Bermuda, Normandy & Baltic Jewels

There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Ft. Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Ft. Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or adventure to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.

Near the port city of Hamilton, King’s Wharf offers a visit to the Royal Navy Dockyard, with its Georgian-style fort and the Bermuda Maritime Museum. Set your watch by the town’s clocktower – but be aware: one face tells the time, the other indicates the time of high tide.

Corkonians are fiercely proud of their hometown, so much so that it’s jokingly referred to as the People’s Republic of Cork. And there is a lot to love about Ireland’s second city. Hugging the banks of the River Lee, it takes its name from corcaigh, the Gaelic word for “marshy.” With its origins in the 7th century, Cork enjoyed a flourishing period as a merchant center in the 18th and 19th centuries, with grand buildings like the elegant Cork City Hall bearing testimony to this status. On the north bank of the River Lee is the quaint neighborhood of Shandon with its landmark clock tower of St. Anne’s Church. The city’s heart is set on an island sandwiched between two channels of the Lee that open out into one of Europe’s largest natural harbors at Cobh.

Cobh brought the city prosperity (and also happened to be the final port of call for the ill-fated RMS Titanic). And it was from Cobh that over 2.5 million immigrants caught their final glimpse of their home country as they departed in search of a better life in the United States between 1848 and 1950.

There’s a more modern side to Cork, with a thriving university quarter, pubs, bars and restaurants. Whatever your interests, you will find a side of Cork to love too.

Noted for being one of the Caribbean’s best-preserved Georgian towns, Falmouth boasts a rich 18th and early 19th century history. Explore Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, built in 1795; shop for local crafts at the Albert George Shopping and Historical Centre, and visit Greenwood Great House; built in 1760, this house was once owned by poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s family and today is home to the finest antique museum in the Caribbean.

In the 20th century, Cherbourg’s biggest claim to fame was perhaps that it had been a vital port during the Allied forces’ D-Day invasion, which landed to the southeast and traveled overland to capture the well-defended city from the Germans. However, in recent years, Cherbourg has undergone a revitalization that makes it a great place to sample local delicacies in the Place de Gaulle Market and calvados (apple brandy) from nearby orchards, plus visit the historic sites in and near town. Can’t-miss attractions include the wonderful Cité de la Mer maritime museum, as well as the Roule Fort where the Americans ousted the Germans, now home to the Museum of the Liberation.

Cherbourg is also a perfect jumping off point for exploring the sights of Normandy, like the D-Day landing locations on Utah and Omaha Beaches, the historic town of Bayeux—the base of William the Conqueror before he invaded England—and the stunning scenery and sea cliffs of the Cape of La Hague.

From this busy port city tour to canal-laced Brugge; Brussels, home of the European Union; and Ghent, mecca for chocolate lovers. Sample shore excursion: Antwerp, City of Diamonds.

A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and inviting place for people of all stripes. Visitors are naturally drawn to the historic city center where you’ll find some of the world’s top art museums, including the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And at Dam Square, the Amsterdam’s largest public square, you can tour the Royal Palace before continuing to the tourist attractions on the Canal Belt. The iconic network of waterways that surrounds the downtown area offers a picturesque backdrop for sightseeing by bike or canal boat. Be sure to visit the floating Bloemenmarkt to peruse famed Dutch tulips, and take time to wander and window-shop among the narrow lanes of de Jordaan. And you won’t have to look far in Amsterdam to find delicious Dutch treats along the way. Just duck into a cozy brown café to sample a plate of bitterballen with mustard and a beer, and grab a gooey sweet stroopwafel from a street vendor as you stroll.

At the head of Oslofjord, Norway’s handsome capital is the logical first stop in Scandinavia. Thor Heyerdahl’s raft, Kon Tiki, recalls a voyage between Easter Island and Tahiti to prove a theory about the earliest colonization of Oceania. Watch the changing of the palace guard; ferry to the open-air Folke Museum with its 12th-century stave church

Denmark’s second city often seems to sit modestly in the shadow of its better-known big sister. But this picturesque town of winding canals and cobbled streets has many of the capital’s charms without its crowds of tourists. As well as dictating its waterside confines, Århus’s location on the east coast of the Jutland Peninsula yields a rich natural bounty that the city’s restaurateurs have exploited with aplomb. Dishes such as caviar and wood smoke at Frederikshøj, or rye and rabbit ravioli at Restaurant Substans, have helped win a clutch of Michelin stars for the region’s pioneering chefs and cement it as a frontrunner of the New Nordic food scene; its affordable street food offerings are no less exciting.The city also holds its own on the design and architecture front, boosted by its 2017 designation as a European Capital of Culture, which resulted in a collection of waterside developments that are architecturally innovative, but anchored by a simple and pleasing Danish aesthetic. In short, this is a city in which to relax, imbibe, and enjoy both the bracing Danish sea air and a touch of laid-back metropolitan class.

