende øer, stejle bjerge, smukke strande og beskyttede bugter giver masser af muligheder for at deltage i spændende aktiviteter. Butikker, gallerier, caféer og restauranter er spredt over hele byen.

Byen kaldes også “Porten til Ishavet”, og har i de seneste årtier udviklet sig til at blive Nordnorges vigtigste og livligste by med et stadigt stigende indbyggertal. Tromsø har et stort universitetsmiljø, herunder et universitetshospital. Mange forskningsvirksomheder er også placeret i Tromsø. Vi anbefaler et besøg på Tromsø museum, som har en stor udstilling om nordlys og same kulturen. Samerne har altid spillet en stor rolle i samfundet i Nordnorge, og udstillingen giver et rigtig godt indblik i samernes kamp for selvstændighed, retfærdighed og anderkendelse. Ishavskatedralen er naturligvis også et besøg værd. Hr du tid og mulighed bør du lytte til en koncert i kirken, som har en fremragende akustik. Derudover kan det anbefales at tage kabelbanen “Fjellheisen” op til udsigtspunktet Storsteinen, som befinder sig 421 meter over havet. I klart vejr er der en fantastisk udsigt over byen og de nærliggende fjelde. Er der skyet på toppen, bør du ikke tage derop; det vil være spild af tid. Er du fascineret af polarekspeditioner må du besøge Polarmuseet. Her finder du en meget stor udstilling om de mange polarekspeditioner og mændende bag disse. Mange interessante historier kan læses på de forskellige udstillinger, og rigtig mange effekter fra ekspeditionerne er bevaret og udstillet.

Velkommen til Verdens Ende! Honningsvåg er en lille by med kun ca. 2500 indbyggere, og den absolut største attraktion er besøget på Nordkap. Byen ligger påden lille ø Magerøya, der er forbundet med fastlandet via en af Europas længste vejtunneller på knap 7 km. Honnningsvåg er Samernes hjemsted og deres tusindvis af rener, går frit omkring på fjeldene og vejene. Nordkap er et over 300 meter højt plateau, som rejser sig stejlt og ufremkommeligt op af det kolde Ishav. Besøget på Nordkap foregår i bus. Det tager 30-45 minutter at køre fra krydstogtskibet til plateauet. Køreturen byder på storslåede scenerier; stejle klipper, dybe fjorde, vilde rensdyr, sneklædte bjergtinder, brusende vandløb og et helt igennem fantastisk lys. På Nordkap plateauet er der adgang til besøgscenteret, hvor man kan se den spændende udstilling om livet og historien på Nordkap. Udendørs er den berømte og ikoniske Globus, men husk at se monumentet Verdens Børn. 7 udvalgte børn fra vidt forskellige steder i verden, har lavet disse fantastiske skulpturer, med ønsket om at sprede budskabet om venskab og fred på tværs af landegrænser. Skulpturerne er lavet i granit og bronche, og ønsket er at de skal bestå i mindst 1000 år.

Olden er en stille by der ligger ved foden af Jostedal Gletsjeren. Sceneriet i den frodige dal er storslået og en travetur ville være synd at snyde sig selv for. Det er også muligt at gå på opdagelse i grotterne der ligger tæt ved byen.

With its mountain backdrop and painted wood houses, Norway’s second-largest city is one of the country’s most appealing places. In the 14th century, the port of Bergen was a Hanseatic trading center and for a time, the country’s capital. The buildings on Bryggen, as the Hanseatic Wharf is called, are collectively a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. The harbor-side market, the lovely parks and the shopping district are all best suited to explore on foot. Take a ride on a funicular up to the 1,050-foot-high Floeien lookout, or head to 13th-century Bergenhus Fortress and 16th-century Rosenkrantz Tower to feel transported back in time.

