From Scenic Fjords to Arctic Ice: The Ultimate Northern Journey

Dover→Longyearbyen

09.06.28 - 21.06.28

D1528060912SH DIANA

Ports11

Countries2

Nights12

Embark on a journey from the English Channel to the edge of the polar world — where Norway's celebrated fjords and island landscapes give way to the raw, unpredictable wilderness of Svalbard, one of the most remote archipelagos on earth

Day-by-Day Itinerary

This voyage runs from the English Channel to the high Arctic, moving through some of Norway's most dramatic coastal scenery before crossing into Svalbard for expedition landings in one of the least visited wilderness areas in Europe. The further north the ship travels, the more the experience shifts — from fjord towns and cultural heritage to open tundra, glaciers and unpredictable wildlife encounters

NOTE: This itinerary provides general information about each destination. Also, please be aware that some of the venues and highlights mentioned may not be open or accessible on the day we visit. For the most accurate tour program, we recommend contacting your Swan Hellenic agent or travel agent closer to your departure date.

Overview

Day 1. Dover

Gateway to the English Channel and one of Britain's most historically significant port towns, Dover has stood at the crossroads of European history for millennia. The iconic White Cliffs — formed from chalk laid down over 70 million years ago — define the coastline and have served as a landmark for sailors and travelers across the centuries. Dover Castle, perched high above the town, dates back over two thousand years — from Iron Age earthworks to Cold War tunnels — and stands as one of the most historically layered sites on the English coast. The town itself retains the character of a working port, with the bustle of the harbor framing your departure toward the Norwegian coast

Day 2. At sea

Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers

Day 3. Mandal

The southernmost town in Norway has a curving 1 km, grassy dune-backed beach, Sea Sand, one of seven beaches in Furulunden forest park. Sea Sand is only one of the calm, beautiful hideaways surrounding this charming town of white-painted buildings at the mouth of the river Mandalselva. The snaking waterway is filled with sailboats while gentle hills rise as a backdrop. Mandal also has the largest wooden church in Norway, seating 1,800 people

Day 4. Bergen

The magnificent gateway to the fjords, Bergen is a medieval port surrounded by mountains. From the beauty of Bryggen, the seafront maze of ancient timber buildings, to the modern Fløibanen Funicular that soars up Fløyen peak, no one would want to miss this city. Other highlights are the aquarium, the KODE art museum encompassing Norway’s Edvard Munch, as well as Picasso, while outside town is composer Edvard Grieg’s enchanting house

Day 5. Flam

Capital of the fjords, the village of Flåm is unmissable. It sits at the end of Aurlandsfjord, a branch of huge Sognefjord which, at 204 km, is Norway’s longest. The 650 m-high Stegastein viewing platform shows the area, a world of waterfalls and towering rock faces, in all its glory. The picturesque Flåm Railway is one of the world’s steepest rides and at 20km long it's also one of the most spectacular train journeys

Day 5. Vik

Nestled at the innermost point of the Sognefjord — the longest and deepest fjord in Norway — Vik is a small village that punches well above its size in terms of scenery and heritage. The surrounding mountains rise steeply from the water's edge, creating one of the most dramatic landscapes on the entire fjord. The village is home to Hopperstad Stave Church, one of the best-preserved medieval stave churches in Norway, dating back to around 1130. Quiet, unhurried and genuinely off the beaten track, Vik offers a window into traditional Norwegian rural life against some of the most dramatic fjord scenery in the country

Day 6. Geiranger

Geiranger is a small village at the head of Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO heritage site for its staggering mix of snow-capped peaks, clear blue waters, lush greenery, and magnificent waterfalls. The mighty Seven Sisters are a series of seven waterfalls cascading down a steep cliff face. The 1,500 m Geiranger Skywalk at Dalsnibba offers panoramic vistas. In Geiranger, the Norwegian Fjord Centre is the visitor and education hub of the fjord region

Day 7. At sea

Day 8. Leknes, Lofoten

In the Lofoten Islands, Leknes, the main town on Vestvågøya island above the Arctic Circle, is nestled on the bay-like Buksnesfjorden. The surreal landscape features red-painted houses against craggy, mountainous isles. In summer, the white sand beaches resemble the South Seas, while the region experiences almost two months of the Midnight Sun

Day 8. Cruising Trollfjorden

Trollfjorden is unbelievable. A 100m-wide entrance to a narrow fjord with near-vertical mountainous sides up to 1,100 m high, the passage slices through Austvågøya, on the edge of the Lofoten Islands. As the ship enters the fjord, the silence is only broken by the gentle sound of the ship's engines and the occasional cry of a white-tailed eagle soaring overhead. At the end of the fjord, the ship slowly spins, offering a final captivating view

Day 9. Harstad

Harstad is the largest town in the Troms region of northern Norway and serves as a practical and cultural hub for the surrounding archipelago. Unlike many Norwegian towns, Harstad was spared significant destruction during World War II, leaving its early 20th-century architecture largely intact — a rarity in the north. The town sits at the northern tip of Hinnøya, the largest island in Norway, surrounded by a rugged landscape of mountains, fjords and open sea. The medieval Trondenes Church, dating from the 13th century and one of the northernmost medieval stone churches in the world, stands just outside the town and remains in active use to this day

Day 10. Bear Island

The greatest bird cliff in the Barents Sea is on Bear Island, or Bjørnøya, Svalbard’s southernmost island. Atlantic puffins, northern gannets, glaucous gulls, great skuas, black-legged kittiwakes, little auks, common guillemots, and Brünnich's guillemots, nest on the steep cliffs near Kapp Kolthoff, south of Sørhamna. The ocean has sculpted sea stack rock columns, sea caves and tunnels, with a notable tunnel at Perleporten

Days 11-12. Svalbard

Svalbard is the kingdom of the polar bears, deep in the Arctic Circle, featuring varied polar landscapes and gargantuan glaciers. Beyond magnificent fjords in the north, the remaining sea ice serves as prime hunting grounds for polar bears. Closer to Longyearbyen, tundra and beaches replace snow and ice. Alongside 600 polar bears, this Arctic hotspot is home to walrus, Svalbard reindeer, ringed seals and arctic fox

Day 13. Longyearbyen

The world's most northerly town, Longyearbyen, on Spitsbergen, Svalbard's largest island, also claims the most northerly high street and pub. It's home to The North Pole Expeditions Museum chronicling early pole-reaching efforts by air. Arctic waters around are populated by whales, including bowheads and narwhals, while walruses are regularly seen hauling out