Spitsbergen, Iceland, Faroe Islands – Island Hopping in and around the Arctic (Southbound)

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.

From Oslo to the town at the top of the world 

After a flight from Oslo, your adventure begins with an overnight stay in the world’s northernmost town, Longyearbyen.  

A colourful frontier settlement where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles, Longyearbyen is a unique place on the edge of the Arctic wilderness. If you have time, head out to explore this special town, before enjoying a relaxing evening at your leisure.   

If you'd like to spend two extra days exploring Longyearbyen and its surroundings before your voyage, see this voyage option. It includes the same sailing itinerary but with additional Arctic land adventures. 

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.

Explore this colourful frontier town 

After breakfast it’s time to experience Longyearbyen. 

The former coal mining settlement is small enough to explore on foot. Stroll down the main street lined with boutique shops, an art gallery, and restaurants. You might even see a Svalbard reindeer saunter by.    

Before boarding your ship in the afternoon and continuing your Arctic discovery, join an included excursion and get a deeper look at this isolated and remote region at the top of the world.  

A land of spectacular beauty

Svalbard’s largest island Spitsbergen showcases Arctic beauty in its untouched glory; a wilderness of steep mountains, glaciers, and islands. 

Over the next four days, you'll explore some of the world's most dramatic fjords, listening for the creaks of glaciers as they calve icebergs into the sea. 

Delight in the rare chance to seek the region’s apex predator, the magnificent polar bear, in its natural environment following the sea-ice edge hunting for seals. 

We’ll take advantage of every opportunity to land, taking expedition boats ashore for hiking and other activities. If we can, we’ll launch our kayaks to enjoy the scenery in near-perfect silence. 

A land of spectacular beauty

Svalbard’s largest island Spitsbergen showcases Arctic beauty in its untouched glory; a wilderness of steep mountains, glaciers, and islands. 

Over the next four days, you'll explore some of the world's most dramatic fjords, listening for the creaks of glaciers as they calve icebergs into the sea. 

Delight in the rare chance to seek the region’s apex predator, the magnificent polar bear, in its natural environment following the sea-ice edge hunting for seals. 

We’ll take advantage of every opportunity to land, taking expedition boats ashore for hiking and other activities. If we can, we’ll launch our kayaks to enjoy the scenery in near-perfect silence. 

Described as one of the most remote islands in the world, Jan Mayen liesbetween Norway to the east and Greenland to the west. It is a rugged volcanicisland 34 miles long and is made up of two parts – the larger section to thenorth (Beerenbeg Volcano) and the longer but narrower section to the south. Amile-wide isthmus links these two parts. Geologically, the island was formed bya ‘hotspot’ where molten magma pushes up through the earth’s crust to createvolcanoes in the middle of nowhere. Politically, Jan Mayen is an integral partof Norway. The eighteen people living on the island work for either the NorwegianArmed Forces or the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Their main purpose isto operate the Loran-C radio navigation system. From 1615 to 1638, the Dutchran a whaling station here. Today, the island is a nature reserve underNorwegian jurisdiction aimed at preserving the pristine Arctic island and themarine life, including the ocean floor.

Visit an active volcano that's a haven for birdlife

Jan Mayen has no permanent residents and visits to the island are rare. In fact, we're one of the few to attempt landings here. If conditions allow, you’ll be setting foot in one of Earth’s most remote places. 

Jan Mayen’s surreal, moss- and lichen-streaked landscape is dominated by the Beerenberg volcanic cone. It's the world's northernmost active volcano and last erupted in 1985. 

You won’t see land mammals here, but the island is designated an Important Bird Area, supporting large populations of Northern Fulmars this time of year. Look out for abundant marine life in the surrounding waters too, including whales and seals.  