Inseparable from its modern history, Berlin decidedly features it. In the former Soviet/American/British sectors are the Berlin Cathedral, Checkpoint Charlie, Unter den Linden Boulevard and the stunning Brandenburg Gate. In the Western sector, browse the lively Kurfurstendamm for snazzy clothing stores, delicate hand-painted porcelain and a snack of beer and bratwurst.

Medieval walls and towers still stand tall in Tallinn’s Old Town. Stroll and shop along cobblestone streets, walk up to the Baroque palace in the Upper Town, look out over the red roofs to the Baltic below, drop in at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral to find inspiration in the gleaming mosaics and icons. Crisp, gorgeous linen is a local specialty—find yours at a small store near the town hall square.

Shaped by its bays and off-shore islands, Helsinki is one of Europe’s most scenic capitals. Take an archipelago cruise, walk the esplanade shopping streets, hear a Sibelius concert, or tour across the Arctic Circle to Lapland, home of Santa Claus, reindeer and the Midnight Sun

There’s so much to see in charming Stockholm, sprawled on 18 islands, often called the “Venice of the North.” Cruise the sparkling waterways and navigate narrow, medieval streets. Watch the snappy changing of the guard at the Baroque Royal Palace and sail into Viking history with a visit to the awesome Vasa Museum. Work up an appetite so you can do justice to a lavish smorgasbord.

Barely able to claim that it has emerged from the Middle Ages, Visby is a jumble of immaculate cobblestone streets winding this way and that—purposely confusing for any invaders who actually made it over the medieval walls. Right! Consider exploring by bike, then you’ll have every excuse to refresh yourself with an icy aquavit or stop for Scandinavian treats at a killer bakery in town.

Medieval capital of Bornholm Island, rich in history. Marvel at Viking relics and 12th-century fortress churches.

A university town, naval base, and Germany’s largest passenger port, Kiel offers the perfect blend of urban charm, culture and history. Kiel also serves as your gateway for Hamburg, a beautiful port city on the Elbe River. Spend a delightful day exploring St. Michael’s baroque church, the St. Pauli District, and the gardens and cafés around Alster Lake. Sample shore excursions: Hamburg – Germany’s Gateway to the World; Medieval Lüneburg by Horse & Carriage.

Copenhagen is one of the easiest European capitals to fall in love with. The sights of old buildings, cobbled streets and the tower- and turret-dotted skyline lend fairy-tale charm—this was, after all, the home of author Hans Christian Andersen. But make no mistake: This is a thoroughly modern city with international clout.

Restaurants around the world draw inspiration from the New Nordic cuisine pioneered by Noma and other Copenhagen restaurants, while Danish design from this century and the last is universally admired and coveted. Urban planners flock here to try to work out just how the city remains so livable and yet so functional, and despite its wealth of old buildings, Copenhagen’s not locked in the past; there are also thrilling examples of modern architecture.

Copenhagen is a city that’s easy to find things to do and explore on foot or by excellent public transport, where everyone speaks perfect English, the food is fresh and innovative, and there’s plenty of locally brewed beer—which, of course, is best enjoyed sitting by the water on a sunny day.

A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and inviting place for people of all stripes. Visitors are naturally drawn to the historic city center where you’ll find some of the world’s top art museums, including the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And at Dam Square, the Amsterdam’s largest public square, you can tour the Royal Palace before continuing to the tourist attractions on the Canal Belt. The iconic network of waterways that surrounds the downtown area offers a picturesque backdrop for sightseeing by bike or canal boat. Be sure to visit the floating Bloemenmarkt to peruse famed Dutch tulips, and take time to wander and window-shop among the narrow lanes of de Jordaan. And you won’t have to look far in Amsterdam to find delicious Dutch treats along the way. Just duck into a cozy brown café to sample a plate of bitterballen with mustard and a beer, and grab a gooey sweet stroopwafel from a street vendor as you stroll.