The south of England boasts a dramatic coastline that encloses some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain. The landscape of hills and heaths, downs and forests, valleys and dales, is without rival. Southampton serves as your gateway to the countryside – and to a wide variety of historic sites, national landmarks and charming. And of course, London is a two-hour drive by modern highway.

The United Kingdom’s premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home for many years to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear.

Just north of Scotland lay the Orkney Islands. Washed by the furthest reach of the Gulf Stream, this chain of over 70 islands offers dramatic landscapes that range from sea cliffs rearing 1,000 feet above the waves to sweeping white sand beaches. Bird watchers flock to the Orkney Islands, drawn by the multitudes of sea birds. Divers explore the wrecks lying in the clear waters of Scapa Flow, the Royal Navy’s fleet anchorage in two world wars. And most fascinating of all, the Orkney Islands boast the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in all Europe, including the mysterious Ring of Brodgar and 5,000-year-old Skara Brae.

In 1933, an enterprising editor in Inverness enlivened a slow news week with the story of an odd sighting in Loch Ness. The legend grew overnight – and today individuals still scan the dark waters of the Loch for a sight of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Legend goes back as far as the 6th century and insists that the celebrated Loch Ness Monster inhabits a cave beneath the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle. Welcome to Invergordon, your gateway to Loch Ness and that area of the Highlands known as the “Great Glen.”

Glasgow was Scotland’s great industrial center during the 19th century. Today, the city remains the commercial and cultural capital of the Lowlands. Lying on the banks of the River Clyde, Glasgow boasts some of the finest Victorian architecture in the entire United Kingdom, including the stately City Chambers. Elegant Princes Square offers excellent shopping, and among the host of museums and galleries, the Burrell Collection features a superb treasure trove of paintings and art objects.

The capital of Northern Ireland – part of the United Kingdom – Belfast has experienced a renaissance since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 that promised an end to the decades-old “Troubles” between Catholics and Protestants. Stretching along both sides of the River Lagan, this graceful city of Victorian and Edwardian buildings has become a cosmopolitan tourist destination. Once a major industrial center, Belfast is also your gateway to the rich, Irish countryside of Counties Antrim and Down.

Belfast was an industrial giant in the 19th century, famed for its linen and its shipyards. Explore this exuberant city, marvel at the Giant’s Causeway or shop for superb Irish linens.

Founded in the 7th century by St. Fin Barre, Cork is your gateway to romantic Ireland. Stroll down narrow country lanes or see the Lakes of Killarney. The intrepid visitor may scale the narrow passages of Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. The region around Cork is also home to one of the densest concentration of prehistoric monuments in Western Europe. And, in a land where fable and fact blend to become folklore, it was near Cork that the great Tuatha De Danaan, a race with magical powers, was driven underground by the conquering Celts.

Cobh was the single most important port of emigration from Ireland.

Situated along the southernmost part of the Dorset Coast site lies the fabled island of Portland. This natural harbor was used for over 500 years by the British Royal Navy, and when breakwater construction was performed between 1848 and 1905, it created one of the largest man-made harbors in the world. An important launch site during both World Wars, the harbor was used for naval exercises until 1995, after which the waters became popular for tourism and were used for the sailing events during the 2012 Olympic Games. The tiny limestone island is home to the Abbotsbury Swannery, the only place in the world where you can walk freely through colonies of nesting mute swans, and is a perfect jumping-off point to visit the stone ruins of Corfe Castle, built by William the Conqueror. Take in the nearby magnificent Salisbury Cathedral, and experience the ancient mystery of the somber plinths of Stonehenge. Just four miles long by a mile and a half wide, Portland is ruggedly beautiful, with endless vistas and wild, natural landscapes.

Perhaps no other place in France holds more associations for English-speaking visitors than Normandy. The historic Allied landings on D-Day – 6 June, 1944 – live on in the memories of British and Americans alike. Nor has Le Havre forgotten the dark days of the war. The port was nearly completely destroyed during the Normandy campaign. Today, Le Havre is France’s second largest port and the gateway to Paris, “City of Light,” the Norman countryside, and the historic landing beaches.

Travelers usually head for the historic landing sites or to Paris. Yet Le Havre was designated a World Heritage Site in 2005. The Musee des Beaux Arts Andre Malraux boasts one of the finest collections of Impressionist painting in the world.

The south of England boasts a dramatic coastline that encloses some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain. The landscape of hills and heaths, downs and forests, valleys and dales, is without rival. Southampton serves as your gateway to the countryside – and to a wide variety of historic sites, national landmarks and charming. And of course, London is a two-hour drive by modern highway.

The United Kingdom’s premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home for many years to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear.