A journey through art, architecture, and WWII history
Voyage from Copenhagen to London along the canals and coastline of the North Sea, exploring beautiful coastal cities as well as the crucial and storied role the region has played in history. Stroll through charming, canal-side towns that sprang up along Old World trade routes. Marvel at the elaborate architecture of medieval ruling capitals and reflect at the sites of battles that helped determine the outcome of World War II. There will be time to indulge your personal interests, and you may choose to explore each site with the naturalist or historian whose background and personality matches your own. Meet the lively characters who make up the contemporary scene in towns along the way with National Geographic Explorer as your home base as you experience Europe from a unique vantage point—the sea.
Take in the stunning architecture in Lübeck, a medieval German city founded in 1143
Cruise the storybook canals of Bruges on a private boat tour
Explore Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum to see The Night Watch, perhaps the most famous of Rembrandt’s paintings
Walk in the footsteps of Allied soldiers along Omaha Beach, a WWII site that was part of the largest amphibious invasion in history
Sail past England’s otherworldly Cliffs of Dover, rising 350 feet from the sea, and navigate up the River Thames toward London
Given that we can only show you a fraction of the history and culture to be found in this diverse region, our itinerary designers have worked exceptionally hard to create revealing and enriching experiences. You’ll go with the top expedition team that has the knowledge and passion for this region that will kindle yours. Our naturalists will illuminate the geology of these rich coastlines while our historians will add insight, depth, and clarity to each of the fascinating places we explore. And as always, flexibility is a hallmark of a Lindblad-National Geographic expedition—our daily itineraries may adjust to take advantage of unique opportunities we find along the way.
Depart on an overnight flight to Copenhagen, where you’ll explore Nyhavn, the city’s 17th-century waterfront neighborhood, on a private canal boat tour before embarking National Geographic Explorer. (Day 2: L,D)
Day 3
Lübeck
Cruise up the river Trave to the beautiful medieval city of Lübeck. Once the Queen City of the Hanseatic League, Lübeck boasts beautiful brick architecture, much of which was rebuilt after WWII. Taste locally produced marzipan, and visit the incredible Holsten Gate and Hospital of the Holy Spirit—two of the many fascinating buildings to grace this lovely, picturesque town. (B,L,D)
Day 4
At Sea
Overnight and into the morning, transit the Kiel Canal, a 61-mile waterway connecting the North Sea with the Baltic. During and after breakfast, take in the beautiful views of the Schleswig-Holstein region from the ship until we reach the Brunsbüttel Lock and exit out into the North Sea to sail along the coast of mainland Europe. Unwind, head to the spa, browse the library, and hear talks from our staff. (B,L,D)
Day 5
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Cluttered with bicycles, bursting with flowers, and carved by canals, Amsterdam is a vibrant city with an arts scene that has flourished since the Middle Ages. Take in the unique character of the canal-lined streets by boat or on foot, and experience the spectacular Rijksmuseum. On a guided tour, get an insider’s view of the world’s largest collection of Dutch masters with works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and more. (B,L,D)
Day 6-7
Antwerp and Bruges
Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with Gothic architecture and serene waterways. Walk through the bustling and colorful Markt Square, and listen as the bells of the medieval bell tower toll the hour. After a walking excursion, board small boats and glide down swan-dotted canals to experience the gemlike old town from another perspective. The port city of Antwerp dates from the Middle Ages. Stroll the centuries-old diamond district; visit the Rubens House to view works by Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens; and admire the Renaissance architecture in Grote Markt. (B,L,D)
Day 8-9
Beaches and Historical Battlefields of Operation Overlord
Turn your focus toward one of the most important historical events of the 20th century as you retrace the events of D-Day with a historian. Walk in the footsteps of the Allied troops at Omaha Beach, and pay your respects at the American Cemetery. Visit the famous Pegasus Bridge across the Caen Canal, where the British 6th Airborne Division glided in to land at the very start of the Allied invasion. See the remains of Mulberry Harbor, created from partially sunken blockships to provide a safe point of entry for supplies and equipment after the initial invasion began. (B,L,D)
Day 10
Dover, England
Sail past the Cliffs of Dover, a beacon to many WWII pilots returning home from battle on the continent. Walk the wartime tunnels deep beneath Dover Castle and immerse yourself in the drama of the Dunkirk evacuation—“Operation Dynamo.” Visit Ramsgate, once the embarkation point for the 1940 evacuation, where 4,200 ships left the harbor to rescue men stranded on Dunkirk’s beaches. Overnight, navigate up the River Thames toward London. (B,L,D)
Day 11
London, U.K. / Disembark / Home
Disembark in London and transfer to Heathrow Airport for flights home. (B)
We will cover your bar tab (including alcoholic beverages aboard the ship except certain premium brands of alcohol), and all tips for the crew on all National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endurance, and National Geographic Orion voyages.
BRINGING THE KIDS
Special Offers
We believe sharing an expedition with your kids or grandkids is a life-enhancing experience. So take $500 off for each child under the age of 18.
BACK-TO-BACK SAVINGS
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Save 10% on any consecutive journeys taken on board one of our expedition ships. This savings is applicable on voyage fares only, and are not valid on extensions or airfare.
