21-Day Gems Of The Baltic & The National Trust

Amsterdam: A good time! That’s what you’ll have in this beautiful capital of the Netherlands, which feels at once like a 17-century city and a bustling modern metropolis. Famous for its canals and extraordinary museums, Amsterdam is also an intimate city with strangely alluring streets and squares.

Originally called the “Venice of Scandinavia”, Arendal is built on seven islands surrounded by a network of canals. It is a small town on the south coast of Norway. Extremely picturesque at the coast during summer, inland, you’ll find lakes, mountains, rivers and forests that offer their own type of recreation.

Located in eastern Northern Ireland on Belfast Lough, an inlet of the north channel of the Irish Sea, Belfast is the capital and largest city in the country.

Elegant is the word that will come to mind.

As you take in the Danish capital’s rich history and traditions. With castles and crown jewels, galleries and museums, cathedrals and canals, the sightseeing ranks among the best in Europe.

The Strøget is a series of pedestrian-only streets which make strolling and shopping a pleasure. And be sure to visit Tivoli, a unique combination of picture-perfect flower gardens, lakes, theaters and restaurants with more than 100,000 colored lights.

The world renowned stunning “White Cliffs” of Dover were made even more famous in a song. Today, over 20 million people a year pass through Dover, mostly on there way to France, Belgium or London. Dover dates back more than 4,000 years and the city is rich in history and places of interest. From Dover Castle, perched on the white cliffs, to the Church of St. Mary the Virgin consecrated in 1253, Dover is not a town to just “pass through”.

Edinburgh, (èd´n-bûr´e) capital city (1991 pop. 421,213) of Scotland and royal burgh. The city is divided into two sections: the Old Town, on the slope of Castle Rock, dates from the 11th century; the New Town spread to the north in the late 18th cent. Edinburgh is a government, finance, and tourist center. Most industry, which includes brewing and distilling, publishing, and paper milling, is situated near the city’s port, Leith. Edinburgh grew up around its 11th-century castle and became Scotland’s capital in 1437. It blossomed as a cultural center in the 18th and 19th century, with such figures as David Hume, Robert Burns, and Sir Walter Scott. It remains a cultural and educational hub and hosts an annual international arts festival.

Fishguard is a small fishing village and ferry port that many people will see only when passing through on their way to Britain or Ireland. The main South Britain ferry service runs to Rosslare, Ireland. Fishguard is still a lovely village offering many restaurants, cafes and beds for weary travelers.

Gothenburg, also known as Goteborg, is the largest port in Sweden and its second-largest city. Located on Sweden’s southwest corner, it is known as the home of the Volvo Group, the Gothernburg Film Festival, the Liseberg amusement park, a variety of music festivals, and much more.

Gothenburg is served by Göteborg Landvetter Airport, Sweden’s second-largest airport and the only commercial passenger airport in the city.

Newcastle is the capital of the Hunter Valley Region, in New South Wales. Located on the east coast of Australia, the Hunter Region encompasses a land area of approximately 31,000 square kilometres and a resident population of around 544,000 people. Newcastle’s population is estimated at 132,000 people. Getting to and from Newcastle is simple. From Sydney, it is a comfortable 2 hour drive (Sydney is 171 kilometres to the south); 30 minutes by air and two hours by passenger train (there is a regular hourly service). There are also direct flights from Brisbane and Canberra. Newcastle is the gateway to the Hunter Valley and is now a very different place to the time when steel and coal industries were the main source of employment. Long gone are the smoky grey industrial images – they have been replaced with elegantly restored historic buildings; picturesque parks and gardens; an extensive selection of restaurants boasting cuisine from around the world; and the natural beauty of its white sandy beaches and harbour. There is a wide selection of magnificent art galleries and museums; nightclubs and eateries; and extensive shopping facilities. The long list of natural attractions
within easy access of the city includes everything from wilderness areas, rainforests and beaches to world famous vineyards. The green rolling hills of Australia’s oldest winemaking region are studded with restaurants, guest houses, and of course, the vineyards where more than twenty varieties of grape ripen slowly in the warm summer sunshine to produce some of Australia’s finest wines. Lakes, beaches, rivers and bays, combine with lush countryside to make the Hunter
region surrounding Newcastle almost unlimited in its appeal.

Ullapool is a village in the Scottish Highlands about 65 miles north-west of Inverness. Ullapool is known for the progressive, ecologically sound practices of its inhabitants and is the center for the Highland Environment Centre; a project of the Highland Eco Trust.