Join this voyage from Dublin to Reykjavik as we explore Europe’s northernmost islands— Scotland's Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetlands, Denmark’s Faroes, and Iceland—a remote world known for its rugged landscapes, picturesque villages, and warm and welcoming inhabitants.

Our first of many encounters with the wonder of nature will be the famed Giant's Causeway on Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast, from where we head to the Hebrides and the ancient castles of the Isle of Skye. A day in the Scottish Highlands is followed by calls in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, where the Neolithic sites of Skara Brae and Jarlshof compete for our attention with the seabirds— guillemots, kittiwakes, and white-tailed eagles—that abound here. Some 250 miles to the northwest are the Faroes, a self-governing archipelago within the Kingdom of Denmark, known for their Viking heritage, traditional way of life, and a plethora of puffins.

On the seventh day of our voyage, we reach Iceland, where we will spend five days exploring this immensely fascinating island forged by the twin crucibles of ice and fire, and home to some of the most extraordinary geology on the planet. We will sail into magnificent fjords, encounter volcanic landscapes of lava fields and hot springs, magnificent waterfalls, and ice-capped mountains, and marvel at the thousands upon thousands of puffins, terns, and guillemots that nest here.

We are pleased to have Mary "Tolly" Boatwright P'17, Professor Emerita of Classical Studies at Duke as a guest lecturer on this program. Complementing Dr. Boatwright's lectures will be a team of naturalists and experts familiar with these islands in the North Atlantic.