Scenic Isles of the UK - T2212 Bolette departing 4 Jun 2022

Southampton offers fast and efficient check-in areas, spacious departure lounges with seating areas, café-bars and smart washrooms. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, they can drive right up alongside the terminal building.

The picturesque capital of Guernsey, and the main port of the Channel Islands, St. Peter Port, is a bustling, historic town where Georgian and Regency architecture has been refined by French émigrés.

The result of these influences is a charming mix of styles, with tumbling terraces and tiered gardens, stylish boutiques and chic cafés that are an absolute joy to explore. Of course, many visitors tour the town on the hunt for a bargain in the low-tax stores.

The author of Les Misérables, Victor Hugo, was exiled in Guernsey, living in Hauteville House for 15 years. Now known as Victor Hugo House, it is a museum owned and operated by the Paris city government. Castle Cornet, the ancient harbour fortress, sits atop a rock outcrop reached along a bridge and breakwater, and houses several museums.

Located just 28 miles off the shores of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly may be close to the mainland, but they feel a million miles away thanks to their gorgeous beaches, lush nature reserves and stunning surf.

St. Mary’s, Scilly’s main and largest island, is smothered with treasures that await your discovery, including ancient monuments, the Carreg Dhu Community Garden, a small museum in Hugh Town and an interesting heritage centre in the middle of the island. There are also multiple opportunities to walk along miles of scenic beaches or nature trails.

From beautiful coastlines to a fascinating industrial heritage, Belfast is a modern, vibrant and stylish city. Famous for being the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, Northern Ireland’s capital offers visitors the chance to visit the Harland and Wolff shipyard and the fascinating Titanic Experience. Only in Belfast can the Titanic story be traced to its source, and the excitement of an era when the city was at the height of its powers relived.

Close to Queen’s University lie the fascinating Botanical Gardens, established for over 180 years. The unique Palm House was one of the world’s first cast-iron glass-houses and displays a wide range of tropical plants, ranging from bananas to rubber. Alongside, the Renaissance-styled Ulster Museum tells Ireland’s 9,000-year history through art, ceramics, costume, and prehistoric archaeology. To the city’s northern edge is the impressive Belfast Castle, offering wonderful views of the city as it stands 120m above the Irish Sea.Show less
Belfast is also perfectly placed to discover the stunning Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site and an incredible natural wonder steeped in myths and legends.

Portree is the Isle of Skye’s largest and liveliest town. Set within a pretty natural harbour with brightly-coloured houses and surrounded by rocky cliffs and rolling hills, Portree is a truly beautiful place to explore.

Its name (from the Gaelic for King’s Harbour) commemorates James V, who arrived here in 1540 to pacify the local clans. The town is a popular tourist destination, thanks to its stunning coastline and interesting attractions that include the Aros Centre and the An Tuireann Arts Centre, which celebrate the island’s Gaelic heritage.

Portree also serves as a gateway to other attractions on the island, such as the intriguing rock formations at Trotternish Ridge, north of the town, the ruins of Tusdale, and the peninsula unflatteringly known as ‘The Lump’, which once provided a setting for public hangings.

Sturdy little Lerwick is the friendly capital of the 100 islands and islets of the Shetland Islands, northernmost outpost of the British Isles (located almost halfway between Scotland and Norway, to which they once belonged) – and setting of ancient archaeological sites, intriguing Viking echoes and, in more contemporary vein, the renowned Shetland knitwear!

Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands, resonates with ancient echoes of Christian, Nordic and Celtic history. It’s a town that feels more Scandinavian than Scottish; in fact, the name Kirkwall comes from the Norse for ‘Church Bay’, relating to the town’s 11th century Church of St Olaf of Norway.

Exploring the town’s atmospheric paved streets and twisting lanes, reveals a number of highlights, including the ruins of the Earl and Bishop’s Palaces, dating from the mid-12th century and serving as a reminder of the Orkney’s turbulent past. The palaces are considered by many to be the finest Renaissance buildings in Scotland. Also worth visiting is the recently restored St. Magnus Cathedral, founded in memory of Saint Magnus Erlendsson by Norseman Earl Rögnvald Kali.

Don’t miss Tankerness House, a beautifully preserved 16th century townhouse, and the Orkney Wireless Museum, with it’s fascinating insights into the history of radio, too.

Invergordon, located at the head of Cromarty Firth in the stunning Scottish Highlands, has a homespun charm and serves as a gateway to the legendary waters of Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, the town of Inverness, and the Whyte & Mackay whisky distillery.

A short walk into the centre reveals the town’s collection of impressive murals painted by local artists, which tell stories of the local area. It’s also the perfect place to explore Scottish history amid the brooding splendour of 15th century Cawdor Castle (forever – but incorrectly – linked with Shakespeare’s Macbeth), and the imposing Dunrobin Castle, which dates from the 13th century and houses a fine collection of paintings and family memorabilia belonging to the Earls of Sutherland.

Southampton offers fast and efficient check-in areas, spacious departure lounges with seating areas, café-bars and smart washrooms. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, they can drive right up alongside the terminal building.