Regent Seven Seas Cruises®: Seven Seas Splendor®

The fire, frost and water symbolized by the red, white and blue of Iceland’s flag are manifested in this land. Reykjavik, or Smoky Bay, was so named in 874 A.D. by Ingolf Arnarson when he sighted the numerous hot springs on the Seltjarnarnes Peninsula. Today this remarkably pollution-free city is wrapped around a sweeping bay and has managed to retain its charming Old-World atmosphere. A pastiche of red-blue-and green-roofed houses together with the tall gray tower of Hallgrim’s Church dominate the skyline. In Old Town, many of the wooden buildings have been lovingly restored and stand side by side with modern timber and concrete structures. There are fine museums and art galleries; historic pubs present activity in late afternoon. The beautiful countryside outside of Reykjavik includes such natural wonders as volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, mountains and spectacular waterfalls.

Suggested Private Excursions

Reykjavik - The Golden Circle - FD Tour

Reykjavik - Bathing in the Blue Lagoon - HD Tour

Reykjavik - Langjökull Glacier & the Ice Tunnel

Reykjavik Highlights - HD Tour

The town of Isafjord is a bona fide hive of industry. This busy fishing port runs to sizable shipyards as well as shrimp and fish factories— all ready to handle the catch of the day from the icy waters of the Denmark Strait. Recreational activities around here include hiking, kayaking, and of course, fishing.

Akureyri is one of Iceland's oldest towns, and features picturesque historic houses set below snowcapped peaks, botanical gardens and several museums. Explore the interior to see Godafoss Waterfall and Lake Myvatn. It is the largest settlement outside the south-west of Iceland, and one of the country's largest cities. The name means "Meadow Sandspit" in Icelandic. Akureyri is an important shipyard and fishing port, as well as a commercial and distributing centre for agriculture and manufacturing.

Suggested Private Excursions

Akureyri - Lake Mývatn classic - Nature Baths- FD Tour

Akureyri - Godafoss Waterfall & Laufas Turf Farm - HD Tour

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Approximately one third of the 50,000 residents of the "Sheep Islands" live in Torshavn. The city has large fishing industries, a seat of a Lutheran bishop and boasts many museums and culture.

The Shetland Islands are Great Britain's most northerly islands, situated nearly fifty miles northeast of the Orkneys. Lerwick is the capital of the principal island of Mainland and is Britain's most northerly town. Founded on the fishing industry and with strong Viking connections, little now remains of the old village of Lerwick. Features of interest include the Cromwellian Fort Charlotte and annual Norse fire festival, Up-Helly-Aa, held every January. On the southern tip of the island is Jarlshof, site of ruins of several Stone Age and Bronze Age dwellings as well as wheel-houses from the Iron Age. Elsewhere on the island is Clichimin Broch, another prehistoric site containing a Bronze Age fort.

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With its spectacular setting among seven hills, Bergen is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable cities in Norway. Most sites are within an easy walk from the harbor. From fine surviving medieval buildings to a series of good museums such as Fishery Museum and Old Bergen open-air museum, Bergen offers a wide variety of attractions. Its scenic beauty can best be appreciated from Mt. Floyen and is captivating. Enjoy this lovely city by taking a stroll to the old part of town, passing impressive 12th-century Bergenhus fortress. Old Hanseatic Wharf, called Bryggen, is where reconstructed gabled buildings house workshops, boutiques and restaurants. St. Mary's Church is Bergen’s oldest building and one of the finest Norman churches in Norway. Rasmus Meyers Collection is a rambling townhouse featuring one of the best collections of Norwegian art, including an upper floor devoted almost entirely to Munch. Bergen boasts numerous historic buildings dating from medieval times: Bergenhus Fortress; Rosenkrantz Tower; Haakon’s Hall.

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.

Set on the scenic southern tip of Norway, at a magical spot with more sunshine than anywhere else in Scandanavia, little Kristiansand is Nature’s playground. Its spacius, ice-free harbor is ringed with thousands of tiny islands, a haven for swimmers, boaters and sport fishermen. Along the waterfront, in the silent Christiansholm fortress, and the charming houses of the historic center, you’ll find a peaceful serenity.

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.

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.

Cruising. The North Sea lies between Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Great Britain. The North Sea is quite a rough sea with a lot of activity. The wind, the waves and the seabirds all leave their mark, sailing boats and motorboats parade along the coast, ferry-boats sail to and fro. It is a pageant of light, air and movement.

Cosmopolitan Amsterdam is most famous for its narrow, gabled houses lining the canals. Interesting attractions include the medieval weighhouse, Royal Palace on Dam Square, and New Church. Its most glamorous industry is the diamond trade. Not too far from Amsterdam are the flower centers of Aalsmeer, the picturesque fishing villages of Volendam and Marken, cheese markets at Edam and Gouda, and historic Haarlem, the main center of the bulb-growing industry. Enjoy the city’s sights from a glass-topped sightseeing boat which passes characteristic gabled houses and negotiates picturesque arched bridges. Facing Dam Square, the Royal Palace was built in 1648 and is still officially the royal residence, although the royal family resides in The Hague. The marbled Citizens Hall with inlaid maps of the world is worth seeing. One of Amsterdam’s most visited sites is historic Anne Frank House. Rijksmuseum, the city’s most prestigious museum, houses the largest collection of Dutch paintings in the world. Van Gogh Museum houses a striking collection.

Suggested Private Excursions

Amsterdam: An Introduction to Amsterdam – 4 hours

Amsterdam: Highlights of Amsterdam - 8 Hours

Amsterdam: The Three Sisters, Delft & Den Haag - 8 Hours

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.

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.

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.

Suggested Private Excursions

Honfleur - Flower Coast - 8 hours

Honfleur - Etretat / Fecamp - 8 hours

Honfleur - Normandy Landing Beaches - 8 hours

Honfleur - Pays d'Auge Gourmet Tour - 8 hours

St. Peter Port is situated hillside overlooking the picturesque harbor of Guernsey. Brightly painted houses, granite stairs and cobbled lanes climb the hill, providing great views of the port and medieval castle. Among St. Peter's Church's former residents were Guernsey's Royalist Lieutenant Governor, and French and German occupation forces. Enjoy the idyllic countryside or stroll narrow streets of pretty St. Peter Port, enjoying the ambiance making Guernsey special. Town Church - found on the waterfront - is a 12th-century granite church. From the 18th century, the assembly of Market Halls stocked with the region’s produce are wonderful for browsing and taking photos. An excellent display traces Guernsey history. The Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery houses Lukis archaeological collection and Wilfred Carey collection of paintings, prints and cereamics. Descending from the museum are beautiful Candie Gardens laid out in 1898 with exotic plants. German Underground Hospital is a complex of tunnels memorialized to many forced laborers who worked on it.

London is known worldwide as an entertainment capital, a center for the arts, a center of rich and varied heritage, a 'green' city, and waterfront attraction center. The city is alive with theaters, clubs, pubs, casinos and entertainment venues, making it a day or night out to remember. Southampton is the main regional centre for the arts, offering quality, variety and choice. Southampton has a rich and varied heritage, five excellent museums covering all aspects of the city's past and the remains of the medieval town walls. Southampton's rich heritage of parks and open spaces make it probably 'the Greenest City in the UK'. Whether it's shopping, eating out or taking in great events, there's always something to see and do on the attractive waterfront.