Canadian Urban Getaways

Get a bird’s-eye view on a hike up Mount Royal, the hill that anchors the city. Once you’ve soaked up the scene and worked up an appetite, descend to the coolest neighbourhoods in Montreal: the Plateau, Mile End, and Little Italy. Try Quebec’s classic dish, poutine, at La Banquise and bite into the tastiest and freshest bagel that will ever cross your lips at Fairmount, the original home of the iconic Montreal-style bagel. Continue to Little Italy, where you can sample your way through the Jean-Talon market and pause for an espresso and cannoli at a typical Italian café.

Depending on your interests and energy levels, you can choose from a variety of different options for your last day in Montreal. If nature is your thing, pay a visit to the city’s Botanical Gardens and the Biodome. While you’re here, don’t miss a quick tour of the Olympic stadium, which was home to the 1976 summer games. If you’re interested in learning more about Monreal’s food and drink scene, hop on a bike and pedal eastward along a canal off the St. Lawrence to the St. Ambroise brewery in the up-and-coming St. Henri neighbourhood. Follow up with a visit to the Atwater Market and let your senses guide you through the hall filled with stalls of food merchants and local goodies.

Transfer from Montreal to Toronto by train and in the afternoon get your bearings of the city on a walking tour that traces the city’s beginnings as York, the second capital of Upper Canada, and charts its journey into the multicultural metropolis it is today. Start by taking a journey back to the 19th century as we wander the cobblestone streets of the Distillery District.

Explore the St-Lawrence Market, a fixture of Toronto’s Old Town since 1850, where you’ll soak up the sights, scents and flavours that earned it National Geographic’s “Best Food Market in the World” distinction. Pick out your favourite items for lunch and walk down to the harbourfront to hop on a narrated cruise while an epic view of the city skyline backdrops your journey. Arrive on the island in time for lunch and enjoy your market treats. Spend the day as you wish, perhaps renting a bike or just relaxing on the beach. You can head back to the mainland by ferry or water taxi at your desired time.

Check out Toronto’s arts scene with a visit to one (or a few) of its world-class museums. At the Art Gallery of Ontario, see paintings of Canada’s wild natural landscapes in the works of the country’s most prolific artists, the Group of Seven. Inside the ROM, find permanent and temporary exhibitions covering a range of themes—from ancient civilizations to natural history to archaeological discoveries. Those with more unconventional tastes can head to the newly reopened Museum of Contemporary Art or ask us about arranging visits to some of the city’s independent galleries.

Transfer by morning flight from Toronto to Vancouver and kick-off your time in Vancouver on a private tour to get a lay of the land. We’ll show you the city’s top highlights while also catering to your interests. Discover the Gastown neighbourhood, looking like a movie set with its whistling steam clock and Victorian buildings. Sample some of the best noodles, dumplings and dim sum around with a lunch stop in Chinatown.

Spend the day exploring the food, drink, art and crafts of Vancouver’s Granville Island. Start with a visit to the public market, which bears some of the finest foods in town. Rows of vendors sell everything from fresh produce and cheese to honey and home-baked bread. After satisfying your senses, check out the boutiques, where you’ll find locally made items like First Nations artwork, handcrafted pottery and specialty goods. If you don’t want to buy anything, not to worry—you can simply admire at one of the many independent galleries showcasing the creations of the area’s artists and artisans. This afternoon, choose from options like visiting the Vancouver Art Gallery, traversing the Capilano Suspension Bridge or chilling out on the beach at English Bay.

Visit the lush Stanley Park, a 405-hectare city forest comprised of giant hemlocks, cedar trees and Douglas firs, and with views of the Pacific Ocean and snow-capped peaks. Visit the park’s collection of nine First Nations totem poles, a testament to the city’s ties with its Indigenous communities and stumble upon the placid Lost Lagoon, teeming with wildlife. From here, set off for a stroll along the seawall, a 22-kilometre-long paved pathway that is perfect for an urban hike.