Coastal Powers of the North Sea: Medieval Capitals & Vibrant Culture

Bryggen has a history of German residents, and the waterfront area of Flekkefjord, with charming white wooden houses, flower boxes, and wall murals, was inhabited by the Dutch in the Middle Ages. Stroll the village of Hollenderbyen, or Dutch Quarter, this morning and learn about its maritime history or walk with a naturalist on a coastal trail in a picturesque fjord.

While sailing the North Sea en route to Germany, attend a talk about the different facets of the next cities you will be visiting or learn from a National Geographic photography expert about how best to capture the wonderful architecture and nature subjects you will encounter.

The first experience in Hamburg will be an overview tour of Germany’s second-largest city after Berlin. See how its strategic location between the North Sea and the many canals that lead inland has made it an important port and a major hub of transportation throughout the centuries. Enjoy the city at your leisure this evening as the ship will be docked in Hamburg overnight.

Today, spend more time in Hamburg or travel to Lübeck, a former capital of the Hanseatic League. Speicherstadt means “warehouse city” and Hamburg’s unique collection of tall neo-gothic brick buildings is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world’s largest warehouse district. Walk its winding streets cut by canals and connected by bridges, see the impressive Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall and learn about the artifacts donated by citizens to trace the city’s development as a colonial world trading power. Or choose to step back in time on a walking tour of Lübeck’s Old Town lined with gabled houses and converted warehouses. Visit the inspiring 13th-century gothic Marienkirche and at the European Hansemuseum, delve into the important history of the Hanseatic League.

Travel back into the North Sea on a course to the Low Countries. The ship’s route follows in the wake of merchant ships throughout the ages, and the shipboard historian will discuss the relationships of the Northern European countries you have just visited with the next destinations: the Netherlands and Belgium. These countries have been inextricably linked through time, evolving from trading powers to roles as colonial forces, and now as part of the European Union.

Explore Amsterdam’s storied canals, lined with pleasure boats and houseboats, crossed by arched bridges, and affording a window on this beautiful city called the “Venice of the North.” This afternoon, learn more about the maritime and trading history of the Netherlands, walk through the Jewish Quarter made famous by Anne Frank and gain a better understanding of the resistance history of this world capital, or see some of the most famous artworks by Dutch masters at the Rijksmuseum. The next day, head into the lowland countryside to Haarlem for a walking tour of the medieval streets and gabled houses of this North Sea port. Another option is stepping back to the 17th century in Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum. Outdoor enthusiasts will want to explore De Hoge Veluwe National Park, the country’s largest nature reserve. Join a naturalist to walk on the park’s sand dunes, wooded paths and heathlands.

Wake up in Belgium today, in the vibrant city of Antwerp. Admire the Flemish Renaissance architecture of Grote Markt, the central square lined by 16th-century guild halls. A walking tour will also include a stop at the world’s only museum with a UNESCO designation. Surrounded by books in the original home of a dynasty of printers, treasures of the Plantin-Moretus Museum include one of the world’s oldest printing presses. Cap the day with private tastings of Belgian culinary specialties: chocolate and beer.

Choose to explore either Ghent or Brussels or to tour an impressive Dutch feat of engineering. The historic capital of Flanders, Ghent is a very walkable city known for public squares and marketplaces surrounded by medieval castles, monasteries and guildhalls that are never far from canals and harbors. Known today as the seat of the administrative, legislative and executive branches of the European Union, Brussels is a culturally rich city with a long history dating back to the Roman Empire. A third option is to spend the day at the Delta Works project of Neeltje Jans, a storm surge barrier protecting the Low Countries from North Sea swells. A remarkable example of Dutch hydraulic engineering, Neeltje Jans tells the story of the Netherlands’ history with water and demonstrates its power.

The last full day is spent in the French town of Dunkirk, site of the courageous 1940 Operation Dynamo that rescued 338,000 British and French soldiers from German forces. The town has experienced much turmoil beginning in the 16th century, and you can honor its critical role in global conflicts with visits to either the World War I or II memorial. Dunkirk is on the Cote d’Opale, where chalky cliffs and sand dunes meet the sea. Another option today is to take in the beauty of a botanical garden on the Opal Coast followed by a stroll along Dunkirk’s historic waterfront.

Arrive in London this morning. After breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer to the airport for flights home.