25-day great Britain, wild Scottish isles & Iceland

Your voyage begins in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The capital of Northern Ireland - part of the United Kingdom - Belfast has experienced a renaissance since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 that promised an end to the decades-old "Troubles" between Catholics and Protestants. Stretching along both sides of the River Lagan, this graceful city of Victorian and Edwardian buildings has become a cosmopolitan tourist destination. Once a major industrial center, Belfast is also your gateway to the rich, Irish countryside of Counties Antrim and Down.Belfast was an industrial giant in the 19th century, famed for its linen and its shipyards. Explore this exuberant city, marvel at the Giant's Causeway or shop for superb Irish linens.

Your ship calls at Calf of Man, Isle of Man.

Your ship calls at Douglas, Isle of Man.

Your ship calls at Brodick, Isle of Arran, United Kingdom.

Your ship calls at Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, UK.

Your ship calls at Baile Mor, Iona, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Staffa, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Tobermory, Island of Mull, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Your ship calls at Isle of Eigg, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Am Baile, St Kilda, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Your ship calls at Scenic cruising Isles of St. Kilda.

Your ship calls at Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Just north of Scotland lay the Orkney Islands. Washed by the furthest reach of the Gulf Stream, this chain of over 70 islands offers dramatic landscapes that range from sea cliffs rearing 1,000 feet above the waves to sweeping white sand beaches. Bird watchers flock to the Orkney Islands, drawn by the multitudes of sea birds. Divers explore the wrecks lying in the clear waters of Scapa Flow, the Royal Navy's fleet anchorage in two world wars. And most fascinating of all, the Orkney Islands boast the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in all Europe, including the mysterious Ring of Brodgar and 5,000-year-old Skara Brae.Vikings - Norsemen - ruled the Orkney Islands from the 9th to 13th centuries, leaving in their wake such monuments as St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. This hint of Scandinavian influence can be heard in the lilting accent with which Orcadians speak.

Your ship calls at Copinsay Island, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Your ship calls at Leith (Edinburgh), Scotland, United Kingdom.

A second day in Leith (Edinburgh), Scotland, United Kingdom - time to explore at your own pace.

In 1933, an enterprising editor in Inverness enlivened a slow news week with the story of an odd sighting in Loch Ness. The legend grew overnight - and today individuals still scan the dark waters of the Loch for a sight of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Legend goes back as far as the 6th century and insists that the celebrated Loch Ness Monster inhabits a cave beneath the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle. Welcome to Invergordon, your gateway to Loch Ness and that area of the Highlands known as the "Great Glen."

Your ship returns to Orkney Islands (Kirkwall), Scotland.

Your ship calls at Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Mousa, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.

Your ship calls at Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom.

The Shetlands are the most northerly of the British Isles and consist of over one hundred islands, of which a mere 16 are inhabited. Lerwick is the capital of the archipelago. Located on the eastern shore of Mainland, the largest Shetland Island, the town was largely developed by Dutch herring fisherman in the 17th century. The islands are renowned for their superb crafts ranging from woolen and cashmere knitwear to intricate lace shawls and fine jewelry.Note: Lerwick is an anchorage port. Guests transfer to shore by ship's tender.

A second day in Shetland Islands (Scotland), Scotland - time to explore at your own pace.

Your ship calls at Tvoroyri, Faroe Islands.

Your ship calls at Torshavn, Faroe Islands.

A second day in Torshavn, Faroe Islands - time to explore at your own pace.

Another day in Torshavn, Faroe Islands.

Your ship calls at Klaksvik, Faroe Islands.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Seabourn Venture's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Considered the cultural capital of Eastern Iceland, Seydisfjordur lies at the head of a narrow fjord flanked by high mountains. This town of some 700 souls achieved municipal status in 1895, the first town in the East of Iceland to do so. The city is also the terminus for the ferry service linking Iceland to the Faeroe Islands and Denmark. Seydisfjordur is your gateway to the wild and isolated scenery of the Eastern Fjords. In myth, these narrow bays and towering mountains were once the home of trolls, elves and ogres.Seydisfjordur boasts a wealth of well-preserved 19th century homes and buildings. In the summer the small town can take on a cosmopolitan air as visitors flock to town aboard the ferry.

Your ship calls at Siglufjordur, Iceland.

Your ship calls at Patreksfjordur, Iceland.

Your ship calls at Dynjandi, Iceland.

Your ship calls at Grundarfjordur, Iceland.

Iceland is a land of volcanoes and glaciers, lava fields and green pastures, boiling thermal springs and ice-cold rivers teeming with salmon. This unspoiled demi-paradise is also home to a very old and sophisticated culture. The northernmost capital in the world, Reykjavik was founded in 874 when Ingolfur Arnarson threw wood pillars into the sea, vowing to settle where the pillars washed ashore. Today, Iceland is an international center of commerce and home to one of the most technologically sophisticated societies in the world.Reykjavik is the gateway to Iceland's natural wonders, which range from ice fields to thermal pools. The island is in a continual process of transformation much like its society, which blends Nordic tradition with sophisticated technology.