Southampton to Ijmuiden

Southampton is a city in Hampshire, South East England, 70 miles (110 km) south-west of London and 15 miles (24 km) west of Portsmouth.

Le Havre is a major port in northern France’s Normandy region, where the Seine River meets the English Channel. It’s joined to the city across the estuary, Honfleur, by the Pont de Normandie cable-stayed bridge. Following WWII, Le Havre’s heavily damaged city center was famously redesigned by Belgian architect Auguste Perret. Today it features many landmark examples of reinforced-concrete architecture.

Step back in time to the 14th century as you meander along the narrow streets of this medieval gem past gabled buildings and through the bustling market. Take a boat ride along the city’s canals. Or spend the day exploring Brussels and its famed Grand Place or Antwerp, home of Rubens and Bruegel, seeing the verdant countryside along the way.

Newhaven is a channel ferry port in East Sussex in England, with regular passenger services to Dieppe. It lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, which has historically migrated westward from Seaford, one of the Cinque Ports.

Known as “Inverbreakie” until the early 18th century, Invergordon has long been recognized for its rich naval history and jewel of a harbor in the northern Highlands. Invergordon perches on the northern bank of the Cromarty Firth, a lengthy estuary that provides welcome sanctuary for a multitude of water birds and one of only two species of resident bottlenose dolphin in the British Isles. Venture into the Highlands, where the local clan castles perch on craggy hills and on the shores of lochs and firths. And there’s always the chance to see the mysterious Loch Ness Monster.

This starkly beautiful island holds many ancient treasures like the enigmatic Standing Stones of Stenness and the 5,000-year-old village of Skara Brae, amazingly discovered with furniture and indoor drains preserved. Visit the imposing trio of St. Magnus Cathedral, the nearby ruins of the Earl’s Palace, and the earlier Bishop’s Palace.

Enjoy a taste of the Highlands here in the rugged landscape and heathered moors, the ruined castles, steep cliffs and sea air. Drive through beautiful valleys and flower-filled meadows with romping Shetland ponies to quaint villages like Scalloway with its ruined castle, or explore the fascinating Jarlshof prehistoric site, occupied for more than 4,000 years.

Norway’s medieval capital pays homage to its past with wooden houses and cobbled streets that grace the historic Bryggen area around the wharf. Here the Hanseatic Museum reveals a glimpse of working life in the Middle Ages, and the eerie 13th century Rosenkrantz Tower offers a phenomenal view of the seaport. But Bergen is also contemporary. The modern city stretches inland from the harbor, tempting visitors with attractions such as Bergen Aquarium and Trolls’ Hill, the romantic summer villa of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, who is buried on the estate.

In a city where almost everything is extraordinary in some way, Amsterdam is a blank canvas on which to make your own masterpiece of a visit. Behold the largest collections of Vincent Van Gogh works, handbags and all things cat related – in separate museums, of course. Hop on a canal boat, rent a bike or head out on foot in any direction and you will stumble on something unforgettable, like an ancient cathedral, a park carpeted in flowers or the iconic windmills that dot the Dutch landscape. Near the port town of Ijmuiden, Haarlem offers all the trappings of a quintessential Dutch city – picturesque canals, cozy cafés and cobbled lanes as well as the oldest museum in the Netherlands, Teylers Museum.