Scotland & Ireland Cruise: Edinburgh, Belfast & Dublin

Copenhagen is known as a city of spires: the skyline of its medieval core is punctuated only by the steeples of churches and towers of palaces, though a modern building boom has overtaken other parts of the city. Today's Copenhagen is known for its excellent quality of life and environmental consciousness - with many parks, it is green both literally and in today's sense of the word. It is also bicycle-friendly, with bike paths lining almost every major street. After a ride or wander through the old town, stop for a local repast of Smørrebrød, traditional open-face sandwiches, or a mouthwatering Danish pastry.

Where the rivers Dee and Don meet the North Sea, you’ll find the harbor city of Aberdeen. Remote and northerly, Scotland’s third largest city is a surprising gem with distinctive architecture and a cosmopolitan feel. Encompassing a veritable wonderland of urban delights and pastoral pursuits, Aberdeen stands apart from other Scottish cities. You won’t hear Gaelic around these parts, as this bright sunny port more closely resembles a typical English city.

Northern Ireland’s second largest city, Derry’s ancient walls hide a saga of strength and struggle. One of the oldest inhabited places in the whole of Ireland, this picturesque town has witnessed some of history’s most prominent events. After undergoing a renaissance in recent years, today Derry is an emerging cosmopolitan city where youth culture meets some of the country’s oldest and best preserved monuments. Complete with quaint restaurants, hearty pubs, and fantastic independent shops, Derry’s small size is perfect to explore on foot. Or, take a quick ride with one of the city’s many friendly taxi drivers to learn about some local haunts.

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in Scotland and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east.

Belfast in the early 20th century had the largest and most productive shipyard in the world, gaining global renown with the launch of the RMS Titanic. Located on the slipways where she was built is a stunning new museum, opened in time for the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s only voyage and tragic demise. Today the city and riverfront are undergoing a 21st century transformation, but many exuberant Victorian and Edwardian buildings still sport the carved heads of kings and queens. As you explore the city, keep an eye out for “the murals.” These somewhat troubling freelance works appearing on building walls provide insight into the period known simply as “The Troubles."

Located on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland, the quaint seaside town of Cobh is known for its great maritime heritage and seafaring history. As Ireland’s only dedicated cruise terminal, Cobh was the departure point for 2.5 million of the six million Irish people that immigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950, and to this day, it remains a popular port of call for cruise liners from all over the world. Perhaps this is due in part to the fact that Cobh, formerly known as Queenstown, is renowned as the last port of call for RMS Titanic—and since that fateful day in 1912, Cobh has remained largely unchanged, with the piers and streetscape appearing the much the same as it did over 100 years ago. Many of Cobh’s sites focus on its maritime history, including the Titanic Experience, Titanic Trail walking tour, the Queenstown Story Heritage Centre and tours to Spike Island. There are also hourly rail connections to the lovely town of Cork, situated just 20 minutes away from Cob…

Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.