Embark the MS Serenissima this afternoon. A transfer will be provided from Liverpool Lime Street Railway Station at a fixed time. In the early evening sail away from this iconic port under the watchful eye of the Liver Birds.

Arrive this morning on the Isle of Man at the main fishing port of Peel. Settlements have been here since the Mesolithic Age and the island also claims to have the longest continuous parliament which was founded in 979 AD. Leaving Peel we will visit Tynwald Hill, located in the little village of St John’s. This grass-topped, tiered hill is made from the soil and stones from each of the island’s 17 parishes and is the point from which, each 5th of July, all the laws enacted in the year preceding are promulgated to the gathered government officials and the public at large, both in Manx and English language. Continue to Castletown where we board the vintage steam train for a delightful and traditional journey to Douglas. Dating from 1874, the Isle of Man Steam Railway is the island’s oldest Victorian rail system and this narrow gauge railway still runs with its original locomotives and carriages. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore Peel at your own pace.

Over breakfast we arrive at Holyhead, adjacent to Anglesey with its spectacular sea cliffs. Here we will visit the RSPB’s reserve at South Stack, a beautiful but fragile maritime sward, farmland and heathland set on a stretch of dramatic seacliffs facing the islets of South Stack. If we are lucky, we might also see some choughs. On a choice of walks we also see Ellin’s tower, a Victorian folly, and South Stack lighthouse built in 1809, maybe spotting some dolphins in the waters below. This afternoon we drive the short distance to Plas Cadnant, a hidden historic garden, which is slowly being uncovered – a Welsh ‘Lost Gardens of Heligan’. Three different gardens have been discovered, including an unusual walled garden with curving walls and a pool, a secret valley garden with three waterfalls and a river, and an upper woodland garden with stone outcrops and the remains of a 19th century folly. Work started on restoring the gardens and grounds in 1997, which was a huge undertaking as large areas had not been maintained for more than 70 years. Since then large parts of the gardens have undergone a spectacular transformation and have been restored to their former glory.

We have scheduled a whole day on Lundy, a remote island in the Bristol Channel. Although small, just three miles long by half a mile wide, its isolation has made it a home for a range of wildlife as well as a selection of listed buildings and monuments. The towering cliffs and rocky shoreline are a haven for migrating seabirds, whilst Sika deer, red deer and Soay sheep can also be seen as we walk along its traffic-free lanes and paths. Using our Zodiacs to land ashore, spend the day being as active as you wish, maybe explore the wide bays and coves by way of hanging valleys, climb the lighthouse, have a drink or lunch at the tavern or buy the island’s ‘puffin stamps’ at the shop. If conditions permit, enjoy a Zodiac cruise spotting the island’s grey seals.

We have two days to explore the idyllic Isles of Scilly. From our central anchorage, we will use our Zodiacs and local tenders to visit a number of the islands in the group. We will visit traffic-free Tresco, walking its idyllic lanes from the beach to the famous subtropical Abbey Gardens. Defying the Atlantic weather, this miracle of a garden is home to more than 20,000 species of plants from over 80 countries. Enjoy time to wander at your own pace along the paths, maybe visit the Valhalla collection of ship figureheads from ships wrecked on the islands or relax in the café. See the northernmost island of the group, St Martin’s, a small island community of just 120 residents. Enjoy time to explore independently, climb one of the viewpoints for vistas over the islands and the offshore seal colonies or maybe join one of our expedition team on a guided walk. We will tender ashore to Bryher, the smallest of the inhabited Isles of Scilly. Take the chance to wander along the tracks that cross the island amongst hedgerows and fields bursting with wildflowers. Those feeling active may wish to climb Watch Hill where in the past islanders would keep watch for ships in distress or alternatively take a stroll to one of the beautiful beaches. On St Mary’s, the largest island in the archipelago (yet still only six square miles), you can enjoy some time in the shops in Hugh Town or walk the historic Garrison Walls.

Enjoy a relaxing morning at sea and arrive over lunch to begin our exploration of the islands of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. On an afternoon visit to Alderney, visit the island’s only town, St Anne, which has all the old-world charm of a Normandy village with tiny squares and pastel shaded cottages and shops. Maybe join a short walk to see the German fortifications or a longer walk with our naturalists heading to the cliffs. The following morning on Guernsey, the ‘Island of Flowers’, enjoy a panoramic drive during which we will see the beautiful coastline and beaches. Visit the Little Chapel, built in 1914 as a miniature version of the famous basilica at Lourdes and covered in fragments of shattered china, or, alternatively, join a cliff walk along the scenic coastline. Over lunch, we will sail the short distance to Herm, the smallest inhabited Channel Island and, at just one and a half miles long and half a mile wide, perfect for exploring on foot. Here, you will have free time to explore, perhaps take a stroll over to Shell or Belvoir Beach whilst our naturalists will be ashore on the lookout for wildflowers and birds.

Disembark this morning. A transfer will be provided to Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station at a fixed time.

Itineraries are subject to change.