Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Eastern Canada: Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Montréal and Quebec City
9 days from Toronto to Quebec City: a day at Niagara Falls, VIA Rail to Ottawa and Montréal, then three nights in Old Quebec with Montmorency Falls and Île d'Orléans.
9 days · Toronto to Quebec City · up to 12 guests
The Château Frontenac at dusk, Quebec City Photo: Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chateau_Frontenac_at_dusk_in_Quebec_City.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Toronto to Quebec City
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Mostly easy walking: 2 to 4 hours on foot on the city days, up to about 5 km on cobbles and steep streets in Old Quebec, with the funicular to skip the steepest climb. The Montmorency staircase (487 steps) is optional; the cable car does the same job. Three train rides of 2 to 4.5 hours, and no day with more than about 3.5 hours in the vehicle.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,075 (estimated price)
- Season
- May to mid-October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Sail into the spray at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls, then go behind them through the rock
- Up the CN Tower at opening, then lunch at St. Lawrence Market
- VIA Rail from Toronto to Ottawa, Montréal and Quebec City, seats reserved together
- Parliament Hill early and the Rideau Canal locks stepping down to the Ottawa River
- Mount Royal first thing, then Old Montréal and the Notre-Dame Basilica
- Three nights in Old Quebec: the Citadelle, the ramparts and Dufferin Terrace at dusk
- Montmorency Falls by 9 am and a day of farms and tastings on Île d'Orléans
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,075 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Toronto
Toronto Pearson International Airport to your downtown hotel
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Toronto
- Drive about 45 min
Fly into Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), where a driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the drive of about 27 km into downtown, usually 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. Your hotel is central, within walking distance of the waterfront and Union Station, and it is your base for two nights.
Evening
Plan to land by about 3 pm so you can settle in before the evening; the exact time comes with your final itinerary. If you arrive early, walk down to Harbourfront for the view across to the Toronto Islands, or take the subway up to Casa Loma, the castle built in the 1910s for the financier Sir Henry Pellatt. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the week: the early start for Niagara tomorrow, how the trains work, and the free time built into every city. Then we walk together to a welcome dinner at a downtown restaurant.
Included
- Pick-up at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Optional experiences
- Casa Loma, if you arrive early
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake
Toronto to Niagara Falls, then Niagara-on-the-Lake and back to Toronto
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Toronto
- Drive about 3.5 h
Afternoon
We leave Toronto at 8 am in our own vehicle and drive about 130 km around the western end of Lake Ontario, an hour and a half to two hours depending on traffic, so we reach the falls before the midday crowds. First the Niagara City Cruises boat, which sails from the Canadian shore past the American and Bridal Veil Falls and into the spray at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls; ponchos are handed out at the dock. Then Journey Behind the Falls, where a lift drops about 38 m through the rock to tunnels and an observation deck beside the falling water. Lunch is a sit-down meal near the falls, followed by the Skylon Tower for the view over both countries. In the afternoon we follow the Niagara Parkway north along the gorge to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a 19th-century town where the river meets Lake Ontario, for an hour on Queen Street before the drive back.
Evening
The evening is free in Toronto.
Included
- Drive to Niagara Falls and back in our own vehicle with your guide
- Niagara City Cruises boat to the foot of the Horseshoe Falls
- Journey Behind the Falls
- Sit-down lunch near the falls
- Skylon Tower
- The Niagara Parkway and an hour in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Free time: Evening free in Toronto
Activity: About 3.5 hours in the vehicle across the day, broken by the falls; you will get some spray on the boat.
The CN Tower, then the train to Ottawa
CN Tower and St. Lawrence Market, then VIA Rail from Union Station to Ottawa
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Ottawa
- By train
Morning
After breakfast it is a short walk to the CN Tower for its opening time, before the queues build. The lifts climb to the LookOut level at about 346 m in under a minute; the tower itself is 553 m, and on a clear day you can see across Lake Ontario towards the Niagara Escarpment. Your guide then walks you east through the Financial District to St.
Afternoon
Lawrence Market, where lunch is on us: pick from the stalls, and try a peameal bacon sandwich, the market's best-known dish. From there we collect the bags and go to Union Station, the Beaux-Arts hall that opened in 1927, for an early-afternoon VIA Rail train to Ottawa. The ride is about four and a half hours along the shore of Lake Ontario through Cobourg and Kingston, then north from Brockville, with seats reserved together and snacks and drinks sold on board. We meet you at Ottawa station and take you to your hotel.
