Duration
12 Nights
Journey Type
Sailing from the UK
Ports
14 Ports
20 May
Setting sail from Glasgow
Gritty Glasgow is Scotland's largest city, renowned for its culture, style and the friendliness of its people. With internationally-acclaimed museums and galleries, stunning architecture, vibrant nightlife, fantastic shopping and a diverse array of restaurants and bars, Glasgow has something for everyone. The city centre has countless impressive Victorian structures, and most notably the unique masterpieces of one of the city's most celebrated sons, the legendary architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It is set in outstandingly beautiful surroundings, so visitors can combine a buzzing city visit with an introduction to the glories of the Scottish scenery.
Our tip
Visitors could easily miss the picturesque cobbled street of Ashton Lane in the city’s West End, decorated with fairy lights and home to the famous Ubiquitous Chip Restaurant.
21 May
United Kingdom: Belfast
The 1998 Good Friday Agreement was a watershed moment for Northern Ireland, and its rejuvenated capital is enjoying a surge in popularity. The new Titanic Belfast museum is the star attraction, while the city centre boasts some handsome Victorian architecture and a lively pub scene.
22 May
Isle of Man: Douglas
Rugged and unspoilt, peaceful and perhaps a little parochial, the Isle of Man is proud to be different. The island has its own government, the Tynwald, which is said to be the oldest continuous parliament in the world, as well as its own language and even its own currency, the Manx pound.
23 May
United Kingdom: Islay
Islay is renowned for its peaty, smoky whiskies, and the island is home to nine different distilleries, including the famous Laphroaig. Other highlights include the RSPB Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve and the ruins at Finlaggan, former seat of the Lords of the Isles.
24 May
At sea
25 May
United Kingdom: Iona
The tiny island of Iona, situated off the southwestern tip of Mull, is said to be the cradle of Christianity in Scotland, and is a popular place of pilgrimage. Thousands of visitors flock here every year to visit the Abbey, and the island gets particularly busy in summer.
25 May
United Kingdom: Treshnish Isles
26 May
United Kingdom: Loch Scavaig
Loch Scavaig is a sea loch off the southwest coast of Skye, where the Scavaig river - at a few hundred metres long, possibly the shortest river in the British Isles - meets the sea, after flowing down from Loch Coruisk in the Cuillin mountains.
26 May
United Kingdom: Canna
The tiny island of Canna is the westernmost of the Small Isles, and was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland in 1981 by its former owner John Lorne Campbell. Canna was the site of an early Christian settlement, associated with St Columba, and supports wildlife including porpoises, puffins and eagles.
27 May
United Kingdom: St Kilda
The St Kilda archipelago is a remote and rugged collection of sea stacks and rocky islands, some 40 miles to the west of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. The islands constitute the largest nesting site for seabirds in the North Atlantic and are home to over a million birds, including puffins, gannets, fulmars and petrels.
28 May
United Kingdom: Stornoway
Situated on a natural harbour on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, Stornoway is the largest town in the Outer Hebrides. The island is one of the last major strongholds of the Gaelic language, and is home to fascinating Neolithic sites such as the mysterious standing stones at Callanish.
29 May
United Kingdom: North Haven (Fair Isle)
Fair Isle is the UK’s most remote inhabited island, lying roughly halfway between Shetland and Orkney. The island is tiny, just 3 miles by 1½ miles, and is renowned for its traditional knitwear. It’s also a birdwatching hotspot, serving as both an important breeding ground for seabirds and as a stopping-off point for migrant species.
30 May
United Kingdom: Kirkwall (Orkney Islands)
The flat, windswept Orkney Islands, just off the northeast coast of Scotland, have a distinctive Scandinavian heritage that’s discernible in everything from the unusual place names to the ancient Norse architecture of the capital, Kirkwall. Don’t miss the Ring of Brodgar, a fascinating Neolithic stone circle.
31 May
United Kingdom: Lerwick
Lerwick is the only town of any size in the Shetland islands, and originally grew up around the herring trade. Highlights include the charming 18th century architecture along the waterfront and the informative Shetland Museum, which provides an excellent introduction to the history and culture of the islands.
1 June
Arriving in Bergen
Beautiful Bergen, Norway's former capital, is a perfect city to explore on foot. Bryggen - the old Hanseatic wharf, and a UNESCO World Heritage site - still has the old harbour timber buildings, whilst other attractions include the funicular up Mount Floyen, with stunning views when you reach the top, and the busy fish market.
Your home from home
MS Spitsbergen joined the Hurtigruten fleet in 2016 after an extensive renovation, and operates both the classic Norwegian coastal route and expedition voyages to Svalbard.
What we love
Calling at regular coastal route towns, MS Spitsbergen spends more time in port than other Hurtigruten vessels, allowing a little more time ashore. The ship's manoeuvrability and small size allows guests to get even closer to the stunning scenery that this part of the world is famous for.
Capacity | 335 Guests |
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Style | MS Spitsbergen is relaxed and comfortable, accommodating a combination of tourists and Norwegians ferrying goods up and down the coast. |
Inclusions |
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Tailor-make your trip
Where to stay in Glasgow
We love the Hotel du Vin, at One Devonshire Gardens. A really special luxury boutique hotel.
Sightseeing around Glasgow
Travel out of the city to the Loch Lomond National Park, visit the stunningly beautiful Trossachs and finish your tour at Stirling Castle.