A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and inviting place for people of all stripes. Visitors are naturally drawn to the historic city center where you’ll find some of the world’s top art museums, including the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And at Dam Square, the Amsterdam’s largest public square, you can tour the Royal Palace before continuing to the tourist attractions on the Canal Belt. The iconic network of waterways that surrounds the downtown area offers a picturesque backdrop for sightseeing by bike or canal boat. Be sure to visit the floating Bloemenmarkt to peruse famed Dutch tulips, and take time to wander and window-shop among the narrow lanes of de Jordaan. And you won’t have to look far in Amsterdam to find delicious Dutch treats along the way. Just duck into a cozy brown café to sample a plate of bitterballen with mustard and a beer, and grab a gooey sweet stroopwafel from a street vendor as you stroll.

At the head of Oslofjord, Norway’s handsome capital is the logical first stop in Scandinavia. Thor Heyerdahl’s raft, Kon Tiki, recalls a voyage between Easter Island and Tahiti to prove a theory about the earliest colonization of Oceania. Watch the changing of the palace guard; ferry to the open-air Folke Museum with its 12th-century stave church

One of southern Norway’s most picturesque attractions. Take a walk among the white wooden houses, or visit the variety of shops. You’ll discover the town’s interesting geometric layout designed during the Renaissance.

Stroll cobbled lanes in the Old Quarter, restored thanks to North Sea oil money. Feeling fearless? Cruise Lysefjord to sail under Prekestolen (Pulpit Rock), a huge cube that looms 1500 feet above your boat.

Flåm’s villages and farms perch on steep slopes above gleaming waterways. Sample shore excursion: The Flam Railway.

A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and inviting place for people of all stripes. Visitors are naturally drawn to the historic city center where you’ll find some of the world’s top art museums, including the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And at Dam Square, the Amsterdam’s largest public square, you can tour the Royal Palace before continuing to the tourist attractions on the Canal Belt. The iconic network of waterways that surrounds the downtown area offers a picturesque backdrop for sightseeing by bike or canal boat. Be sure to visit the floating Bloemenmarkt to peruse famed Dutch tulips, and take time to wander and window-shop among the narrow lanes of de Jordaan. And you won’t have to look far in Amsterdam to find delicious Dutch treats along the way. Just duck into a cozy brown café to sample a plate of bitterballen with mustard and a beer, and grab a gooey sweet stroopwafel from a street vendor as you stroll.

Beautiful Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, is one of the most popular ports of call on a cruise up the fjords. Step off the ship into the medieval Bryggen wharf area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, where small boats line the harbor and wooden gabled buildings stand proud along the waterfront. Bergen’s rich maritime tradition goes back nearly 1,000 years, including the years the town played an important part in the Hanseatic League, the trading empire that dominated maritime commerce in the region between the 14th and 18th centuries. The city is one of Europe’s oldest settlements, and its cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways lead to emerald-green parks, medieval cathedrals and stone fortresses that kept enemies at bay centuries ago. It’s also eminently walkable, with historic buildings and excellent markets selling everything from fish and produce to trinkets and souvenirs. Surrounded by mountains and thick forest, and sitting halfway between Geiranger to the north and Stavanger to the south, Bergen offers plenty to do outside the city too. Whether you sign up for a guided excursion or venture out on your own, you’ll be sure to fall in love with Bergen.

The Molde area is rich in scenic attractions, including the Trollstigen Mountain Road, the Atlantic Road, and the 222 mountain peaks of Molde Panorama that offer exceptional vistas for photographers to capture. Go for a hike, explore the local caves, or stay in town and enjoy the excellent shopping and dining that Molde has to offer.

Often described as the capital of north Iceland, the country’s second-largest city is both vibrant and pretty, and serves as an ideal hub for exploring the incredible landscape that surrounds it. Located at the head of a 60-kilometer fjord—the country’s longest—and surrounded by snow-streaked mountains, Akureyri was originally settled in the 9th century and was first officially mentioned as a city in the 16th century. Today it boasts a population of around 17,000, a scenic harbor and an array of interesting shops, buzzy cafés and upscale restaurants. Its main sights include the Akureyri Church, a wonderful botanical garden (founded in 1912) and the fascinating Akureyri Museum. From here it’s possible to explore some of the country’s most memorable landscapes, starting with Akureyri’s own fjord, Eyjafjörður, where you’ll find several museums (including the Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum), fishing villages like Grenivík and plenty of dramatic mountain scenery. Farther afield are the island of Grímsey, the volcanic wonderland of Lake Mývatn and a whole host of waterfalls, gorges, churches and saga sites.

Bordered on three sides by dramatic mountains that form a natural harbor, the idyllic town of Ísafjörður—population 2,600—serves as a charming exploration hub for the surrounding Westfjords peninsula. Settled since the 16th century, and traditionally dependent on fishing as its main source of income, its streets are today lined with old wooden houses interspersed with occasional shops, restaurants and cafés. Despite its low-key atmosphere, Ísafjörður offers plenty to do, from visiting local museums and enjoying a game of golf, to hiking, biking and kayaking around the town and harbor. The town also hosts several notable events, such as Iceland’s oldest cross-country ski race, the mud-football European Championships and a classical music festival, Við Djúpið. The rugged and remote Westfjords offer many more attractions. A daily summer ferry transports visitors to the scenic Hornstrandir Nature Reserve and to Vigur, an island that’s home to many protected bird populations. Follow the region’s striking coastline and you’ll find snow-streaked mountains, waterfalls and beaches.

See dramatic evidence of Iceland’s volcanic origins: geysers, hotsprings, vast fields of cooled lava. Swim in the naturally-warmed Blue Lagoon.

See dramatic evidence of Iceland’s volcanic origins: geysers, hotsprings, vast fields of cooled lava. Swim in the naturally-warmed Blue Lagoon.

The countryside is laced with lakes and vast peat bogs. Pause in the Tingwall valley to see the petite Shetland ponies; explore Jarlshof’s Stone, Bronze and Iron age ruins; take a ferry to Mousa to see the 200-year-old “broch,” or castle.

The skirl of Highland bagpipes calls you ashore. Go in search of your clan tartan, and “Nessie,” the spurious monster often sighted in Loch Ness.

Your jumping-off point for the highlights of Edinburgh, including historic Edinburgh Castle, housing the Scottish crown jewels and the palace that was once home to Mary Queen of Scots.

A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and inviting place for people of all stripes. Visitors are naturally drawn to the historic city center where you’ll find some of the world’s top art museums, including the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And at Dam Square, the Amsterdam’s largest public square, you can tour the Royal Palace before continuing to the tourist attractions on the Canal Belt. The iconic network of waterways that surrounds the downtown area offers a picturesque backdrop for sightseeing by bike or canal boat. Be sure to visit the floating Bloemenmarkt to peruse famed Dutch tulips, and take time to wander and window-shop among the narrow lanes of de Jordaan. And you won’t have to look far in Amsterdam to find delicious Dutch treats along the way. Just duck into a cozy brown café to sample a plate of bitterballen with mustard and a beer, and grab a gooey sweet stroopwafel from a street vendor as you stroll.