Cruises - Azores Cruise Club

eykjavik, Iceland
Dropped into Mother Nature's breathtaking canvas, vibrant Reykjavik thrives
under the gaze of Mount Esja. A melting pot of history and culture, it's the world's
northernmost capital and claims to be the cleanest city on earth.
• Take your pick from 50 museums and art galleries. A good place to start is
the Arnaejarsafn Reykjavik Museum, a collection of wooden buildings laid out
like a little village.
• Take a trip to the Thingvellir National Park, an unspoilt gem which sparkles
on the shores of Iceland's largest lake.
• Hear the thundering rush of water and feel great swirls of mist engulf you
as you approach Gullfoss, or Golden Falls.
• Bathe in the famous Blue Lagoon, with mineral-rich waters that harness
Iceland's bubbling geothermal activity.
riga, Latvia
If we were asked to come up with the hottest buzzword in travel, Riga would
definitely make the shortlist. The cat’s creeping out of the bag as far as Latvia’s
capital’s concerned. And when you see it for yourself, you’ll probably wonder why
it’s taken so long. If it looks familiar, it’s probably because it’s got a Prague-esque
feel to it. We’re talking winding cobbled streets, miniature candlelit bars and
grand pastel-painted mansions – all beneath a skyline of turrets and steeples.
• Hit the cobbles in the Medieval old town, Vecriga. With its soaring spires,
the Dome Cathedral is the biggest church in the Baltic. The centrepiece of
that fairytale skyline, meanwhile, is the Gothic church of St Peter’s. Its spire
is famous in Latvia – it’s actually the third one, with the previous two both
burnt to a cinder. Climb to the observation platform at the top and claim your
prize in the form of fabulous panoramic views.
• Don’t miss the Central Market, the city’s chattering hub. Its 13th-century
birthdate makes it one of the oldest in Europe; with room for up to 1250 traders
it can get pretty noisy. It’s the place to buy anything and everything,
from DVDs to fresh fruit.
Visit your local travel shop | 0871 230 2800 | thomson.co.uk/cruise
Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras. The cost of calls was correct at the time of publication.
See page 3.
Olden, Norway
Oslo, Norway Blue Lagoon, Reykavik
Riga, Latvia Portree, Isle of Skye
• Nowhere in Europe serves up better Art Nouveau swirls than Riga. The best
examples are along Elizabetes and Alberta iela, north of the old town.
skjOLden, Norway
Skjolden is Norwegian through and through. This sleepy fishing village is set
at the inner end of Sognefjorden, the world’s longest fjord, surrounded by
sheer valley walls, green-cloaked hills and jagged mountain peaks. It’s also your
gateway to the Jostedalsbreen National Park, a vast expanse of shimmering lakes
and icy glaciers.
• The largest glacier in mainland Europe calls the Jostedalsbreen National Park
home. Head here to join a guided walking tour over the blue ice.
• A wooden stave church is a spectacular example of Medieval architecture,
and the Urnes Stave Church – beside the Sognefjorden – is the only one in
the world to have made it on to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Travel to
the village of Luster to see the well-preserved building in all its glory.
• At 218 metres tall, the Feigumfossen Waterfall is one of Scandinavia’s highest.
Pay it a visit to see the white waters thundering down a jagged rock face.
sOrtLand, Norway
Ever since its houses were painted with 50,000 litres of blue paint for the
millennium, Sortland has been known as the Blue City. But there’s another
prominent colour in these parts – green. As part of Norway’s fertile Vesteralen
region, Sortland is surrounded by green valleys and fjords, which are laced
with walking trails.
• If you’ve never tried whale-watching, join a boat trip to track sperm whales
off the coast of Sortland. The huge mammals come here in summer to binge
on squid.
• The landscape around Sortland is Discovery Channel territory. You can join
nature safaris to spot moose, eagles and puffins.
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