Eastern Highlights and New England Cruise

Welcome to Canada. You will be met at Toronto International Airport and transferred to your downtown hotel. Sitting on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto is Canada's largest city, a vibrant and multicultural metropolis where striking architecture, diverse neighbourhoods and a fast-moving urban energy create a dynamic beginning to your journey. This evening, join a pre-tour briefing and meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers.

Few natural sights in North America match the scale and force of Niagara Falls, where an immense volume of water plunges over the escarpment in a constant roar of mist and motion. Today also contrasts beautifully with a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a heritage town of tree-lined streets, elegant 19th century architecture and a gentler pace that feels worlds away from the drama of the falls.

EmeraldPLUS This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at Toronto's iconic CN Tower. At 360 Restaurant, flavours from across Canada are paired with ever-changing panoramic views over the city skyline.

Included Excursion Today, visit Niagara Falls and board a thrilling cruise to the base of Horseshoe Falls, where the mist rises around you and the full power of the water becomes unforgettable. Later, continue to the beautifully preserved town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, known for its historic streetscape, heritage buildings and acclaimed wine region setting.

Travel east through southern Ontario, following the shore of Lake Ontario toward Kingston, a city long shaped by its strategic position at the meeting point of lake and river. From here, the Thousand Islands region reveals a softer, more intricate landscape, where wooded islands, quiet channels and grand summer homes mark the beginning of the St. Lawrence River's long journey to the Atlantic.

EmeraldPLUS Visit Madahòkì Farm for an authentic cultural experience. After a traditional arrival and welcome, spend time with the Cultural Ambassadors who will share their indigenous culture including a special dinner and dance presentation.

Canada's capital is known for its stately boulevards, landmark institutions and riverfront setting, offering a distinctly graceful introduction to the country's political heart. Later, Québec City shifts the mood entirely, where fortified walls, cobblestone streets and centuries-old buildings create a sense of old-world character unlike anywhere else in North America.

Included Excursion This morning, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Ottawa, taking in Parliament Hill, City Hall and the National Gallery, along with the city's elegant streets and formal landmarks.

Included Excursion On arrival in Québec City, join a local guide for a tour of the Plains of Abraham, the Citadel and Parliament Buildings, before setting out on a walking tour within the walls of the Vieux Carré (Old City) and Lower Town. A maze of cobblestone lanes, heritage facades and intimate squares, this historic quarter is one of the most atmospheric in Canada.

The only walled city north of Mexico, Québec City wears its history openly, from fortified ramparts and stone churches to narrow streets that seem almost untouched by time. Today is yours to explore this remarkable city further, with a choice of four DiscoverMORE experiences offering different perspectives on its culture, cuisine and riverside setting.

DiscoverMORE Old Québec Walking Tour (extra expense, pre-booking recommended)
A World Heritage-listed treasure and the cradle of French civilisation in North America, Old Québec has been flourishing for more than 400 years. Your guide brings its layered history to life through stories of defining battles, artistic legacies and everyday local life as you explore cobblestone streets and centuries-old landmarks.

DiscoverMORE Lower Town & Grand Market by E-Bike (extra expense, pre-booking recommended)
Explore Old Québec by e-bike, weaving through atmospheric streets past heritage architecture, public squares and sweeping murals that capture the soul of the city. Follow the waterfront through the Old Port before continuing to Grand Marché, where local producers and regional flavours offer a fresh perspective on contemporary Québec.

DiscoverMORE Québec City Guided Sightseeing River Cruise (extra expense, pre-booking recommended)
Board your river vessel and cruise the St. Lawrence from Old Québec toward Montmorency Falls, passing Île d'Orléans, with Château Frontenac keeping watch over the skyline. From the water, the city's clifftop setting and fortified profile become even more striking.

Set off along the Chemin du Roy, Canada's oldest highway, a storied route that has linked communities along the St. Lawrence since the 18th century. As the day unfolds, the countryside, riverside villages and fertile landscapes of Québec lead naturally into Montréal, a city where French heritage and contemporary urban energy exist side by side.

EmeraldPLUS Visit a traditional Québécois sugar shack and enjoy warm country hospitality as you learn how maple candy is made. Then settle in for a delicious lunch showcasing the hearty local cuisine and time-honoured traditions of rural Québec.

Montréal is a city of contrasts, where historic stone buildings and church spires sit comfortably beside bold architecture, creative neighbourhoods and a distinctly modern rhythm. Today reveals a place shaped by French roots, cultural confidence and an easy cosmopolitan energy, with a choice of three DiscoverMORE experiences offering different ways to see more.

