British Isles & Golf Voyage - JR12U256 Azamara Journey departing 16 Jul 2021

If ever there were a town made for walking, it would be Scotland’s capital. Renowned as one of Europe?s most attractive cities, Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town are a Marvelous mixture of elegant streets, charming squares and quaint alleyways. Of course, the city?s most distinctive landmark is Edinburgh Castle, set high up on a craggy cliff in the center of the city. A must-see.

If ever there were a town made for walking, it would be Scotland’s capital. Renowned as one of Europe?s most attractive cities, Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town are a Marvelous mixture of elegant streets, charming squares and quaint alleyways. Of course, the city?s most distinctive landmark is Edinburgh Castle, set high up on a craggy cliff in the center of the city. A must-see.

Once most famous for its industrial grime, Dundee has evolved into a vibrant art, design, music and theatre scene. It’s the UK’s first designated UNESCO City of Design and now has the first design museum outside of London. The new V&A Museum Of Design is housed in a world-class building at the heart of the newly transformed waterfront. Visit and learn the story of Scotland’s outstanding design heritage.

Once most famous for its industrial grime, Dundee has evolved into a vibrant art, design, music and theatre scene. It’s the UK’s first designated UNESCO City of Design and now has the first design museum outside of London. The new V&A Museum Of Design is housed in a world-class building at the heart of the newly transformed waterfront. Visit and learn the story of Scotland’s outstanding design heritage.

Take a superb natural setting of mountains, tumbling waterfalls, rushing rivers, and serene lochs (and add one sea monster); pepper the landscape with amazing castles (such as Cawdor, setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth); plant a crop of magnificent gardens; incorporate a pretty village or two (surely Beauly, with its lovely flower displays and 13th century ruined priory); toss in a trail of whiskey distilleries, and there you have it: the Scottish Highlands, shrouded in myth and folklore, and a treat to explore.

Belfast in the early 20th century had the largest and most productive shipyard in the world, gaining global renown with the launch of the RMS Titanic. Located on the slipways where she was built is a stunning new museum, opened in time for the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s only voyage and tragic demise. Today the city and riverfront are undergoing a 21st century transformation, but many exuberant Victorian and Edwardian buildings still sport the carved heads of kings and queens. As you explore the city, keep an eye out for “the murals.” These somewhat troubling freelance works appearing on building walls provide insight into the period known simply as “The Troubles.”

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in Scotland and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east.

The tiny Isle of Man has quite a lot to offer for its size. Douglas’ lovely sea front is lined with picturesque hotels and restaurants, and can be traversed by horse-drawn trams as it has been since 1876. There’s a medieval fortress in Castletown; a ruined castle on the Isle of St. Patrick where tales of Vikings, monks, and a ghost dog abound; and the village of Cregneash, where people live in thatched cottages, speak the native Manx language, and practice traditional trades and crafts. Front gardens on residential streets are a standout – awash in color and scent.

Dublin offers a wealth of historic sites dating back to a 1000-year-old Viking village, and as one might expect of the Irish, there is a tale to be told about every one. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is said to have been erected on the site where the saint himself converted pagans in 450 AD. From Dublin Castle the crown jewels were stolen in 1907; an unsolved mystery left to the fictional Sherlock Holmes to decipher. Some pubs, great sources of stories, are almost as old – you can sample a Guinness and the latest lore at The Brazen head, serving up drink and daydreams for 800 years. Then for a contrast, ride to a stunning view of contemporary Dublin atop a brand new observation wheel.

A UNESCO World Heritage City, Liverpool combines a unique mix of contemporary and classic architecture, world-class events and attractions, and an unrivalled musical heritage. Its Premiership football, Rugby League club, championship golf and Aintree Racecourse make Liverpool a mecca for sports lovers, while the city’s many exclusive independent boutiques, high street stores and unique gift shops also make it one of the leading retail destinations in England. Meander along the famed waterfront, explore the compact city center by foot, or visit one of the many museums and galleries, including the Museum of Liverpool and the Walker Art Gallery. Of course no visit to Liverpool is complete without taking your own magical mystery tour and paying homage to the world’s most famous Liverpudlians, The Beatles, at such iconic sites as Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.

Muse on voyages past as you sail in or out of Southampton, long a maritime center, its yards turning out warships for king and country from the Hundred Years War in the 14-15th centuries, to two world wars in the 20th. It was the departure point for the Mayflower in 1620, and for the ill-fated Titanic in 1912. The charms of London are not far away, but pray tarry in the south to explore other wonders, including Bath, with its natural hot springs and stunning architecture and the mysterious megaliths of Stonehenge, or venture all the way west to Lands End, and the wild moorlands and pirate haunts of Cornwall.