22-DAY SCANDINAVIA, HISTORIC SHORES & WILD BRITISH ISLES

Copenhagen, situated on two islands, is the capital and largest city in Denmark. It is perhaps best known for being the final resting place of the famous author Hans Christian Andersen, and also being one of the world’s most environmentally friendly cities. It has a very high quality of life. Read more about Copenhagen, Denmark

Visby, on the island of Gotland that lies 90km off the SE coast of Sweden, is a medieval town of roses, ruins, narrow winding lanes, and an amazingly well preserved town wall with 27 of the towers still intact. There are also 200 medieval houses as well as several ancient churches, many of which were built in the 12th century. Another attraction is the beautifully restored Cathedral of St Mary’s. Read more about Visby, Sweden

Skagen - aka The Skaw - is a projection of land and a town on the northernmost tip of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. The area is extremely picturesque, and distinguished by its low, yellow houses with red tile roofs nestled into the beach areas. The impressive and wild landscape was largely formed by a severe process of desertification and migrating sands that hit the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. Read more about Skagen, Denmark

Greenwich Pier on the River Thames in the London borough of Greenwich, UK, is upstream from the London Barrage, and downstream from the heart of London. The name says you are within walking distance of the historic Royal Observatory, Greenwich (now a museum), marking zero degrees longitude, where you can be photographed with one foot in the Eastern hemisphere and one foot in the Western hemisphere. View historic astronomic and navigational tools vital to Britain’s ships since 1675, railways since 1847, and the Prime Meridian since 1884. Read more about Greenwich, Great Britain

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain

The isle of Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands, lying just 12km off the coast of France, offers the visitor a mild climate, breathtaking scenery and a peaceful, unspoiled ambience. Between the wide, sandy beaches to the north and the rocky cliffs to the south are wooded valleys, marshland, and winding country lanes. Guernsey soaks up nearly 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the sunniest places in the British Isles. Read more about Guernsey, Great Britain

Plymouth, a vibrant waterfront city packed full of attractions, is a city in Devon, England, about 310 km SW of London. Being home to nearly 250,000 people it is the second biggest city on the south coast. Plymouth grew as a major shipping port, handling imports and passengers from the Americas and the construction of battleships for the Royal Navy. Read more about Plymouth, Great Britain

Holyhead is the largest town on the island of Anglesey, off the coast of Wales, and is perhaps known best for being a busy ferry port. It is also well known for offering easy access to some of the best attractions in the country. Subsequently, visitors typically spend the whole day on day trips through Wales to see, for example, the three nearby medieval castle towns, the more distant Snowdonia National Park and the Ffestiniog Steam Railway. Read more about Holyhead, Great Britain

This capital and largest city of Ireland is situated on the mid-east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Dublin has more green spaces per square kilometre than any other European capital city, with 97% of city residents living within 300 meters of a park area. But Dublin’s greatest draw remains Dubliners themselves, both native-born and blown in. Read more about Dublin, Ireland

Douglas, located at the mouth of the River Douglas and a sweeping bay, is the capital and the largest town of the Isle of Man. Douglas has a number of attractions and items of interest, such as the Tower of Refuge, a small castle-like shelter built upon Conister Rock in Douglas Bay that was a sanctuary for shipwrecked sailors. From spring to early autumn, take a trip back in time to when the way of life was much slower. Read more about Douglas, Great Britain

Read more about Arran, Great Britain

‘L’-shaped Rathlin Island lies off the NW coast of Northern Ireland, just 23 km west of Scotland across the Irish Sea, and 8km north of Ireland mainland. It is part of the United Kingdom. Its population is about 100 inhabitants. Read more about Rathlin Island, Great Britain

Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, and is currently experiencing a successful tourist boom. One of the most visited cities in the UK, Belfast has plenty of attractions and is a good base from which to visit virtually anywhere else in the North. In the city centre concentrate on the glories resulting from the Industrial Revolution – grandiose architecture and magnificent Victorian pubs – and the rejuvenated area from Ann Street to Donegall Street now known as the Cathedral quarter. Read more about Belfast, Great Britain