Day 1. Sat. USA / Quebec City.

This morning make your own way to the airport for your flight to Quebec.  On arrival, clear Canadian immigration, collect luggage, proceed through customs and continue to the exit. Here you will be met by private vehicle and transferred to your hotel.

Welcome to Quebec City:  Québec City is the crown jewel of French Canada and if you’re coming for the first time, look out – there’s simply no other place like it in North America.It is pure Old Europe, right smack in North America, the heart and soul of francophone culture in the New World, and it’s got a boisterous and down-to-earth population proud to show it all off. In short, it’s hard not to be completely wowed by the place. Perched atop a cliff that swoops down to the St Lawrence River, Québec City is the only walled city on the continent north of Mexico.

Overnight: The Lindberg Hotel. 

Day 2.  Sun.  Quebec City: (Full day private tour of the city & environs)

08:15hrs – 09:00hrs – Breakfast at the hotel.

 09:15hrs – 09:30hrs – This morning you will be met by senior guide Linda, who will escort you by private vehicle and begin to introduce you to the cultural of Quebec City. You will drive to the plains of Abraham.

09:30hrs – 11:30hrs – This morning your private guide Linda will escort you through Quebec city by introducing such sights as La Citadel, Parc des champs de Bataille, Chateau Frontenac (including inside for photos) Place Royale, Quartier Petit Champlain, Place L’hotel de ville, Notre dame de sacre Coeur.

11:30hrs – 12:30hrs – Plains of Abrahams – Beonit Gilbert is one of the top guides of this national park. This has exceptional educational activities for students of all levels.

12:30hrs – 13:30hrs – Break for lunch. Linda will locate a convenient place for you to have a soup and sandwich and continue the afternoon tour.

13:30hrs – 14:30hrs – This afternoon continue with a visit of the Citadel, a one hour guided tour of the Gibraltar of North America. This is a fascinating 18^th century fort that is still operating as an army base. (Changing of the guard is only operating June 24 to Sep 7 each year).

14:30hrs – 17:30hrs – Your tour of Quebec city continues with visits to Tromp l’olel in the Quartier Saint Roch, Observatoir de la Capitale, Faubourg, Saint Jean Baptiste (Feux Sacres is free sound and light show). Late afternoon board a ferry for a ride across the river to Levis to take some photographs from the south Shore. End the day with a visit to the Verrie la Mailoche – Glass blowing factory.

17:30hrs – Return to the hotel with the evening at leisure. You can dine around town this evening at any of the many cafés’ and restaurants.

Overnight: The Lindberg Hotel. (B)

Day 3. Mon. Quebec City. (Full day St. Anne de Beaupre’ Tour)

08:00hrs – 08:45hrs – Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00hrs – This morning your private guide will collect you from the hotel and set out for a fascinating cultural visit of Quebec City and surrounding areas. Your countryside half-day trip follows Avenue Royale through the traditional villages and farms of the Beaupre Coast.

This is also timed to show you the fall foliage which is absolutely spectacular at this time of year. On your tour, the entertaining commentary provided by your bilingual guide will help re-create the tranquil pace and way of life of bygone years. The half-day tour includes stops of 35/45 minutes each at Montmorency Falls and the basilica of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, with a short detour to the western tip of the Island of Orleans to visit the Chocolaterie. Other highlights include the Albert Gilles Copper Art Museum and Chez Marie’s bread oven.

St. Ann de Beaupre Church is located outside the city of Quebec surrounded by farmland—an unusual location for such a large structure. The doors of copper were beautifully and artistically designed after the Renaissance era Gilberti Doors in Florence, Italy. The interior is spectacular. Enjoy a short visit and then we stop at Marie’s breadoven.

