On this wonderful vacation, enjoy charming upper and lower Canada and spend two nights each in Montréal, Québec City, Ottawa, and Toronto. Start your trip in Montréal, Canada’s second-largest city, with a sightseeing tour and visit to Notre Dame Basilica. Then head to Québec City, once the center of New France and one of the most historic and best-preserved cities in North America. Enjoy a tour of Canada’s only walled city, including the ancient Place Royale; a visit to a sugar shack; and free time to explore Québec City on your own. On the way to Ottawa, stop in Cap-de-la-Madeleine for a visit to the famous Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. In Ottawa, Canada’s capital, take in the city on your sightseeing tour. Leave Ottawa and arrive in 1000 Islands National Park for a waterways cruise.Next: head to Toronto and travel to Niagara Falls. Board the Maid of the Mist for a thrilling boat ride to view the thundering waterfalls from river level. Then enjoy a sightseeing tour in Toronto, Canada's largest and most cosmopolitan city. This vacation, featuring historic cities of Eastern Canada, offers a balance of guided sightseeing tours, leisure time, and a mix of historical, natural, and cultural offerings. An unforgettable trip!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Montréal. Welcome to Montréal! At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director prepares you for your upcoming adventure.
Day #2 Montréal. This morning a Montréal sightseeing tour with a Local Guide takes in NOTRE DAME BASILICA, the Old Seminary of St. Sulpice, and a drive to the top of Mount Royal to enjoy a panorama of the city. As this evening is free, why not enjoy dinner in the heart of Old Montréal? (B)
Day #3 Montréal–Québec City. Journey to romantic Québec City, once the center of New France and one of the most historic and best-preserved cities in North America. Upon arrival, enjoy an included guided tour of Canada’s only walled city. Until the British victory of 1759, Old Québec was the center of New France; today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the walls are the Place d’Armes, the Laval Seminary, and ancient Place Royale. Also, see the Old World houses crowding the narrow streets in Lower Town by the St. Lawrence River and the historic Plains of Abraham. This evening, enjoy [LF] regional Québecois cuisine at a special dinner in Old Town Québec. (B,D)
Day #4 Québec City. Today is free for independent activities. Maybe explore the historic sites, take a carriage ride, or stroll the streets of Old Québec City. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional sightseeing, shopping, and dining. This evening, consider an optional dinner that includes a visit to 274-foot-high Montmorency Falls and takes you over to Ile d’Orleans, where you’ll enjoy a delightful dinner at Le Moulin de Saint-Laurent, a restored 17th-century flour mill. (B)
Day #5 Québec City–Cap-de-la-Madeleine–Ottawa. Before leaving Québec, we’ll stop at a [LF] SUGAR SHACK for a guided tour to learn the art of making maple syrup and to enjoy a traditional sugar shack breakfast. Drive south this morning to Cap-de-la-Madeleine for a visit to the BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY, a national shrine famous for its fine stained-glass windows. Time to stroll through the grounds of the sanctuary and see the miraculous Madonna in the old chapel. Continue to the nation’s capital of Ottawa, pleasantly framed by the banks of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal. Before arriving at your hotel, enjoy a delicious Canadian specialty, a [LF] BEAVERTAIL, a pastry stretched to the shape of a beaver tail with your favorite topping added. (B,D)
Day #6 Ottawa. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Canadian Mint, the residences of the Governor General and Prime Minister, and Parliament Hill. The balance of the day is free. You may wish to visit the world-renowned Canadian Museum of Civilization to study exhibits covering the period of early Norse settlement, exploration, and fur-trading days, as well as the achievements of the latest generations. For dinner, maybe visit lively and colorful Byward Market and choose from its array of specialty restaurants. (B)
Day #7 Ottawa–1000 Islands National Park–Kingston–Toronto. Travel this morning to Ivy Lea and on to Gananoque. Here, board your boat for a CRUISE through the waterways of 1000 ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK. Afterward, head to Kingston for a brief visit of this historic city. Next, travel along Lake Ontario to Toronto, Canada’s largest and most cosmopolitan city. (B)
Day #8 Toronto. Excursion to Niagara Falls. Take a short drive south along the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls. For the adventurous, your Tour Director will suggest optional flightseeing over the falls. Then, board the MAID OF THE MIST for a thrilling boat ride to view the thundering falls from river level. Before leaving the area, see the picturesque Floral Clock. Return to Toronto this afternoon to enjoy a sightseeing tour. Highlights include the Legislature Building; the ethnic neighborhoods; the University of Toronto; and Eaton Centre, the city’s number-one tourist attraction, with more than 300 stores for world-class shopping. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner at the top of the 1,815-foot-tall CN TOWER. Wonderful conversation and cuisine make the perfect finale for your vacation. (B,D)NOTE:The operation of the Maid of the Mist cruise is subject to favorable weather and/or river conditions. When conditions are unfavorable, a walking tour through the scenic tunnels will be substituted.
Day #9 Toronto. The tour ends this morning after breakfast with guests departing on individual schedules. Airport transfers are provided. (B)
Hotels:
MONTRÉAL Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (SF)
QUÉBEC CITY Hilton Québec (MD)
OTTAWA Lord Elgin Hotel (F)
TORONTO Fairmont Royal York (MD)