Reykjavik to Bayonne

The capital of Iceland’s land of ice, fire and natural wonder, Reykjavik is a city like no other - blossoming among some of the world’s most vibrant and violent scenery. Home to two-thirds of Iceland’s population, Reykjavik is the island’s only real city, and a welcoming and walkable place - full of bicycles gliding along boulevards or battling the wind when it rears up. Fresh licks of paint brighten the streets, and an artistic and creative atmosphere embraces studios and galleries - as well as the kitchens where an exciting culinary scene is burgeoning. Plot your adventures in the city's hip bars and cosy cafes, or waste no time in venturing out to Iceland’s outdoor adventures. Reykjavik’s buildings stand together - below the whip of winter’s winds - together with the magnificent Hallgrímskirkja church, with its bell tower rising resolutely over the city. Iceland’s largest church's design echoes the lava flows that have shaped this remote land and boasts a clean and elegant interior. The Harpa Concert Hall’s sheer glass facade helps it to assimilate into the landscape, mirroring back the city and harbour. Its LED lights shimmer in honour of Iceland’s greatest illuminated performance – the northern lights. Walk in the crusts between continents, feel the spray from bursts of geysers and witness the enduring power of Iceland’s massive waterfalls. Whether you want to sizzle away in the earth-heated geothermal pools, or hike to your heart’s content, you can do it all from Reykjavik - the colourful capital of this astonishing outdoor country.

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 shore side.

The transit through the Sound is one of this voyage’s highlights. Connecting the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Seat, Prince Christian Sound or “Prins Christian Sund” in Danish is named after Prince (later King) Christian VII (1749-1808). 100 km (60 miles ), long and at times just 500 m (1500 ft) wide, this majestic and spectacular fiord throws you back into a Viking era – flanked by soaring snow-topped mountains, rock-strewn cliffs and rolling hills, it is as if time has stood still and one easily forgets that this is the 21st century. As you marvel at the sheer size of the mountains that surround you, with the Arctic waters lapping deceptively at the hull, revel in the silence enveloping you. Icebergs float serenely by, carrying with them the ages of time. Be sure to wear warm clothing as this is one spectacle that you do not want to miss.

The largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Upon arrival in this charming southern Greenland enclave, it's easy to see why. Qaqortoq rises quite steeply over the fjord system around the city, offering breath-taking panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, deep, blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs in the bay, and pastoral backcountry. Although the earliest signs of ancient civilization in Qaqortoq date back 4,300 years, Qaqortoq is known to have been inhabited by Norse and Inuit settlers in the 10th and 12th centuries, and the present-day town was founded in 1774. In the years since, Qaqortoq has evolved into a seaport and trading hub for fish and shrimp processing, tanning, fur production, and ship maintenance and repair.

18 kilometers northeast of Qaqortoq, Hvalsey is part of Qaqortukulooq, one of the five sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Arctic farming complex Kujataa. Between Eriksfjord to the north and Einarsfjord to the south, the Hvalseyfjord branches off from Einarsfjord. Although Hvalsey is better known for the well-preserved ruins of one of the sixteen churches in the Norse’s Eastern Settlement, the church was in a farmstead known as Thjodhild’s Stead. This farmstead at the northeastern end of the fjord included a large building with living quarters, a hall and livestock pens, as well as other livestock pens, a storage building and a warehouse –the ruins of which can still be seen. The Norse farming laid the foundation for the Inuit farming in later centuries, leading to the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2017. In the 14th century account “Descriptions of Greenland” the abundant fish, a reindeer farm on Reindeer Island and Hvalsey’s name “Whale Island” clearly indicate that the Norse had ample food sources at that time. The church was built in the Anglo-Norwegian style of the 13th century, but is known to have been built over an older graveyard. The farmstead is mentioned in the Icelandic “Book of Settlements” as property of the Kings of Norway, and the last documented event of the Norse in Greenland is a wedding which took place in the church in September 1408. After almost 600 years of abandonment, conservation work had to be done to prevent the seaward wall from collapsing.

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 shore side.

Acclaimed for its unearthly landscape Woody Point is probably as close to Mars as you will ever get in this lifetime. Situated on the west coast of the island the Tablelands behind Woody Point in the Gros Morne National Park are composed of peridotite — like much of the surface of Mars — and NASA the Canadian Space Agency plus others are studying this unique land form searching for insights into possible bacterial life on the red planet. The story of the Tablelands earned Gros Morne its World Heritage Site status from UNESCO in 2010 and the area remains a geological wonder showcasing a time when the continents of Africa and North America collided. When the plates struck 485 million years ago the peridotite was pushed to the surface and remained above sea level. The rock lacks the nutrients to sustain plant life thus giving the Tablelands a barren isolated appearance. As the name suggests the flat topped mountains dwarf the tiny village (population 281!) yet Woody Point has retained its character and the historic houses and buildings dating from 1870 have been beautifully maintained.

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 shore side.

Grand Manan Island, located in the world famous Bay of Fundy, is the largest of the Fundy islands, but is only is 21 miles long and 11 miles wide at it widest point. Almost all the residents live on the eastern side of the island, since the western side has huge 300 foot cliffs and high winds. Reader’s Digest Magazine voted Grand Manan as one of the World’s 7 Best Small Islands because of its friendly people, scenic beauty and serenity. It is also a recognized world-wide as a North American birding hot spot. Ever since James John Audubon visited in 1833, birders have been coming to find some of the over 240 species of birds that make the island their home. The waters surrounding the island are an important feeding area for a number of whale species, including minke, fins, humpback whales, and the rare North Atlantic right whale.

This Cape Cod Canal Transit is a rare must for any travel savvy guest. With two fixed bridges over the canal, clearance is a problem for bigger ships but Silversea’s small size ships allow us to glide through as if we were a passenger yacht. For guests lucky enough to be travelling in the daylight, the surrounding scenic spectacle is something truly to behold. If you are travelling during migrating season, be on the lookout for temporary residents such as the Great Blue Heron and the Red-tailed hawk. As the cape is surrounded by a hybrid of temperate sub-tropical waters and polar ice floes, marine mammal spotters will rejoice as they vie to spot some of the huge variety of wildlife that lives in the canal including the endangered North American Right Whale. For guests traversing the canal at night, we assure you a smooth passage. With a maximum speed of just 8.5 knots authorised by the U.S. Marine authorities, you can be sure you’ll glide by the pretty New England shore side in plenty of Silversea comfort