The capital of the Emerald Isle is, with its friendly locals, fascinating history, legendary literary tradition and charming mix of medieval, Georgian and modern architecture, a city of unforgettable character. It lies on the east coast of Ireland along the banks of the River Liffey. Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, Trinity College and the beautiful square St Stephen’s Green lie south of the Liffey, whilst the glorious Custom House, majestic Four Courts and famous General Post Office add grace to Dublin’s Northside. Crossing the river the high-arched Ha’penny Bridge is one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks.

Originally settled by the Norsemen in the 9th century, Lerwick was founded as an unofficial marketplace to service 17th century Dutch herring fleets. The core of the town is a maze of narrow, flagstone streets set behind 18th century sandstone buildings overlooking the busy harbour. Hay’s Dock, once the centre of Shetland’s fishing and boat building industries, is home to the marvellous Shetland Museum and Archives. On the southern tip of Mainland the extraordinary archaeological site of Jarlshof tells the story of some 4,000 years of human history on this remote archipelago with a wealth of wildlife.

The southernmost of the three short branches at the inner end of Nordfjord terminates in Olden. The charming village sits amongst tidy, well-kept farms on gently sloping, fertile hillsides, which then rise steeply into thickly wooded and rugged peaks. From the village the beautiful Oldendalen Valley runs between towering mountains to the edge of the mighty Jostedalsbreen Glacier. Briksdal Glacier is one of the more accessible arms of the Jostedalsbreen. The creeping pitted tentacle of ice features in optional excursions from Olden together with glorious waterfalls, glacier fed rivers and wonderful mountain lakes.

From a small farming village that was relatively isolated in the 1800’s, Geiranger has grown into one of Norway’s most popular tourist resorts. It sits at the head of the stunningly beautiful Geirangerfjord against a backdrop of splendid mountain scenery. From Geiranger steep mountain roads snake their way up to dizzying heights and panoramic views that are quite literally breathtaking. Snow dusted peaks, wild tumbling waterfalls, lush green valleys and dramatic gorges stretch as far as the eye can see with their reflections in the mirror-calm waters of the incredible Geirangerfjord far below.

Surrounded by towering mountains the tiny village of Flåm, with some 500 inhabitants, nestles at the head of Aurlandsfjord, the innermost arm of the mighty Sognefjord. Its popularity as a tourist destination began in the late 19th century with the arrival of steamships carrying English and German passengers including Europe’s royals attracted by the salmon fishing in the Flåm River. Today’s visitors are drawn to Flåm for a chance to ride on one of the world’s steepest and most spectacular railways. A masterpiece of engineering, Flåm Railway twists and turns through the steep-sided Flåm Valley amidst some of Norway’s most breathtaking mountain scenery.
 

Lying at the end of a tributary of the beautiful Hardangerfjord, Eidfjord is surrounded by mountains up to 1,900 metres high. The small town is the gateway to Hardangervidda, which is the largest high mountain plateau in Europe and Norway’s largest national park. A short walk from the village centre there are graves by the roadside dating back to the Iron Age and Viking eras. The ‘old’ church in Eidfjord was built in 1309. Nearby the stunning Vøringfossen waterfall is one of Norway’s most popular natural attractions and features in optional excursions along with the amazing Sysen Dam.

Stavanger is today the ‘Oil Capital of Norway’. It is a vibrant, modern city with Gamle Stavanger at its core. The picturesque old part of Stavanger has gently sloping cobbled streets lined with small, white wooden houses built at the end of the18th and early 19th centuries. The city’s Anglo-Norman style cathedral was built in 1125, the same year Stavanger was officially founded. One of the most popular excursions from Norway’s fourth largest city is a visit to the Iron Age Farm at Ullanhaug giving a fascinating insight into life in the area some 1,500 years ago.