Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a city that effortlessly combines ancient history with vibrant modern energy. Its streets are steeped in stories, from the cobblestones of the Old Town to the elegant Georgian avenues of the New Town, both recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visit Edinburgh Castle, majestically poised atop an ancient volcanic rock, and stroll the Royal Mile leading to the regal Palace of Holyroodhouse. Discover world-class art at the Scottish National Gallery and find serenity in the Princes Street Gardens. Marvel at the contemporary Scottish Parliament building, tour the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia, and, when night falls, immerse yourself in Edinburgh's thriving cultural scene.

Aberdeen, Scotland's third-largest city and the bustling hub of the North Sea oil industry, is a captivating blend of architectural distinction and natural beauty. Nestled between the North Sea and picturesque hills, Aberdeen's granite buildings sparkle in the sunlight, earning it the nickname 'Silver City.' Explore its rich arts and culture scene, indulge in local delicacies, and immerse yourself in its vibrant nightlife. Venture beyond the city to witness stunning coastal scenery, visit traditional whiskey distilleries, and perhaps even spot dolphins dancing in the waves.

The picturesque fishing town of Ullapool nestles on the shores of Loch Broom in the Highlands. Its location is one of the more pristine natural environments in Britain. A diverse choice of walks in the area includes mountains, rocky coasts, forests, and deep gorges. Dominating the landscape is the monolithic peak of 2,000’ (610 m) Stac Pollaidh. Nearby Corrieshalloch Gorge with its 150’ (46 m) Falls of Measach and the Inverpolly Nature Reserve allow you to experience the natural beauty of the Highlands. The geology of the area is highlighted by the Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve and the fascinating Inchnadamph Bone Caves. Formed by water-penetrating soft limestone, the caves contained 1,000 reindeer bones dating back as far as 47,000 years. Beside them were found the bones of four human beings, dating back 4,500 years.

Ullapool has a reputation as a center for music, the arts, and performance. Explore the Ullapool Museum and the Leckmelm Shrubbery and Arboretum.

Fair Isle is a haven for bird enthusiasts and lovers of traditional knitwear. Owned by the National Trust for Scotland, this tiny island is home to a close-knit community of about 70 people. The landscape is etched with remnants of ancient stone houses, turf, and stone walls, revealing evidence of Neolithic settlements dating back up to 5,000 years. Between April and August, the cliffs echo with the symphony of Northern Fulmars, Black-Legged Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Common Guillemots, Black Guillemots, and Atlantic Puffins. Skuas and Arctic Terns fiercely guard their nests on the moorlands, while a small colony of Northern Gannets can also be spotted. The Fair Isle Bird Observatory has been conducting scientific research on bird migration and seabird colonies for over 55 years. The island's marine life includes grey and common seals, harbor porpoises, and occasionally dolphins, killer whales, and minke whales.

Included Shore Excursion on Expedition Voyages
A Visit to the Community of Fair Isle
Embark on an adventure with the Expedition Team as you Zodiac ashore to explore Fair Isle's unique community. Discover the skillful Fair Isle knitwork at the Community Center, meet the friendly locals, and immerse yourself in the vibrant bird cliffs teeming with nesting gannets, guillemots, and puffins.

*Experiences subject to change

This tiny island, set just off Scotland’s southeast coast, is dominated by its eponymous broch, one of the country’s best-preserved prehistoric monuments. A unique Scottish phenomenon, brochs, or fortified round towers, represent the apex of Iron Age dry-stone wall construction. Hundreds of these windowless towers once peppered northwest Scotland; of those that remain, the Mousa broch stands as the finest and most famous, mentioned twice in Norse sagas. Built around 300 BC and boasting 16-foot-thick walls, the 43-foot-high broch offers commanding views across Mousa Sound. Today the island is uninhabited—except, that is, for some 12,000 pairs of breeding storm petrels, one of the United Kingdom’s largest colonies. (Many nest inside the broch.) It also offers a refuge for great skuas, Arctic terns, black guillemots, and other seabirds, as well as seals and otters.

