Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada

New York City is at once romantic and exhilarating. From the robust streets of Lower Manhattan’s financial district to the intimate warrens of Greenwich Village, the city overflows with culture, cuisine and architectural beauty. New York is for everyone. Music lovers marvel at Carnegie Hall or catch a 1920s-style jazz and blues show in Harlem. Romantics board a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park. Art lovers browse the Museum of Modern Art or the Guggenheim. And theatergoers attend the greatest shows in the world on Broadway, amid the glitter of Times Square.

Sail the Atlantic Ocean, divided in half, north to south, by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Longer than the Rockies, the Himalayas and the Andes combined, this underwater mountain range is the longest on Earth.

Halifax exudes a fine European air and lies along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors by sea are greeted by the 1758 Sambro Island Lighthouse, the oldest surviving beacon in North America. In the harborside Historic Properties district, grand and charming stone buildings built in the 18th and 19th centuries grace the cobblestone streets. The city grew up around Citadel Hill, where Fort George protected the harbor. The fortress, along with the adjacent stately Halifax Town Clock, has been gloriously restored and preserved.

Follow in the footsteps of 10th-century Vikings and sail the vast Gulf of St. Lawrence, an outlet for the North American Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway.

L’Anse aux Meadows is the site of the first Norse settlement in the Americas. Leif Eriksson’s voyage from Greenland in the late 10th century predated Columbus by 500 years. Proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, the ancient village Eriksson founded provides fascinating insight into the day-to-day lives of Vikings. Each of its dwellings was constructed of a wood frame covered in sod. The site was uncovered in 1960, when a village local pointed out a series of mounds in the earth that he and his neighbors had always believed to be an ancient Native American camp.

Follow in the footsteps of intrepid Viking Leif Eriksson who famously crossed this stretch of water to become the first European to land on North American shores.

Qaqortoq is a repository of Viking, Inuit and Danish history. Greenland’s largest and best-preserved Viking settlement lies 12 miles out of town at Hvalsey, established by Erik the Red’s uncle in the 10th century. The Inuit soon followed, and left behind many artifacts from their early days. The Danish colonial era, too, is finely reflected in historic buildings, including an 1804 blacksmith’s shop and the harborside 1797 black tar log building. Qaqortoq lends itself to leisurely strolls and its spectacular setting attracts outdoor enthusiasts.

Nanortalik is nestled on an island near the mouth of a fjord on the southwestern shores of Greenland. It was established in 1770, though a small group of Vikings led by Erik the Red first arrived in the 10th century and called it “Grœnland,” or Greenland, in hopes of attracting more settlers. Today, the Inuit people dominate this austere and picturesque landscape and hold fast to their long Inuit traditions by fishing for crab, hunting hooded seals and welcoming visitors with a festive kaffe - mik , a coffee party with plenty of their famed Greenlandic cake.

Sail legendary waters, where medieval Europeans believed “there be dragons” beyond the ocean’s horizon.

ĺsafjördur was founded in the 9th century by the Viking Helgi Magri Hrólfsson. Foreign merchants arrived in the 16th century and set up trading posts here. Today, ĺsafjördur is home to one of the largest fisheries in Iceland and, despite its remote locale, boasts a cultural scene rich in music and drama. The oldest house in Iceland is here, built in 1734, as is the country’s largest concentration of old timber-frame homes. Many visitors explore farther afield, delving into the surrounding wilderness of Hornstrandir or discover the fishing heritage of charming coastal towns.

Nicknamed the “Capital of the North,” Akureyri is set at the end of the Eyjafjördur and enjoys a mild climate, unusual for a northern city just 62 miles from the Arctic Circle. Folk culture is robust in Akureyri; the Vefarinn dance was invented here to celebrate the harvest. Other points of pride include the Public Park and Botanic Garden, where some 2,000 plant species grow, and the hilltop Akureyrarkirkja, the local church that is home to a stained glass window that originated in a church in London, England, prior to World War II.

Seydisfjördur enjoys a mountainous setting at the end of a fjord. It traces its origins to the early days of Viking settlements. Though the town is tiny, it boasts an impressive history. It hosted the world’s first modern whaling station and pioneered international communications when it welcomed the first telegraph cable, linking Iceland to Europe. Colorful wooden homes line the streets, overseen by starkly picturesque slopes and the soaring summits of Mounts Bjólfur and Strandartindur.

Djúpivogur lies on Iceland’s east coast and has been a trading center since the 16th century. The town is presided over by the towering Búlandstindur; a mountain famed in local folklore for its ability to grant wishes during the summer solstice. Dotted around the town, several cultural sights can be explored, including The Tank and the Eggs of Merry Bay . Residents here favor embracing a slower pace of life. The town has adopted the cultural trend known as “Cittaslow” which is dedicated to the promotion of sustainable living, improving the quality of life for its residents.

Heimaey is the only populated island in the Westman Islands. The scenery is stunning with its volcanic landscapes, moss-covered clifftops and picturesque homes with brightly colored rooftops. A number of breathtaking natural sights are a result of the volcanic eruption that took place here in 1973, which saw the evacuation of all 5,000 residents to the mainland. Each summer, millions of puffins pay a visit and countless other species migrate here to feed and breed. Several efforts are underway to protect the wealth of wildlife, from puffins to the gentle giants of the sea.

Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.