Hamburg - Kiel Advent cruise North Sea: highlights of Europe in the festive season

The crowning glory of the festive season: your mind will be on Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden when cruising on the Thames. In London, Tower Bridge opens up and you sail through the Neo-Gothic monument – which is only possible on a small ship like this one.

Breathtaking Gothic churches right next to impressive skyscrapers, punks in Camden and the elegant upper class – welcome to London. This city of contrasts is a lively mosaic of history and modern, culture and pleasure: walk along the Thames and visit Borough Market, a place where scents from all around the world tempt curious explorers. In Soho, you will find lively bars and street music, while the heavens above the pubs in Camden are full of faces that will never grow old. But in December, the metropolis is surprisingly cosy, with Christmas markets and the huge Christmas tree in Covent Garden as well as elaborate light installations and shop windows in department stores such as a Harrods. Enjoy the diversity and charm of London at your leisure until the evening – your ship will stay overnight.

Narrow streets, historic guild houses, Flemish specialities and trendy galleries make Antwerp an exciting cultural adventure. Here, enjoyment, culture and festive cheer blend harmoniously to create a cosy, elegant Christmas atmosphere. Antwerp has been a global centre of the diamond trade and industry since the 15th century. Dazzling artistic highlights on your city tour are provided by the Grote Markt and the Gothic Church of Our Lady, and especially by Peter Paul Rubens: Antwerp is inextricably associated with the Baroque artist, who lived and worked here in the 16th and 17th centuries. At the time, his studio was one of the biggest and most successful in the world. His former home and studio, Rubens House, is now a museum celebrating the life and works of the artist. Together with your experts on board, discover Antwerp as a centre of artistic achievement. Your experts will explain how important the estuaries on the North Sea coast are in modern times as you cruise in the Westerschelde.

Tranquil and vibrant, old and new, picturesque and daring – the canal city of Amsterdam is a unique celebration of contrasts. Discover the jewel of the Netherlands on a city walk with your experts or completely at your own pace. Only by wandering through the narrow streets will you notice the elegance of the gabled houses, the heron on a houseboat or a hidden inner courtyard known as a “hofje”. Take a journey back in time through the historic ages, past the Westernkirk (western church), the Anne Frank Museum and the Royal Palace. Cultural insights await when you follow in the footsteps of the legendary painter in the Van Gogh Museum*. Fairy lights and illuminated facades, the aromas of poffertjes and mulled wine create an atmospheric ambience as you go exploring. Take in the avant-garde former workers’ district in the north of the city – now a “creative hub” with houseboat galleries and trendy restaurants. 

Oslo, the oldest Scandinavian capital, lies nestled amidst the Norwegian winter wonderland. Approaching the city through the Oslo Fjord is itself already a sight to behold. Scenic bays, fishing villages and small islands glide past you. The landscape and city life provided subject matter for the famous Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, who spent his youth and the last years of his life here. See the quality of life here for yourself when you explore the city centre on foot from the ship – perhaps with a visit to the Munch museum. Trace the footsteps of Norwegian explorers and see fascinating items from seafaring history, such as Roald Amundsen’s polar ship, on the Bygdoy museum island. In the festive season, the city glows with warm lights and the Jul i Vinterland Christmas market in the heart of Oslo attracts visitors with glogg, handicrafts and an ice rink. When snowflakes fall softly on the Oslofjord, your Scandinavian fairy tale is complete.

A visit to Copenhagen is on every culture lover’s wish list. Outside of peak season without all the crowds, your eyes will light up in this major Scandinavian city. With the Little Mermaid, the city’s tiny landmark at 125 cm (50 in.) tall, and Amalienborg Palace, your individual discoveries will be like something out of a fairy tale. The illuminated Tivoli Gardens and the picturesque harbour district of Nyhavn will ensure that typical feeling of hygge. They say that the Danes are the happiest people in the world – in any case, this fun-loving city with its intoxicating atmosphere is sure to draw you under its spell.