7-Day Viking Trails & Celtic Origins: Edinburgh Evening Stay

Reykjavik, the capital and largest city of Iceland, is the gateway to Iceland's stunning natural wonders, which range from ice fields to boiling thermal pools. The landscape on the island seems to be in a continual process of transformation much like its society, which blends Nordic tradition with sophisticated technology. On the waterfront see the open-air history of shipping disasters. Read more about Reykjavik, Iceland

Heimaey is the largest island (13.4 sq.km.) in the Westman Islands or Vestmannaeyjar cluster, 7.4 km off the south coast of Iceland. The Landnáma Icelandic record states it was first settled in about 900. It is the only island in Vestmannaeyjar that is populated, with around 5000 inhabitants. Read more about Heimaey, Iceland

Djupivogur, a town (pop. 400) with a history of trading since 1589, lies on the east coast of Iceland in a region of incomparable natural beauty. The nearby lagoon, the Vatnajokull icecap and a range of glacial tongues feature some of Iceland's most famous scenery. Read more about Djupivogur, Iceland

The Faroe Islands lie NW of Scotland midway between Iceland and Norway. They constitute a self-governing island territory of Denmark with a language and culture of their own. Due to their volcanic origin, the 18 islands are rugged and rocky. Read more about Faroe Islands, Denmark

Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 160 km off the north coast of mainland Great Britain. Open to shipping in all weathers, it operates around-the-clock. Lerwick has strong ties with Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway, and this is reflected in the street names of the port. Read more about Lerwick, Great Britain

Scotland's showcase capital of Edinburgh has a magnificent geographical location, perched on a series of extinct volcanos and rocky crags above the flatlands. The setting is wonderfully striking, as the modern city is often said to be built on seven hills. Both a historic and modern city, this metropolis is home to the largest arts festival in the world. Read more about Edinburgh, Great Britain

Rotterdam - located at the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta on the North Sea - is the largest port in Europe, and a perfect starting point for excursions to the cities of Holland. Few cities rebounded as quickly as Rotterdam following the Nazi invasion, which levelled the medieval heart of town, burning most of it to the ground. Today some of Europe's most bold contemporary architecture, such as the unique Cube Houses, can be found amid classic 18th and 19th C buildings in this, the greatest comeback city in the world. Read more about Rotterdam, Netherlands