Northern countries Cruise - from Southampton - 118919

Southampton is the largest port in Great Britain. It is from here that the Mayflower set sail for the New World, as commemorated by the Mayflower Memorial. The town's landmark is the 'Bargate', a city gate built by the Normans. Southampton is also known as the entertainment capital on the South coast. Cinemas, theatres, museums, bars and pubs, art galleries and all kinds of watersports attract thousands of visitors.

The 'secret capital' of England is the ultimate shopping metropolis. Once the cradle of the industrial revolution, this is where trends are set nowadays. Take a stroll through the Metro Centre, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. There are lots of shops and little boutiques on Northumberland Street and you can find designer fashion in Grainger Town District. Afterwards, you can relax at one of the many pubs by the River Tyne. Our insider tip: take a break by the Tyne and try the local Newcastle Ale or enjoy English afternoon tea in the home town of "Earl Grey".

Aberdeen is a town built almost entirely from granite - even the roads. This Scottish town is one of the most important ports for the oil industry of the North Sea and has the largest off-shore oilfields in the world. Aberdeen's busy harbour also has a picturesque fish market. Close by the main street, Union Street, you will find the "Castlegate", the late medieval Provost Skene's House and the Aberdeen Art Gallery, which has an important collection of pre-Raphaelite and modern Art. Other attractions inlude the City Chambers, Marischal College, St. Machar Cathedral, Seaton Park and the Brig o'Balgownie.

The town at the Cromarty Firth got its name from Sir William Gordon of Embo, who built the harbour in 1828. Invergordon is famous for its many distilleries, where the Scottish national drink, whisky, is produced. Sights include: the Natal Gardens, Inverbreakie Raceway, the Storehouse of Foulis, Tain Through Time Museum, Nigg Old Church, the Glenmorangie Distillery, the Dalmore Distillery, The Official Loch Ness Visitors Centre, the Inverness area and the Landmark Forest Adventure Park.

Torshavn is the capital of the Faeroe Islands, a group of Danish islands of volcanic origin situated between Iceland and the Shetland Islands. The town has a population of around 15,300 and is the cultural centre of the islands. The smallest capital in the North, it has several special attractions: the Lístaskálin museum of art, which has works by relatively young artists from the Faeroes, the wooden church Havnar Kirkja, built in 1788, and the old town with its lovely old wooden houses.

The port of Ålesund, which stretches across three islands, was reconstructed after the great fire of 1904 with Art Nouveau architecture. The best view of the city and the skerries before the coast is to be had from the observation hill "Aksla", which can be reached on foot via 418 steps or - the more comfortable option - by car. The panorama restaurant "Fjellstua" is located here. The Ålesund Museum provides an insight into the city's history. At Atlanterhavs Park, visitors can marvel at the creatures that inhabit the Atlantic in a huge sea water aquarium. Around 4 km to the east of the city centre is the Sunnmøre Museum which has various sections. The Medieval Museum gives an idea of what daily life was like at that time and there is also an outdoor museum and a maritime exhibition with old fishing boots and reconstructed Viking ships. The popular trip to the bird island "Runde", to the South-West of Ålesund, provides a very special natural phenomenon.

Olden is in an eldorado of deep fjords, high mountains and imposing glaciers. From here it is just a short journey to the most famous glacier in Norway, Briksdalsbreen. Even the view of the colourful glacial stream that meanders harmoniously down the valley and through the town is sure to stick in your memory. Olden is the perfect starting point for trips to the Briksdal glacier, Vestkapp, Fjærland with its glacier museum, Geiranger and Dalsnibba, Videseter and the old Strynefjellsweg, Jostedal National Park Centre as well as Stryn summer skiing centre with glacier climbing facilities.

Bergen is one of the most charming cities in Norway, not least due to its unique setting between seven hills. With a population of 218,000 it is the second-largest city in the country and the capital of "Fylke Hordaland". The town of Bergen was granted the city charter in 1070 by Bishop Olav Kyrre. Not that long after, in 1217, King Hakon IV. declared the town to the Norwegian seat of government. Today, the oldest and most famous wooden houses of the city are at the "Bryggen", the former dock of the Hanseatic League. These unique buildings were among four properties in Norway to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Sights include: the Hanseatic museum, the Bryggen Museum, Bergenshus fort, St. Mary's Church and the Leprosy Museum, and the aquarium.

Norway's number one holiday destination - that's what the people in Kristiansund proudly call their city. Kristiansund is known not only for its attractive location at Skagerrak, the must-see fjord coastline with its skerries offshore and the attractive hinterland; the city also has the greatest number of sunshine hours per year in all of Norway. Kristiansund has lots to offer both in the cultural and the educational sphere. A stroll through the city centre reveals the strict rectalinear street plan. The streets look like a chess board, reminiscent of the American cities, although on a much smaller scale. It was in Kristiansund that town planners first came up with this idea. The reason for the striking arrangement of the streets is the planned construction of the city. At the time it was founded in the Middle Ages, this type of layout was the ideal. Old, well-restored wooden houses, which today are under preservation order, are a reminder of Kristiansand's past. The marketplace in the centre, surrounded by the cathedral, the town hall, the city hall and Wergeland park forms the genteel suburb of the city.

Oslo, located at the end of the Oslofjord, is the capital city of Norway. Over the past few years Oslo has developed into a modern capital, encompassing more and more neighbouring towns into its urban area. There are a good 50 museums for tourists to visit; some of the most interesting of these are to be found on the 'museum island' of Bygdoy. A stroll through Vigeland Park with its obeslisks and monumental stone figures is also well worth it, as is a vist to the Holmenkollen ski-jump with a stunning view of the city and the Oslofjord. Other attractions worth a visit are the town hall, which appears a litte clumsy from the outside but boasts huge interior frescoes, the fort at Akershus at the eastern side of the port and the cathedral. Oslo has a population of 486,311. The famous Hollmenkollen ski-jump provides a fantastic view of the enchanting capital of Norway. A visit to the historic area of Oslo close to the fort of Akershus is also very enjoyable. Karl Johans Gate between the castle and the parliament with its numerous shops and cafés is the perfect place to take a lazy stroll. Sights include: the Norwegian outdoor museum with its wooden "Stavkirke" on Bygdoy; the Viking Ship Museum with the Oseberg ship; Fram museum with the Polar ship 'Fram' on Bygdoy; Thor Heyerdal Museum with Kon Tiki on Bygdoy; the Munch Museum; the National Gallery; the Arts and Crafts Museum; the Historical Museum; the Resistance Museum; the Gallery of Modern Art; the Maritime Museum; the Zoological Museum; the town hall (Oslo's landmark); the castle; Storting (Houses of Parliament); Vigeland sculpture park in Frogner Park; Akershuscastle, which is medieval in parts; the view from Holmenkollen - the ski-jump and museum; the cathedral (1697); the Defense Museum.

Copenhagen is not only the capital of Denmark, but also the most multifaceted city in Scandinavia. A quarter of all Danes live in and around Copenhagen and yet the city remains, essentially, clearly laid out and easy to navigate. The massive bridge over the Bresund connecting Denmark with Sweden means Copenhagen has become an even more important hub in Scandinavia in the new millenium. Visitors from all over the world come to Copenhagen to have fun at Tivoli, to see the mermaid, the changing of the guard at the Queen's castle and much much more besides. Sights include: Vor Frelser Kirke (Our Saviour's Church), the round tower, the town hall, the little mermaid, Tivoli, the commodity exchange, Denmark's Royal Library, Thorvaldsen Museum, Amalienborg castle, and Tycho Brahes Planetarium.