New York to Montreal

Surrounded by natural treasures and glorious seascapes, Halifax is an attractive and vibrant hub with noteworthy historic and modern architecture, great dining and shopping, and a lively nightlife and festival scene. The old city manages to feel both hip and historic. Previous generations had the foresight to preserve the cultural and architectural integrity of the city, yet students from five local universities keep it lively and current. It’s a perfect starting point to any tour of the Atlantic provinces, but even if you don’t venture beyond its boundaries, you will get a real taste of the region.It was Halifax’s natural harbor—the second largest in the world after Sydney, Australia’s—that first drew the British here in 1749, and today most major sites are conveniently located either along it or on the Citadel-crowned hill overlooking it. That’s good news for visitors because this city actually covers quite a bit of ground.Since amalgamating with Dartmouth (directly across the harbor) and several suburbs in 1996, Halifax has been absorbed into the Halifax Regional Municipality, and the HRM, as it is known, has around 415,000 residents. That may not sound like a lot by U.S. standards, but it makes Nova Scotia’s capital the most significant Canadian urban center east of Montréal.There’s easy access to the water, and despite being the focal point of a busy commercial port, Halifax Harbour doubles as a playground, with one of the world’s longest downtown boardwalks. It’s a place where container ships, commuter ferries, cruise ships, and tour boats compete for space, and where workaday tugs and fishing vessels tie up beside glitzy yachts. Like Halifax as a whole, the harbor represents a blend of the traditional and the contemporary.

If you come directly to Cape Breton via plane, ferry, or cruise ship, Sydney is where you’ll land. If you’re seeking anything resembling an urban experience, it’s also where you’ll want to stay: after all, this is the island’s sole city. Admittedly, it is not the booming center it was a century ago when the continent’s largest steel plant was located here (that era is evoked in Fall on Your Knees, an Oprah Book Club pick penned by Cape Bretoner Anne-Marie MacDonald). However, Sydney has a revitalized waterfront and smattering of Loyalist-era buildings that appeal to visitors. Moreover, it offers convenient access to popular attractions in the region—like the Miner’s Museum in nearby Glace Bay (named for the glace, or ice, that filled its harbor in winter), the Fortress at Louisbourg, and beautiful Bras d’Or Lake.

Designated as the Island capital in 1765, Charlottetown is both PEI’s oldest and largest urban center. However, since the whole “metropolitan” area only has a population of about 65,000, a pleasing small-town atmosphere remains. The city is a winner appearance-wise as well. Peppered with gingerbread-clad homes, converted warehouses, striking churches, and monumental government buildings, Charlottetown’s core seems relatively unchanged from its 19th-century heyday when it hosted the conference that led to the formation of Canada. The city is understandably proud of its role as the “Birthplace of Confederation” and, in summer, downtown streets are dotted with people dressed as personages from the past who’ll regale you with tales about the Confederation debate.

The Îles-de-la-Madeleine, or ‘Magdalen Islands’, form a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with a land area of 79.36 square miles (205.53 square kilometres). Though closer to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the islands form part of the Canadian province of Quebec. Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine encompass eight major islands: Havre-Aubert, Grande Entrée, Cap aux Meules, Grosse-Île, Havre aux Maisons, Pointe-Aux-Loups, Île d’Entrée and Brion. All except Brion are inhabited. Several other tiny islands are also considered part of the archipelago: Rocher aux Oiseaux; Île aux Loups-marins; Île Paquet; and Rocher du Corps Mort. Although Europeans first arrived on the islands in the mid-1600s, Mi’kmaq Indians had been visiting the islands for hundreds of years, and numerous archaeological sites have been excavated on the archipelago. By the mid-18th century, the islands were inhabited by French-speaking Acadians, and administered as part of the colony of Newfoundland from 1763-1774, when they were annexed to Quebec by the Quebec Act. A segment of the population are English descendants from survivors of the over 400 shipwrecks on the islands. The construction of lighthouses eventually reduced the number of shipwrecks, but many old hulks remain on the beaches and under the waters. Until the 20th century, the islands were completely isolated during the winter months due to the pack ice that made the trip to the mainland impassable by boat. However, a new wireless telegraph station provided Magdalens with year-round communication with the outside world. In recent years, the pristine natural beauty of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, along with the archipelago’s strategic geographic location in the heart of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, has made tourism an important part of the local economy. The well-preserved natural heritage, extraordinarily beautiful marine landscapes and exceptional coastline of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine offer visitors a unique opportunity to explore the area’s natural splendour. The panoramic archipelago features dramatic red cliffs, rolling green hills, brightly-coloured houses, intimate inlets, hidden coves, and over 180 miles (290 kilometres) of honey-coloured and white-sand beaches; half of the archipelago’s islands are linked by sand dunes. The Îles-de-la-Madeleine are also home to a wealth of diverse marine life, bird species, and flora and fauna to discover. The Îles-de-la-Madeleine offer a truly distinctive blend of Acadian, Madelinot, French and English cultures, traditions and communities that make this breath-taking archipelago a truly unforgettable destination. You can explore the people and history of the islands during visits to the many wonderful museums and interpretation centres, public areas and historical sites, art galleries, artisan workshops, archival centres, performing arts and theatres, industrial facilities, culinary and wine shops, charming boutiques, and cultural and gourmet festivals and events. The exquisite natural and coastal splendour of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine include a host of incredibly scenic and memorable sightseeing venues. Land-based excursions include picturesque nature hikes, walking trails, bicycling, bird-watching, horseback riding, golfing at the Club de golf des Iles, kite-flying, and flightseeing. The teeming coastal waters are ideally-suited for seal- and whale-watching, mariculture, canoeing, sea-kayaking, surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, fishing, boating, sailing and Zodiac tours, snorkelling, scuba diving, and more. Private arrangements for independent sightseeing may be requested through the Shore Concierge Office on board the ship.

Canada’s most diverse metropolis, Montréal, is an island city that favors style and elegance over order or even prosperity, a city where past and present intrude on each other daily. In some ways it resembles Vienna—well past its peak of power and glory, perhaps, yet still vibrant and grand.But don’t get the wrong idea. Montréal has always had a bit of an edge. During Prohibition, thirsty Americans headed north to the city on the St. Lawrence for booze, music, and a good time, and people still come for the same things. Summer festivals celebrate everything from comedy and French music and culture to beer and fireworks, and, of course, jazz. And on those rare weeks when there isn’t a planned event, the party continues. Clubs and sidewalk cafés are abuzz from late afternoon to the early hours of the morning. And Montréal is a city that knows how to mix it up even when it’s 20 below zero. Rue St-Denis is almost as lively on a Saturday night in January as it is in July, and the festival Montréal en Lumière, or Montréal Highlights, enlivens the dreary days of February with concerts, balls, and fine food.Montréal takes its name from Parc du Mont-Royal, a stubby plug of tree-covered igneous rock that rises 764 feet above the surrounding cityscape. Although its height is unimpressive, “the Mountain” forms one of Canada’s finest urban parks, and views from the Chalet du Mont-Royal atop the hill provide an excellent orientation to the city’s layout and major landmarks.Old Montréal is home to museums, the municipal government, and the magnificent Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Montréal within its network of narrow, cobblestone streets. Although Montréal’s centre-ville, or Downtown, bustles like many other major cities on the surface, it’s active below street level as well, in the so-called Underground City–-the underground levels of shopping malls and food courts connected by pedestrian tunnels and the city’s subway system, or métro. Residential Plateau Mont-Royal and trendy neighborhoods are abuzz with restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, and cafés. The greener areas of town are composed of the Parc du Mont-Royal and the Jardin Botanique.