On this wonderful vacation, enjoy charming upper and lower Canada and spend two nights each in Montréal, Québec City, Ottawa, and Toronto. Start your escorted tour 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. 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 St. Lawrence Islands National Park, also known as 1000 Islands, for a waterways cruise.

Next: head to Toronto and travel to Niagara Falls, where a thrilling boat ride gives you a view of 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 tour!

Day 1 Arrive in Montréal

(Sun.) 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

(Mon.) 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. (B)

Day 3 Montréal–Québec City

(Tue.) 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. (B)

Day 4 Québec City

(Wed.) 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. (B,D)

Day 5 Québec City–Cap-de-la-Madeleine–Ottawa

(Thu.) 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. (B,D)

Day 6 Ottawa

(Fri.) 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 take an optional excursion 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)

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

(Sat.) 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. (B)

Day 8 Toronto. Niagara Falls Excursion

(Sun.) 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

(Mon.) The vacation ends this morning after breakfast with guests departing on individual schedules. Airport transfers are provided. (B)

Vacation Highlights: INCLUDED FEATURES

Montréal: Sightseeing tour; visit Notre Dame Basilica
Québec City: Sightseeing tour
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 - (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner

American breakfast daily (B); 3 three-course dinners (D), 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 Delta Chelsea (SF)

DATES:

May - October

PRICES:

Priced from $1,739.00 US per person based on double occupancy
Departures on or within the seasons shown will determine the price