WILD SCOTTISH ISLES AND ICELAND

SHIP OFFERING THIS ITINERARY

Seabourn Venture

Seabourn Venture was launched in July of 2022, designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards. She includes a plethora of modern hardware and technology that will extend the ship’s global deployment and capabilities. This ship features an innovative design, created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveller. She is also designed to carry a complement of double sea kayaks as well as 24 Zodiacs that can accommodate all onboard guests at once, which will allow for a truly immersive experience. Venture features 132 all veranda, all ocean-front suites.

Day 1 Dublin, Ireland

Crisscrossed by the Liffey and Tolka rivers, adorned with charming bridges, waterways, and narrow alleys, Dublin’s distinct Georgian architecture lends to its quaint, picturesque allure. Established as a Viking settlement in 841, Dublin has a storied past, evolving through the centuries from Viking rule to the Norman invasion in the 12th century.

Dublin’s vibrant pub culture, with its 751 pubs, offers an unparalleled traditional folk music scene. The city’s history is etched in the stone walls of Dublin Castle, an imposing architectural landmark and symbol of Ireland. This Norman edifice, erected in the 13th century, narrates the tale of power and change. Dublin’s rich literary past, its pulsating contemporary literature scene, and its status as the birthplace of numerous literary greats have earned it the honor of being a UNESCO-designated City of Literature.

Day 2 Calf of Man and Douglas, Isle of Man

The Calf of Man is a small island in the Irish Sea, which sits approximately 1/3 mile from the larger Isle of Man to its northeast. For many years, the island was under private ownership, but it was donated to the National Trust due to its importance as a refuge for nesting sea birds. There are presently 33 species of seabirds who visit the island during the breeding season, but it is perhaps best known for its population of Manx Shearwater, which come to land each night and return to their burrows. The island currently has no permanent human population but visiting researchers and ornithologists may stay for short periods of time.

The town of Douglas is the center of the Isle of Man’s business, shipping, transport, shopping, and entertainment. It derives its name from the early Celtic word Duboglassio, meaning ‘black river.’ Located in the Irish Sea, equidistant from England, Scotland and Ireland, the Isle of Man is a self-governing possession of the British Crown and is not part of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, or an Overseas Territory, but instead holds a semiautonomous status. It is home to the world’s oldest continuous parliament, known as the Tynwald Court.

Day 3 Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland

Rothesay, standing along the Firth of Clyde, presents the visitor with a combination of illustrious gardens and grand architecture. The magnificent ruins of Rothesay Castle, which date from the 13th century, are what most people visualize when they think of a medieval castle. With a drawbridge, encircling moat, immense circular curtain wall and tall stone towers, Rothesay is unique in Scotland for its circular plan. The ruins of St Blane’s Chapel, a 6^th century monastery, sit atop a hill with views over the Sound of Bute. For true elegance, visit the country estate of Mount Stuart House with its colonnaded Marble Hall and extraordinary Marble Chapel. Built in the late 1870’s in the Gothic Revivalist style, it was constructed of reddish-brown stone and houses a library of 25,000 books.

The Ardencraig Gardens, sitting atop Canada Hill, feature a walled garden and exotic aviary. Ascog Hall Fernery, located on the grounds of a baronial-style house from 1844, is a beautiful garden with the oldest ferns in Britain.

Day 4 Tobermory, Island of Mull and Isle of Eigg, Scotland

Tobermory is one of the prettiest port-towns in Scotland, with a picture-postcard harbour front. The town curves gently around the harbour and rises onto the hillside beyond. Main Street is a mix of shops, eateries, hotels and guest houses. The street has an excellent selection of locally produced arts and crafts, a bookshop that also sells fishing tackle, an artisan bakery and chocolate manufacturer, and a small museum. Tobermory Distillery, which opened in 1798, is a favourite destination. Its renowned ten-year-old single-malt whisky is distilled from un-peated malted barley and matured in oak casks.

INCLUDED EXPEDITION EXPERIENCES*
*Please note this expedition experience is exclusively available on our expedition ships, Seabourn Venture or Seabourn Pursuit. All shore excursions shared here are subject to availability and are weather and conditions permitting.”

Option 1: Panoramic Mull Experience
A panoramic tour of Mull’s ruggedly beautiful coastline. Enjoying breathtaking views of the Sound of Mull, the mountains of Morvern, and Ben More, Mull’s highest mountain. Pause for a short while in Craignure, an important ferry port, as you make your way to the spectacular Glen More.

Option 2: Tobermory Town & Lighthouse Experience
Discover the vibrancy of Tobermory’s Harbour, a bustling hub for fishing vessels, yachts and multi-coloured seafront houses.

Option 3: Aros Park Coastal Walk Experience
A coastal walk from Tobermory Harbour through the enchanting Aros Park. Enjoy splendid views out to Calve Island. Marvel at the Celtic rainforest’s diverse flora and fauna, and if time permits, visit the Bronze Age Standing Stones at Baliscate, a significant pre-historic location on the Isle of Mull.

*Please note this expedition experience is exclusively available on our expedition ships, Seabourn Venture or Seabourn Pursuit. All shore excursions shared here are subject to availability and are weather and conditions permitting.

