Discover the bewitching beauty of the Northern Lights and Arctic Circle and the majesty of Scandinavian’s heritage cities on this magical North European cruise and tour.

Winner of the European Green Capital Award 2019, Oslo, Norway’s capital, offers a unique combination of bustling city life with striking modern architecture. Around every corner, you’ll witness the fusion of both contemporary and medieval styles, from the imposing Akershus’s waterside Fortress to the Oslo Opera House. Wander the lush sprawling landscapes of Frogner Park, the city’s largest park awash with 212 eye-catching sculptures from Gustav Vigeland, embark on a sightseeing trip around the beautiful Oslofjord, or marvel at the masterpieces of the Norwegian National Gallery.

A metropolis of art, museums, green open spaces and delectable fare; there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this glorious city. On the west side of Oslo, you’ll find the Bygdøy Peninsula, which boasts bewitching countryside and numerous walking trails, as well as five national museums including The Viking Ship Museum, the Norwegian Folk Museum and Kon-Tiki Museum. The stylish Inner Harbour Aker Brygge waterfront offers a wealth of shopping and dining opportunities and the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art houses a striking collection of contemporary masterpieces from Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.

Also known as the ‘City of Seven Mountains,’ Bergen is a pretty medieval city that is the  gateway to the majestic Norwegian Fjords. Explore Bryggen and admire the multi-coloured wooden houses, seek out the ornate wooden Fantoft Stave Church, which dates back to the mid-12^th century, or savour a traditional Bergen speciality of fiskesuppe, a delicious soup that is made with fresh mussels and prawns and fish dumplings.

Embark the Hurtigruten ship in Bergen, the start of your fantastic 11-night cruise. You’ll sail north from Bergen along the Hjeltefjord, following the same route as the legendary Vikings. After enjoying a delicious buffet dinner, spend the rest of the evening relaxing as you admire the spectacular landscapes, either from the deck or the panorama lounges. The Expedition Team on board will help enhance your experience, helping you understand more about the nature, culture and phenomena you’ll encounter during your amazing cruise adventure.

As you continue sailing northwards, your next port of call is Ålesund, renowned for its beautiful art nouveau architecture. After a devastating fire in 1904, most of the town was rebuilt in the fashionable style of the time, with numerous spires, towers and elaborately ornate buildings. Here you’ll be able to take an excursion to a salt-water aquarium to meet the resident penguins and ascend Mount Aksla for amazing views. Come evening, you’ll arrive in Molde, known as the ‘City of Roses’ due to its sprawling gorgeous gardens. Enjoy the panoramic views of 222 mountain peaks across the Fjord.

Your fascinating port of call is the colourful and vibrant Trondheim, an interesting city brimming with culture and offering visitors a wealth of things to see and do. Among numerous options is a visit to the impressive Nidaros Cathedral, a guided walking tour, or for the more adventurous, exploring Trondheim at sea level while kayaking on the River Nid. As you set sail again in the afternoon, you’ll pass the beautiful Kjeungskjær lighthouse and numerous islets and rocky outcrops before calling in at the charming town of Rørvik.

Today, you’ll cross over into the Arctic Circle, where you’ll have the best chance of seeing the spectacular Northern Lights. The Hurtigruten ship will then sail along the beautiful coast of Helgeland, where you can admire mesmerising views of whirlpools as well as experience Saltstraumen, the world’s most powerful maelstrom. Later on, the beautiful Lofoten Islands come into view, impressive with their sheer granite cliffs, white sand beaches and picturesque fishing villages. It is here that you’ll be able to get a genuine taste of Viking life, enjoying some traditional food and entertainment.

Among your onshore stops today will be the capital of the Arctic, Tromsø. You’ll have ample time to discover the largest city in Northern Norway, which comes packed with culture, history and a distinct vitality that surprises many visitors. This is the perfect place to enjoy an Arctic adventure and partake in typical local activities that include skiing, fishing, kayaking, dog sledding and whale safaris. It is here you’ll also get a  fantastic opportunity of glimpsing more of those ethereal Northern Lights.

