Southampton to Southampton

Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain’s largest cruise port. It has been one of England’s major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux. The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.

The bustle of this resort town's fishing harbor, yachting center, and commercial port only adds to its charm. In the 18th century Falmouth was the main mail-boat port for North America, and in Flushing, a village across the inlet, you can see the slate-covered houses built by prosperous mail-boat captains. A ferry service now links the two towns. On Custom House Quay, off Arwenack Street, is the King's Pipe, an oven in which seized contraband was burned.

Perched on a clifftop and stunningly picturesque, Fishguard is considered the very heart of North Pembrokeshire. A small market town that almost seems untouched by time, you'll find clusters of quayside cottages, family businesses selling local produce, and plenty of Gaelic charm! Market day falls on a Saturday and although principally food, there are some stalls selling local arts and crafts too. If you are not lucky enough to be visiting on market day, the pretty high street has some lovely shops where you can easily while away a couple of hours. Known internationally as the place of the last invasion of Britain when the French landed in 1797, the village heaves with history. Historians will of course already know that the two-day invasion soon failed and the peace treaty was signed in the Royal Oak pub in the market square. Over 200 years later the pub still stands and is perhaps one of the best places to soak up the local charm! The real stars of the show here however are the lovely surroundings. The calm waters are perfect for kayaking while walkers will love the national parks that are filled with signposted trails for all levels of ability. Cyclists of all levels will also be pleased; Fishguard and its surroundings do have a few hills, but also lots of straight roads that offer a gentle visit to the stunning landscape. If staying on the water is more your style, then boat trips to see the rest of the lovely coastline can be easily organized in port. If all the activity gets too much for you then why not enjoy a delicious local Welsh cake in one of the pretty cafes or head to the town hall and have a look at the 100-foot-long Last Invasion Tapestry, a humorous and entertaining story in a Bayeux tapestry style of the 1797 invasion of mainland Britain.

From world-class attractions and sports to legendary music, Liverpool offers old-world charm with modern sophistication, underpinned by a rich cultural history.

Before English and Scottish settlers arrived in the 1600s, Belfast was a tiny village called Béal Feirste ("sandbank ford") belonging to Ulster's ancient O'Neill clan. With the advent of the Plantation period (when settlers arrived in the 1600s), Sir Arthur Chichester, from Devon in southwestern England, received the city from the English Crown, and his son was made Earl of Donegall. Huguenots fleeing persecution from France settled near here, bringing their valuable linen-work skills. In the 18th century, Belfast underwent a phenomenal expansion—its population doubled every 10 years, despite an ever-present sectarian divide. Although the Anglican gentry despised the Presbyterian artisans—who, in turn, distrusted the native Catholics—Belfast's growth continued at a dizzying speed. The city was a great Victorian success story, an industrial boomtown whose prosperity was built on trade, especially linen and shipbuilding. Famously (or infamously), the Titanic was built here, giving Belfast, for a time, the nickname "Titanic Town." Having laid the foundation stone of the city's university in 1845, Queen Victoria returned to Belfast in 1849 (she is recalled in the names of buildings, streets, bars, monuments, and other places around the city), and in the same year, the university opened under the name Queen's College. Nearly 40 years later, in 1888, Victoria granted Belfast its city charter. Today its population is nearly 300,000, tourist numbers have increased, and this dramatically transformed city is enjoying an unparalleled renaissance.This is all a welcome change from the period when news about Belfast meant reports about "the Troubles." Since the 1994 ceasefire, Northern Ireland's capital city has benefited from major hotel investment, gentrified quaysides (or strands), a sophisticated new performing arts center, and major initiatives to boost tourism. Although the 1996 bombing of offices at Canary Wharf in London disrupted the 1994 peace agreement, the ceasefire was officially reestablished on July 20, 1997, and this embattled city began its quest for a newfound identity.Since 2008, the city has restored all its major public buildings such as museums, churches, theaters, City Hall, Ulster Hall—and even the glorious Crown Bar—spending millions of pounds on its built heritage. A gaol that at the height of the Troubles held some of the most notorious murderers involved in paramilitary violence is now a major visitor attraction.Belfast's city center is made up of three roughly contiguous areas that are easy to navigate on foot. From the south end to the north, it's about an hour's leisurely walk.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Scotland’s third-largest city embraces a strong coastal culture. Torry Battery, a 19th-century artillery battery, offers one of the UK’s best places to spot bottlenose dolphins. The region’s maritime history is on full display at the quaint former fishing district of Footdee, where narrow lanes between stone cottages lead to a surfing hotspot, Aberdeen Beach. In the heart of the city, with its thriving culinary scene, artisanal producers are flourishing; two of Aberdeen’s best-loved are Mackie’s ice cream and Six North, one of Scotland’s leading craft brewers.

Newhaven is a district in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, between Leith and Granton and about 2 miles north of the city centre, just north of the Victoria Park district. Formerly a village and harbour on the Firth of Forth.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Most famously known for its dramatic white-chalk towering cliffs, Dover is the nearest city to France across the English Channel. Its strategic location as a doorway into England has earned it the moniker “Key to England.” As the port was under constant threat because of its location, the massive Dover Castle overlooking the channel grew over the centuries to become the nation’s largest edifice and remains so today. Dover also served as a bastion and command center during World War II.

Honfleur is set along the Seine estuary and is considered one of the coastal jewels of Normandy. Dating back to the 11th century, this bustling port changed hands many times during the Hundred Years War, before finally coming under French control. A thriving commercial port until the 19th century, it has since become a popular destination for artists; they can be frequently seen perched at their easels along the old harbor. Honfleur is renowned for its historic houses, quaint galleries and charming cafes that line the water, as well as the timbered Church of St. Catherine.

Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain’s largest cruise port. It has been one of England’s major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux. The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.