Itinerary

Arrive at Toronto Airport and take your luxury private transfer to your hotel.

Explore the vast waterfront and downtown of multicultural Toronto, Canada’s biggest city. Visit the iconic CN Tower for a 450-metre ascent offering panoramic views over the city and bay.

In the evening, check out the city’s diverse cuisine in neighbourhoods such as Chinatown, Koreatown, Greek Town, Portugal Village and Kensington Market.

Continue to explore the city of Toronto. Take an optional bicycle tour of downtown and visit the Royal Ontario Museum, which has the world’s largest fossil collection.

Another scenic option is a cruise around the harbour on Lake Ontario, then enjoy more of the city’s cuisine and nightlife in the evening.

Niagara Falls is only 1.5 hours from Toronto so easily visited on a day trip.
Take in the spellbinding sight of millions of gallons of water plunging over the sheer cliffs of 170-foot Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side, and American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the US side.
Ascend the 175-foot Niagara Skywheel or the observation deck of Skylon Tower for the best views, or take a boat cruise or helicopter tour before returning to Toronto.

Begin your comfortable rail journey today. Transfer independently to the train station to board the Via Rail (The Coridoor) to the Canadian capital Ottawa.

Ottawa is filled with historic architecture with a beautiful riverside location. Take a guided tour of the city’s historic attractions or explore independently.

Don’t miss Canada’s National Gallery, with one of the largest collections in the world of First Nations and other Canadian art.

Spend another day exploring Ottawa. Historic highlights of Ottawa include Parliament Hill, the Museum of Civilisation, Canadian Museum of History, Canadian Museum of Nature, Canadian War Museum and the Royal Canadian Mint.

For a different experience of the city, consider a spooky Ottawa Haunted Walking tour, while gourmet lovers will enjoy a food tour of Byward Market.

Transfer independently to the train station to board the Via Rail (The Coridoor) to Montreal.

Entering Montreal is almost like entering a different country, a city fiercely proud of its French-Canadian heritage. Take an optional walking tour or hire e-bikes to explore the “city of a hundred bell towers”, famous for churches such as Christ Church Cathedral and Notre Dame Basilica.

Montreal also has fantastic cuisine so head to Quartier Latin or Le Village in the evening to sample delicious specialities.

Continue to explore fascinating Montreal. Top attractions in the city include Montreal Museum of Fine Art with 43,000 artworks and relics, The Canadian Centre for Architecture, and Montreal Biodome with its Botanical Garden.

The 230-metre peak of Mount Royal has great views from the surrounding park while Rue St Catherine is popular for shopping. Alternatively, explore the 20 miles of Underground City, the largest underground complex in the world.

Another beautiful way to experience Montreal is to opt for a scenic St Lawrence River cruise.

Transfer independently to the train station to board the Via Rail (The Coridoor) to Quebec City, one of Canada’s most beautiful, historic destinations and the only walled city in North America.

French-Canadian heritage is very strong here with cobblestone streets, murals and statues of French heroes. The city’s walled upper town is dominated by Fairmont Château Frontenac, one of the world’s most spectacular city hotels with fantastic views.

A great optional excursion is a 1.5-hour cruise on the St Lawrence River, passing many of the city’s landmarks, or rent an e-bike to explore independently.

Continue to explore historic Quebec City. The cuisine in the city is excellent – from traditional snacks like ‘poutine’ to gourmet food in the bistros and restaurants. Delve into the city’s wonderful food on an optional gourmet tour.

Explore the lower town centred around Place Royale, including Notre Dame Basilica and Musée de la Civilisation, as well as Le Grand Allée (Quebec City’s version of Champs Elysées) with its restaurants and patio bars, and nearby, visit the museums and original defence towers of Battlefields Park.

Transfer independently to the train station to board the Via Rail (The Coridoor) for your final rail journey to Bathurst.

Arrive in Bathurst, an attractive bilingual town on Chaleur Bay situated at the mouth of four rivers. Bathurst has a waterfront promenade with a cluster of shops and outdoor pavilion.

Good excursions nearby include the beach at Youghall, and hikes in the Daly Point Nature Reserve or to the waterfalls at Pabineau Falls.

Pick up your hire car this morning and drive south to Moncton.

Moncton is famous for its seemingly gravity-defying Magnetic Hill. Put your car in neutral and enjoy the experience of appearing to roll uphill in a unique optical illusion. The hill is home to one of the region’s best wineries so a wine-tasting tour here is recommended.

One of the best excursions from Moncton is to nearby Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park and Fundy National Park. Kayak around its distinctive sea stacks and walk on the ocean floor at low tide to take in the incredible contrasts.

Head south-west this morning to the Bay of Fundy and Saint John. This historic city has streets lined with restored Victorian architecture, a famous city market and some quality breweries.

The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world, attracting visitors for incredible river rafting and whale-watching. The power of the bay’s waters can be witnessed in Saint John at the Reversing Falls Rapids in Fallsview Park.

The 530-km-long Bay of Fundy attracts 12 species of whales, including humpback, minke and finback, so consider a tour in one of Canada’s best destinations for whale-watching.

Explore New Brunswick’s unique geology nearby. The red sandstone St Martins Caves are best explored on a kayaking tour, while Fundy National Park has Acadian forest, beaches, waterfalls and trails for hiking and cycling.

Cross the Bay of Fundy this morning to Nova Scotia. Your destination is the capital Halifax on Nova Scotia’s south coast.

You can either take the more direct route east with optional stops in Annapolis Valley and Wolfville or the more scenic route south through Kejimkujik National Park then along the coast via Lunenburg.

The Annapolis Valley is a rich agricultural region, famous for its wine, beer and cider, so a gastronomic tour here is recommended. It’s also worth visiting Fort Anne near Annapolis Royal, which dates from the 17th century, and Grand-Pré Historic Site near Wolfville to learn about the French-speaking Acadian culture.

If you’re taking the route directly south, consider stopping at Kejimkujik National Park, the only inland national park in the Maritimes, ideal for hiking, cycling, kayaking and canoeing in its rivers and forests.

You will then reach Lunenburg, Nova Scotia’s best-preserved colonial town. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lunenburg is among the oldest in the Maritimes with buildings painted lobster-red, pink, blue and green, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Explore the town’s historic heart and waterfront, working up an appetite to sample its restaurants. You could consider spending a night here.

Arrive in Halifax, a city renowned for its mouthwatering seafood, particularly lobster, so explore its restaurants lining the waterfront and the Seaport Farmers’ Market.

Discover historic Halifax today. The capital of Nova Scotia is famous for its waterfront, maritime heritage and one of the biggest natural harbours in the world, best admired along the boardwalk or on a cruise around the bay.

The Citadel overlooking the harbour dates from the mid-18th century with a museum, military displays, changing of the guard and the famous noon gun.

Other historic highlights of the city include the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic with 20,000 photographs and artifacts from the Titanic and the CSS Acadia on the museum’s wharf.

Continue to explore Halifax and its vicinity today. A popular excursion is a scenic cruise to Georges Island to explore the underground complex beneath Fort Charlotte.

Another great option is Peggy’s Cove, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the region in a pleasant fishing village under an hour’s drive from Halifax.

If you didn’t visit Lunenburg already, continue to this charming historic town to explore its heritage and cuisine (see day 13 for further information).

Drop off your hire car at Halifax Airport and take your flight home as your tour comes to an end.