Northern Europe from Hamburg Cruise

Day 1 - Hamburg

Arrive: Thu 06 June 2024 / Depart: Thu 06 June 2024 at 21:00

Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Hamburg will fascinate you from the moment you first set eyes on its elegant and austere buildings looking onto the port, one of the largest in Europe. When you reach this destination on an MSC Cruise of Northern Europe, you can get a taste of its glorious history. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan, wealthy and fashionable city, with an aggressive economy, that still prides itself of the title “free Hanseatic city”. It has, in fact, never cut its umbilical cord with maritime trade that has its heart in the port where your cruise liner will be waiting for you. Many tourist come here to visit the Reeperbahn, the red light district, but if you want to take in the atmosphere of the city, you shouldn’t miss an excursion to Speicherstadt (Warehouse Town), where the cobbled streets, gables and turrets combine to make the area on the other side of Zollkanal (Tax Canal) a world apart from the city opposite. Another city icon, St Michaelis, at the western edge of the city centre by Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse, is Hamburg’s iconic church and no wonder. More than any other building, the “Michael” mirrors the city’s irrepressible spirit. Burned down after a lightning strike in1750, it was rebuilt in Baroque style under Ernst Georg Sonnin but it again accidently caught fire in1906. In 1945, the Allies obliterated the roof and decor of church number three. Reconstructed again to Sonnin’s plans, it is now the finest Baroque church in North Germany. Probably the most gratifying attraction during an excursion on an MSC Cruise is the scenery you can admire from one of the best views over Hamburg: the 360-degree panorama takes in Speicherstadt, the container port and shipping on the Elbe, the Alster lakes, and the five spires of the churches and Rathaus.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Bergen

Arrive: Sat 08 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 08 June 2024 at 21:00

Bergen’s maritime tradition is age old and your MSC Cruise of Northern Europe will lay anchor in a setting which exudes history. An excursion on land will give you the opportunity to visit the Hanseatic quarter, where you find the oldest buildings in Bergen, built along the Bryggen docks, one of the most active and lively parts of town. Included by UNESCO amongst the world heritage sites, this quarter has preserved the old buildings of the port, and is, with its narrow alleys and dark, open galleries, one of the best preserved Medieval boroughs of the country. A vacation in Norway with an MSC cruise will give you the opportunity to explore this fascinating land. A visit to the Hanseatic Museum and the Schøtstuene, the merchant navy league assembly will help you get to better know this intriguing town. Håkon Hall in the royal palace built by King Håkon Håkonsson in the mid-14th century and the adjacent Rosenkrantz tower (1270) reflect to this day the power of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. All this can be admired also from above with a ride on the Fløibanen funicular, that takes you up to the peaks of Mount Fløyen, from which it is worth walking down on foot: after crossing landscapes of rare beauty you will find yourself in the lively bustle of the fish market. You can take a walk amidst the wooden homes built on the side of the hill and along the long smau, the narrow passages typical of Bergen. Take time to visit the original wooden church of Fantoft, built in 1150 but transferred here only in 1882. Along the shores of Lake Lille Lungegårdsvann you find many art galleries and a museum with a collection of paintings by Edward Munch. In Troldhaugen instead, there is the museum-home of the most famous Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg, who worked and lived here in a small cottage on Lake Nordås.

Day 4 - Molde, Norway

Arrive: Sun 09 June 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Sun 09 June 2024 at 21:00

Molde is the most highly populated city in Norway which you can visit during your MSC cruise of Northern Europe. When you get to the city centre, you could visit the Romsdal museum where there is a model of a part of town as it was before the second world war and in which there were 35 buildings built between the 16th and 19th centuries. You can see for yourself on this vacation whether Norway has changed much or little! From Molde, a footpath takes you through the natural landscape to the panoramic viewpoint of Varden (407 metres a.s.l.) from where you can see the whole town and the splendid Romsdalsfjord. From Varden you have a full view of all 222 peaks, covered in snow all year round, that crown this area protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site. If you want to reach one of the most beautiful and wild settings found in these latitudes, during your MSC cruise, you can climb up Mount Romsdalseggen. The view is breath taking: mountains, waterfalls and rivers will appear in front of your eyes at every turn of direction; in order to allow everyone to take this excursion, different routes have been organized for both experts and families. And don’t miss the troll references: like the Trollstigen mountain road, one of the most popular routes amongst visitors or the majestic peaks and the Stigfossen Falls that seem to irrigate the Isterdalen valley. Half way between Trollstigen and the centre of Valldal, stop in Gudbrandsjuvet, a spectacular group of maelstroms about 5 metres wide and 20 metres deep that takes its name from the legendary outlaw who dived into it with the woman he had just kidnapped. Finally you reach the Face of the Troll, the largest vertical escarpment in Europe: 1,800 metres high to admire from the best viewpoint and picnic area not far from Åndalsnes.

