Thingvellir, a captivating site in Iceland, seamlessly combines natural beauty and historical significance. Located in the Thingvellir National Park, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a geological wonder where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The dramatic landscape features rift valleys and stunning volcanic formations, making it a paradise for hikers and nature enthusiasts.
Formally called Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Ocean Cay is a private island only accessible to MSC Cruises guests. Activities include beachside lounging, snorkeling, paddle boarding, lighthouse climbing, dining, shopping and more.
Monument Valley, a majestic expanse on the Arizona-Utah border, is one of the most iconic landscapes of the American Southwest. Renowned for its towering red sandstone buttes and mesas that rise dramatically from the desert floor, this breathtaking site evokes the spirit of the Old West. Often depicted in classic Western films, the valley is best experienced along the 17-mile scenic drive that winds through Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, offering close-up views of famed formations like the
Nelson sits along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake in southeastern British Columbia, embraced by the rugged peaks of the Selkirk Mountains and threaded with over 350 heritage buildings that tell the story of its silver-rush beginnings. A short trip outside town leads to spots like the Salmo–Troup Rail Trail, a wide, gentle path that follows an old rail line for kilometers through forest and alongside rivers.
The Loire Valley stretches along the gentle curves of France’s longest river, a place where riverside towns, historic estates and vineyards have shaped daily life for centuries. This long stretch of landscape was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its remarkable cultural landscape, which includes towns like Tours, Blois, Amboise and Saumur and a tapestry of castles standing beside the river banks.
The remote and austerely beautiful Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago, lies north of continental Norway in the Arctic Ocean, a mere 650 miles from the North Pole. A hub for Dutch, English, French, Norwegian, and Russian whalers between the 17th and 19th centuries, this collection of glacial islands officially joined the Kingdom of Norway in 1925 with the Svalbard Act and continues to be used in coal mining enterprises. Spitsbergen, the only permanently inhabited island in the Svalbard archipelago, and its largest settlement, Longyearbyen, have become popular stops for tourists, who often arrive on arctic cruises.
This mountainous archipelago offers magnificent views of stark white glaciers and snowfields, which cover a vast stretch of the region. Arctic flora and fauna fascinate; catch a glimpse of polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, and walruses amongst the mossy tundra and icy coasts. In the summer, visitors will witness the rare splendor of Svalbard’s midnight sun.