Departing from the Icelandic capital, we spend two peaceful days at sea before reaching the fjord-fringed city of Nuuk in Greenland, where colorful houses dot the craggy coastline and humpback whales feast in the nutrient-rich waters. More majestic wildlife, including white-tailed eagles, greets us at Paamiut, before a lesson in Norse history at Qaqortoq. We sail through the long, narrow fjord system known as the Prince Christian Sound and then two sea days bring us to Torshavn on the Faroe Islands, where the lofty, rugged cliffs promise invigorating walks. Next is Lerwick, the main town of the Shetland Islands, for dramatic landscapes and a dram or two. We then call at the charming Norwegian ports of Stavanger and Mandal, before two final days in Oslo, the Nordic capital of cool.