Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city and is located on Portsea Island in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England.
The Azamara Quest is a mid-sized ship with a deck plan that’s intimate but never crowded and offers everything modern voyagers are looking for—plus some unexpected extras. Watch the world go by, drink in hand from any of Azamara’s bars, lounges, and gathering spaces. Dine in luxury and elegance at from the music that makes your heartstrings sing to the best of Broadway, specialty restaurants. Plus, a little shopping as a bonus.
May 20, 2028 - Portsmouth, UK
Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city and is located on Portsea Island in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England.
May 21, 2028 - Fowey
This medieval harbor of Fowey is crowded with trawlers and yachts, giving the town a brisk purposeful character and allowing visitors and residents alike to experience the best of Cornwall.
May 22, 2028 - Cork
A town of churches, bridges and pubs, Cork is best known for Blarney Castle where you are invited to kiss the famed stone to acquire the "gift of gab." St. Patrick Street, the town's main thoroughfare, is good for shopping and people watching. See the Shandon bells in St. Anne's church. Those who are willing to climb the 134 winding steps to the top of the steeple will be rewarded with a wondrous view of the city, harbor and hills.
May 23, 2028 - Bantry
May 24, 2028 - Foynes
Foynes is know for it's aviation history where Foynes was the landing site of Pan Am's first commercial passenger flight from the USA to Europe in 1939. At the flying boat museum visitors can see an amazing replica of this plane and learn more about aviation history. In August, Foynes holds an aviation and Irish Coffee festival in the yachting and watersports center. Of archaeological interest to visitors are the ruins of a medieval church look out from the hill of Knockpatrick, south of Foynes, and 5 miles to the southeast is the 13th century Old Abbey convent of the Augustinian Canonesses.
May 25, 2028 - Galway
Galway is a city, a county, and an experience to be savoured and remembered. The historic city of the tribes dances to a beat uniquely it's own. There is a certain chemistry and vibrancy to this friendly university city, which many delight in, and few forget. Music, festivals, horse racing, pubs, restaurants, shops, theatres and most of all -Galway people, combine to create this atmospheric medieval city of culture. From this pulsating heart the rest of the county flows.
Galway Bay, immortalised in song, its beauty unchanging. Scenic Gaeltacht areas including the Aran Islands. Connemara, with the picturesque town of Clifden as its capital. Mountains, castles and stone walls, banks of turf, long sandy beaches, clear lakes, joyful leaping streams and flowing rivers. The mighty Shannon, delightful countryside punctuated by pretty villages, traditional pubs.
Photo used with permission
from Joe Desbonnet, www.galway.net
May 26, 2028 - Killybegs
Killbegs offers visitors a variety of attractions and activities to enjoy. The majestic mountains surrounding the town offer great hiking, and walking trails. While culture lovers can visit the Maritime and Heritage Center, and Clachan Folk Village Museum. Killbegs is also an excellent area for water sports, including surfing, diving, kite-surfing, and water skiing. Killybegs is famous for its carpets and tapestries, which are hand-knotted in the Turkish style. Carpets from Killbegs adorn the White House, the Vatican, and Buckingham Palace.
May 27, 2028 - Greencastle
May 28, 2028 - Belfast
Belfast is popular with travelers who come to discover the city’s physical beauty and renewed tranquility. Enjoy performances at the Grand Opera House, shopping along trendy Donegall Place and visiting numerous pubs along The Golden Mile. St. Anne’s Cathedral, also known as Belfast Cathedral, is the principal church of the Anglican Church of Ireland and contains stones from every county in Ireland. Located next to Europa Hotel, the Grand Opera House boasts an impressive mix of large productions of opera, ballet, musicals and drama. Known as the Big Ben of Belfast, the Albert Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1869 to commemorate the Prince Consort. Built in 1849 as one of Queen Victoria’s colleges, Queens University is one of the foremost universities in the British Isles. The classical-style building of Stormont, erected in 1928-32 to house the Parliament of Northern Ireland, stands 3.5 miles outside the city. The Prince of Wales Avenue is exactly one mile long and is bordered by rose beds containing 600 of the famous Korona roses noted for their scarlet blooms.