Day 5 - Trondheim

Arrive: Mon 10 June 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 10 June 2024 at 19:00

Founded in 997 by Olaf I of Norway, the Viking proponent of the conversion of Norway to Christianity, Trondheim was the capital of the country for over two hundred years and takes its name from the fjord on the shores of which it was erected. Doing an MSC cruise to Northern Europe, you will be able to visit what remains of the city’s medieval centre and admire the vivacious university life. The imposing Nidarosdomen (Nidaros Cathedral) dates back to the 12th century and was a pilgrimage site throughout the entire Medieval period. It is an impressive Gothic structure of grey-blue rocks with a main façade decorated in minute detail, “protected” one either side by two proud bell towers. What we see today is the result of meticulous restoration lasting one hundred years that was completed in 1970. The Gamle Bybro (the Old Town Bridge), also called the Portal of Luck, was constructed to allow access to the Kristiansten Fortress, which is situated on a hill from where a splendid view can be enjoyed. From the bridge, it is also possible to spot the Bryggen, the characteristic commercial buildings erected between the 18th and 19th centuries along the banks of the Nidelva River. The Ringve Museum with its permanent exhibition dedicated to music and to musical instruments from all over the world is of particular interest. In these rooms, you will be able to learn the history of the pianoforte but also of modern musical genres such as rock and pop. The museum’s botanical gardens, opened all year round, are spectacular. They boast 2000 different plants: medicinal herbs, ornamental flowers, evergreen trees… To get an overview of the city, it is best to take a bus tour, during which you will be able to see the city’s sites of interest and the typical cheerfully coloured buildings facing the blue of the sea while comfortably seated.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Honningsvaag

Arrive: Wed 12 June 2024 at 13:00

The thrill of reaching Cape North, Nordkapp in Norwegian, the northernmost stretch of land in the European continent, on an MSC cruise, will impress even the most distracted traveller. When the ship anchors in Honningsvåg, the sky decorated with permanently iridescent clouds and illuminated by the sunlight that shines 24 hours a day from mid-May to July, offers the most incredible spectacle. We cannot fail to realize we’re in a special place, on the last stretch of continental land before the end of the world. To understand the spirit and lifestyle of the fishermen living in these extreme lands, you should visit the Honningsvåg museum: as well as offering a display of everyday objects, you will find a section that illustrates the consequences of the Second World War on these lands. During your MSC cruise of Northern Europe you should not miss an excursion to Cape North, where you will find a cliff that is 500 million years old and rises 307 metres above sea level, dominating the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean from where you can admire the spectacle of the midnight sun. A short distance from the monument that celebrates this remote location is the Nordkapphallen, the visitors’ centre which hosts exhibitions and screenings of documentaries on the beauty of the area. Here you can find everything you need: a café and a restaurant, as well as a post office and even a chapel in the northernmost part of the world: the St Johannes Kapell. In spite of the extreme latitude, the average temperature in the summer never drops under seven degrees. Here in the western Finnmark, nature is still the queen and one can admire it by taking part in photographic safaris to explore the local flora and fauna. You can go to Gjesvær, a short distance from Cape North, where you can come across sea puffins, gannets, cormorants and other marine birds.

Day 8 - Honningsvaag

Depart: Thu 13 June 2024 at 01:00

The thrill of reaching Cape North, Nordkapp in Norwegian, the northernmost stretch of land in the European continent, on an MSC cruise, will impress even the most distracted traveller. When the ship anchors in Honningsvåg, the sky decorated with permanently iridescent clouds and illuminated by the sunlight that shines 24 hours a day from mid-May to July, offers the most incredible spectacle. We cannot fail to realize we’re in a special place, on the last stretch of continental land before the end of the world. To understand the spirit and lifestyle of the fishermen living in these extreme lands, you should visit the Honningsvåg museum: as well as offering a display of everyday objects, you will find a section that illustrates the consequences of the Second World War on these lands. During your MSC cruise of Northern Europe you should not miss an excursion to Cape North, where you will find a cliff that is 500 million years old and rises 307 metres above sea level, dominating the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean from where you can admire the spectacle of the midnight sun. A short distance from the monument that celebrates this remote location is the Nordkapphallen, the visitors’ centre which hosts exhibitions and screenings of documentaries on the beauty of the area. Here you can find everything you need: a café and a restaurant, as well as a post office and even a chapel in the northernmost part of the world: the St Johannes Kapell. In spite of the extreme latitude, the average temperature in the summer never drops under seven degrees. Here in the western Finnmark, nature is still the queen and one can admire it by taking part in photographic safaris to explore the local flora and fauna. You can go to Gjesvær, a short distance from Cape North, where you can come across sea puffins, gannets, cormorants and other marine birds.

