28-NIGHT HIDDEN GEMS OF SWEDEN, FRANCE & NORWAY'S NORTH CAPE CRUISE

Day 1 Jun 01, 2028 - Copenhagen

Wonderful Copenhagen is a city of bridge-spanned canals, copper-roofed buildings and manicured parks. This famous Baltic seaport is one of Europe’s loveliest capitals and the seat of the oldest monarchy in the world. Copenhagen is a focus for commerce, culture, industry and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The locale of Hans Christian Andersen’s enchanting tale of The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen is known as Denmark’s fairy-tale city. Its impressive theaters, museums and churches are of interest to many visitors; the best-loved attractions include the world-famous Tivoli Gardens, the Langelinie Harbor with its Little Mermaid statue and the busy shopping promenade known as Strøget.

Day 2 Jun 02, 2028 - Copenhagen

Wonderful Copenhagen is a city of bridge-spanned canals, copper-roofed buildings and manicured parks. This famous Baltic seaport is one of Europe’s loveliest capitals and the seat of the oldest monarchy in the world. Copenhagen is a focus for commerce, culture, industry and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The locale of Hans Christian Andersen’s enchanting tale of The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen is known as Denmark’s fairy-tale city. Its impressive theaters, museums and churches are of interest to many visitors; the best-loved attractions include the world-famous Tivoli Gardens, the Langelinie Harbor with its Little Mermaid statue and the busy shopping promenade known as Strøget.

Day 3 Jun 02, 2028 - Helsingborg

Helsingborg is a picturesque seaport. Luxurious houses have Town Hall as the crowning glory. Stortorget slopes up to what is left of Helsingborg’s medieval castle, the Kärnanm, which for more than 600 years has watched over the town and the Sound. In addition to attractive 17th- and 18th-century merchants’ houses with quiet courtyards, there are good museums. Sofiero Castle was once the summer residence of the royal family, noted for splendid botanical and rose gardens. Ramlösa Health Spa, with its famous springs, is well-known and its natural mineral water is exported to more than 35 countries. Located on Stortorget, the Stenbock Statue was erected in 1901 and depicts Field Marshal Magnus Stenbock. The Gothic-style Town Hall, which was built in the 1890s, has a 195-foot bell tower, a richly ornamented façade, a magnificent interior, and stained glass paintings depicting town history. There are 23 golf courses within an hour’s drive from Helsingborg; a ferry ride takes visitors across the Sound to Danish Helsingør, site of Kronborg Castle of Hamlet.

Day 4 Jun 03, 2028 - Lysekil

While in Lysekil visitors interested in marine life can visit "Havets Hus" (The House of the Ocean), which is a marvelous aquatic museum that has most of the different ocean animals and plants living around Lysekil's coast. Visitors looking to relax will find several pleasant beaches including Pinnevik; a sandy beach suitable for families. Not far Pinnevik is Stangehuvud, a nature park displaying a lovely variety of fauna.

Day 5 Jun 04, 2028 - Oslo

Oslo, Norway’s capital and largest city, is encircled by wooded hills and snowcapped peaks. The city displays a mixture of several architectural styles. A full range of activities includes art galleries, museums, restaurants, theaters and nightclubs. Other points of interest include Royal Palace; Frogner Park, known for its famous Vigeland sculptures; Holmenkollen, where international skiing events take place; imposing Åkershus Castle; and Bygdøy Peninsula, home to some of Oslo’s most important museums. Many attractions can be explored on foot. Oslo's City Hall ranks as the most distinctive part of Oslo’s waterfront. The art portrays the country's different historical and domestic phases. Munch Museum, which is dedicated to the life work of Norway’s famous painter, contains more than 5,000 drawings and paintings. National Gallery has the nation’s largest collection of Norwegian art and some of Munch’s best-known works. Åkershus Fortress & Castle, transformed into a Renaissance palace in the 17th century, houses Norway’s Resistance Museum.

