Hebrides and Highlands, lands of legends

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.

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.

Canna, the westernmost of Scotland's Small Isles, is a National Trust-owned Hebridean gem of fewer than 20 residents, Viking history, and extraordinary seabird colonies including puffins, golden eagles, and the elusive corncrake. Must-dos include walking to the sea cliffs, visiting the Celtic cross ruins, and absorbing the Gaelic cultural heritage of Canna House. May through August offers the mildest weather and peak birdlife, though waterproofs are essential year-round.

Loch Scavaig is a sea loch on Skye's southern coast, opening onto the dramatic Black Cuillin mountain amphitheater and providing access to Loch Coruisk — one of Scotland's most wild and celebrated landscapes. Must-dos include the walk from the landing beach to Loch Coruisk, watching for golden eagles and sea eagles soaring above the Cuillin ridge, and observing seals at the loch entrance. Visit May through September for the mildest conditions, bringing sturdy footwear for the rough terrain.

The Shiant Isles are an uninhabited Scottish archipelago in the Minch strait, where dramatic basalt columns host over 200,000 breeding seabird pairs — puffins, razorbills, and guillemots — in one of Europe's greatest wildlife spectacles. Must-dos include Zodiac approaches to the columnar basalt cliff faces, watching the overwhelming seabird colonies, and spotting whales and dolphins in the Minch. Visit June or July for peak breeding season and longest daylight.

Loch Ewe is a sheltered Highland sea loch that served as the assembly point for World War II Arctic convoys, now home to a powerful convoy museum and the remarkable subtropical Inverewe Garden. Must-dos include visiting the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum, exploring Inverewe Garden's improbable tropical plantings at 57 degrees north, and admiring the surrounding Wester Ross landscape of ancient gneiss and Caledonian pines. Visit May through September for the garden in bloom and the mildest Highland weather.

Stornoway, the sheltered harbour capital of Scotland's Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, offers an extraordinary blend of Norse heritage, Victorian architecture, and raw Atlantic beauty. Visitors should not miss the twelfth-century Lewis Chessmen at Museum nan Eilean inside the restored Lews Castle, nor the chance to taste the island's PGI-protected Stornoway black pudding at its source. The sailing season from May through September delivers the longest daylight hours and mildest conditions, with late June offering near-endless twilight that bathes the ancient Callanish Standing Stones in an ethereal glow.

St. Kilda is a remote UNESCO World Heritage archipelago forty miles west of Scotland's Outer Hebrides, famous for Britain's highest sea cliffs, the world's largest gannet colony, and the poignant remains of a community evacuated in 1930. Must-dos include exploring the restored village on Hirta, witnessing the extraordinary seabird colonies, and walking to the summit of Conachair. Visit between May and September, though landings depend on Atlantic weather.

Iona is a tiny, luminous island in Scotland's Inner Hebrides, revered as the birthplace of Celtic Christianity where Saint Columba founded his monastery in 563 AD. Visitors should walk the restored Benedictine abbey and Reilig Odhráin royal burial ground, then seek out the island's pristine white shell-sand beaches at Traigh Bàn. The sailing season from May through September offers the longest daylight hours and mildest weather, with June and July providing up to eighteen hours of light that bathes the island in the ethereal glow for which it has captivated artists and pilgrims for centuries.

Staffa Island is an uninhabited volcanic isle in Scotland's Inner Hebrides, famous for Fingal's Cave and its extraordinary hexagonal basalt columns that inspired Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture. Visitors come for the dramatic geology, Atlantic puffin colonies, and raw Hebridean wildness. The best season is June through August, when puffins are nesting and seas are calmest for boat landings.

Fort William, United Kingdom 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.

Duart Castle is the ancestral seat of Clan Maclean, a thirteenth-century fortress commanding a dramatic promontory on the Isle of Mull with views across three sea lochs to the Scottish Highlands. Must-dos include touring the castle's Great Hall and dungeon, taking a boat to Fingal's Cave on Staffa, and watching for sea eagles along the Mull coast. The visiting season is April–October, with May–June offering wildflowers and the calmest seas.

The port of Greenock is a historic maritime hub on the River Clyde, renowned for its vibrant culture and architectural charm. Must-do experiences include savoring the local delicacy, Cullen skink, and exploring the bustling Greenock Market. The best season to visit is during the summer months, when the weather is pleasant and local festivals bring the community to life.