May 29, 2028 - Belfast
Belfast is popular with travelers who come to discover the city’s physical beauty and renewed tranquility. Enjoy performances at the Grand Opera House, shopping along trendy Donegall Place and visiting numerous pubs along The Golden Mile. St. Anne’s Cathedral, also known as Belfast Cathedral, is the principal church of the Anglican Church of Ireland and contains stones from every county in Ireland. Located next to Europa Hotel, the Grand Opera House boasts an impressive mix of large productions of opera, ballet, musicals and drama. Known as the Big Ben of Belfast, the Albert Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1869 to commemorate the Prince Consort. Built in 1849 as one of Queen Victoria’s colleges, Queens University is one of the foremost universities in the British Isles. The classical-style building of Stormont, erected in 1928-32 to house the Parliament of Northern Ireland, stands 3.5 miles outside the city. The Prince of Wales Avenue is exactly one mile long and is bordered by rose beds containing 600 of the famous Korona roses noted for their scarlet blooms.
May 30, 2028 - Dublin (Dun Laoghaire)
Dún Laoghaire is a suburban seaside town and seaport nestled at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains in Ireland. The port offers opportunities for biking, canoeing, hiking, clay pigeon shooting, sailing and rock climbing. There are also several music and cultural festivals during the Autumn.
May 31, 2028 - At Sea
Jun 01, 2028 - Portsmouth, UK
Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city and is located on Portsea Island in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England.
Jun 02, 2028 - At Sea
Jun 03, 2028 - Douglas (Isle of Man)
Douglas has been the capital, principal port, and ferry terminal of the island since 1869, the island itself having become a Crown possession in 1828. It gets its name from the Dhoo and Glass Rivers. Douglas, which developed around smuggling, now has light industry, tourism, the seat of the island's parliament, the Tynwald and House of Keys (oldest parliament in the world). Douglas boasts Castle Mona (1804), and the Tower of Refuge (1832), as well as the impressive Manx Electric Railway (1893) and Douglas horse-drawn trams (1876), both of which are still in service. Located along the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man and its wooded hills and jagged coastline offer some of the country’s most spectacular scenery. The island was once occupied by Celts who left behind Iron Age forts and huts. Though Romans never settled here, it is believed Celtic Christianity was introduced by St. Patrick and flourished from the fifth century to eighth century when Vikings conquered the island. On the island visit the Calf of Man bird sanctuary, and Castle Rushen at Castletown, the former capital.
Jun 04, 2028 - Glasgow
Glasgow is Scotland's biggest city and major tourist destination, possessing some of Britain's finest architecture and hosting a variety of cultural events and attractions.
Glasgow has been described as the finest surviving example of a great Victorian city. Of particular interest is George Square - lined by several buildings constructed in the Italian Renaissance style. Few buildings pre-date 18th century. The most prominent of these are Glasgow Cathedral, and Provand's Lordship, which is the city's oldest house (c. 1471) and now a museum. The cathedral, situated on high ground to the east of the city and dating in parts from 12th century, is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture. The city has numerous parks and ornamental open spaces, including the Botanic Garden and zoological gardens. Glasgow grew around a church built in the 6th century by St Kentigern, who converted Scots to Christianity. The commercial growth of the community dates from the union of Scotland and England in 1707 and the opening up of trade in the 18th century when Glasgow became a major port and shipbuilder.
Jun 05, 2028 - Tobermorey
Jun 06, 2028 - Stornoway
The name Stornoway comes from the Norse for "Steering Bay", an indication of the early origins of the town. As the best natural harbor in the Western Isles it was a focus for development, and Stornoway Castle was built as early as 1100 by the MacNicol family. Today's Stornoway is a busy, attractive town and the largest settlement in the Western Isles. The shape of the town is defined by the harbour, which partially surrounds it. Visit an interesting range of shops pleasantly different from the usual outlets colonising most UK High Streets. Visitors to Stornoway should be aware that Sunday observance is strong here. Most transport links to Lewis and Harris, and within them, do not operate on a Sunday. Most shops, petrol stations, cafes, pubs, visitor attractions are closed on Sundays, as are at least some public toilets.