Day 6 Jun 05, 2028 - Farsund

Day 7 Jun 06, 2028 - Stavanger

Founded in the 8th century and one of Norway's oldest towns, Stavanger is situated along the Byfjord, an arm of the Stavangerfjord. A bishop ruled the city from the twelfth through seventeenth centuries. At the end of the eighteenth century, Stavanger had developed a successful merchant shipping fleet and during the next century developed herring fishing and canning industries. Appealing echoes of that proud heritage live on amid the evocative cobbled streets of Gamle (Old) Stavanger, whose whitewashed 18th century houses are probably northern Europe's best-preserved community of wooden houses. It has a well-preserved 12th century stone church.

Day 8 Jun 07, 2028 - At Sea

Day 9 Jun 08, 2028 - Hamburg

Welcome to Hamburg, formerly Germany's largest city, which has a skyline dominated by historic spires, the largest port, the center of trade, and the most daring nightlife. Obviously, a city of superlatives, there is a reserved, gentlemanly quality about the citizens of Hamburg. Hamburg is a busy city of docks, quays and ships; the St. Pauli quarter where movie houses, restaurants, stage shows, bars and frivolous nightlife vie for patronage of thousands of tourists, sailors and locals. Hamburg is every shoppers dream and through its port, the city offers a wide range of varied and well-priced goods from elegant shopping to young fashion and antique shopping. Music and theater play a prominent role in Hamburg's daily life with the Hamburgische Staatsoper enjoying an international reputation for the staging of ballet repertoires. The revolutionary "communications centres", which combine arts, crafts, experimental theater and communications, in the widest sense represent the city's alternative cultural force.

Day 10 Jun 09, 2028 - At Sea

Day 11 Jun 10, 2028 - Antwerp

Antwerp is famous for its art treasures, diamond industry, and culture, relaxation and entertainment. Shop at Grote Markt, at the heart of which stands Brabo Fountain. Antwerp’s main attractions include stunning City Hall, one of the most important buildings of the Northern Renaissance; Our Lady’s Cathedral, one of the finest gothic churches in Belgium; and the daintily restored 16th-century guildhouses. Visit Diamond Land or Provincial Diamond Museum. Other sights include The Steen - a waterfront gatehouse of a medieval fortress built on site of a 9th-century fortification from which the town spread that now houses the National Maritime Museum; Mayer van den Berg Art Museum; Royal Art Gallery - which has 2,500 paintings spanning five centuries; and Plantin-Moretus Museum - a 16th-century patrician mansion that was a famous printing house of the Plantin and Moretus families.

Day 12 Jun 11, 2028 - Bruges (Zeebrugge)

Zeebrugge is an important port city in Flanders, connecting Belgium’s intricate railway and canal transportation systems. It is the gateway to medieval Bruges, one of northern Europe's most picturesque old cities and Brussels with its tree-shaded boulevards, splendid parks, imposing monuments, and beautiful buildings.

Day 13 Jun 12, 2028 - Honfleur

The peaceful setting of the picturesque port of Honfleur along the estuary of the Seine attracted many artists and writers over the years, including Impressionist Painters. Throughout its history, numerous maritime journeys were initiated from Honfleur. It's a place of great historic charm, notably around the Vieux Bassin, where lofty slate-and-timber fronted houses overlook the colorful yacht and fishing harbor, and sloping cobbled streets recall 16th century Honfleur. Not to be missed are the 15th century wooden church and the Impressionist paintings of the Musee Eugene Boudin. From here it is possible to visit Monet's Garden, Arromanches, the Normandy Landing Beaches and if there is time, Paris.

Day 14 Jun 13, 2028 - St. Malo

Saint Malo is a prime tourist destination in Brittany. Visitors flock to Saint Malo to experience the unique "intra-muros" (meaning within the walls) streets of the old citadel. Visit Saint Vincent Cathedral, noted for its medieval and modern stained glass windows. The museum in Château de Saint Malo has exhibits illustrating the city's prosperous time during its heydays of piracy, colonialism and slave trading. The ramparts afford great views over the roof tops and harbor. Saint Malo also serves as a gateway for excursions to legendary Mont Saint Michel - with the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel and its ensemble of buildings soaring high above the sea. As amazing as the abbey itself are extraordinary tide variations that leave the mount to look out on stretches of bare sand at low tide, while the same expanse of land is submerged during high tide. South of Saint Malo is the medieval town of Dinan. Once totally surrounded by ramparts, 14 towers and a good part of the walls are still standing, encircling beautiful 15th-century timbered houses.