The Isle of Eigg is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Scotland’s stunning Inner Hebrides. Upon arrival you are greeted by breathtaking panoramic views of pristine beaches, dramatic cliffs, and emerald-green hillsides. As you step ashore from your luxurious Seabourn vessel, you’ll sense the tranquility and serenity of this remote paradise.

Explore the island’s rich history and vibrant culture with guided tours led by knowledgeable locals, or venture out on your own to discover its hidden treasures.

For those seeking adventure, indulge in outdoor activities such as hiking along scenic trails, kayaking in crystal-clear waters, or simply basking in the sun on secluded beaches.

Day 5 Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Founded by Vikings in the 9th century. Hebridean culture goes back much further in time, as testified by the circles of standing stones that are found on the island, and shards of pottery dated from at least 5,000 years in the past. See traditional blackhouses, an ancient design, some of which were incredibly still in use into the 1970s. Lews Castle, overlooking the town, is a more modern copy of a Tudor manse. Latta’s Mill, a 19th century overshot water mill.

Included experiences:
*Please note this expedition experience is exclusively available on our expedition ships, Seabourn Venture or Seabourn Pursuit. All shore excursions shared here are subject to availability and are weather and conditions permitting.”

Ancient Lewis & Blackhouse Village: Embark from Stornoway to Callanish, often likened to Scotland’s Stonehenge, dating back to 3000BC. The 32 stones form a captivating circular and avenue design, believed to have been erected for astronomical observations. Stop at Dun Carloway Pictish Broch, a defensive residence from the last century BC. Venture north to Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, a reconstructed settlement of traditional blackhouses with their thatched roofs.

Day 6 Am Baile, St Kilda, Scotland

The St Kilda volcanic archipelago has the highest sea cliffs in Britain and the most important seabird breeding colonies in northwestern Europe. The entire archipelago is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is one of the few UNESCO World Heritage Sites chosen for both its natural and cultural qualities. In spite of its extreme isolation, some 40 miles (64 km) off of the remote Hebrides, there has been permanent habitation here for 2,000 years. The one-time population of hardy Kildians were finally forced to leave because of starvation. Their abandoned stone huts stand as silent witnesses to past settlement, but two of their ancient sheep species, dating from the Neolithic and Iron Ages, continue to thrive here.

Some one million nesting seabirds breed in St Kilda, including the largest colony of guillemots on earth, and the largest colony of gannets, fulmars, Leach’s petrels and Atlantic puffins in Britain. The St Kilda wren and the St Kilda field mouse are species found only here.

Day 7 Lerwick and Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands

People have lived and prospered on Shetland since Neolithic times. The site of Clickimin Broch, a hollow-stone-walled structure, was a Late Bronze Age farmstead of the 7th century BCE. Historic Fort Charlotte, built in 1653, is a five-sided fortress, with cannon batteries pointing out to sea.

Norse culture and practice survived long after the period of Norse rule. Placenames are almost exclusively Norse. Houses are of Scandinavian style and the Shetland flag is based in the design of the main Scandinavian flags. Perhaps the strongest clue of the relationship between these places lies in the dialect spoken by Shetlanders today, which contains many Old Norse words.

The main town of Lerwick was built on the herring trade with a strong maritime feel. It is home to a third of the islands’ population. Britain’s most northerly town. The name Lerwick is derived from Norse and means ‘bay of clay.’

Days 8 & 9 At Sea

Spend this day at your own leisure, reflecting on the incredible journey you’ve had and enjoying onboard activities.

Day 10 Heimaey, Westman Islands, Iceland

Heimaey Island is the largest in the Westman Islands located four miles off the south-west coast of Iceland. One of the most visually impressive islands in Iceland, it is ringed by tall, vertical sea cliffs many hundreds of feet high.  Heimaey is also the home to over eight million Atlantic puffins, more nesting puffins than anywhere else on earth. A local story tells that puffin chicks, taking their first flights at night, often become stranded in the village streets, where the local children rescue them and set them free the next day.

In January of 1973 the island received the nickname, ‘Pompeii of the North’ when a volcanic eruption and lava flow destroyed half the town. This caused a crisis when the town’s only harbor was nearly blocked by advancing lava. Nowadays it is a lively place with a vibrant culture and over four thousand residents. Archaeological excavations suggest that people lived on Heimaey as early as the 10th Century.

Day 11 Reykjavik, Iceland

End your adventure in Reykjavík, established by Viking settler Ingólfur Arnarson around 870 C.E, being the first permanent settlement in Iceland. The census of 1703 recorded that Reykjavík had 69 residents and consisted of a farm and a church. The impressive statue of Leif Erikson, in the centre of town, reminds all of Iceland’s Viking heritage. Its name translates to ‘smoky bay’, due to the geothermal nature of the surrounding area.

Today about 200.000 people live in the Icelandic capital, roughly 60% of the country’s population. It has evolved into a sophisticated city. The northernmost national capital in the world is also one of the cleanest, greenest, and safest on Earth.  Walking Reykjavik streets one will find rich culture, history, music, shopping and in the late hours vibrant night-life. Colourful rooftops and the elegant spire of Hallgrímskirkja Church dominate Reykjavik’s skyline. Known for its arts, Reykjavik hosts a number of internationally recognised festivals, notably the Iceland Air music festival, Reykjavik Arts Festival and the Reykjavik International Film Festival.