 09:45hrs – Marie’s Bread Oven – First you must travel a picturesque road to get to Marie’s with stops for photos. The fourth generation of the family lives in old Côte-de-Beaupré, in a stone homestead built in 1652. The oven used to bake the bread is 150 years old. Sample great fresh bread with assorted jams and maple produce. Reception room for 20 people or more. House specialties may be eaten on the premises. Open 7 days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

10:15hrs – The Woodcarver’s Museum. Live a fascinating experience at this Econo Museum, which interprets traditional Quebec legends through the medium of wood sculpture. Discover the stories of witches, will-o’-the-wisps, devils, imps, werewolves and spirits through the works of artists from past and present. Pieces of pine, basswood and butternut are transformed before your very eyes into attractive, functional objects by artists from Atelier Paré. Visitors get a one-of-a-kind chance to meet and talk to local sculptors. Don’t forget to visit the sculpture garden, an open air museum, during your trip to Atelier Paré.

10:30hrs – The Copper Art Museum – You’ll be astonished with our visit to the Albert Gilles Copper Art Museum. Albert Gilles is the creator of the doors to the Basilica of Sainte- Anne-de-Beaupré. We’ll have the opportunity to purchase beautiful copper jewelry and art.

11:15hrs – St. Anne de Beaupre Shrine – You just have to look at the statue of Good Saint Anne to understand that she is inviting us to celebrate life in a thousand different ways: firmly holding her dear child in her arms, she looks directly at us, pointing her finger to the heavens. She seems to be telling us: “I received the gift of life par excellence, as I carried Mary in my womb, as I gave birth to the Mother of our Redeemer and Saviour. Give praise to God who has given us such an incredible gift, He who is the author of every life and every grace. Listen to him, love him, and dedicate your life to making him known and loved by all!” You will explore the Cathedral and various statues and relics dedicated to the saint. Visit the gift shop and then we will continue with our balance of the morning.

12:15hrs – The Grand Canyon.  The Canyon receives over 100,000 visitors per year. Three suspension foot bridges cross the canyon, including one 60 m (197 ft) meters above the river. Many scenic overlooks allow families to discover giant potholes and other cascades. Rock-climbing, via ferrata (the first one installed in Canada), and rappelling the canyon walls are permitted with supervision. The highlight is without doubt, majestic scenery, and fall foliage unbeatable.

13:30hrs – 14:30hrs – Lunch break at Le Relais des Pins Sugar Shack. Here you will have a traditional homemade typical Quebec lunch which consists of homemade fresh pea soup with pork rinds, homemade bread, hot freshly prepared meat pies, Hot Maple Ham, Boiled potatoes, crepes with maple syrup, Tea, coffee and for desert Taffy on Snow. Added bonus – entertainment while you enjoy your lunch.

15:00hrs – 16:30hrs – Montmorency Falls. Two side by side falls at this privately owned site. They have a large reception area and restaurant. There is motorized transport to the falls for the handicapped or you can walk through the beautiful nature trails. There are huge lookouts on both sides of the falls and a pathway all the way down to the river on one side. There also is a suspension bridge over the falls. WE walked all of it (The bridge was very thrilling and scary The falls is 74 m. or 243 ft. which is 15 M. or 50 ft. higher than Niagara Falls. Your guide will show you the sights and walk across the suspension bridge.

16:30hrs – 17:15hrs – Drive back into town and to your hotel. Your evening is on your own.

Evening Suggestions: We recommend to take your evenings while in Quebec City and set off through the Old City each night and enjoy the many restaurants, cafés and bars.

Overnight: The Lindberg Hotel. (B)

Day 4. Tue.  QUEBEC CITY / MONTREAL 

06:00hrs – 06:45hrs – This morning enjoy breakfast at your Quebec city hotel.

07:00hrs – 07:15hrs – This morning you will be met at the hotel at 7:15am and transferred to the train station to board Canada’s Via Rail service to Montreal downtown.

11:00hrs – 11:30hrs – Take a taxi to the Holiday Inn midtown hotel from the train station on arrival Montreal.

12:00hrs – 14:00hrs – Lunch and Check in. At your hotel, settle in and leave for a nearby restaurant on your own for a soup and sandwich. Montreal is famous for their smoked sandwiches and all within walking of this hotel. New York may have its pastrami, Toronto may have corned beef, Italy may boast about its pasta, however, there is no place in the world other than Montreal which can offer you the most delicious smoked meat sandwich. If you do visit Montreal you must savor a smoked meat sandwich piled high on deli rye with mustard, pickle, and cole slaw. What is smoked meat? It is basically beef brisket that has been cured, spiced and smoked. However, the various well-known delis in Montreal will not divulge to you their distinct secret recipes.

