HISTORIC CITIES OF EASTERN CANADA
9 days from Montréal to Toronto
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, as well as 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. Also, visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Stables, a living tribute to Canadian heritage and history. 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!
We design our journeys around the stories that they will tell. What story will you discover next?
Fall Foliage: Enjoy the spectacular fall colors of Ontario and Québec on our special Fall Foliage departures: Sep.11- Oct. 2 (if Mother Nature permits).
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. The evening is free; maybe enjoy dinner in the heart of Old Montréal. (Breakfast)
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 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, 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. (Breakfast)
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. Tonight, choose from a list of local restaurants for your included dinner. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 5 Québec City-Cap-de-la-Madeleine-Ottawa
Before leaving Québec, we'll stop at a 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, where you'll spend the next two nights. (Breakfast, Dinner)
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. Also, visit the ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE STABLES, a living tribute to Canadian heritage and history. 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. (Breakfast)
Note: The RCMP Stables are closed on Fridays in October. A visit to Gatineau National Park will be substituted when this occurs.
Day 7 Ottawa-1000 Islands National Park-Toronto
Travel this morning to Gananoque and on to Ivy Lea. 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. (Breakfast)
Day 8 Toronto. Niagara Falls Excursion
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. (Breakfast, Dinner)
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 vacation ends this morning after breakfast with guests departing on individual schedules. Airport transfers are provided. (Breakfast)
INCLUDED FEATURES
Montréal: Sightseeing tour; visit Notre Dame Basilica
Québec City: Sightseeing tour; visit a traditional sugar shack
Cap-de-la-Madeleine: Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary
Ottawa: Sightseeing tour; Royal Canadian Mounted Police Stables
1000 Islands National Park: Waterways cruise; Kingston sightseeing
Niagara Falls: Maid of the Mist cruise
Toronto: Farewell dinner at the CN Tower; sightseeing tour
INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.
MEALS
American breakfast daily; 3 three-course dinners, including a farewell dinner in Toronto.
SUPERIOR HOTELS - (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class
Montréal Delta Centre-Ville (SF), Québec City Delta Québec (SF), Ottawa Lord Elgin Hotel (F), Toronto Fairmont Royal York (MD)
DEPARTURE DATES
May - October
PRICES
From approx $1,879 US per person based on double occupancy
Departures on or within the seasons shown will determine the price