Canada’s Eastern Wonders

Itineraries

• Day 1 UK – Montreal
• Depart on your scheduled flight to Montreal, and on arrival we’ll transfer to our hotel.
• Day 2 Montreal
• Today we’ll get to know Montreal on a tour of the city’s main highlights. We’ll discover the historic old port area, where the first colonists would have arrived on the shores of the St Lawrence River in 1642.Then we’ll head to themagnificent Notre Dame Basilica, which is amasterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture. Insidewe’ll discover astriking interior filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings, beautiful stained glass windows and colourful vaults decorated with golden stars. We’ll also see the immense Olympic Stadium, which was the main venue for the 1976 Olympic Games.
  After your tour, enjoy free time to explore the old port area further in the company of your travelling companions. Or maybe head to the ‘Underground City’, an extensive pedestrian network of offices, shops, hotels, restaurants and more, which offers Montrealers protection from thelong, cold winters.After a welcome drink, well head to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner of French-Canadian cuisine.
• Day 3 Montreal – Quebec City
• We arrive in Quebec City today, a 400-year-old fortified city with an intact fortress – La Citadelle – at its heart. As we head out to explore we’ll discover many historic highlights, with the fairy-tale Chteau Frontenac hotel dominating the skyline.On astrollwe’ll see the grand City Hall, the Military Drill Hall, the Latin Quarter, Old Quebec and the Plains of Abraham. This was the scene of the decisive battle in 1759 between the French and the English for the control of Canada.This afternoon is free, so why not explore further at your own pace.
• Day 4 Quebec City
• The choice is all yours today you can further explore the cobbled streets of Quebec City at your leisure, or you can take an optional trip to Baie-Sainte-Catherine. Located at the junction of the St Lawrence River and the Saquenay Fjord, this is a hot spot for whale-watching. The journey itself offers fantastic river views, and the chance to see whales in their natural habitat is something you’ll never forget.
• Day 5 Quebec City – Laurentian Mountains
• We’ll revel in the beauty of the Laurentian Mountains today, as we make our way to the resort town of Mont Tremblant, on the shores of Lake Tremblant. En route we’re going to make a stop at an authentic Quebecois Sugar Shack for lunch. Originally used for the production of maple syrup, what we’ll enjoy here today is traditional Quebec cuisine.
  On arrival in Tremblant, you’llhave free time to explore you’ll find a huge choice of shops and restaurants, or maybe you’ll choose toride a gondola to the top of the highest peak in the Laurentians for amazing views.
• Day 6 Laurentian Mountains – Ottawa
• We journey into the province ofOntario todayand onto Ottawa, where we stay tonight. On arrival we’ll head off on awalking tour of Canada’s modern-day capital city. Highlights include Confederation Square and the grounds of Parliament Hill, home of Canada’s government. We’ll also stroll along the pedestrian mall Sparks Street, and see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which sits in front of the National War Museum. By lunchtime we’ll be in the historic ByWard Market, home to many pubs, cafs and restaurants, so why not stop for refreshments with your travelling companions.You can then explorefurther at your own pace, and we highly recommend a visit to Rideau Hall, the official residence and workplace of Canadas Governor General, to view the changing of the guards – which takes place each hour.
• Day 7 Ottawa – Toronto
• En route to Toronto today we’ll pause in Rockport, a tiny town situated on the banks of the mighty St Lawrence River and gateway to the beautiful 1000 Islands. We’ll board aboat here for a cruise through the heart of the islands to discover a lush landscape dotted with luxurious cottages, vast estates and fairy-tale castles.
  As you soak up the tranquil atmosphereit’s hard to imagine the area’s colourful history, when it was blighted by significant skirmishes between the US and British-controlled Canada duringthe War of 1812.
  As we sail, look out for Boldt Castle, built by the owner of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in 1900 for his wife, who sadly died before it was completed.Another interesting sight isZavikon Island, which has what is considered the shortest international bridge in the world. At just 32 feet long, it connects this Canadian island, on which there is a house, to a smaller US island, whichis used as a garden.After our cruise we’ll continue to Toronto.
• Day 8 Toronto
• Canada’s largest city is going to be a delight to explore on your morning tour. This sprawling multi-cultural metropolis offers so much. There are landmarks including the Parliament building, City Hall and the Roger’s Centre Stadium, which is home to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. Then you’ve got beautiful beaches on Lake Ontario’s shores, a zoo and the largest aquarium in the country.
  With a free afternoon, see how many you can fit in!
  For spectacular panoramic views, a trip to the top of the CN Tower in one of the glass-fronted lifts is highly recommended. You could also spend time strolling through the Old Town, with its great markets.
• Day 9 Niagara Falls
• Today is the day you get to experience one of Canada’s most iconic natural wonders, the awesome Niagara Falls. Consisting of three waterfalls – Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls – they are a breathtaking sight, and how you view them is up to you. The thrill of flying overhead on an optional helicopter ride is hard to beat. Another option is a cruise on theNiagara River, which will get you really close to the thundering waters.
• Day 10 Niagara Falls – UK
• We’ll spend more time at Niagara Fallsthis morning to see even more of this amazing natural wonder. Later, we’ll transfer to the airport for our overnight flight back to the UK.
• Day 11 UK
• Today you’ll arrive back in the UK.