CELEBRATE LIFE'S MILESTONES
Special Offers
Join us and celebrate your great milestones, including birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, retirements, and more. Beginning in 2023, groups of 8 or more traveling together in celebration receive 5% off and a complimentary group photograph, while the cabin-of-honor receives onboard ship credit, beautiful cake, and more onboard celebrations. Milestone celebration must be communicated at time of booking. Milestone amenity package is one per group, intended for the guest celebrating the Milestone event. Group discount is applicable to cruise portion only, and does not apply towards additional services such as hotels, extensions, airfare, etc. Group cancellation terms also apply. Not combinable with certain offers.
COMBINING OFFERS
Special Offers
Certain offers may be combinable, up to two savings opportunities, except where noted otherwise. For example, travel with a group of 8 or more on back-to-back expeditions, and take advantage of both savings.
TRAVELING AS A GROUP
Special Offers
Save 5% when traveling as a group of 8 or more people. Take advantage of these great savings, while enjoying traveling with your friends and family. This savings is applicable to voyage fares only, and is not valid on extensions or airfare. Deposit, final payments, and cancellation policies for group travel vary from our regular policies.
A city of cobblestone streets, manicured gardens, and culture at every turn, Copenhagen is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It honors its past with gloriously preserved castles and historic buildings yet is paving the way for the future with sustainable, modern architecture and design. Visit the Museum of Copenhagen, a perfect overview of the city’s rich history, and walk the gilded halls of Christiansborg Palace to see treasures like tapestries that depict a millennium of Danish history. Immerse yourself in Viking lore in nearby Roskilde, situated on a picturesque fjord: visits to the Roskilde Museum and the Viking Ship Museum recount the staggering achievements of Viking Age exploration.
Today was the penultimate day of an eventful voyage, but we went out with a bang with a visit to the busy port of Dover, overlooked by a massive castle. One group left early for the Spitfire Museum at Ramsgate, just up the coast, and the key site for the evacuation of British troops in the anxious days of the Battle for France in May 1940. The same story is told in Dover Castle, or rather: underneath it. The limestone cliffs are home to a maze of tunnels, some going back to Napoleonic days, when the British thought an invasion was imminent. During World War II, it was here that Operation Dynamo, the evacuation from Dunkirk, was planned and executed. Before visiting the magnificent keep of the castle itself, we wandered through this maze. A fiery display of film and sound gave a real impression of the do-or-die atmosphere of those days, and the uncanny ability of the British to turn dismal defeat into something resembling a triumph–or at least a moment of inspiration. The keep itself is solid and imposing, but the large rooms indoors have been redecorated in a rather playful manner–one is invited to sit on a throne, as Henry II might have done (several guests obliged). The views from the roof are great; it was a bit of a hazy day, so France was not visible or, as the Brits would say, ‘The Continent was isolated.’ An ice cream van sold ‘wild strawberry and cream’ ice cream, which is about as Wimbledonian British as it gets. Very welcome, as we are continuing to enjoy really marvellous weather. By 2 AM, everybody gathered on the back deck as the Wellermen sang shanties with the legendary white cliffs as their background–on our way to the docks at Tilbury, London, the end of a great expedition.
One group drove along the beaches in the eastern Commonwealth sector, visiting memorial sites at both Juno Beach (where Canadian infantry landed) and Gold Beach (secured by the British). Juno Beach was also the location of the large artificial port known as Mulberry. In the museum at Arromanches-les-Bains, models and film footage explained the fascinating history of this extraordinary undertaking to transport a fully working harbour to Normandy and assemble it on the beaches. A technological success, Mulberry was crucial to the Allied success in the subsequent Battle of Normandy. In the American sector, one group visited the famed Pointe du Hoc, scene of one of the most famous and daring assaults on D-Day, when several companies of men scaled the cliffs to secure the gun battery above – their success a testament to their training and bravery. Both groups were able to visit more intact German coastal batteries than the one at Pointe du Hoc – at both Longues-sur-Mer at Gold Beach and Crisbecq behind Utah Beach. Built as a part of the supposedly impregnable Atlantic Wall, both were quickly silenced by naval bombardment on D-Day and captured soon after. The thick concrete walls of the gun emplacements survive of course and will for some time; silent reminders of the events of 78 years ago. Omaha Beach is perhaps the most famous of the five landing areas on D-Day. After exploring the sandy beaches in front of the steep bluffs, a more poignant visit was made to the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. The final resting place of more than nine thousand US service personnel, and home to the memorial commemorating more than one and a half thousand servicemen with no known grave, the cemetery is a moving experience that puts the historical events in Normandy into perspective. Heading north, stops were made at Utah Beach and Sainte-Mere-Eglise to discuss the actions that took place there and the role of airborne infantry, which secured ground on both flanks of the invasion area. From there it was only a short hop to Cherbourg, where National Geographic Explorer had redeployed. With a long distance across to cover, we sailed out of the impressive French harbour as soon as everyone was aboard, heading into a surprisingly peaceful English Channel and a picturesque sunset. After overnighting on the Caen Canal, today was dedicated to learning more about the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. Two tours departed National Geographic Explorer early in the morning, striking out to a range of different sites.