Day 15 Jun 14, 2028 - St. Helier

St.Helier is a parish and the capital of Jersey, Channel Islands. It is a very urban destination, with many accommodations, restaurants and shopping opportunities. There are plenty social events planned year-round with many of these involving sailing/yacht rallies.

Day 16 Jun 15, 2028 - London (Dover)

The white cliffs of Dover are famous in song and story. From Dover you can visit nearby Canterbury or take a full-day excursion to see the sights of London, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and more.

Day 17 Jun 16, 2028 - At Sea

Day 18 Jun 17, 2028 - At Sea

Day 19 Jun 18, 2028 - Trondheim

Norway's royal residence since 997 AD, when King Olaf I founded Trondheim, the city still boasts Stiftsgarden, the huge wooden palace. A century later, St. Olaf II began to perform miracles for the people, making Trondheim a major pilgrimage destination. Be sure to visit Nidaros Cathedral, where the Norwegian kings are still crowned, which is certainly one of Europe's premier Gothic-style churches.

Day 20 Jun 19, 2028 - Bronnoysund

Beautiful Bronnoysund is situated in central Norway. Popular with travellers is a visit to the marvelous Torghatten, a mountain with a distinctive hole running straight through the hillside. Also of interest  is the Skarsasen fortress from WWII. Trenches and tunnels lead underground from the four large cannon sites. Fjord Seafood originated here, as well as the largest limestone mine in Northern Europe.

Day 21 Jun 20, 2028 - Reine

Day 22 Jun 21, 2028 - Tromso

Enjoy the appealing frontier atmosphere at this ancient whaling capital and base for expeditions to the North Pole.

Day 23 Jun 22, 2028 - Honningsvag

The world's northernmost village, Honningsvag, the gateway to the North Cape, is a completely modern fishing harbor set in a land of forests, fjord waters, and crashing waterfalls, everything bathed in summer by the eerie light of the midnight sun. Only the chapel withstood the German destruction of 1944. It's some 50 miles nearer to the North Pole than Hammerfest, on the Alta-Hammerfest bus route.

Day 24 Jun 23, 2028 - At Sea

Day 25 Jun 24, 2028 - Bodo

Bodo is the second largest city in Northern Norway. Its beautiful scenery and natural surroundings offer visitors excellent outdoor activities. Travellers can go hiking, and cycling though the idyllic countryside and watch sea eagles. Bodo also offers excellent fishing for those wishing to explore rivers or lakes populated with high quality trout and salmon.  In this varied coastal landscape visitors will find everything from sheer mountain faces and white, sandy beaches, to charming farming communities.

Day 26 Jun 25, 2028 - At Sea

Day 27 Jun 26, 2028 - Haugesund

Day 28 Jun 27, 2028 - Farsund

Day 29 Jun 28, 2028 - Aalborg

Aalborg has a worldwide reputation for the production of Aquavit (schnapps), but this strong Scandinavian liquor isn’t the only attraction. Once a powerful Viking port, Aalborg served as the base for the Vikings’ predatory pilgrimages. Its old town attracts with its picturesque setting, and the port is well located for excursions into the scenic surrounding area. Jutland is considered the heartland of Denmark, a land of crystal fjords, stark moors, dense forests, and small medieval towns. With the additional attraction of miles of sandy beaches, the peninsula is the most popular domestic holiday area. The city’s pride in its heritage is evident in the carefully preserved burgher houses built by merchants during the Renaissance. Along the road north to the popular resort of Skagen at the tip of Jutland, huge, shifting dunes up to 35 feet high present some of Denmark’s most stunning sights.