Gems of the Baltic & The National Trust

With its ancient castles, brightly coloured houses and sculpture of a certain little mermaid, wandering around Copenhagen can sometimes feel like you’ve walked into a storybook.

Denmark’s second largest city is an important port and home to Scandinavia’s largest university. Its 12th Century Cathedral and the charming Old Town Museum contrast nicely with the ultra-modern architecture springing up in the former “Docklands” and the ARoS Art Museum. It is also enjoys one of Europe’s youngest urban demographics, with a lively nightlife and busy cultural scene including a famous annual international jazz festival. Originally a Viking settlement, Aarhus has its own Tivoli amusement park with four roller coasters in the city center, a world-class concert hall and orchestra and a large Botanical Gardens.

Gothenburg is situated on the Göta älv River on Sweden’s west coast. An important seaport, it's known for tree-lined boulevards, quaint cafes, shops, theaters and sculptured gardens. The 340-acre (137 hectare) Trädgardsföreningen Park is a natural gem and a wonderful place to relax along a scenic 17th century canal. At Slottskogen Park one can view many of Sweden’s wildlife species, in particular the impressive elk, known in North America as a moose. Local people refer to the park as the ‘green lungs of the city.’ Explore the nearby botanical gardens with its beautifully sculpted flower beds, and award-winning stone gardens, where North America, Europe and Asia are represented by some 5000 plant species. Those with an interest in modern architecture should discover the prize-winning wonder of Museum für Weltkultur. Gothenburg was founded as a trading colony in 1621 by King Gustavus Adolphus and is now the largest port in the Nordic countries. Gregarious and beautiful Gothenburg will charm everyone!

The popular vacation town of Arendal is a beautifully preserved historical city with colorful wooden houses dating from the 17th century. The copper-plated spire and red brick walls of Trinity Church dominate the skyline from the center of town. The charming inner harbor, with its wooden sailing vessels, fishing boats and historic motor-launches, is lined with numerous cafes, restaurants and pubs and comprises the busiest part of the town. True to its maritime background, Arendal has three historic lighthouses nearby. Situated on Norway’s southern coast, it resembles a sleepy, charming seaside village and boasts a colorful history. The village was established in the middle of 16th century, and became a prominent center of shipbuilding, shipping, and timber trade. By the end of the 19th century, Arendal was one of the biggest ports in the country. Its Old Norse name means ‘Eagle Valley,’ ǫrn being the word for eagle and dair meaning valley.

Although equally famous for its rebellious contemporary edginess, Amsterdam is a picturesque city with a fascinating history and rich artistic heritage.

With its medieval buildings, charming canals and cobblestone streets, Bruges is like something from a fairytale. Its oval-shaped historic city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Crossing the English Channel from continental Europe to Great Britain, the first view of England is the milky-white strip of land called the White Cliffs of Dover. As you get closer, the coastline unfolds before you in all its striking beauty. White chalk cliffs with streaks of black flint rise straight from the sea to a height of 350’ (110 m). Numerous archaeological finds reveal people were present in the area during the Stone Age. Yet the first record of Dover is from Romans, who valued its close proximity to the mainland. A mere 21 miles (33 km) separate Dover from the closest point in France. A Roman-built lighthouse in the area is the tallest Roman structure still standing in Britain. The remains of a Roman villa with the only preserved Roman wall mural outside of Italy are another unique survivor from ancient times which make Dover one of a kind.

Portland Island and the resort town of Weymouth are connected by a 5-mile (8 km) long neck of white sand known as Chesil Beach. Renowned as the finest example of a barrier-type beach in Europe, Chesil Beach was formed 10,000 years ago as glaciers receded and sea levels rose. The rugged coastline of Dorset and the many attractions in the area are what make Weymouth such a popular vacation destination. The Old Harbour of Weymouth is an excellent Georgian-style harbor and one of the prettiest in Europe. It bustles with activity from large catamarans, fishing boats and yachts. Weymouth Sea Life Adventure Park displays over 1,000 incredible sea creatures including sea turtles, crabs, octopuses and sharks. The nearby Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens is an impressive walled garden set in 20 acres (8 hectares) of woodland. Portland Island offers stunning views across the Chesil Beach, Portland Harbour, Fleet Lagoon and Weymouth. The little egret, once a rare bird in Britain, is now regularly seen along these shores.