 

Lerwick, Britain's most northerly town, is a small, bustling, cosmopolitan seaport with a population of over 7,000 people and fine architecture. Shetland Museum, located on Hay's Dock, is an award-winning attraction. Discover the island’s many secrets through its exhibits, and take a look in the boat shed, where you can see demonstrations of traditional boat building. Also of interest is the stone-walled town hall, built in 1884, displaying an impressive array of beautifully intricate stained glass. Towering St. Magnus Cathedral, constructed in 1863, is likewise well worth a visit. People have lived and prospered here since Neolithic times. The site of Clickimin Broch, a hollow-stone-walled structure, was a Late Bronze Age farmstead from the 7th century BCE. Historic Fort Charlotte, built in 1653, is a five-sided fortress with cannon batteries pointing out to sea. The Shetland Textile Museum, with its fine weaving, and the quaint Crofters Museum will detail life in a much gentler time. The name Lerwick is derived from Norse and means ‘bay of clay.'

Sailing the vast and open waters, the horizon stretches endlessly. The ship's deck provides breathtaking views of the ocean, offering an immersive experience with the surrounding maritime beauty.

Stretching into the Borgundfjord and backed by the Sunnmoere Alps, Aalesund abounds with natural beauty. The town itself dates from the 9th century when it was a Viking base for establishing settlements in France. Following a great fire in 1904, Aalesund was rebuilt in the popular Art Nouveau style of the time. Today, the towers, turrets, and romantic facades make this one of the loveliest towns in all of Norway. The city is also the world's largest supplier of 'klippfisk,' or dried cod, but the main attraction by far is the scenic beauty of Aalesund's fjords and surrounding peaks, including 550-foot Mt. Aksla.

South of Alesund on Norway’s west coast, many of the myriad islands are connected by long bridges like strings of pearls. Among those, the Isle of Runde dangles like a pendant into the sea west from the island of Remøy. There are 150 human inhabitants on Runde, but its bird cliffs, which are the southernmost in Norway, are the summer home for over half a million nesting seabirds. The island hosts the widest variety of birds in Scandinavia, but the showstoppers are its 100,000 pairs of Atlantic puffins. Large colonies of great skuas, gannets, and shags (cormorants) are also present in season. Cruising beneath these cliffs, immersed in the white-noise calling of innumerable birds and the visual swirling of a sky filled with birds ceaselessly coming and going to and from their nests overhead, is an experience of nature’s astonishing extravagance that you can never forget.

 

Founded in 997, Trondheim is one of Norway's oldest cities, situated midway between southern and northern Norway. Dominated by the massive Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim is often referred to as the Royal City. Traditionally, the kings of Norway have been crowned in the cathedral, which is considered a national shrine. Straddling both sides of the River Nid on Trondheimfjord, much of the town was rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1681 destroyed the majority of its original wooden structures. Some of the oldest buildings, dating to the 1700s, have survived along the river, while the wide streets of the city center boast picturesque and brightly painted houses.

Huddled together in what appears to be a wall of solid rock, the Lofotens are several islands. Their scenery, revealed when the ice disappeared from the last Ice Age, is held to be among the most dramatic in Norway. Svolvaer, located on the island of Austvaagoey, received town status in 1996 and is the Lofotens' most important city, with about 4,500 residents. Dominating the town is the mountain peak called Svolvaergeita, a beacon for climbers. Fishermen flock here when the Norwegian Arctic cod enters the Vestfjord to spawn. Artists prize the picturesque setting and extraordinary light conditions.

The entry to Trollfjord off the Raftsund sound is hair-raising. Just 100 meters wide, it is approached from an angle that hides the opening until the last moment. Then steep, sheer cliffs rise on either side as your ship slips between the polished walls. Once inside, the walls fall away to reveal a vast bowl of snowcapped peaks up to 1100 meters high. It is simply breathtaking. On your Seabourn ship, the Ventures by Seabourn team will likely offer the option to escort the ship into the fjord aboard Zodiacs, making for unmatched video and photo opportunities. Your ship will slowly turn to survey the whole range of peaks surrounding the fjord. No matter what the weather, Trollfjord is the high point of any cruise in Norway’s majestic fjords.

Tromso is the largest city in northern Norway and the ninth-most populous municipality in the country. It surprises visitors with its sophisticated art scene, contrasting modern and historical architecture, international cuisine, multicultural events, and festivals throughout the year.

Situated 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Tromso is within the land of the midnight sun during the summer months and the elusive northern lights in the winter. However, thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, the sea doesn’t freeze here in winter, and there is no permafrost in the vicinity. Tromso is noticeably milder than other towns at the same latitudes in other parts of the world.

Tromso is also ‘The City of Explorers’ and has seen several expeditions set off from its shores to probe the polar realm. Both Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen frequently recruited men in the city. Nowadays, home to the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromso continues a tradition of being one of the key centers in exploring the Arctic.