Explore More UK Winter 2020-2021

DISCOVERY
CATHERINE PALACE, RUSSIA
This spectacularly ornate Rococo palace is located
south of St. Petersburg and was once the summer
residence of the Tsars, who left their mark in the form
of signature Rastrelli design. The palace was created
under Empresses Elizabeth and Catherine the Great
during the 18th Century and was named after Peter
the Great’s second wife, its history pulling in tourists
from far and wide. It boasts fabulous grounds, but it’s
the palace’s interiors that really shine, with the Great
Hall, the Arabesque Hall and the world-famous Amber
Room with its decorative amber, mirror and gold leaf
panels that leaves visitors dazzled.
Guests travelling on the Waterways of the Tsars
journey have the opportunity to appreciate the
baroque architecture of Catherine Palace.
CHRISTIANSBORG PALACE, DENMARK
Located in the heart of Denmark’s capital,
Copenhagen, Christiansborg Palace enchants with
its 12th-century opulence, royal reception rooms
exhibiting precious tapestries, expansive palace
grounds and public galleries. At 106 metres tall, the
Palace has the highest tower in the city – narrowly
topping the city hall tower – offering views of the city’s
red rooftops that visitors can climb. Once home to
monarchy, it is now the seat of the Danish Parliament
and the house of the Queen’s Royal Reception rooms.
REICHSBURG CASTLE, GERMANY
The castle that towers over the town of Cochem on the
Moselle River has had a colourful history. Originally
built to collect tolls from passing ships around 1100,
it changed hands between various monarchies before
falling victim to French troops in 1689. Standing tall
but ruined for centuries, it wasn’t until the late-19th
Century that a wealthy Berliner snapped it up and
restored it to its former glory. Take a tour to discover
the 1,000 years of varying tastes that narrate its
fascinating history and enjoy the expansive views.
SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE, AUSTRIA
Once the main summer residence of the Hapsburg
rulers, Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace is a magnificently
important architectural monument with a heritage
spanning back over 300 years. Sometimes referred
to as the Austrian Palace of Versailles, it has a certain
renaissance feel in its lavishness and grandeur that
is reminiscent of the Parisian palace. There is an
impressive 435 acres of immaculate garden, the palace
itself houses around 1,000 people, and its interiors are
decorated with gold, mirrors and frescoes.
BLARNEY CASTLE, IRELAND
Cork’s Blarney Castle was built nearly 600 years
ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftans, Cormac
MacCarthy and still today retains its reputation as
one of Ireland’s greatest treasures and tourist
attractions. At the heart of the castle is the historic
Blarney stone. Legend has it that touching the
Blarney Stone with your lips bestows you with the
gift of eloquence. As for the grounds and gardens,
Blarney has a certain aura of magic and folklore with
its wishing steps and druid’s caves.
Clockwise,
from far left:
Christiansborg
Palace in
Copenhagen
the façade of
Catherine Palace
in St. Petersburg
Take in the exceptional views over the city
during an optional excursion to Christiansborg
Palace on a Viking Homelands trip.
A visit to the ancient Reichsburg Castle is
included on a cruise of the Moselle River with
the Cities of Light itinerary.
Tour the magnificent home of the Hapsburg
dynasty as an optional excursion whilst in
Vienna during a Romantic Danube trip.
A sightseeing trip to Blarney Castle, near
Cork, is an included excursion for guests on
the Viking’s Northern Isles journey.
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