Med sine over hundrede kanaler er Amsterdam kendt som “Nordens Venedig”. Her venter et farverigt bymaleri af kanaler, broer, smukke huse, caféer, og restauranter. Amsterdams velbevarede arkitektur fra 1700-tallet er med til at skabe den idylliske stemning, men er også en kontrast til byens ellers meget moderne og progressive attitude. Der er et hav af oplevelser i Amsterdam. Alt fra kunstmuseer og Anne Franks hus til blomstermarkeder, fra hash-sælgende “coffeeshops” til Red Light District. En bådtur kan varmt anbefales. Fra de mange kanaler kan du se byen fra et andet perspektiv. Hvis du vil have ekstra frihed, lejer du en vandcykel. 

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.

Invergordon, the port for Inverness, is located in the northern part of Scotland on the Moray Firth. The quaint town of Inverness has reminders of such historical figures as St. Columba, Mary Queen of Scots, and Oliver Cromwell. Its attractions include a 17th-century clock tower, part of a fort erected by Cromwell’s army and the 19th-century cathedral. Regarded as the “Capital of the Highlands,” the town holds many traditional Scottish events each summer.

Lerwick, Britain’s most northerly town, and is a small, bustling, cosmopolitan seaport with a population of over 7,000 people and fine architecture. Shetland Museum, located on Hay’s Dock, is an award- winning attraction. Discover the island’s many secrets through its exhibits, and take a look in the boat shed, where you can see demonstrations of traditional boat building. Also of interest is the stone-walled town hall, built in 1884, displaying an impressive array of beautifully intricate stained glass. Towering St. Magnus Cathedral, constructed in 1863, is likewise well worth a visit.People have lived and prospered here since Neolithic times. The site of Clickimin Broch, a hollow-stone-walled structure, was a Late Bronze Age farmstead of the 7th century BCE. Historic Fort Charlotte, built in 1653, is a five-sided fortress, with cannon batteries pointing out to sea. The Shetland Textile Museum, with its fine weaving, and the quaint Crofters Museum will detail life in a much gentler time. The name Lerwick is derived from Norse and means ‘bay of clay.’

Djúpivogur is a very small, quaint town of some 456 people, located in East Iceland in Berufjörður fjord. Towering, pyramid-shaped Mount Búlandstindur dominates the landscape, rising to 3,510’ (1,069 m). It is a place of unspoiled nature, with quiet lagoons and a tranquil harbor populated by colorful fishing boats. The area is well-known for the diversity of birdlife, especially in nearby Búlandsnes Bird Sanctuary where most of Iceland’s bird species can be observed.Time seems to flow more slowly here, because the residents have chosen a much different lifestyle, enriched with opportunities to observe their natural surroundings. Djúpivogur is a creative community, displaying its local arts and crafts in workshops and galleries. The Eggs of Merry Bay, ‘Eggin í Gleðivík,’ is a large outdoor art installation by renowned Icelandic artist Sigurður Guðmundsson. It consists of 34 large sculpted stone eggs representing the 34 bird species found in the vicinity. Located only a kilometre from the town center, it makes an easy and pleasant stroll along the shore.

Warmed by the Gulf Stream as well as by highly active thermal hot springs and volcanoes, Iceland is somewhat misnamed. While it is a stark and barren country with three huge areas of glaciers, one theory is that early Norsemen sought to mislead other potential settlers by giving a pleasant name to fierce, inhospitable Greenland, and a forbidding name to the imminently habitable Iceland. Irish monks and hermits established themselves here in the 8th century, but left a century later when the pagan Norsemen arrived. Europe’s first Parliament of General Assembly, the Althing, was established in the year 930 and still functions as the legislative body, although it was suspended by the Danes at the end of the 18th century and not reconvened until 1843. Reykjavik was the site picked by the island’s first permanent resident, Ingolfur Arnarson in 874, and is home to more than half of the island’s total population. The world’s northernmost capital, Reykjavik is proud of its virtual lack of air pollution. Both electrical power and home heating are derived from the geothermal activity on the island. The city’s large swimming pools are always warm, and in the countryside exotic fruits such as grapes and bananas are cultivated in greenhouses made cozy with the help of underground hot springs.