Akureyri, called the Capital of the North is the second largest urban area in Iceland, and a lively one at that. Hemmed by the 60-km (37-mile) long Eyjafjörður, Akureyri is sheltered from the ocean winds and embraced by mountains on three sides. Late 19th-century wooden houses impart a sense of history, and the twin spires of a modern Lutheran church rising on a green hill near the waterfront, provide a focal point. To the south of Akureyri is the pyramid-shape rhyolite mountain Súlur. Beyond it is Kerling, the highest peak in Eyjafjörður District.

See dramatic moonscapes and waterfalls

Gaze at snowcapped peaks as we cruise along Eyjafjörður, Iceland's longest fjord. It’s also known as a great place to spot humpbacks and minke whales, as well as white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises.   

Iceland’s 'Northern Capital’, Akureyri, sits at the fjord base. Here, you can enjoy the oasis of a botanical garden, and visit top-notch eateries and museums.  

 A little further afield, you can witness the picturesque Goðafoss waterfall, where turquoise waters pound against black rocks. You can also keep an eye out for Eider and Harlequin Ducks at Lake Mývatn, one of Iceland's more active volcanic areas. 

The town of Húsavík sits below Húsavíkurfjall mountain on the eastern shore of Skjálfandi bay. Just above the town is lake Botnsvatn, a popular place for outings. The lake is just the right size for a nice hike around it. The lakes surroundings are rich in vegetation and bird life and trout is said to be abundant, though small. Húsavík harbour lies below the bank right in the heart of town. The harbour once boasted a large fishing fleet, bustling with the activity of fishermen. It still serves as a fishing harbour but today's activity revolves more around the successful whale watching businesses. The first organised whale watching excursions in Iceland started from here in 1995. Since then, whale watching has become a major attraction and Húsavík continues to be the leading destination for whale watching. In addition to the tours, a fascinating whale museum is located right by the harbour. Húsavík is considered to be the oldest settlement in Iceland. The Swedish explorer, Gardar Svavarsson, spent one winter there in 870 AD during which time he built himself a house from which the settlement derives its name.

Iceland's best whale watching spot  

Today you’ll discover Húsavík, a fascinating small town that's one of the best places in the world from which to see whales.  

Húsavík looks out over Skjálfandi bay, which enjoys visits from humpback and minke whales, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and even the elusive blue whale. If you’re  lucky, you might see one or more of these giants at sea. Learn more about them at Húsavík’s Whale Museum.  

The Exploration Museum here has a section dedicated to space. Because Húsavík's geology resembled lunar rocks, NASA sent astronauts from their Apollo space missions here to train. You can also enjoy the geothermal waters at Geosea, which overlooks Skjálfandi bay, and refresh with a beer at the local microbrewery. 

Local folklore and natural beauty  

Your Iceland cruise continues to Bakkagerði, a tiny, remote settlement.  According to folklore, Bakkagerði is inhabited by a large population of local land spirits or elves, known as huldufólk, meaning 'hidden people'. Walk around town to explore this magical place.  

The area around Bakkagerði is a popular hiking area. You can join the Expedition Team to walk through lush, green valleys and gorgeous scenery among colourful rhyolite rocks.   

Or tour a local brewery and visit KHB Brugghús, the only distillery in Iceland that produces Landi, the true Icelandic Moonshine. 

Surround yourself with the sounds of Faroese nature 

Today we’ll stop to explore the tiny village of Elduvík, with just 23 inhabitants. Set in the Funningsfjørður inlet in the Faroe Islands. Elduvík is split in two by the river Stórá. 

While small, it comes complete with a school, church, dock and pier. From the pier, enjoy the view across the sparkling waters to the nearby island of Kalsoy – it’s astonishingly peaceful here. 

As you walk through the village's charming streets, listen for the songs of seabirds, bleating sheep, and waves coming to shore from the fjord. You'll notice that the roofs of many houses are built in the traditional Icelandic style: covered in grass instead of slate, offering much-needed insulation and protection against the weather.  

