On the edge of the Arctic, between vast glaciers, vertiginous fjords, volcanoes and boiling geysers, Iceland offers a kaleidoscope of wild and romantic landscapes.
Join your luxury ship in Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital city. With its houses with colourful roofs and its lake that is home to countless ducks, the city offers a picture-postcard setting. It also boasts numerous cultural treasures, particularly in the field of contemporary art, with the Reykjavik Art Museum. The first port of call on your cruise: the bay of Grundarfjordur, right near Kirkjufell. This stunning cone-shaped mountain possesses a unique charm and this will be an opportunity to take some beautiful photos.
Cruise on to Grimsey, a small, hard-to-reach island where, in certain places, the volcanic rock forms magnificent basalt columns. Birds such as guillemots and puffins reign here. Finally, discover Heimaey. This is the only inhabited island in the Westman archipelago. It is an exceptional place composed of volcanoes and almost-desert landscapes, where fishing is the main food source.
CP780 Operated by Ponant Luxury and Expedition
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Icelandic Mosaic
Day 1 - Reykjavik (Iceland)
Embark your ship in Reykjavik
Day 2 - Grundarfjordur
Arrive in Grundarfjordur around midday. This secret hideaway is located at the foot of the Kirkjufell, on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Get a closer look at the lava-stone rock standing at the entrance to the bay, which Grundarfjordur lies behind. Nearby is Breifdajordur with its scattered emerald-coloured lawns and buildings merging into the countryside. There are two possible optional excursion today: the Snaefellsnes Peninsula excursion or the Whale Watching excursion.
Day 3 - Grimsey
Arrive early afternoon in Grimsey, the northernmost island of Iceland, surging from the Arctic ocean and with the Arctic Circle running through the island. From Grimseyjarhreppur, the island's only town located on the West Coast, you can head south to take in the beauty of the hillsides or see the basalt cliffs inhabited by sea birds.
Day 4 - Akureyri
The elegant city of Akureyri is located very close to the Arctic Circle, tucked away in the Eyjafjordur fjord. It displays a stunning palette of colours: blue waters in the harbour, bronze mountain ash on the squares and brightly-coloured houses in the historical centre. As you walk along the cobbled streets, you’ll come across rows of terraces with wooden furniture. A vast stairway cut into the hillside leads up to the emblematic feature of the town, namely the Akureyrarkirkja church. The very beautiful botanical garden made possible by a microclimate offers the opportunity to discover the Icelandic flora as well as plants from all over the world. There are two optional excursions today: the Godafoss and Akureyri excursion or the Discover Lake Myvatn excursion.
Day 5 - Isafjordur
Cruise to the heart of the fjords of North-West Iceland, a wild land of lost valleys and steep cliffs, where man struggles to survive. In this very isolated region we find the Isafjordur fjord, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the country, mainly for its relief, forged by many very ancient basaltic flows. The town of Isafjordur, which nestles at the back of its fjord, between imposing mountains, is a delightful little town that lives exclusively from fishing. The capital of the Western fjords, its old wooden houses bear witness to its past as a major fishing port. There are two optional excursion today: the Maritime, Culture and Traditions excursion or the Icelandic Encounters excursion.
Day 6 - Heimaey
This land seated off the southern coast of Iceland is the largest of the Vestmann islands, and is the only inhabited island in the archipelago. The steep Edfell volcanoes and the green prairies of Herjolfsdalur offer rich contrast of nature. On the Storhofdi road, look out over grey sand beaches and cliffs carved out by the Arctic ocean. From here, you can also see the bronze landscapes of the mountaintops. You could visit Eldheimar, an ultra-modern and interactive museum which traces the volcanic eruption has experienced Heimaey in 1973. There is one optional excursion today: Circumnavigation of Heimaey
Day 7 - Reykjavik
Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on Oskjuhlid hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrimskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skolavordustigur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon. Today there is an optional Golden Circle excursion.
Day 8 - Reykjavik
Disembark after breakfast
For navigational reasons the Captain of the ship reserves the right to modify the cruise itinerary.