Europe & British Isles Expeditions

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Expertly crafted coastal European adventures

On Europe's coastlines, captivating seafronts hold little-known wonders, from ancient basalt sea caves to centuries-old monastic settlements and marine reserves teeming with life. Sailing these shores is an invitation to discover both the iconic and unfamiliar—and to gain unique perspectives on the threads that connect histories and cultures across this diverse continent. Step aboard one of our small ships and sail deftly among windswept archipelagos, through historic canals, and into open water, seeing Europe’s seascapes through the eyes of the explorers who came before and discovering new perspectives on timeless treasures.

Europe & British Isles

Ancient Isles: England, Ireland, and Scotland

Special Offers

Duration

16 days

Jun
Jul

From

$17,770

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Europe & British Isles

Ancient Isles: England, Ireland, and Scotland

Duration

16 days

Jun
Jul

From

$17,770

Top Highlights

Trace a maritime thread around the isles, exploring the wild and beautiful places where Celtic and Viking influences still thrive in local languages and customs
Sail around magical Skellig Michael, which is crowned with a seventh-century beehive monastery
See the stunning 12th-century Iona Abbey, and Zodiac into Fingal’s Cave in Scotland
Explore wild, windswept outer isles; search for whales, dolphins, and seals; and see vast, important seabird nesting sites
Extend your voyage: discover the seaport town of Bergen on a pre-voyage extension, and explore London or the Scottish Highlands on a post-voyage extension

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Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

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Europe & British Isles

New and Noteworthy

New Barcelona to Basque Country: Tracing History & Culture on the Iberian Peninsula

Special Offers

Duration

13 days

Apr

From

$22,020

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Europe & British Isles

New and Noteworthy

New Barcelona to Basque Country: Tracing History & Culture on the Iberian Peninsula

Duration

13 days

Apr

From

$22,020

Top Highlights

Encounter an array of architectural marvels, from the Alhambra in Granada to Lisbon’s 16th-century Jerónimos Monastery, and Frank Gehry’s titanium-clad Guggenheim in Bilbao, and capture your best photos alongside a National Geographic photography expert
Explore seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Seville’s Alcázar palace, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Tower of Belém in Lisbon, and Porto’s old city
Learn how cork oak is harvested in the orchards of the Algarve, and collect mussels with local fisherman in Galicia
Experience Basque country in the music and culture of northern Spain and the markets of southwest France
Discover the works of renowned artists including Mark Rothko, Jeff Koons, and Richard Serra on a private tour of the Guggenheim in Bilbao

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Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

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Europe & British Isles

Circumnavigating the Baltic Sea

Special Offers

Duration

16 days

May

From

$19,090

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Europe & British Isles

Circumnavigating the Baltic Sea

Duration

16 days

May

From

$19,090

Top Highlights

Explore round churches and charming fishing villages on the Danish islands of Christiansø and Bornholm alongside our National Geographic Photography Expert
Discover UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Hanseatic trade center of Visby and the Old Towns of Riga and Tallinn
Explore Neolithic sites on the Swedish island of Öland, and discover the unusual culture of Finland’s Åland Islands, an autonomous, Swedish-speaking region
Delve into the captivating cities of Stockholm and Helsinki, discovering their timeless Old Towns as well as their flourishing contemporary culture
Get immersed in the local cultures through musical performances curated by our ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar

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Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

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Europe & British Isles

New and Noteworthy

New Coastal Powers of the North Sea: Medieval Capitals and Vibrant Cultures

Special Offers

Duration

11 days

Jul

From

$10,990

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Europe & British Isles

New and Noteworthy

New Coastal Powers of the North Sea: Medieval Capitals and Vibrant Cultures

Duration

11 days

Jul

From

$10,990

Top Highlights

Dive into the multi-layered pasts of countries bordering the North Sea: Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France—and learn how these independent nations have been linked over time through trade, economics, culture, and politics
Capture your best photographs alongside a National Geographic photography expert as you explore UNESCO-designated Old Towns including Bryggen, Speicherstadt, and Lübeck
Venture out of Amsterdam to the Delta Works project of Neeltje Jans to witness the incredible feat of engineering of the storm surge barrier protecting the Low Countries
With the knowledge of our historians, naturalists, and local experts, experience life in major cities and coastal towns, taste culinary specialties, and see some of this region’s biodiversity

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Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

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Expedition Highlights

Explore your way, every day, using first-rate exploration tools such as kayaks and Zodiacs to see Europe’s shorelines up close and at water level. The special experience we arrange on shore with local experts foster authentic connections to the continent’s modern-day cultures, while the team at the helm of each expedition—from cultural experts to historians—offers expert insights into Europe’s past to help illuminate her present.

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Exploring Europe Through Music

Music encodes the spirit of place, evoking powerful emotions and opening a doorway into the destinations we visit. In Europe, Jacob Edgar, our talented ethnomusicologist, curates exclusive, one-of-a-kind musical performances both on board and on land—from a stirring choral ensemble in Visby’s grand ruins to the Wellerman’s rhythmic sea shanty serenade en route to London. Enjoy a preview of these soulful European sounds.

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Follow Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic on Spotify or Apple Music to find Europe playlists specially curated by Jacob Edgar.

Expedition Leader

Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.

Naturalist

Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.

Cultural Specialists

Our cultural specialists are experts in their fields and further illuminate local life. They are chosen not just for their academic background, but for their ability to enable an authentic connection to the people our guests meet along their journey.

Historian

Our historians will share the stories, tumults, and triumphs of the people and places we explore. Their colorful personalities and passion for history, from the minutiae to the big picture, make them engaging travel tour guides and companions.