Honningsvåg is the gateway to the spectacular North Cape and you can take an excursion to the North Cape plateau where only the Svalbard Islands separate you from the North Pole. With clean, crisp air and views that extend to where the sea meets the horizon, the North Cape feels like the end of the world. You could also take a snowmobile trip through mesmerising scenery and learn how the local Sámi people use nature to survive.

The wintry landscape in Kirkenes is perfect for snowmobile and dog sledding adventures and you’ll even be able to visit the incredible fantastic snow hotel nearby or embark on a fishing expedition to catch and eat giant king crab straight from the Barents Sea. This location is just a few kilometres from the Russian border, so not surprisingly, there’s a strong Russian influence and you’ll notice signs in both Russian and Norwegian. This is the turning point in your Hurtigruten cruise, as you now commence your return voyage back to Bergen.

As you continue south, you’ll stop at a number of ports to enjoy spectacular scenery, local specialities and historic landmarks. In Mehamn, the fresh winter air and clear, starry skies are perfect for seeing the Northern Lights. Here you’ll discover an intimate community on the small Vedvik peninsula which offers a vibrant nightlife and live music performances. From here, you’ll return to Honningsvåg before continuing on to Hammerfest, where you could see the UNESCO-listed Meridian Column that commemorates the first precise geographic measurement of the globe.

The island groups of Lofoten and Vesterålen offer some of the most stunning scenery that you’ll encounter during your adventure. Sail through channels of clear green waters, passing breathtaking sights of mountains soaring out of the sea and nature at its wildest interspersed with small, picturesque fishing villages. Arriving in Trollfjord, you could join a sea eagle safari to see these rare birds of prey as they circle and dive for fish. Enjoy a stop at Svolvær, where you’ll be able to experience a thrilling horseback ride at sunset, before proceeding to Stamsund along the towering Lofoten wall.

Today you’ll sail past mountain ranges with unique formations that have inspired many ancient myths and legends. The Seven Sisters are allegedly the daughters of a Troll king who escaped his strict control but were pursued by trolls until daylight turned them into stone. If you believe the local folk lore, the mountain of Torghatten, with its distinctive hole in the middle, is said to be the King’s hat that was pierced by an arrow when he threw it to protect the maidens.

You’ll get another opportunity to explore the city of Trondheim before sailing through the majestic Trondheimsfjord, Norway’s third longest fjord. In Kristiansund, you’ll get a sense of the importance of the fishing industry to Norway’s coastal communities. The colourful city of Kristiansund is made up of four main islands and is known as Norway’s ‘dried cod capital’ because of its long-time export of salted dry fish.

Today you’ll get your final glimpses of the Norwegian Fjords and the wildly beautiful  coastlines, before disembarking the Hurtigruten upon arrival back in Bergen. One of the Norway’s most picturesque places, Bergen is best appreciated from the heights of Mount Fløyen, which is reached by a funicular. You’ll then fly on to Copenhagen, for a fascinating two-night stay. One of Europe’s oldest capital cities, there’s plenty of history to explore here, from Viking treasures to royal palaces, yet Copenhagen today is also buzzing modern metropolis. Numerous attractions include the gardens and amusement park in Tivoli Gardens.

The city owes much of its charm to the buildings erected by Denmark's monarchs and boasts a treasure trove of late-Renaissance and Rococo architecture. See the fabled statue of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid, an iconic symbol of the city, and stroll along the old harbour of Nyhavn, lined with cafés, restaurants and 500-year-old gabled houses. Walking past historic buildings, you can meander down Strøget, one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe or, if you yearn to discover the astronomer within you, you can explore Rundetaarn, the 17th-Century tower that contains a planetarium and an observatory.

Today your unforgettable 16-night Scandinavian adventure comes to an end and you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight home.