More than 600 miles (nearly 1,000 kilometres) from Denmark’s west coast lie the Faroes, a triangle of eighteen windswept islands, seventeen of which are inhabited. Only 48,500 people plus some 70,000 sheep roam these remote lands. Much of the islands’ heritage reflects a medieval past, beginning with the arrival of farmers from western Norway who settled here in the 9th century. Evidence of this Scandinavian heritage is preserved through centuries of isolation; ancient structures can still be seen in villages clustered around old churches. Sheer cliffs and waterfalls carve Streymoy, the largest of the islands, where Torshavn is one of the world’s smallest capitals with about 12,400 inhabitants, plus another 5,000 living in the suburbs of Argir and Hoyvik. Visitors find interesting museums, churches, monuments and all the amenities of a modern town and thriving harbour here. The world’s oldest, still active parliament was founded in the Viking age. Today, it houses the main offices of the local government. Many of the attractions are found outside of Torshavn in the rugged beauty of Streymoy. There are fields with grazing ponies and sheep, tiny hamlets where residents live in half-timbered houses topped by green grass roofs, and dramatic rock formations. Birds by the thousands populate the craggy seaside cliffs, which make an ideal stopover for migratory gannets, guillemots and puffins. The Faroes' climate is generally wet and windy. Because of the Gulf Stream, the temperature is a good deal more moderate than the latitude might imply; it also helps to keep Faroe harbours ice-free year-round.

A visit to Streymoy in the Faroe Islands 

Tórshavn is located on Streymoy, the largest of the Faroe Islands. Founded by Norsemen in the 10th century, Tórshavn – Thor’s Harbour – is one of Northern Europe’s oldest capitals.  

Wander through the cobbled alleyways and delight in the colourful, turf-roofed houses found here. In the local museums, you can learn about the city’s origins and the flora, fauna and geology of the Faroe Islands. 

About half a mile out of town, the Svartafoss waterfall tumbles over mossy rocks. And as you walk along the seafront, look out for Eider Ducks and the distinctive Faroese Starling with its beige-tipped wings.  

Founded by Dutch fishermen in the 17th century, Lerwick today is a busy town and administrative center. Handsome stone buildings—known as lodberries—line the harbor; they provided loading bays for goods, some of them illegal. The town's twisting flagstone lanes and harbor once heaved with activity, and Lerwick is still an active port today. This is also where most visitors to Shetland dock, spilling out of cruise ships, allowing passengers to walk around the town.

Discover Scotland's most northerly inhabited isle

Welcome to the Shetland Islands. Lerwick, the capital, is a friendly, Victorian-influenced fishing town set in beautiful scenery.   

Navigate the narrow lanes on foot to discover little shops selling local whiskies, woollen sweaters and fudge.  

By the old waterfront, you’ll find the Shetland Museum, showcasing Pictish carvings and lace shawls. Nearby you can see Fort Charlotte and the regal-looking town hall.  

Keep your binoculars handy to scan for grey and common seals along Lerwick's beaches, as well as local birdlife such as Red-throated Divers, redshanks and curlews.  

Surrounded by mountains and sparkling fjords, the waterside city of Bergen has a spectacular setting. There has been a settlement here since medieval times and the colourful waterfront buildings of the Hanseatic wharf, known as Bryggen, are testament to its fascinating history of trade. As Norway’s best known medieval settlement, the Bryggen is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Our comprehensive selection of excursions allows you to discover the many sides of Bergen, such as the fish market and narrow cobbled streets, as well as stunning views of the city from the summit of Mt Fløyen. Alternatively, those who have visited the city previously may like to experience one of the tours that travel further afield. Just 300 yards from the main piers, you will find the Fortress Museum (Fesningsmuseum), which has an interesting collection of objects related to World War II.

Discover colourful and picturesque Bergen 

Your expedition cruise ends in Bergen. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, the old capital is one of Norway’s most picturesque cities.  

Discover the city on your own with a stroll through UNESCO-listed Bryggen and discover its colourful wooden wharfs. Why not pick up some souvenirs or gifts in the artisanal boutiques before heading home. Across from here, you'll also find the city's famous fish market.  

Or, join our Post-Programme for a guided hiking tour.