40-Day Wild British Isles, North Atlantic & Greenland

The point from which every navigator on earth determines their longitude, Greenwich anchors the world's meridian with a UNESCO-listed collection of maritime monuments — from the brass Prime Meridian line at the Royal Observatory to the Cutty Sark's wind-worn hull and the baroque Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College. Board the Thames Clipper for a 30-minute glide to central London, or explore the weekend market's global food stalls. Summer brings the Thames to its most inviting, with long evenings golden above the river.

Poole in United Kingdom blends maritime heritage, dramatic coastal scenery, and the understated warmth of the British Isles into a deeply rewarding port of call. Essential experiences include walking the coastal paths and sampling the region's thriving artisanal food scene. The most reliable conditions arrive May through October, when the climate is at its most welcoming for outdoor exploration, though the atmosphere is compelling in any weather. Cruise lines including Scenic Ocean Cruises feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

St. Peter Port is Guernsey's charming harbor capital, combining a thirteenth-century castle, Victor Hugo's extraordinarily decorated exile home where he wrote Les Misérables, and steep streets of shops and markets overlooking one of the Channel Islands' finest harbors. Must-dos include touring Hauteville House, exploring Castle Cornet's five museums, and tasting the traditional Guernsey bean jar. May through September offers the warmest weather for exploring this compact, walkable port town.

Plymouth, on Devon's dramatic coast, launched the Mayflower, defeated the Spanish Armada, and provisioned Cook's Pacific discoveries from its magnificent natural harbor. The Barbican's Elizabethan quarter, Plymouth Hoe's panoramic headland, and England's oldest working gin distillery preserve maritime heritage that wartime bombing could not erase. Ambassador Cruise Line and Azamara bring travelers to a city where Drake's legacy, Devonshire cream teas, and proximity to wild Dartmoor create an English port experience of genuine historical grandeur.

Lundy Island is a wild granite outpost in the Bristol Channel, managed by the Landmark Trust as a car-free, signal-free heritage escape with medieval ruins, dramatic cliffs, and England's first Marine Nature Reserve. Must-dos include walking the cliff-top paths among seabirds, drinking cask ale at the Marisco Tavern, and exploring the underwater world of grey seals and kelp forests. Visit May through July for seabird breeding season and wildflowers on the plateau.

Criccieth on Wales's Llŷn Peninsula is crowned by a 13th-century castle built by Llywelyn the Great, commanding views across Cardigan Bay from a headland between two sweeping beaches in one of Wales's most Welsh-speaking heartlands. Must-dos include castle exploration, Cadwalader's artisan ice cream (since 1927), the Ffestiniog Railway through Snowdonia, and coastal walks along the Llŷn Peninsula. May through September delivers the mildest Welsh weather for exploring this culturally rich seaside gem.

Holyhead is Wales's maritime gateway on Holy Island, offering dramatic cliff walks to South Stack Lighthouse with its puffin colonies, plus access to Anglesey's Neolithic burial chambers and Edward I's Beaumaris Castle. Must-do experiences include tasting Halen Môn sea salt and lobster at coastal restaurants, exploring Bryn Celli Ddu's ancient passage tomb, and walking the Victorian breakwater. May through September is best, with summer bringing puffins and the longest days.

Dublin is Europe's most literary capital, home to four Nobel laureates in literature, the extraordinary Book of Kells, and Georgian architecture rivaling any on the continent. Visit May through September via Holland America Line or Windstar for Trinity College's Long Room, the definitive Guinness pint at St. James's Gate, and the spontaneous pub conversations that make this city one of the world's most immediately welcoming.

The Calf of Man is an uninhabited nature reserve off the Isle of Man's southern tip, home to significant breeding colonies of Manx shearwaters, puffins, and grey seals in the nutrient-rich tidal streams of the Irish Sea. Must-do experiences include witnessing the eerie dusk chorus of returning shearwaters, observing grey seal colonies, and scanning for basking sharks in the surrounding waters. May and June offer peak seabird activity, while September through November brings the grey seal pupping season.

Douglas is the capital of the Isle of Man, home to the world's oldest parliament (Tynwald), the legendary Tourist Trophy motorcycle races, and a Victorian promenade served by horse-drawn trams since 1876. Visit May through September via Azamara or Windstar for TT race excitement and the cultural distinctiveness of a self-governing island.

Portrush in United Kingdom blends maritime heritage, dramatic coastal scenery, and the understated warmth of the British Isles into a deeply rewarding port of call. Essential experiences include walking the coastal paths and sampling the region's thriving artisanal food scene. The most reliable conditions arrive June through September, when long northern days and mild temperatures make exploration a pleasure, though the atmosphere is compelling in any weather. Cruise lines including Ponant feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Rathlin Island is Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, home to 150 residents and spectacular RSPB seabird cliffs where puffins, razorbills, and guillemots nest by the thousands. Visitors should watch the seabird colonies from the West Light viewpoint, explore Robert the Bruce's legendary cave, and enjoy a pint at McCuaig's island pub. May through August offers active seabird colonies and wildflower-covered meadows.

Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital, is a vibrant port city renowned for its rich shipbuilding heritage, highlighted by the Titanic Belfast museum. Must-do experiences include exploring the historic Cathedral Quarter and tasting traditional dishes like Irish stew and soda bread at St. George's Market. The best season to visit is during the spring and summer when the city comes alive with festivals and outdoor events.

Kirkwall, the Norse-founded capital of Scotland's Orkney Islands, is a sandstone harbour town framed by UNESCO-listed Neolithic monuments, a twelfth-century cathedral, and some of Britain's finest coastal landscapes. Visitors should not miss the five-thousand-year-old village of Skara Brae and a tasting of North Ronaldsay seaweed-fed lamb paired with Highland Park whisky. The prime cruising season runs from May through August, when Orkney enjoys up to nineteen hours of daylight and the wild coastal light is at its most luminous.

Lerwick, capital of Scotland's Shetland Islands, is a captivating Norse-Scottish harbour town renowned for its seventeenth-century granite waterfront, Viking heritage, and pristine maritime larder of wind-dried reestit mutton and hand-dived scallops. Visitors should explore the lodberries along Commercial Street and the award-winning Shetland Museum at Hay's Dock. The optimal season is late May through August, when near-perpetual daylight — the famous "simmer dim" — bathes the islands in an ethereal golden glow and seabird colonies along the cliffs reach their spectacular peak.

Puerto Vallarta, a picturesque port on Mexico's Pacific coast, is celebrated for its charming cobblestone streets, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural scene. Must-do experiences include savoring local dishes like tacos al pastor and exploring the lively Malecon. The best time to visit is during the dry season from November to April, when warm weather and clear skies create perfect conditions for beachside relaxation and exploration.

The Isle of Noss is a Shetland nature reserve hosting over 100,000 breeding seabirds on its spectacular 181-meter sandstone cliffs, including 12,000 pairs of gannets, guillemots, puffins, and dive-bombing great skuas. Must-do experiences include Zodiac cruising beneath the Noup of Noss cliff face, watching gannet colonies in action, and exploring Shetland's Viking heritage in Lerwick. June and July offer peak seabird activity and Shetland's magical simmer dim twilight.

Vigur Island is a tiny, family-farmed island in Iceland's Westfjords where eider ducks nest in the farmyard, puffins burrow in the fields, and Iceland's only surviving windmill stands beside the oldest boat in the country. Visitors experience guided walks combining wildlife and farming heritage, with coffee and pancakes from the host family. Late June and July offer peak breeding season and near-continuous Arctic daylight.

Tórshavn is the Faroe Islands' tiny capital city, where a thousand-year-old Viking parliament site, turf-roofed timber houses, and two-Michelin-starred dining coexist in one of the North Atlantic's most atmospheric settings. Visit from May through September for extraordinary hiking, midnight twilight, and a cultural scene that defies the city's diminutive size.

Klaksvík, the Faroe Islands' second town, is an authentic North Atlantic fishing community set between dramatic fjords and steep mountains on the island of Borðoy. Must-dos include hiking to the Klakkur summit for archipelago views, visiting the Christianskirkjan's Viking-age font, and tasting fermented ræst kjøt and fresh Faroese salmon. May through August provides the mildest weather and longest daylight for exploring this spectacularly rugged corner of the North Atlantic.

Oyndarfjørður, Faroe Islands is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Seabourn. Must-do experiences include exploring the historic quarter to absorb centuries of architectural heritage, and sampling the distinctive northern cuisine that transforms local ingredients into refined dining experiences. The optimal time to visit is June through August, when summer months bring the warmest temperatures and longest days.

Djúpivogur is an intimate Icelandic fishing village on the eastern coast where thirty-four stone egg sculptures line the harbor, Vatnajökull glacier dominates the horizon, and puffin colonies nest on nearby Papey island. Visit June through August via Seabourn or Viking for reindeer sightings, glacier views, and the quiet eastern Iceland that rewards travelers who venture beyond the Golden Circle.

Grímsey is Iceland's only inhabited territory on the Arctic Circle, a tiny island of fifty residents surrounded by tens of thousands of nesting Atlantic puffins during summer. Must-dos include crossing the Arctic Circle marker, observing puffins at close range on the grassy cliffs, and experiencing the midnight sun during the summer solstice. June through August offers puffin breeding season and continuous daylight.

Siglufjordur is a dramatically situated fjord town on Iceland's northern coast, once the herring capital of the North Atlantic, now home to the award-winning Herring Era Museum and an annual Folk Music Festival. Visitors should explore the immersive museum, taste Arctic char and local craft beer, and hike the mountain trails enclosing the fjord. June and July bring near-continuous daylight and the music festival.

Dynjandi is the Westfjords' most spectacular waterfall — a 100-meter bridal-veil cascade above a staircase of six smaller falls in a setting of extraordinary fjord scenery. Visitors should hike the wildflower-lined trail to the base of the main cascade, and explore the surrounding Arnarfjordur region with its traditional fishing villages. July and August offer the most reliable weather, though waterproof gear is essential in any season.

Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital, distils the entire improbable beauty of Iceland into one compact, creatively charged city. The soaring basalt columns of Hallgrímskirkja dominate a skyline of primary-coloured rooftops, while the Harpa Concert Hall shimmers beside the harbour like a captured aurora. Day trips from the city unlock the Golden Circle's geysers and Geysir hot spring, the black sand beaches of Vík, and the ethereal glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón. Geothermal pools — from the legendary Blue Lagoon to intimate neighbourhood hot pots — offer warmth year-round. June and July bring the bewitching midnight sun.

Heimaey is Iceland's volcanic island where the dramatic 1973 eruption story, the world's largest puffin colony of one million breeding pairs, and the children's annual puffling rescue create one of the North Atlantic's most extraordinary port experiences. Visit May through August via Lindblad or Windstar for Eldfell volcano hikes, the Eldheimar Museum's excavated homes, and the harbor approach through a channel literally reshaped by eruption.

Qaqortoq is southern Greenland's largest town, where brightly painted houses climb above a fjord harbour amid open-air stone sculptures and Norse ruins. Must-do experiences include visiting the Hvalsey Norse church ruins, soaking in the Uunartoq hot springs surrounded by icebergs, and tasting Arctic char and musk ox. June through September offers the accessible season, with July and August warmest for fjord exploration.

Qassiarsuk (Brattahlíð) in southern Greenland is where Erik the Red founded the first European settlement in the Americas in 985 AD — today a tiny sheep-farming village preserving Norse ruins, a reconstructed Viking church, and a graveyard of 144 colonists. Must-dos include walking the archaeological remains with a local guide, visiting Hans Lynge's bronze Erik the Red, and absorbing the fjord-and-ice-cap setting. June through September provides snow-free access and wildflower-dotted ruins.

Nanortalik, Greenland's southernmost town, sits amid fjords of staggering granite walls and drifting icebergs at the edge of the inhabitable Arctic. Must-dos include boat excursions to Tasermiut Fjord's 1,500-meter granite spires, visiting the open-air museum of Inuit heritage, and tasting traditional Greenlandic cuisine. July through September offers the only navigable window for visiting.

Tasermiut Fjord in southern Greenland features granite towers rivaling Patagonia in vertical grandeur, with peaks like Ulamertorsuaq rising 1,500 meters from the water's edge. Must-dos include Zodiac cruising beneath the massive rock walls and exploring Norse settlement ruins in the valley floors. Late June through early September offers the best conditions, with relatively mild temperatures for Greenland.

Prince Christian Sound is Greenland's most dramatic navigable passage — a forty-kilometer corridor between thousand-meter cliffs and hanging glaciers that expedition ships from Seabourn to Silversea transit when ice conditions permit. Navigate July through September for humpback whale encounters, iceberg-studded waters, and the visceral Arctic experience that empties every cabin and fills every open deck regardless of weather.

Skjoldungen, Greenland is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Ponant. Must-do experiences include exploring the historic quarter to absorb centuries of architectural heritage, and sampling the distinctive northern cuisine that transforms local ingredients into refined dining experiences. The optimal time to visit is June through August, when summer months bring the warmest temperatures and longest days.

Tasiilaq is the largest settlement in East Greenland with just 2,000 residents, one of the most remote inhabited communities on Earth, surrounded by the spectacular Sermilik Icefjord, massive glaciers, and tundra that blooms intensely during the brief Arctic summer. Must-dos include a boat trip through the iceberg-filled Sermilik Icefjord, hiking the Valley of Flowers, and watching traditional tupilak carving and drum dancing. Visit August for the warmest weather and best icefjord access.

Patreksfjörður is a fishing town in Iceland's remote Westfjords, gateway to Látrabjarg — Europe's westernmost point and home to millions of nesting seabirds including famously approachable puffins — and the surreal beauty of Rauðisandur beach. Must-do experiences include the Látrabjarg cliff walk among puffins, contemplating the vast red sands of Rauðisandur, and soaking in the town's geothermal pool. June through August offers continuous daylight and peak seabird activity.

Flatey Island in Iceland offers dramatic Nordic landscapes where fjords, glaciers, and pristine wilderness create scenes of remarkable natural grandeur. The essential experience is immersion in the outdoor environment—hiking, wildlife watching, and savoring the region's exceptional seafood in settings of extraordinary beauty. Best visited June through August, when the midnight sun bathes the landscape in golden light for nearly twenty-four hours. Cruise lines including Lindblad Expeditions feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital, distils the entire improbable beauty of Iceland into one compact, creatively charged city. The soaring basalt columns of Hallgrímskirkja dominate a skyline of primary-coloured rooftops, while the Harpa Concert Hall shimmers beside the harbour like a captured aurora. Day trips from the city unlock the Golden Circle's geysers and Geysir hot spring, the black sand beaches of Vík, and the ethereal glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón. Geothermal pools — from the legendary Blue Lagoon to intimate neighbourhood hot pots — offer warmth year-round. June and July bring the bewitching midnight sun.