We sailed up the Caen Canal this morning, gliding past the Pegasus Bridge, which was the location of major military action during D Day. The original bridge, built in 1934, was replaced with a new model in the 1990s. The weather was picture perfect, the sun shining brightly down on us as we spent the morning exploring the Orne Estuary. Perhaps because of the bright sun and dry weather, we didn’t see many of the 400 species of birds that have been recorded here. But it was nice to have the opportunity to stretch our legs a bit. After a quick lunch, we split up into three groups. One headed to take a closer look at the Pegasus Bridge and to explore the fascinating Caen Memorial Museum, which documents some of the World War II events that took place there. Another group went to see the Bayeux Tapestry (technically an embroidered cloth, not a tapestry), which lays out in stunning detail the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Created just a few years after the battle occurred, this magnificent piece of art stretches over 230 feet and is a unique and unequaled historical artifact. I was assigned the tough duty of joining a small group of guests on a visit to the picturesque Pays d’Auge. Our journey took us across rolling countryside dotted by ancient farmhouses. We stopped for a stroll through the perfectly preserved town of Beuvron-an-Auge, whose 15th century timbered buildings looked like something out of a movie set in the Middle Ages. We then headed to the renowned Christian Drouin distillery, producer of some of the world’s finest calvados, an apple brandy for which this region is famous. After learning about the process of making calvados, we were given a tour of the room where the still is housed and a storeroom filled with giant barrels of aging liquor. Of course, by then we needed some refreshment. Luckily, a tasting followed, which included samples of sweet nonalcoholic apple juice, sparkling cider, a VSOP calvados aged five years and, finally, a few sips of the 18-year-old premium blend. The drinks were accompanied by a few varieties of local raw milk cheeses. After this, I was far from famished by the time dinner was served back on the ship, but somehow, I managed to find the room!
Belgian. Chocolate. Two words that are practically synonymous in our minds. Walking through the beautiful canal-crossed city of Brugge this morning, it felt like every other storefront advertised the Best Chocolate in the World. And they’re not wrong! We had a special opportunity to taste chocolate from two of them (plus a third in Brussels, shipped specially to Brugge for us) at a tasting event onboard National Geographic Explorer in the afternoon. Chocolaterie Mary is notable for several reasons. Mary herself was the first woman chocolatier in Belgium. (Mary, I salute you.) Established in 1919, this 100+ year old shop is the only artisanal chocolate supplier to the Belgian royal family. And members of the royal family each get the chance to name their favorite confection. At our tasting onboard National Geographic Explorer , we tasted the favorite of King Philippe (milk chocolate shell surrounding a dark chocolate ganache), along with several other gorgeous confections. Next on our tasting menu were three single origin chocolates (made using cocoa from just one country, to taste its particular flavor profile) from The Chocolate Brothers. Henk, who founded this company about five years ago, is one of only two bean-to-bar chocolate makers in Brugge. That means Henk starts the chocolate making process from cocoa beans, and can control the steps of roasting and conching to bring out the flavor profiles he most desires for the chocolate. We tasted his single origin bars from Cameroon, Venezuela, and Mexico, and each one had its devoted fans among our guests. Finally, we tasted two exceptional bars from MIA, which stands for Made in Africa. While the company is run out of Brussels, all MIA chocolate bars are made in Africa, in the same country where the cocoa grows. We tasted two bars made in Madagascar with Madagascar cocoa, one with the inclusion of baobab and salted nibs—delicious!
Antwerp was glittering like its famous diamonds on this gloriously sunny day. Despite the good weather, the usually busy streets of its picturesque old town were quite empty of both locals and tourists as we began our walking tour. This enabled us to take plenty of photos of the area’s many historic buildings and landmarks without having our shots dotted with random people taking selfies. Our leisurely walk brought us to the world-famous Rubens House, once the home and workshop of the legendary Flemish painter, whose voluptuous paintings led to the term “rubenesque” to describe someone pleasingly full-figured. After enjoying the museum’s impressive collection and striking architecture, we walked back to the ship for lunch, passing through the busy Bird Market where vendors were selling parakeets, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other house pets. I made the mistake of eating too much lasagna at lunch (it’s hard to resist!) as our afternoon activity was a beer tasting trip to a local pub called Beer Lover’s Bar. The multi-hour tasting was a true delight as the pub’s knowledgeable owner treated us to six ample pours of his favorite brews, accompanied by tasting plates of locally made sausage, cheese, and salami. One member of our group, a beer enthusiast to the extreme, was in seventh heaven, emptying his wallet and filling his backpack with cans to take home. After six glasses of high-octane Belgian beers, all of us were in seventh heaven as well, or at least flying high, as we cheerfully stumbled back to the ship in time for dinner. That night in the lounge, I gave an informal presentation on legends of French and Belgian popular music, playing videos of performances by Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Django Reinhardt, and other icons. Our guests sang along with the songs they knew, and I was happy to introduce them to some of my favorites that they had yet to discover. It was a joyful way to end a marvelous day in Antwerp.
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