Day 8 - Tromso, Norway

Arrive: Thu 13 June 2024 at 14:00 / Depart: Thu 13 June 2024 at 21:00

When vacationing in Norway on an MSC Cruise, you can visit the largest complex of wooden buildings north of Trondheim, just four kilometres from the port, in the centre of Tromsø. One of the first attractions to visit during your MSC cruise of Northern Europe is Polaria. In this Arctic aquarium, you can watch the feeding, twice a day, of the sociable, peaceful bearded seals, and also admire the great variety of fish species that live in the Barents Sea and on the Svalbard. The most handsome building in Tromsø is undoubtedly the Arctic Cathedral, built in 1965. Its triangular prism shape, with its glass mosaics, mirrors the landscape of this remote region of Norway. Another excursion during your MSC cruise of Northern Europe will take you to the top of the mountain above Storsteinen with the Fjellheisen funicular to enjoy the view, 420 metres above, of the city and the lovely surrounding landscape. Here one also finds the northernmost botanical gardens in the world, where there are species of plants that, due to their climatic fragility, cannot grow at any other latitude, such as, for example, the Hymalayan blue poppy. Tromsø also hosts the northernmost university in the world, where you find a museum to give you an insight into northern Norway’s culture and environment, with particular attention to the Sami, to archeology, sacred art, geology and the phenomenon of the northern lights. The polar museum instead shows visitors the harsh life of Arctic explorers. It is fitted in the dock of an old construction built in 1830. For those who like a good beer, there’s a pub like the Ølhallen, which has remained unchanged since 1928. A site not to miss is the Lyngen, an incredible wooden church in the village of Lyngseidet.

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - Alesund

Arrive: Sat 15 June 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Sat 15 June 2024 at 17:00

Visiting Ålesund on an MSC cruise of Northern Europe means plunging into a fairytale atmosphere. After a devastating fire, the town was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century in art Amazing venue on the sea nouveau style. The streets of Ålesund are filled with turrets, spires and splendid decorations that make it truly unique; if you enjoy this style, you should visit the Jugendstilsenteret, the National Art Nouveau Centre. You can admire the centre of Ålesund from above by climbimg up the 418 steps that lead you to the panoramic heights of Mount Aksla with a view of the islands that surround the town and of the Sunnmøre Alps. In alternative you can reach the Sukkertoppen, the “sugar peak”, by taking a walk that starts from Hessa, just above the port where your MSC cruise ship is anchored. To get a closer look at the traditional architecture you should instead go the island of Godøy, where you can visit Alnes, a picturesque fisherman’s village built very close to the beach where you find local crafts and food sold in the courtyards. Book an excursion to the characteristic lighthouse from where you have a wonderful view of the ocean. You cannot claim to have visited Norway on an MSC cruise if you haven’t visited a fjord, so don’t miss an excursion to Geirangerfjord. Dropping from the tall mountains that surround it are wonderful waterfalls like the Brudesløret (the Bride’s Veil) and the De syv søstrene (Seven Sisters) or the Storseterfossen, behind which you can take a walk. And if you like more challenging paths you could climb up the Ørnevegen (the Eagle’s Path), twisting up from sea level to 620 metres above in just 11 hairpin bends!

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - Hamburg

Arrive: Mon 17 June 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 17 June 2024

Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Hamburg will fascinate you from the moment you first set eyes on its elegant and austere buildings looking onto the port, one of the largest in Europe. When you reach this destination on an MSC Cruise of Northern Europe, you can get a taste of its glorious history. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan, wealthy and fashionable city, with an aggressive economy, that still prides itself of the title “free Hanseatic city”. It has, in fact, never cut its umbilical cord with maritime trade that has its heart in the port where your cruise liner will be waiting for you. Many tourist come here to visit the Reeperbahn, the red light district, but if you want to take in the atmosphere of the city, you shouldn’t miss an excursion to Speicherstadt (Warehouse Town), where the cobbled streets, gables and turrets combine to make the area on the other side of Zollkanal (Tax Canal) a world apart from the city opposite. Another city icon, St Michaelis, at the western edge of the city centre by Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse, is Hamburg’s iconic church and no wonder. More than any other building, the “Michael” mirrors the city’s irrepressible spirit. Burned down after a lightning strike in1750, it was rebuilt in Baroque style under Ernst Georg Sonnin but it again accidently caught fire in1906. In 1945, the Allies obliterated the roof and decor of church number three. Reconstructed again to Sonnin’s plans, it is now the finest Baroque church in North Germany. Probably the most gratifying attraction during an excursion on an MSC Cruise is the scenery you can admire from one of the best views over Hamburg: the 360-degree panorama takes in Speicherstadt, the container port and shipping on the Elbe, the Alster lakes, and the five spires of the churches and Rathaus.