Viking Cruises

an evocative delivery about the Italian Renaissance, the main theme of my cruise. An entire year of my university fine arts course, it seems, is packaged neatly into one hour. I'm stunned. Luckily for me, such themed lectures are presented daily by resident historians and experts. I can't get enough of them. And I'm not the only one learning. Over dinner, I hear passengers eagerly discuss their newfound knowledge – Michelangelo's artistic habits (he likened his work to setting a prisoner free from a marble block) and the reasons for the Italian Renaissance (in part, the bubonic plague). I go to bed dreaming of new lands. And there's more discovery to come. Every day, on arriving in a different port, I head off with a group on an onshore excursion with local guides. ese passionate individuals share their expertise, insights and enthusiasm for their patch. One morning I'm standing alongside our guide, Mario, grasping the engineering intricacies of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. e next afternoon I'm wandering with our Florentine guide, Silvia, through the paved squares of Florence, soaking up the city's Renaissance legacy and the splendid cathedral complex: the Baptistery, Giotto's Campanile (bell tower); and Brunelleschi's Duomo (dome). I think it can't get better. Yet it does. e following day, I'm surrounded by more beautiful works, this time by French artist Matisse in the Musée Matisse in Nice. We absorb the details of his life and art as our Modernist art-loving guide explains how Matisse's style transformed from still life portraits to the shapes of dancers in his "drawing with scissors" pieces. By the time we disembark at Marseille, I'm happy to "go solo". I meander along the old port, a quay lined with upscale yachts and wooden rowboats. I take shelter from the wind in a small bar where locals insist I try a glass of pastis, a local liquor. ey even launch into a spontaneous rendition of the French anthem, La Marseillaise, which originated in this port city. For local encounters are integral to the trips. And Viking can arrange these, too. Viking's immersive experiences including the "kitchen table", "local life", "working world" and "privileged access" tours – provide the opportunity to do everything from cook breads and French desserts to chatting with oenologists and spice producers. On my trip, a small group of fellow guests are hosted by the owners of Villa Rothschild, an Italianesque pink palazzo with gardens in Saint-Jean- Cap-Ferrat. On returning to the ship they chat excitedly about décor and historic garden design. And it doesn't end there. Each Viking ship itself is a treasure trove for curious individuals. Many features of the vessels have been designed to enhance your thinking, from the incredible art works (more on this later) right down to the passengers' daily newsletter, the Viking Daily. e publication's fascinating snippet, "Nautical term of the day", covers common expressions that derive from sailing. (My favourite? "Under the weather". When a crewman is standing watch on the "weather" side of the bow, he's subject to the constant beating of the ocean spray.) As for the library in the Explorer's Lounge? I love browsing its eclectic mix of titles – from art history to explorers' biographies – that have been selected by independent London bookseller Heywood Hill. And there's no more comfortable place to read than in one of the library's stylish Scandinavian-style chairs. And, whether you're an art aficionado or not, take time to view the vessel's extraordinary art collection. Remarkably, all the pieces – sculptures, oils, digital works and photography – are original. Most of the featured artists are Norwegian and many of their works pay homage to Viking's Left to right: Vasari Corridor, Florence; Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy SPR ING 2020 | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.UK 49 H orse riding on a deserted beach had been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl hacking out ponies on weekends in the UK. I never thought the day would come and I'd never imagined it would happen in Norway. Yet, here I was riding Silfri, a sweet-natured Icelandic horse whose name described his tufty silvery blonde mane, along a stunning white-sand beach. I was in Hov, on the tranquil island of Gimsøy in the Lofoten archipelago, where less than 200 people live. Since falling from my horse just over a decade ago and breaking two 'wing' bones in my lumbar spine, I hadn't ridden at all. It had resulted in six weeks of life altering bed rest and I became too frightened to ride again for fear of Above: Viking Jupiter taking in views of deep-cut fjords along the pristine Norwegian coastline PHOTOS: ALASTAIR MILLER/ FRANCES MARCELLIN risking a similar injury or worse. But when I read about Viking's horse riding excursion on the Into the Midnight Sun cruise, I felt it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity too good too miss. It was then that I realised how a cruise experience can offer you just the right level of adventure, exploration and relaxation for your needs. I wasn't ready for official riding lessons at the local equestrian centre or a full-blown adventure holiday, but since discovering a passion for trail running earlier on in the year, my fitness and confidence had increased considerably, so it felt like the right moment to finally face my fear. e ride would only take a couple of hours, I'd told myself, so even if I couldn't overcome my anxiety I wouldn't have to be in that situation for long. Afterwards I could relax on the new and luxurious Viking Jupiter. e morning brought a panoramic tour of Lofoten, which included sightseeing to spellbinding Haukland Beach, one of the most picturesque beaches in Norway, and to Ballstad, a scenic and traditional fishing village. Later that day, with the dramatic setting of Lofoten's mountains behind and the beach to ourselves, I learned that one of my fellow riders hadn't ridden a horse since she was in her twenties. She felt excited to be on horseback again and was so moved by the experience of riding in the beguiling seaside location. We also rode trails that showed us more of this wild island, from the fairy tale-like Norwegian turf viking.com 35

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