Uncover new perspectives when you set off on a cultural expedition of Iceland and Norway with Atlas Ocean Voyages. Discover Iceland’s literary heritage, engaging music scene, art galleries and museums, as well as traditional crafts such as weaving, silversmithing, and wood carving. Reflect on Norway’s rich heritage of arts and crafts, textiles and jewellery. Enjoy a unique mix of local engagements and immersions while admiring vibrant landmarks, landscapes and awe-inspiring wildlife. On board seminars and demonstrations from lecturers, historians, photographers and other experts enhance your journey and bring you closer to understanding these captivating destinations, their history and culture.
Throughout your voyage, your days at sea and nights between explorations ashore are spent in Atlas’ refined luxury with attentive service aboard an intimate yacht carrying just under 200 guests. Enjoy the ship’s relaxed atmosphere and reflect on your day’s experiences with your fellow explorers as the anticipation builds for what tomorrow will bring.
When you choose the Atlas experience, you choose expeditions where thoughtful details are carefully considered and always included. From dining venues with ever-changing menus; unlimited beverages, including fine wines, spirits and craft beer; specialty coffees; 24-hour room service; to cultural immersions; enrichment lectures; shore landings led by expert guides; use of walking sticks and binoculars as well as pre-paid gratuities and so much more.
After your first expedition with Atlas Ocean Voyages, you are automatically enrolled in the Atlas Yacht Club and join a community of like-minded explorers. As a member of the club, you will enjoy exclusive benefits such as special offers and savings, shipboard credits, private cocktail receptions with Senior Officers and many more rewards.
Consider joining the 2024 Inaugural Atlas Yacht Club Expedition Journey into the Fjords departing Reykjavik on July 12, 2024 aboard the World Navigator. Spend 11-nights exploring the magnificent waterfalls and mountains of Iceland, experience the age-old Icelandic tradition of bathing in the natural geothermal Vök baths on the bank of Urriðavatn lake, Norway’s breathtaking façade of Ålesund’s Trollveggen, the Troll Wall in English, which is the highest perpendicular rock face in Europe, the Seven Sisters waterfalls at the crown jewel of all the Norwegian fjords, the Geirangejord, or Bergen’s famous UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hanseatic wharf. Visit here for the complete itinerary and additional details. Whether you are a past Atlas Yacht Club member reconnecting with old friends or a new guest meeting your fellow explorers for the first time, everyone is invited to celebrate new adventures with exclusive onboard events offered during this sailing.
The above itinerary is also available in reverse, sailing from Oslo to Reykjavik on August 10, 2024. Please note the reverse itinerary does not feature Atlas Yacht Club exclusive events.
Looking to spend more time in Iceland? Consider Atlas’ 9-night Villages of Iceland itinerary departing on July 3, 2024 from Reykjavik roundtrip. Staying overnight in Reykjavik, you’ll have time to explore the charming city in-depth, from a trip to the famous Blue Lagoon to kaleidoscopic views at the Harpa Concert Hall, a glittering, glass structure that perfectly exemplifies Iceland’s modern design and will fascinate your inner architect. Visit Perlan, one of Iceland’s most prominent landmarks, originally a group of hot water tanks that was converted to a building that hosts exhibitions, a planetarium, a restaurant and observation deck located on Öskjuhlíð hill.
Say halló to volcanos, lava fields, caves, and mountains in the fascinating island of Heimaey, literally translated as Home Island. This destination offers views of lush cliffsides and classic Icelandic architecture that will take your breath away. One of the most iconic landmarks of Vestmannaeyjar is the Elephant Rock, a gigantic elephant in the middle of the sea visible from every angle.
Taking its name from Mount Esja, the village of Eskifjörður was established as a trading post and today thrives in fishing. The locals proudly claim the streaked peak of Mount Hólmatindur as their personal landmark, as it invokes an epic feeling. Nearby stands the village of Helgustaðir and its famous spar mine, Helgustaðanama. Foodies with a sweet tooth can indulge in treats like snúður – a bread rolled and filled with cinnamon and covered in chocolate, sugar glaze or caramel.
The tiny, picturesque village of Seyðisfjörður is the pearl of Iceland. A town of just 700 people, it is hidden at the innermost point of the fjord of the same name. In the valley above town, the river Fjarðará cascades over the hill to create several, beautiful waterfalls, down to the lagoon at the head of the fjord. Throughout the scenic village you’ll also find well-preserved, old wooden buildings, an enticing subject for photography as you walk down Rainbow Street.
You will find rich folklore culture in Akureyri, Iceland, put on full display during the city’s festivals throughout the year. Inland, only 50 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, is the Akureyri Botanical Garden, a remarkable sight with brightly coloured flowers and lush greenery. The iconic Akureyrarkirkja (or The Church of Akureyri) designed by architect Guðjón Samúelsson resembles more a 1920s U.S. skyscraper, but within its walls stands an impressive 3,200-pipe organ. Among the local favourite eating spots is Greifinn, a modern restaurant serving a mix of fare from classic burgers to pasta to Tex Mex to salted fish pizza (to honor Iceland’s roots).
Grimsey, the northernmost inhabited island in Iceland, home to about 100 people and one million birds, is a treasure in the Arctic Circle. The residents enjoy 24 hours of sun throughout the summer, as do the Puffins. Look for the stone sphere marking the edge of the Arctic Circle. Grimsey is a birdwatcher’s paradise, filled with various species, including razorbills, kittiwakes, auks and thick-billed murres.
Amid the enchanting Westfjords of Iceland stands Ísafjörður, a fishing town thriving with local energy and culture. Summer months here are brisk, but it’s this cool climate combined with breathtaking and quaint scenery that makes the village feel like an undiscovered gem. The massive depression among the flat-topped mountains called Naustahvilft – known colloquially as the troll seat – combines Iceland’s natural beauty with the town’s rich folklore. Make a stop at Dokkan Brugghús, the only brewery in the entire Westfjords, and sample the local beers, crafted with naturally filtered spring water from the nearby mountains. For those for whom the sea’s siren call beckons, you must visit the Westfjord History Museum, based on Ísafjörður’s maritime heritage and its rise in the fishing industry.
As your cruise nears its end, you will visit the small town of Grundarfjörður, home to fewer than 1,000 inhabitants. Its shining star of a landmark, Kirkjufell, translating to “Church Mountain,” beckons explorers to come and discover the beauty of the island. Together with the mountain, a three-pronged waterfall called Kirkjufellsfoss creates an exquisite scene straight out of fantasy. Taking a walk through the centre of town, you will come across an orca on land. It’s actually a sculpture created by Unnsteinn Guðmundsson and it was modeled after Thunderstorm the orca, a male whale who often greets visitors during whale watching tours. A beautiful end to a wonderful sea voyage.
Should you wish to spend more time in Iceland or Norway, where your voyage begins or concludes, Atlas Ocean Voyages can assist you with hotel bookings and pre- and post-cruise land programs to make your experience more seamless and worry free.
Secure your 2024 Iceland and Norway Adventure with Atlas’ “Soar, Explore and Save” promotion and receive up to $2,000 per stateroom in Savings plus Second Guest Sails Free if booked by September 30th, 2023!
Contact your Travel Professional or visit here for additional details.