Evening
The ByWard Market is a few minutes on foot for dinner.
Included
- CN Tower at opening
- Lunch at St. Lawrence Market
- VIA Rail from Toronto to Ottawa
- Transfers to Union Station and from Ottawa station to your hotel
Free time: Evening free in Ottawa
Activity: St. Lawrence Market's main hall is closed on Sundays and Mondays; on those days lunch is a sit-down meal near Union Station.
Ottawa, then on to Montréal
Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal and the Mint, then VIA Rail to Montréal
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Montréal
- By train
Morning
A morning on foot in the capital with your guide. We start on Parliament Hill as the city wakes up. Centre Block and its Peace Tower are closed for a long renovation, so we walk the lawns, the Centennial Flame and the cliff-top path behind the Library of Parliament, and from late June to late August we stay for the Changing of the Guard at 10 am. Below the hill, the eight locks of the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, step down to the Ottawa River beside the Château Laurier. Across Major's Hill Park is Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, with its silver spires and blue starred ceiling, and then the Royal Canadian Mint on Sussex Drive for a guided tour of how Canada's collector coins and gold bullion are made.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the ByWard Market. In mid-afternoon we take the VIA Rail train to Montréal, about two hours, then a short transfer from Central Station to your hotel in or near Old Montréal.
Included
- Parliament Hill with your guide
- The Rideau Canal locks
- Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
- Guided tour of the Royal Canadian Mint
- Sit-down lunch in the ByWard Market
- VIA Rail from Ottawa to Montréal, with station transfers
Free time: Evening free in Montréal
Activity: About 3 km on foot in the morning, with a slope up to Parliament Hill.
Mount Royal and Old Montréal
Mount Royal, then Old Montréal on foot
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Montréal
- Drive about 30 min
We start on Mount Royal, the hill that gave the city its name, in a park laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of New York's Central Park. The van takes us most of the way up, and a short walk through the trees leads to the Kondiaronk Belvedere, with the downtown towers below and the St. Lawrence beyond.
Morning
Early in the morning the terrace is quiet. Back down the hill, your guide walks you through Old Montréal: Place d'Armes, then the Notre-Dame Basilica, whose deep blue vaulted ceiling, gold stars and carved wooden interior were finished in the 1870s, then the narrow streets of the old merchant quarter down to Place Jacques-Cartier and the Old Port.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the old town.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free: the Pointe-à-Callière archaeology museum, a river cruise from the Old Port, or smoked meat and bagels on the Plateau, with a list of places from your guide.
Included
- Mount Royal and the Kondiaronk Belvedere
- Old Montréal on foot with your guide: Place d'Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier and the Old Port
- Entry to the Notre-Dame Basilica
- Sit-down lunch in Old Montréal
Optional experiences
- St. Lawrence River cruise from the Old Port
- Pointe-à-Callière museum
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 to 4 km on foot, partly on cobbles.
By train to Quebec City
Montréal to Quebec City on VIA Rail
- Breakfast
- Stay in Quebec City
- By train
Morning
The morning is free in Montréal. Sleep in, walk the Lachine Canal, or take the metro to Jean-Talon Market, the city's big open-air market, for a coffee and a look at what Quebec farms grow; your guide goes along for anyone who wants company.
Afternoon
Around midday we transfer to Central Station for the VIA Rail train to Quebec City, about three and a quarter hours along the south shore of the St. Lawrence, through farmland and villages with tall church spires. We arrive in the late afternoon at the Gare du Palais, a château-style station at the foot of Old Quebec, and drive the short way to the hotel, where we stay three nights.
Evening
Before dinner your guide walks the group up to Dufferin Terrace, the boardwalk beneath the Château Frontenac, as the light goes and the river turns silver below. Dinner is yours, inside the walls or down in the Lower Town.
