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.

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.

Board your motor coach and brace yourself as you set out on a South Shore Adventure of Nova Scotia! Visit Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg and Mahone Bay and discover their colourful houses, museums, art galleries, souvenir shops, cafe’s and restaurants. This tour will demonstrate the beautiful diversity of the South Shore and allows you free time to plot your journey at each location, whether you want to savor the local foods and atmosphere in one of the cafe’s/restaurants, buy souvenirs, or just mosey along viewing the impressive sites and taking pictures, the choice is yours!

At Peggy's Cove, discover why this picturesque seaside village with its stately lighthouse has been an inspiration to artists and writers for generations. It is here that the power and majesty of the Atlantic Ocean truly comes to life along the granite shores of the Cove - worn and shaped through the crashing surf.

Continuing on, you will arrive at another extraordinarily scenic area, Old Town Lunenburg. Established in 1753, it is North America’s best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement. The original layout and appearance has been retained so faithfully that UNESCO designated Lunenburg a World Heritage site. During free time, you can explore the brightly colored Old Town, which is easy to navigate because the streets follow a rectangular grid pattern designed in Britain. You can expect to see 18th-century wooden buildings and perhaps a replica of the Bluenose, Canada’s legendary racing ship that was launched here in 1921. Finally, we will visit Mahone Bay, considered to be one of the most attractive towns in Canada. This small and friendly community is renowned for the view across the Bay of three prominent churches. Take time to explore the many varied and local offerings along lovely Main Street before relaxing on the return drive to the Port of Halifax.

OVERVIEW

Heighten your appetite with a walk through Qaqortoq to sample Greenlandic and Inuit cuisine at a local restaurant. 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.
• 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.

Become immersed in Helsinki’s ground-breaking, eco-friendly architecture as a prelude to hiking through a national park. While driving through the lively capital, you will pass a collection of notable landmarks such as the Parliament House, National Museum and Finlandia Hall, a masterpiece that acclaimed Finnish architect Alvar Aalto designed. Still, few buildings are as striking as the Helsinki Central Library. Known as the Oodi, which means “ode,” in Finnish, the library offers much more than books. For instance, there are meeting spaces, music studios, restaurants and 3-D printers, all available to the general public. As you tour the Oodi, the guide will point its unusual aspects and describe the building’s energy efficiencies. You will understand why Finns are so passionate about preserving their natural resources when you see Nuuksio National Park. A wonderland of green forests, serene lakes and rugged crags, it makes an ideal setting for your hike and snack around the campfire.

HIGHLIGHTS
• See Helsinki’s architectural landmarks on a panoramic drive around the capital .
• Tour the extraordinary Oodi library while the guide describes its energy efficiencies.
• Share the reverence that Finns have for nature on a leisurely hike through a national park .

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

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.

Explore parts of Edinburgh that are often overlooked but shouldn’t be, as these revitalized areas have become thriving destinations.

After departing from the pier, you will soon reach Dean Village, a historical area of Edinburgh where grains were milled for 800 years. Once a separate village where many mill workers lived, it still seems vastly different from busier Edinburgh.

Highlights include a 19th-century residential building for the mill workers known as Well Court and Dean Bridge, which spans the Water of Leith. Thomas Telford, the engineer behind the ingenious Caledonian Canal, designed the bridge. While meandering about, you might also see decorative mill stones and stone plaques with carvings of baked breads and pies, a nod to the grains used to make them.

Continuing on, you will next explore Stockbridge, a village on the north edge of Edinburgh that is wonderfully bohemian and artsy. Landmarks include the Roman temple-inspired St. Bernard’s Well, whose waters supposedly have medicinal qualities, and the Stockbridge Colonies, a cluster of 19th-century stone homes that is really a village within a village.

A leisurely walk to Leith follows. A port for more than 1,000 years, Leith has been thoughtfully renovated and revitalized, yet its historical character has remained intact. During the guided portion of your visit, you might see what was once the largest swing bridge in the United Kingdom, a 17th-century signal tower that was originally a windmill, and the statue of Roberts Burns. During free time, you can explore even further.

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.

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.

Visit the environmentally friendly House of the Future for a glance into how people might live more sustainably and talk to Berliners that are already doing it. The Futurium, as the house is also known, showcases green construction as it was built with technologies that maximize renewable energies. It also contains exhibits that will get you thinking about better and perhaps controversial ways to live in the future, and the obstacles that first need to be overcome. Later, you will meet some restaurateurs that only serve vegan and vegetarian dishes made with organic, sustainably grown ingredients. Some of that produce comes from community gardens that have popped up throughout Berlin. You may want to visit one of these for lunch on our own. You may talk to a few of those gardeners or to local farmers at a communal market. Berlin’s near obsession with eco-conscious goods extends into clothing, as you will discover while browsing stores with forward-thinking brands whose merchandise is ethically made and sustainable.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Browse the House of the Future in Berlin and learn about its sustainable technologies.
• Get an idea how people might live in the future and make less of an environmental impact.
• Converse with the owners of vegan restaurants or with community organic gardeners.
• Meet shop owners whose merchandise is ethically made and sustainable.

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

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.

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.