With its white sand beaches, glimmering blue seas and laid-back locals, Antigua is a quintessentially Caribbean island.

Head to the Irish capital to see some of the world's finest Georgian buildings, to enjoy the freshest pint of Guinness from a rooftop bar, and to learn about the many great writers who once called this charming city home.

Douglas is the capital of the Isle of Man. Mann, as it is also called, is a British Crown Dependency, with its own parliament and postage stamps (a popular souvenir). Here visitors can sample means of transport ranging from horse-drawn trams, to steam trains and the high-speed motorcycles that compete in the renowned Isle of Man TT races. In summer the town maintains much of the seaside resort charm of an earlier period, including the Victorian-era Grand Union Camera Obscura, now restored for your amusement.

Famous Irish hospitality awaits on a cruise to Belfast, the riverside capital of Northern Ireland. Let’s see what the ‘craic’ is all about..

Rothesay, standing along the Firth of Clyde, presents the visitor with a combination of illustrious gardens and grand architecture. The magnificent ruins of Rothesay Castle, which date from the 13th century, are what most people visualize when they think of a medieval castle. With a drawbridge, encircling moat, immense circular curtain wall and tall stone towers, Rothesay is unique in Scotland for its circular plan. The ruins of St Blane's Chapel, a 6th century monastery, sit atop a hill with views over the Sound of Bute. For true elegance, visit the country estate of Mount Stuart House with its colonnaded Marble Hall and extraordinary Marble Chapel. Built in the late 1870’s in the Gothic Revivalist style, it was constructed of reddish-brown stone and houses a library of 25,000 books. The Ardencraig Gardens, sitting atop Canada Hill, feature a walled garden and exotic aviary. Ascog Hall Fernery, located on the grounds of a baronial-style house from 1844, is a beautiful garden with the oldest ferns in Britain.

Oban is a small town on the west coast of Scotland. The site began as a small fishing outpost and has been occupied as such for literally thousands of years. Rural in its roots, the modern-day village of Oban grew around the famed whisky distillery founded in 1794. Renowned for its 14-year-old malt whisky, the Oban distillery has become a tourist attraction, drawing many visitors to the area. The quiet, rural feel of Oban is responsible for the abundance of wildlife within the town boundaries. Here grey seals can be spotted swimming in the harbor or resting along the shore. A wide variety of land and seabirds are found throughout the area. On occasion dolphins and river otters also visit. A beautiful balance exists between this small town and the natural environment surrounding it, where the sounds of nature mingle with the melody of the streets.

Ullapool is a village of around 1,500 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Scottish Highlands, located around 45 miles north-west of Inverness. Despite its small size it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and an important port and tourist destination.

New Haven is a coastal city on Long Island Sound, in Connecticut. It’s home to the Ivy League Yale University, founded in 1701. The institution’s museums include the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art. Grove Street Cemetery, dating from the late 18th century, has a 19th-century Egyptian Revival gateway. The New Haven Museum covers local history.

Crossing the English Channel from continental Europe to Great Britain, the first view of England is the milky-white strip of land called the White Cliffs of Dover. As you get closer, the coastline unfolds before you in all its striking beauty. White chalk cliffs with streaks of black flint rise straight from the sea to a height of 350’ (110 m). Numerous archaeological finds reveal people were present in the area during the Stone Age. Yet the first record of Dover is from Romans, who valued its close proximity to the mainland. A mere 21 miles (33 km) separate Dover from the closest point in France. A Roman-built lighthouse in the area is the tallest Roman structure still standing in Britain. The remains of a Roman villa with the only preserved Roman wall mural outside of Italy are another unique survivor from ancient times which make Dover one of a kind.