Included
- VIA Rail from Montréal to Quebec City, with station transfers
- Evening orientation walk to Dufferin Terrace
Free time: Morning free in Montréal; dinner free in Quebec City
Old Quebec and the Citadelle
The Plains of Abraham, the Citadelle and the Upper Town, then the funicular to the Lower Town
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Quebec City
Morning
A local Quebec City guide joins your See Sight Tours guide this morning for a walking tour of Old Quebec, the fortified old town that UNESCO listed in 1985. We begin on the Plains of Abraham, where the battle of 1759 decided the fate of New France, and walk into La Citadelle, the star-shaped fort on Cap Diamant that is still home to the Royal 22nd Regiment, for a guided visit. From there we follow the ramparts into the Upper Town, past convents, the seminary and the Château Frontenac, opened in 1893 as a railway hotel. The funicular takes us down the cliff to the Petit-Champlain quarter and Place Royale, where Samuel de Champlain founded the city in 1608 and the small stone church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires has stood since 1688.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the Lower Town. The afternoon is free: the Musée de la civilisation, the short ferry across to Lévis for the view back at the city, or a café terrace on Rue Saint-Jean.
Included
- Old Quebec walking tour with a local guide: the Plains of Abraham, the ramparts, the Upper Town, Petit-Champlain and Place Royale
- Guided visit to La Citadelle de Québec
- The Old Quebec funicular
- Sit-down lunch in the Lower Town
Optional experiences
- Lévis ferry
- Musée de la civilisation
Easier option: Skip the ramparts and take the funicular both ways; meet the group in the Lower Town for lunch.
More active option: After lunch, walk the full circuit of the city walls, about 4.6 km, with your guide.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: The longest walking day: about 5 km on cobbles, stairs and steep streets, with the funicular for the steepest stretch.
Montmorency Falls and Île d'Orléans
Quebec City to Montmorency Falls, around Île d'Orléans and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Quebec City
- Drive about 2 h
Our vehicle takes us about 15 minutes east to Montmorency Falls, where we arrive around 9 am, ahead of the coaches. Here the Montmorency River drops 83 metres into the St. Lawrence, about 30 metres further than Niagara. Cross the suspension bridge over the brink, then descend to the foot of the falls by cable car, or on the 487-step staircase down the cliff if you want the exercise. The bridge onto Île d'Orléans is a few minutes away. The island is farmland and six old parishes strung along a single road, the Chemin Royal, about 67 km around, and its fields feed much of Quebec City. We drive the loop with stops that follow the season: strawberries in early summer, apples and cider in autumn, and blackcurrant, cheese and maple all year.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal on the island.
Evening
We are back in Quebec City by mid-afternoon for some free hours, and tonight the group meets for a farewell dinner in Old Quebec.
Included
- Montmorency Falls with the suspension bridge and the cable car
- Drive around Île d'Orléans on the Chemin Royal
- Tastings at island producers: cider, blackcurrant, cheese and maple
- Sit-down lunch on Île d'Orléans
- Farewell dinner in Old Quebec
Easier option: Ride the cable car both ways and watch the falls from the lower viewing area.
More active option: Walk down the 487-step staircase on the cliff face beside the falls and back up the same way.
Free time: Late afternoon free
Quebec City and home
Quebec City to Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
The last morning is free until it is time for the airport. Walk the walls once more before breakfast, when the Upper Town is quiet and the river is still, or browse the shops of Rue du Petit-Champlain as they open. Your driver takes you to Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB), about 16 km and 25 minutes from Old Quebec, at a time that fits your flight; book a flight leaving after about 12 noon so the morning is not rushed. Many flights home connect through Montréal or Toronto. If you would rather fly home from Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), ask when you book: we can put you on a morning VIA Rail train back to Montréal with a transfer to the airport, which needs a flight after about 5 pm. Your guide says goodbye at the hotel and makes sure every transfer is in place before the group splits up.
Included
- Drop-off at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
Optional experiences
- VIA Rail to Montréal with a transfer to Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), on request
Free time: Morning free
Activity: Book a flight from YQB after about 12 noon, or from YUL after about 5 pm.
