Cruises around the British Isles and Ireland

UK Islands & Ireland - Small Cruise 2018

In order to really know the British Isles, you must discover them by boat. Accompany us on this new voyage and tour England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland - visiting isolated isles, stroll through old walled harbours and discover London, Dublin, Belfast and Edinburgh. Included in the update is a trip to Northern Ireland and Scotland's spectacular Isle of Skye and an outing through the craggy Scottish Highlands.

You' ll be able to take in a full 12 accompanied and land based trips and visits to up to five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, subject to whether you join us for extra nights and optionals. On board the stylish my Variety Voyager, which has been charters exclusive to Vantage, you will be able to indulge in an intimate, sociable cruise with only 72 passengers.

On the way there you can listen to folk tunes, slurp old whiskies, enjoy local food and see châteaux and ancient cloisters. It will forever alter your perceptions of the British Isles! Incl: Meals: After a delicious sideboard on the boat this mornings, you will hear more about Britain in a presentation on migration as your boat heads to Tresco, the second biggest of the ISLANDS.

Incl: Meals: There you will be taken on a visit to the Cathedral of St. David from the twelfth cen. which has been a place of worship for craves. Incl: Meals: Voyager will arrive at Holyhead this mornin', where you will take a brief ride to Caernarfon Castle, constructed by King Edward I. Its imposing spires tower over the coast, and you can see why the emperor constructed this castle several hundred years ago to monitor the coastal supplies corridors and accessibility to the farming heritage of neighbouring countries.

Then, you' ll be taken to the NSI Museum, embedded in a mountain slope, for a show of this disappearing industry from Victoria times. Incl: Meals: Today you can see one of Ireland's priceless Irish heritage and a real art treasure - the Book of Kells - on your Dublin discovery. You will be told more by your travel book leader about this ninth-century book on a guided Trinity College guided walk where you will see the lit gospel.

Afterwards you will take an enjoyable and educational trip through the Irish Whiskey Museum to discover a different kind of Irish Whiskey heritage, followed by a comparative sampling of different types of plain spirits. Afterwards you will either head back to the boat for dinner or remain in town before being taken back to Variety Voyager by means of a taxi ride this afternoons.

Meals included: Spend the day on a leisurely breakfast trip through Belfast, the capitol of Northern Ireland. Have a free afternoons exploring the town on your own or visit another side of Northern Ireland by participating in our elective trip to the Antrim Coast and the sinister Giant's Causeway, formed as basalt volcanic eruptions solidify into tens of thousand of hexagonal pillars.

Find out more about the Northern Ireland peacemaking operation, partly supported by former US Secretary of State Ed Muskie, who ended the riots. Incl: Meals: Explore the juicy meadows of Northern Ireland's Antrim county to the stunning coastline known as Giant's Causeway.

Because of their "global geographical importance", the Giant's Causeway and the Causeway Coastline have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "On your way to the stunning marine landscape you will see the tragic remains of Dunclue Castle. Situated on the western coastline of Scotland, Oban is known as the "gateway to the islands". "In the mornings you will be greeted by experienced guide for your hike.

Afterwards you will go to the Oban Distillery - one of the oldest in Scotland - where you can study all about whisky and perhaps enjoy a "little drama". "In the afternoons you can take your own free moment to discover Oban, perhaps hear the natives speak Gaelic, or choose the option of visiting Inveraray Castle, the home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of Clan Campbell.

There is also a lovely garden in this idyllic Scotch chateau on the shores of Lock Fyne. Incl: Meals: Enter the realm of the great clan of Scotland on this tour of Inveraray Palace, the home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell. With a view of Loch Fyne, a long, slender bay, the impressive grey flintlock with its four towers is encircled by luxuriant orchards that offer a wonderful spectacle in all seasons.

Included in your trip is transport between Oban and the palace, as well as full entrance to the home and premises for a self-managed trip. Admire spectacular seascapes, sharp-edged summits, mediaeval fortresses, and fishermen's towns nestled along the deep, rugged coastline during your trip. You get paid for lunches in a nearby bar or restaurants and have plenty of free rein to discover it.

Incl: Meals: Here you have free play to discover the ancient Callanish Stone - a hilly, cross-shaped array of rocks even older than Stonehenge. Then, you' ll be taken to the straw-covered huts of Gearrannan Blackhouse Village for a showcase of the region's most traditional craft: tweaving.

Meals included: Nicknamed after the powerful tidal currents that pass the Point of Ness, it is no wonder that Stromness was once an important fishing harbour - in fact it was used by the British for navigation instead of the English Channel in wartime. You will explore the Stromness marine legacy and intriguing archeological story after breakfasts at the Stromness Museum.

Then, you' ll go to a nearby farmstead to see some of the stunning fossils that have been found here and find out more about the Churchill Barriers, a set of four causals that connect the Orkney Islands constructed in World War II as marine fortifications. The Second World War also leaves a trace of spirituality, and you and your companions will be visiting the Romanesque Cathedral Orchestra, constructed by prisoners of war from Italy.

Recreation on board this afternoons or take an option to Skara Brae, a 3,000-year-old stonehouse built in 1850, when a sea blizzard on the coast removed the clay cover. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Heart of Neolithic Orkney". Incl: Meals:

Uncovered by a rich landlord after a blizzard on his site, this UNESCO World Heritage Site gives the viewer an insight into what it was like five thousand years ago - complete with rock furnishings such as wardrobes, stowage space and an ingenious draining system with sanitary facilities. Get off at the quaint harbour of Inverness and take a trip through the craggy Scottish Highlands.

Checking into your accommodation and having a farewell dinner with your companions tonight. Incl: Meals: Or enhance your travel with our option of post-trip extensions in Edinburgh.