North America

Day 1 : Arrive Toronto

Tour begins: 5:30 PM at The Fairmont Royal York. A transfer is included from Toronto International Airport to your hotel. Your trip through Canada's capital cities gets off to a festive start this evening when you join us for a private welcome reception and dinner at the newly transformed Royal Ontario Museum, an after-hours sparkling event for Tauck guests only.

Day 2 : Niagara Falls & Toronto

Journey to thundering Niagara Falls this morning for a catamaran cruise near the plunging waters and misty spray of the waterfalls, raincoats on.  Have lunch amidst the Victorian charms of Niagara-on-the-Lake, before returning to Toronto.  Enjoy dinner at your leisure tonight in the hotel.

Day 3 : Ottawa

En route to Ottawa this morning, enjoy a luncheon cruise on the sparkling waters of the St Lawrence River through the scenic Thousand Islands, a region of postcard-perfect island escapes, dotted with charming cottages and opulent mansions. Disembark at Rockport, and continue onto the heart of Ottawa.  Spend the next two nights at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier.  Dine tonight at your hotel with views of Parliament buildings and the Rideau Canal Locks.  

Day 4 : Ottawa

Sightseeing in Ottawa includes guided visits at the west block of the Gothic Revival Parliament buildings. Next you will delve into the stories of Canada and its people on a docent-led tour at the Canadian Museum of History. View exhibitions introducing Aboriginal and First People cultures, Viking streetscapes, whaling ships and more.  The remainder of the day is free for you to experience city sights on your own.

Day 5 : Montreal

Today it's off to French-speaking Montreal, stopping for lunch at privately owned Château Vaudreuil set in sumptuous gardens on the shores of the Lake of Two Mountains. On arrival in Montreal, a local guide joins you to offer an introduction to life in the Province of Quebec. Your landmark hotel is set in the heart of this remarkable multicultural, bilingual city.

Day 6 : Old Montreal

Join us for a walking tour of Old Montreal, where gas-lamped cobblestone streets, lined with restored 18th- and 19th-century architecture, remind you of Old World Europe. In addition to evoking romance and history, Vieux-Montreal entices with an array of multicultural, epicurean delights. Sample a taste of local specialties as you explore. Spend the afternoon at leisure, discovering the sights on your own and make plans to join us for dinner tonight at a popular local restaurant.

Day 7 : Quebec City

Leave Montreal this morning for Quebec City. Follow the mighty St. Lawrence River to Trois Rivières for a taste of locally produced maple products at a traditional Quebec sugar shack, or as they are locally known, a Québécois cabana à sucre. Continue on to majestic Montmorency Falls, 98 feet higher than Niagara Falls, where lunch gives you time to view this natural spectacle unhurried. Your arrival in Quebec City this afternoon is made even more memorable when you view the ramparts of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, one of the most iconic hotels in French Canada – and your home for the next two nights. A landmark of hospitality for more than a century, it is perched high on a bluff overlooking the mighty St. Lawrence River, and the historic walled city below.

Day 8 : Quebec City

On a Quebec City orientation tour, discover the many faces of one of the oldest cities in North America. Get an overview of sights like La Citadelle de Québec, the largest British fortress built in North America (overlooking the St. Lawrence River) and the adjacent Plains of Abraham. Venture outside of the city for a special visit to historic Île d’Orléans, a French inspired island of red-roofed farm houses and bountiful fields of agricultural produce, from vegetables to fruits. Savour lunch at a local restaurant, the remainder of the day and evening are free.

Day 9 : Quebec City - free day

The entire day is yours to enjoy Quebec City’s enchanting setting on the St. Lawrence River, its rich architectural legacy and its colourful past. The only fortified city north of Mexico, historic Quebec was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Explore the cobble stoned streets of Old Quebec where the Upper and Lower towns welcome with ramparts, citadels and 17th- and 18th-century houses or people watch from European inspired cafés. Join us tonight for a farewell reception and dinner at your landmark hotel.

Day 10 : Journey Home

Depart Quebec City, a transfer is included from Fairmont Le Château Frontenac to Quebec City International Airport. 

This is the end of your tour, however your adventure doesn't have to end here. Perhaps you may want to extend your stay and visit the West Coast and experience the Rocky Mountains.

Call the travel specialists at Bon Voyage to discuss your ideal Canada's Capital Cities holiday.