National Geographic Photography Expert

Travel and shoot with a bona fide National Geographic photography expert. These trop pros are at your side and at your service—providing advice, inspiration, tips, and slideshows. Access to photographers of this caliber will help you improve your skills and ensure you'll go home with incredible photos.

Certified Photo Instructor

Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition, and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.

Wellness Specialist

Greet the morning with a prebreakfast stretching session led by your wellness specialist on the stern deck. Or sleep in and take advantage of the state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio. Your wellness specialist will offer massage therapy and body treatments.

Undersea Specialist

Because the ocean is vital to the regions we visit, we help you explore it. Our exclusive undersea program is a pioneering expedition feature, designed to enrich your experience and aid your understanding of the region you’re exploring—given the importance of the ocean to life on the planet.

Expedition Stories

A view of the memorial sculpture at Omaha Beach

Prehistoric Site Ring of Brodgar on Orkney Island

Embark on an Expertly Crafted Small Ship European Adventure

If you only focused your explorations in the heart of Europe in highly trafficked locales, you would be missing out on a host of extraordinary experiences. On the fringes of the continent, little-known wonders are waiting along captivating seafronts.

Life Aboard

There’s no need to dress up; life aboard is casual all the way. There’s no assigned seating in the dining room. In fact, many tables accommodate uneven numbers, making for easy mingling and the fun of sharing breakfast, lunch, or dinner with different new friends, staff, or guest speakers.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

6/30/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

Lerwick, Shetlands

The fog silently rolled in overnight, and early risers awoke to a quiet and very still morning. As we set off on our bus tours and ventured the length and breadth of these stunning Islands, the Shetlands became increasingly ethereal in appearance. At the southernmost end of Shetland, we visited Sumburgh Head and its fabulous cliffs of seabirds, owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Here we got super close to puffins, the stars of the show. Later in the morning, we headed to Jarlshof, a prehistoric and Norse settlement to discover 4,000 years of Shetland’s history.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/29/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

Unst and Lerwick, Shetlands

This morning we arrived to Unst, which is about 200 miles west of Norway and the most northerly island of the Shetlands and all the British Isles. Dozens of Viking longhouses have been found here; we were able to see replicas of a Viking ship and a Viking longhouse. While many of us had a tour of Unst’s highlights, another group went birdwatching in Hermaness National Nature Reserve.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/28/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

Foula and Mousa Isles

Today we got to visit two very special places in the Shetland Islands, Foula and Mousa. On Foula, a small group of people live a bucolic lifestyle. They are isolated from the world and dependent on the ferry or a small airplane to provide them with the necessities of life that they cannot grow, raise, or fish for themselves. The second Island, Mousa, is the site of a Neolithic broch used in the Iron Age and dated at 300 BC. Brochs are found only in Scotland, and this is the best-preserved broch in the country.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/27/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

Orkney

Kirkwall, the capital city of Orkney, was sparkling in warm sunshine this morning. We dispersed for different walks, some to photograph the winding streets and charming gardens of the town, some to look for birds in the Orcadian countryside, and others to stroll the town and learn something of its history. Tales were told of pirates, press-gangs, wicked earls, and Norse saints. We learnt of the origins of Kirkwall with the building of St. Magnus’s, Orkney’s great Norse cathedral begun in 1137, a stunning Romanesque and Gothic edifice in red and yellow sandstone. At this time, Orkney was still part of the Scandinavian world, remaining so until the 15th century when it passed to the Scottish Crown. Scapa Flow, the world’s second largest natural harbor, housed the British fleet in both world wars, and some guests took a brisk walk to explore the dramatic events with the scuppering of the German fleet in June 1919 and the sinking of the Royal Oak, the Royal Navy’s flagship, in October 1939. The neolithic heart of Orkney, UNESCO World Heritage inscribed, abounds in monumental archaeological sites. Skara Brae is a remarkably intact village that was exposed by a storm in 1850. Its stone houses survive, complete with stone furniture, including beds, dressers, and hearths. These houses were inhabited by Stone Age farming people for 600 years between 3100 BC and 2500 BC. The contemporary Ring of Brodgar originally comprised 60 standing stones in a wide circle within a henge defined by a deep rock-cut ditch, part of a complex of monuments that dominate the landscape in this part of Orkney. The nature and wildlife of Orkney are just as spectacular. Rich soils produce wildflower meadows full of orchids, the shores are abundant with mute swans and oystercatchers, and the air is filled with the singing of larks.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/26/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

Fowey

One of the greatest things about a Lindblad Expedition is that even when weather prevents you from doing a planned excursion, it never means doing nothing for the day. In true expedition style, it means exploring the possibilities and figuring out an incredible plan B. Today was one of those days. Even though our initial plans were cancelled by weather, the day turned into an incredible adventure and in my mind, it was one of the best days of the expedition so far. We started early with a visit to Stac Lee, a sea stack with hundreds of thousands of gannets nesting on the island. It hosts the largest gannet colony in Scotland. When our planned visit to St. Kilda was cancelled, we set off to the Isle of Lewis to visit the Stones of Callanish, a spectacular megalithic monument dating back to 3000 BC.

When you arrive at climactic points along the way, you'll get there by the grandest of front doors—the sea. This is how people through history came and went, and consequently, Europe’s ports are hubs of vibrance and in many cases, remarkable beauty.

Sven-Olof Lindblad

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

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Europe & British Isles

Europe 2023-24

2023-2024 Voyages

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