14:00hrs – Private afternoon tour of Old Montreal. Like Quebec City, Old Montreal is European in character. Cobblestone streets, a café culture and historic 17th and 18th century architecture all contribute to the quaint charm that is unique amongst cities in North America.

Tonight: Enjoy Montreal nightlife. Your guide will recommend some restaurants to you and places to stroll around town.
When evening falls, make sure you are around the Place Jacques-Cartier area. Performers and artists come out at night and all the restaurant terraces are open. This will be a more expensive dinner, but take the time to check the menus posted outside and find something you really like. If you walk back up Place Jacques-Cartier, there’s a beautiful fountain lit up at night.

Overnight: The Holiday Inn Midtown. (B)

Day 5. Wed. Montreal. (Full day private guide tour of Montreal)

07:30hrs – 08:30hrs – This morning enjoy breakfast at your Quebec city hotel.

 08:30hrs – 12:00hrs – Montreal’s famous neighborhoods – This morning your private guide Santo will collect you as you set off for the full day in-depth tour of Montreal and surroundings. Once again, the guide will discuss with you, your interests and the guide will change the order of the days sightseeing including the subway and public transportation that the guide will use today.

Mont (Mount) Royal – This is the perfect place to get some exercise and make a fresh start to your day, the Mountain is great for cycling, hiking or just relaxing on one of the quiet benches in the trees. We take the subway to the area and then walk to some areas with great views and you will be able to see a terrific scene of Montreal. We ride the subway up to Mont Royal and spend the time exploring this unique suburb of Montreal.

Afterwards head for St. Joseph’s Oratory. In 1904, Saint André Bessette, C.S.C., began the construction of St. Joseph, a small chapel on the slopes of Mont Royal near Notre Dame College. Soon the growing number of visitors made it too small. Even though it was enlarged, a larger church was needed and in 1917 one was completed and has a seating capacity of 1,000. In 1924, the construction of the basilica of Saint Joseph’s Oratory was inaugurated; it was finally completed in 1967

Visit the Musée des Beaux-arts – Continue by subway to the Museum of fine arts. Montreal’s museum of fine art is one of the most famous museums in Canada, housing fantastic exhibits of contemporary Canadian and international art, and is well worth a visit.

 Continue by subway to – Rue St-Denis is the place to be for shopping in Montreal. From fashions to gifts, from the trendy to the unusual, everything is available here. A great way to cap off the afternoon before dinner is to window shop along the street, or maybe pick up a few souvenirs on the way.

Lunch Break – 12:00hrs – 13:00hrs – Montreal Smoked Meat sandwiches. These speciality restaurants are scattered all over Montreal. Your guide Santo knows all the most popular ones and will lead you to one of the best for your lunch break.

13:00hrs – 14:00hrs – After lunch, your guide will lead you by subway to the Old Port (Quays) of Montreal – Head south down St. Laurent and head towards the Old Port (Vieux-Port) of Montreal. You’ll have to walk uphill for this part and you’ll pass by the Palais de Justice (courthouse).

14:00hrs – 14:45hrs – The Olympic Village & Tower – Built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, the Olympic Stadium is the Park’s centrepiece, a bold design by French architect Roger Taillibert. A funicular-type elevator brings visitors to the top three observation floors of the Tower, the tallest inclined tower in the world, which offers a spectacular view of the city. The sports centre, at the foot of the Tower, has seven aquatic pools as well as a multi-sport facility. Outdoors, the Olympic Park Esplanade Sun Life Financial welcomes events of all kinds, and for the “1st Fridays” event, vans and trucks converted into mobile kitchens meet in Espace 300 to provide delicious summertime eats.

15:00hrs – 15:30hrs – The Botanical Gardens of Montreal. Located in Olympic Park (the site of the 1976 Olympics).

The gardens have over 20,000 different plan species in 31 specialized gardens.