Jun 07, 2028 - Kirkwall (Orkney Islands)
The Orkney Islands are different from mainland Britain and reflect the original 9th century Viking settlement. In addition to Norse heritage are remains of prehistoric monuments such as Stenness Standing Stones at Finstown. Steep-roofed stone houses line streets winding around medieval St. Magnus Cathedral. A museum featuring Orkney artifacts is housed in 16th-century Tankerness House. Other attractions include Maes Howe, Britain's best-preserved megalithic tomb, and the stone-age village Skara Brae. Rock circles, cairns, standing stones, ancient tombs and prehistoric villages are scattered about, gaining these islands international recognition. Only the walls and tower of the 12-century residence, Bishop's Palace, stand. The top of the tower affords a great view of the cathedral and across Kirkwall rooftops. Earl's Palace dates from 1600. Its style blends medieval fierceness with elements of French Renaissance architecture - featuring dungeons, massive fireplaces and magnificent central hall. A good mile south of town is Highland Park - the "most northerly legal distillery in Scotland."
Jun 08, 2028 - Lerwick, Shetland Island
The Shetland Islands are Great Britain's most northerly islands, situated nearly fifty miles northeast of the Orkneys. Lerwick is the capital of the principal island of Mainland and is Britain's most northerly town. Founded on the fishing industry and with strong Viking connections, little now remains of the old village of Lerwick. Features of interest include the Cromwellian Fort Charlotte and annual Norse fire festival, Up-Helly-Aa, held every January. On the southern tip of the island is Jarlshof, site of ruins of several Stone Age and Bronze Age dwellings as well as wheel-houses from the Iron Age. Elsewhere on the island is Clichimin Broch, another prehistoric site containing a Bronze Age fort.
Jun 09, 2028 - Aberdeen
An extraordinary symphony in grey, almost everything in Aberdeen is built of granite - even the roads. When drenched with sun and rain, the silvery stone has a fairy-tale shine; when under a cloud it can be a wee bit depressing. Brimming with civic pride, Aberdeen services one of the world's largest offshore oilfields.
Jun 10, 2028 - Invergordon (Inverness/Loch Ness)
The northern part of Scotland, known as the Highlands, ranks as one of the world’s most magnificent scenic spots. Among the main attractions is a landscape of dramatic mountains and forested hills. Invergordon is the port for Inverness and capital of the Highlands. The surrounding countryside offers such famous attractions as the Battlefield of Culloden, Loch Ness, the villages of Tain and Cromarty, numerous historic castles and old established whisky distilleries. Enjoy the picture-perfect scenery and an opportunity to chat with a Highlander eager to introduce you to his fabled land and its rich heritage. Inverness Castle is a predominantly 19th-century edifice perched high above the Ness River. Today’s remains house the Sheriff’s Office. The exhibits of Inverness Museum and Art Gallery may be worth viewing as they provide a good overview of the development of the Highlands. Located 14 miles southwest of Inverness the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition tell the legend of the monster from 565 A.D. to the present.
Jun 11, 2028 - Dundee
Dundee is a City of Discovery. The city's textile heritage provides inspiration for one of its principal tourist attractions - Verdant Works. Its clean air renowned to be low in pollution and "sunshine hours" way up on many areas in the south - provides a breath of fresh air for visitors. The city center is a shopper's paradise, where major department stores co-exist with specialist shops tucked away in side streets. The high percentage of students in the city make Dundee a buzzing place to be by night, with a lively pub and club scene. Sport remains an activity close to the heart of many Dundonians. The city has a close association with the sea and is home port of the Royal Research Ship Discovery, today a floating museum. Stroll along the quayside from Discovery Point to come across the HM Frigate Unicorn, the oldest British-Built ship afloat. Discover Dundee - one of Scotland's best kept secrets, and you will find an exciting city which really is "The City of Discovery".
Jun 12, 2028 - Leith
Graceful old buildings are well maintained and the shore, dock and water further beautify the area. Leith has beautiful waterfront areas with restaurants, bars, and shops lining the streets. A great deal of majestic architecture from the 18th century remain among the sparkling modern buildings. The top excursions to visit here include Royal Mile Road, St. Giles Cathedral, the Scotch Whiskey Heritage Center and the National Gallery of Scotland.
Jun 13, 2028 - Leith
Graceful old buildings are well maintained and the shore, dock and water further beautify the area. Leith has beautiful waterfront areas with restaurants, bars, and shops lining the streets. A great deal of majestic architecture from the 18th century remain among the sparkling modern buildings. The top excursions to visit here include Royal Mile Road, St. Giles Cathedral, the Scotch Whiskey Heritage Center and the National Gallery of Scotland.