- Toronto2 nights
- Ottawa1 night
- Montréal2 nights
- Quebec City3 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Summer days are warm and often humid in Toronto and Montréal, 25 to 30°C, with cooler evenings in Quebec City. May and October are cool and quieter. The maples turn from late September to mid-October, the best time for colour on Île d'Orléans and along the train line.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors who want the five big names of Eastern Canada in one trip
- Travellers who prefer trains to long coach days
- Three unhurried nights in Quebec City rather than a one-night stop
- A mix of guided mornings and free afternoons and evenings
Not for you if you want
- Wilderness and wildlife: there is no Algonquin or whale watching on this trip (see our Montréal, Quebec City and Charlevoix trip for whales)
- Travellers who want every evening planned
- Step-free access: Old Quebec means cobbles, stairs and steep streets
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Toronto2 nights
- Ottawa1 night
- Montréal2 nights
- Quebec City3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights in central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard: 2 in Toronto, 1 in Ottawa, 2 in Montréal, 3 in or beside Old Quebec
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and drop-off at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
- Our own vehicle and driver for the Niagara Falls day, Mount Royal and the Montmorency and Île d'Orléans day
- VIA Rail trains from Toronto to Ottawa, Ottawa to Montréal and Montréal to Quebec City, seats reserved together
- Transfers between stations and hotels
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, with a local guide for the Old Quebec walk and site guides at the Royal Canadian Mint and La Citadelle
Activities
- Niagara Falls: Niagara City Cruises boat, Journey Behind the Falls and the Skylon Tower
- The Niagara Parkway and Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Toronto: the CN Tower and St. Lawrence Market
- Ottawa: Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal locks, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica and the Royal Canadian Mint tour
- Montréal: Mount Royal, Old Montréal on foot and the Notre-Dame Basilica
- Quebec City: Old Quebec walking tour, La Citadelle guided visit and the funicular
- Montmorency Falls with the cable car
- Île d'Orléans with producer tastings
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 6 lunches: Niagara Falls, St. Lawrence Market, the ByWard Market, Old Montréal, Quebec City's Lower Town and Île d'Orléans
- 2 dinners: welcome in Toronto and farewell in Quebec City
Not included
- International flights to Toronto and home from Quebec City
- Canada eTA or visitor visa
- Travel insurance
- Lunches on days 1, 6 and 9, and dinners on days 2 to 7
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Optional activities, such as a river cruise in Montréal or the Lévis ferry
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,075 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights in central hotels, 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, a welcome and a farewell dinner, VIA Rail between Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Quebec City, airport transfers at both ends, our own vehicle for the Niagara and Île d'Orléans days, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every entry in the day plan, from the CN Tower and the Niagara boat to the Citadelle and Montmorency's cable car.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That is small enough to sit together on the train, fit around one table at lunch and hear the guide on the ramparts of Old Quebec. If you want fewer people still, the private trip is for your party only.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with you from Toronto to Quebec City and handles every station and transfer. A local Quebec City guide joins for the Old Quebec walk, and site guides lead the visits inside the Royal Canadian Mint and La Citadelle.
How fit do I need to be?
Easy. Most days mean 2 to 4 hours on foot with breaks. Old Quebec on day 7 is the longest walk, about 5 km on cobbles and steep streets, and the funicular saves the worst climb. At Montmorency the cable car replaces the 487-step staircase if you prefer.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay more?
A room of your own is from CAD 1,075 more, shown up front and never added at checkout. If you would rather share, tell us when you book and we will try to match you with another solo traveller of the same gender; if we cannot, we tell you before you pay.
How does booking work?
Pick a start date and send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and nothing is charged until then. The small group starts from CAD 6,295 per person sharing a room, with taxes; the private trip for your party only is from CAD 11,330 per person.
Can we travel on our own dates?
Yes. The private trip runs for your party only, with your own guide and vehicle, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel independently without a guide, ask us from the dates section: we can quote the same hotels, trains and city tours for your dates.
When is the best time to go?
June to early October. Summer is warm and lively, with the Niagara boats and Île d'Orléans farm stands in full swing. Late September to mid-October brings the autumn colours and fewer crowds. May is cooler and quieter, and some seasonal attractions open fully only later in the month.
Do I need a visa for Canada?
US citizens need only a valid passport. Most other visa-exempt visitors who fly in need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), applied for online before you travel. Some nationalities need a visitor visa, which takes longer, so check the Government of Canada site as soon as you book.
How much luggage can I take on the trains?
Bring one suitcase you can lift onto a rack, plus a day bag. VIA Rail sets the exact allowance, which we send with your final itinerary. Your guide helps at every station, and we drive you and your bags between stations and hotels in each city.
How is this different from your 6-day trip to Montréal?
This trip adds three nights in Quebec City, with a full day in Old Quebec and the Citadelle and a day at Montmorency Falls and on Île d'Orléans. It also makes Niagara a day trip from Toronto and includes lunches and dinners the 6-day trip leaves out.
Do I need to speak French?
No. French is the first language in Montréal and Quebec City, but almost everyone in hotels, restaurants and shops also speaks English, and your guide is with you for the guided parts. A 'bonjour' before you switch to English is always welcome.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.