13 Days Luxury British Isles and Iceland Cruise - Edinburgh to Reykjavik

Description

From Scotland’s capital to the Isle of May’s seabird cliffs just 30 miles away. The route turns wild — north to Fair Isle and the Viking heritage and ancient brochs of the Orkney and Shetland Islands. See the rocking stones of the Faroes, then Iceland — puffin-burrowed coasts, Husavik’s humpbacks, and Dynjandi’s bridal-veil falls in the Westfjords.

Trip Name

13 Days Luxury British Isles and Iceland Cruise - Edinburgh to Reykjavik

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Small Luxury Cruise Ship Length: 156.7 metres Passenger Capacity: 274 Built: 1995 / Refurbished: 2021 Silver Wind is a refined and versatile expedition cruise ship, combining classic Silversea elegance with cutting-edge expedition capability. Following a major refurbishment in 2018 and a further upgrade in 2021, Silver Wind now boasts a strengthened ice-class hull, making her equally at home in the Polar Regions and sun-drenched tropical ports. With a guest capacity of just 274 and an exceptional crew-to-guest ratio, she offers personalised, attentive service in a luxuriously relaxed setting. Her 24 Zodiac® boats provide a superb platform for immersive exploration, whether spotting wildlife in Antarctica or cruising remote coastlines in comfort. Onboard, guests enjoy a wealth of elegant public spaces and all-suite accommodation, ranging from the spacious Owner’s Suite to the cosy yet stylish Vista Suites. Culinary experiences abound, from authentic Italian cuisine at La Terrazza to open-air dining at The Grill and fine French fare at La Dame. Silver Wind also features multiple lounges, a pool deck, a full-service spa and salon, a fitness centre, and the inviting Observation Library. With its boutique luxury atmosphere, wide-ranging destinations, and upgraded expedition capabilities, Silver Wind offers one of the most adaptable and indulgent cruise experiences at sea.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 - Edinburgh (Leith)

Edinburgh Castle watches over the capital from a skyline of sheer drama, while the modern Scottish Parliament and August festivals confirm the city's place in the 21st century. Nearly everywhere in Edinburgh stand spectacular neoclassical buildings, with Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian pillars against a largely Presbyterian backdrop. Arthur's Seat, a mountain jutting 822 feet above its surroundings, rears up behind the spires of the Old Town.

Day 2 - Day 2 - Isle of May

The Isle of May is a National Nature Reserve off mainland Scotland, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage as a breeding ground for approximately 250,000 seabirds. Over 40,000 puffin burrows have been counted as occupied, alongside kittiwakes, shags, eiders, guillemots, razorbills, Arctic Terns, and Great Black-backed Gulls. The island is also used by biologists for ringing breeding seabirds and surveying migrating passerines.

Day 3 - Day 3 - Fair Isle, Scotland

Fair Isle lies mid-way between Shetland and the Orkney Islands, with a population of around 70 people and a warm welcome for visitors. The island is famous for birds, knitwear, and historic shipwrecks, including the Spanish Armada flagship El Gran Grifon. Sheep Rock, rising over 100 metres, towers above the island's cloudy turquoise waters.

Day 4 - Day 4 - Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Kirkwall is the capital of the Orkney Islands, home to the sandstone St. Magnus Cathedral, begun in 1137 and completed over 300 years, known as the Light of the North for its stained-glass windows. The archipelago's prehistoric heritage includes Skara Brae, Europe's best-preserved Stone Age village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. History-rich distilleries produce peaty single malts, and the dramatic meeting of the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean defines the islands' seascapes.

Day 5 - Day 5 - Noss, Scotland

The sandstone cliffs of Noss National Nature Reserve hold one of Europe's largest and most diverse seabird colonies. Gannets, puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, fulmars, and great skuas line the ledges that rise from the Shetland sea. Sheep and shaggy Shetland ponies graze the windblown interior, and the island's dramatic coastal scenery is among the finest in the North Atlantic.

Day 6 - Day 6 - Tórshavn (Faroe Islands)

Tórshavn is one of the world's smallest capitals — a city of half-timbered houses, grass-roofed buildings, and one of the world's oldest parliaments on a peninsula overlooking the North Atlantic. The Faroe Islands' eighteen islands, shaped by volcanic basalt and Norse settlement, are among the most dramatically beautiful and least-visited landscapes in Europe.

Day 7 - Day 7 - Oyndarfjordur

Oyndarfjørður distils the Faroe Islands into one small village, with dramatic mountain scenery and ancient folklore. The famous Rinkusteinar — Rocking Stones — are massive boulders that bob mysteriously in the water, said to be pirate ships frozen by a sorceress. Isolated until 1969 when a road finally connected it, the village has preserved centuries of tradition with remarkable continuity.

Day 8 - Day 8 - Seydisfjordur

Seyðisfjörður is a small Icelandic town at the end of a spectacular fjord in the East Fjords. Waterfalls cascade from the surrounding peaks into a bowl of colourful wooden buildings reflected in the calm harbour. The town has a creative arts community, puffin colonies on the surrounding cliffs, and the ferry connection to Europe that makes it the arrival point for most overland travellers to Iceland.

Day 9 - Day 9 - Bakkagerdi

The remote Borgarfjordur Eystri fjord near the fishing village of Bakkagerdi is home to 10,000 pairs of breeding puffins, among the most accessible in Iceland. The fjord, surrounded by the Dyrfjoll Mountains, takes its name from the formation of Alfaborg, or Elf Rock, which locals hold to be the home of the Icelandic elf-queen. The village church's 1914 altarpiece features the work of Bakkagerdi's most famous former resident, the beloved Icelandic painter Johannes Kjarval.

Day 10 - Day 10 - Husavik

Husavik, known as the European capital of whale watching, lies below the Husavikurfjall mountain on the shores of Iceland's oldest settlement. Humpback whales, minke whales, and blue whales are sighted in the bay, alongside white-beaked dolphins. The town's whale museum documents Iceland's relationship with the sea giants, and local restaurants serve reindeer burger and plokkfiskur.

Day 11 - Day 11 - Djupavik

Tiny Djupavik sits in Iceland's Westfjords, dominated by an abandoned herring factory dating back to 1934 that was, when built, the largest concrete structure in Iceland. The factory shell has been repurposed as an art gallery and hotel, while a rusting ship that once served as a dormitory for workers rests near the water. The Djupavikurfoss waterfall calls visitors ashore to a small cluster of cherry-red houses beside the fjord.

Day 12 - Day 12 - Dynjandi Waterfalls

The Dynjandi waterfall is located in the Westfjords region of Iceland and is regarded as one of the country's most impressive waterfalls. At the top, the cascading water is roughly 100 feet wide and tumbles approximately 330 feet into the fjord. Its name means the thundering one, and it has also been nicknamed The Bridal Veil for the way the water sprays and spreads over the rocks.

Day 13 - Day 13 - Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the world's northernmost capital, an unusually walkable city where colourful corrugated-iron houses line streets that lead between geothermal outdoor pools, the Hallgrímskirkja church, and the Harpa Concert Hall on the waterfront. The city is the base for Iceland's extraordinary natural experiences — the Northern Lights, the Golden Circle, and the Blue Lagoon all within easy reach.

Day 14 - Please note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Explore Scotland’s wild northern isles, from seabird-rich Fair Isle and Noss to the Viking heritage and ancient wonders of Orkney.
Discover the remote beauty of the Faroe Islands, with dramatic landscapes, traditional villages, and unique natural landmarks.
Experience Iceland’s untamed coastline, from whale watching in Húsavík to the spectacular Dynjandi waterfall and Westfjords wilderness.