15:45hrs – 16:00hrs – De La Commune area – With the guide escorting head south one more block and walk back along de la Commune, which follows the St. Lawrence river. In the summer you’ll see private yachts in the haror and giant freight ships. If you’re peckish, try a quèue de castor (beaver tail). It’s not a real animal part, don’t worry! It’s a sort of fried flat bread covered in sugar and cinnamon, or chocolate – whatever topping you wish!

16:00hrs – 17:00hrs – St. Paul Street. St. Paul is the oldest street in Montreal and mostly cobblestone – which is why it’s important to wear good shoes. You can browse through the shops on this street or stop in for some gelato or maple treats. There are tons of souvenir shops on this street, if that’s what you’re looking for. Return to the hotel at the end of the day by subway.

Overnight: The Holiday Inn Midtown. (One queen room – B)

Day 6. Thu. Montreal  Train Station / Ottawa / USA

08:00hrs – 09:00hrs – This morning have a leisurely breakfast, take a taxi to the train station to be there by 9:15am (Here you need to print out all your train tickets from the agent at the counter including your cabin tickets) Then head to the gate with luggage to board your train with just your cameras, you’re off to Ottawa Ontario.

 09:00hrs – 09:15hrs – In Montreal, Take a taxi to the train station and board your train to Ottawa. This short, slightly over two hour train ride takes you from Montreal across the river and finally into Ottawa, the nation’s capital.

09:55hrs – 12:10hrs – Train to Ottawa.

12:10hrs – After exiting the train, collect your luggage and then head into the main terminal and look for your name on a sign, as a private Ottawa driver guide will collect you inside the station and set off for a 3.5 hour private tour of the capital city of Canada. 13:00hrs – 14:00hrs – Grab a sandwich on your own account. You will tour for an hour from 12 noon to 1:00pm, and the guide will bring you to the byward Market which has been here since 1826. You will be at the market around 1:00pm, so you can grab a sandwich on the fly for your lunch.

Col John by Statue. Lieutenant-Colonel John By (7 August 1779 – 1 February 1836) was a British military engineer, best remembered for supervising the construction of the Rideau Canal and, in the process, founding what would become the city of Ottawa

Half hour visit to Byward Market, where you can grab a sandwich and keep moving on the tour.

Continue to the Prime Ministers’ office. (exterior visit) The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution. Not outlined in any constitutional document, the office exists only as per long-established convention originating in Canada’s former colonial power, the United Kingdom, which stipulates that the monarch’s representative, the governor general, must select as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the elected House of Commons; this individual is typically the leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber.

The Rideau Canal: The Rideau Canal is a visitor’s paradise with its many historic lockstations and 202 kilometres (125 mile) of scenic waterway. The Rideau Canal; a National Historic Site of Canada, a Canadian Heritage River and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consists of a series of beautiful lakes and rivers connected by canals. It stretches from Kingston, at the foot of Lake Ontario, to Ottawa, Canada’s capital. Maintained by Canada’s Parks service it is arguably the most scenic waterway in North America. Whether you visit by boat, car, bicycle or on foot, the Rideau has something for you.

Visit the parliament buildings.  This afternoon spend an hour of your time visiting the Parliament buildings. House of commons and the Senart building. (If parliament is not in session, your guide may be able to take you inside). The buildings are gorgeous, the views of the river are breathtaking.

Hull Quebec. Just opposite Ottawa by crossing the river, you will come across to the town of Hull, which is where the most amazing views of Ottawa are on various lookout points. Your guide knows all the best spots and will bring you to these.

The Chateau Laurier. – Reflecting the confidence, dignity and style of Canada’s capital city, Fairmont Château Laurier stands as a testament to this dynamic, thriving city. Located next door to the Parliament Buildings, the landmark Fairmont Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa is a magnificent limestone edifice with turrets and masonry reminiscent of a French château. This luxury hotel in Ottawa enchants guests with its charm and stateliness.

3:00PM – 3:30PM – Your guide will drop you at Ottawa airport in time for security and check in to the flight to USA.

Overnight: The Residence Inn & Suites  – Alexandria VA. (Quad rooms – D)