Included Excursion Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Montréal, viewing St. Joseph's Oratory, Notre-Dame Basilica and the city skyline from the parklands of Mount Royal. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same landscape architect behind New York's Central Park, these elevated green spaces offer one of the city's finest outlooks.

DiscoverMORE Montréal Underground City Tour (extra expense, pre-booking recommended)
Beneath Montréal's streets lies one of the world's most remarkable urban networks, with passageways linking metro stations, shops, hotels and public spaces across the city centre. A local guide leads you through this hidden layer of Montréal while sharing the history and ingenuity behind it

DiscoverMORE Montréal by Cadillac Convertible (extra expense, pre-booking recommended)
Settle into a classic Cadillac convertible and see Montréal from a different angle as a passionate local guide reveals iconic landmarks, mural-lined streets and character-filled neighbourhoods. It is a stylish and more personal way to experience one of Canada's great cities.

DiscoverMORE Beyond the Market Walking Food Tour (extra expense, pre-booking recommended)
Jean-Talon Market is one of Montréal's great culinary institutions, and this guided walk explores its outstanding produce, cheeses, charcuterie and international flavours. Continue into Little Italy for freshly roasted coffee, generations of food tradition and a fittingly indulgent finish.

This morning, transfer to the pier to board Holland America's ms Volendam and settle into your comfortable Ocean View Stateroom (you can choose to upgrade to a Verandah Stateroom at additional expense). Over the next seven nights, your journey follows the St. Lawrence River and New England coastline, tracing a route shaped by maritime history, island communities, harbour cities and some of the most storied waters in North America.

Returning to Québec City by water offers a wonderfully different perspective, with the fortified skyline rising above the cliffs as your ship glides along the St. Lawrence. Seen from the river, the city's strategic setting and old-world grandeur become even more apparent, whether you head ashore once more or simply admire the view on board.

The Gulf of St. Lawrence is the world's largest estuary, a vast meeting place of river and sea where the scale of Eastern Canada becomes unmistakably clear. Today offers a more relaxed rhythm as you cruise these expansive waters, with time on deck to watch for whales, dolphins and seabirds, or simply enjoy the comforts of ms Volendam, from its lounges and dining experiences to the many inviting spaces designed for life on board.

This morning, arrive in the charming city of Charlottetown, on Prince Edward Island. Compact, walkable and full of quiet charm, this city is best known as the birthplace of Canadian Confederation, where some of the nation's defining conversations first took place. Beyond its political significance, the city has an easy elegance, with Victorian architecture and leafy streets. Be sure to visit Confederation Centre or perhaps enjoy an optional tour to the ‘Anne of Green Gables' homesite (at own expense).

Sydney sits at the heart of Cape Breton Island, where Gaelic, Mi'kmaq and Acadian influences come together in a landscape of rugged coastline, forested hills and deep-rooted tradition. Go ashore to explore a city where Celtic music, indigenous heritage and Acadian traditions sit comfortably alongside one another. Whether you spend the day wandering the waterfront, browsing local galleries, or following the sound of a fiddle into a pub, Sydney has a warmth that tends to stay with you.

Arrive in Halifax and spend the day docked in one of Canada's great natural harbours. The historic waterfront is an easy place to begin your exploration, with its restored buildings, independent shops, and a boardwalk that runs along the water's edge. Further afield, the Citadel offers sweeping views over the city and a vivid account of Halifax's military past, while the city's connections to the Titanic are preserved in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

For those who want to venture further, an optional tour to Peggy's Cove is well worth the trip — a working lighthouse community perched on wave-worn granite that's among the most photographed spots in the country (at own expense).

Portland's Old Port district is compact and easy to explore on foot. The neighbourhood has a genuine character to it, with independent bookshops, craft breweries, and seafood restaurants filling the historic buildings that line the harbour. It's a relaxed final port before Boston, and one that rewards those who wander without a fixed plan. Pick up a lobster roll on the waterfront, explore the galleries of the Arts District, or simply take in the view across Casco Bay — there's no wrong way to spend the afternoon here.

Disembark in Boston this morning and transfer to the airport for your onward flight. One of America's most historic cities, Boston offers a fitting final note to the journey with its Freedom Trail, historic neighbourhoods, and harbour views.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Emerald Tours cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information. Hotels are indicative and subject to change.