The ultimate 7 day Eastern Canada itinerary by train

I was about to start this by saying, Canada is having a moment.

But let’s face it, Canada is always having a moment because with epic landscapes, vibrant cities and culture, plus the friendliest people and easy ways to travel there, a trip to Canada is always a good idea!

And after I fell in love with Nova Scotia on my trip last year, I was super keen to travel back to Eastern Canada and explore more of what this part of Canada has to offer.

But this time, I decided to explore some of the Eastern Canada cities by train.

Road trips are great but with car rental costs, fuel costs and huge distances to cover, sometimes renting a car is a stressful experience, whereas flying into Canada and exploring by train takes the stress out and it’s a fun way to see the scenery of Canada from the comfort of your seat!

In this itinerary, I’ll be sharing my tips for flying to Canada, the best route to follow, the information you need for planning a rail trip in Canada and the best things to see and do in each location on this trip: Niagara Falls, Kingston and Montréal. Blending together adventure activities, culture, city escapes and making journeys part of the experience.

So I hope this 1 week Canada itinerary inspires you to not only explore more of East Canada, but also to consider rail travel for your next Canada adventure.

A quick note: I visited Eastern Canada in partnership with Air Transat, VIA Rail and was a guest of Niagara Falls Tourism, Visit Kingston and Tourisme Montréal. While they sponsored my trip, all views, experiences and opinions are my own.

A huge horseshoe shaped waterfall with turquoise water flowing over and mist rising from the pool below at Niagara Falls. A cruise ship with people out on deck is seen sailing into the mist — Niagara Falls

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. While clicking these links won't cost you anything, they will help me to keep this site up and running! Check out the full disclosure policy for more details. Thank you so much!

How to get to Canada and where to start from

I live near Manchester and just to be super clear, I partnered with Air Transat on this trip because I really feel like people are missing a trick when they’re booking flights to Canada if they’re not using Air Transat!

Did you know there are year-round direct flights from Manchester, London Gatwick and Glasgow to Toronto with Air Transat? Plus seasonal flights from London Gatwick to Montréal and Dublin to Toronto!

Air Transat is a seriously great airline and I had no idea we could travel to Canada for such an affordable price direct from Manchester?!

Air Transat also has direct flights to Canada from a variety of destinations across Europe as well as Central and South America, Caribbean and USA.

The check-in and travel process was so straightforward, the planes felt new and spacious, the touch-screen onboard entertainment had a huge selection of options, food was great but I have to say the standout was how great the cabin crew were: probably the kindest, most accommodating cabin crew I’ve ever flown with and also they all seemed like genuinely really good friends having a laugh together and chatting with passengers too, I had cabin crew FOMO ha!

Check out flights with Air Transat here.

An Airbus A330 airplane parked at the airport with Air Transat branding on the side — Air Transat plane

From Toronto to Niagara Falls

We flew directly into Toronto with Air Transat which took 7-8 hours, but on our way back thanks to a tailwind we were back in Manchester in a super speedy 5.5 hours!

Flying into Toronto also gives you the best point to start your eastern Canada itinerary from, with plenty of connections for your onward travel.

Having been to Toronto before, we didn’t spend time there on this trip (apart from a quick stop to see the CN Tower and get some Blue Jays merch!) and instead we transferred directly to Niagara Falls.

If you want to spend a day or two in Toronto first, you can easily take the train from Toronto Union Station to Niagara Falls or book your own private transfer.

Tips for travelling in Eastern Canada by rail

I love travelling by train.

Having grown up in the UK and travelled all over Europe, taking a train to move around and even to travel between countries feels like second nature to me. Why wouldn’t you want to sit back and relax while watching the scenery go by?!

This Canada trip is a VIA Rail itinerary: Canada’s national rail operator.

VIA Rail has extensive routes and connections across Canada (See all VIA Rail routes here), including The Canadian: their famous 4-day route from Toronto to Vancouver.

On this trip we’re using the extensive VIA Rail network on Canada’s Eastern Corridor, exploring the provinces of Ontario and Québec and travelling from Niagara Falls up to Montréal and covering over 600km.

Booking your travel is self-explanatory on the VIA Rail website but I do want to share some tips and tricks for rail travel in Canada.

VIA Rail travel tips:

You must book your rail travel in advance. Seats do sell out and once they’re gone, they’re gone so make sure you secure the tickets you need for your VIA Rail itinerary. Also booking in advance means the lowest prices and your seat is secured (told you train travel is less stressful!)
Consider the ticket type you need. There are 3 economy fare options and which one you pick will depend on your budget and luggage requirements. Economy Plus is the most flexible and includes two luggage items - perfect for your smaller bag and larger luggage case.
On short haul trips (including this Eastern Corridor itinerary) there is no “checked luggage” - all your luggage is carry-on. You get 1 medium carry-on item and an additional carry-on item with Economy Plus - this will be your large suitcase.
Check your luggage size with the luggage allowances. There may be an additional fee if your luggage is oversize and weight allowances are strictly adhered to. We paid $15 extra per bag as our luggage cases were slightly longer than the standard allowance.
Arrive early for check-in. On the eastern corridor check in is 45 minutes before to allow everyone to have their tickets scanned and enough time to board with luggage.
You can take your own food and drink. And there are food and drink options available on board.
Business Class is definitely worth it on your longer routes. We travelled Economy Plus from Toronto to Kingston but then travelled Business from Kingston to Montréal and the Business Class carriage was so spacious with so much leg room and table room, storage area and charging points, plus our onboard meal was included, plus plenty of coffee (yay!) Business Class also includes a larger bag and access to business class lounges at major stations. Alcohol is included for those travelling later in the day.
Wi-Fi onboard is great. This might not seem like something worth mentioning to everyone but being from the UK, train WiFi is always advertised but never seems to work. Thankfully VIA Rail not only has functioning WiFi but it we had great WiFi speeds and connectivity for all our journeys (If you’re travelling on the long haul cross-country routes, these only have WiFi in certain carriages)

Browse and book your tickets here.

Your 7 day Canada itinerary route map

A map of a Canada rail itinerary showing a route from Niagara Falls to Toronto to Kingston to Montreal — Canad rail trip route map

When is the best time of year for Eastern Canada travel?

As you’re probably aware, Canada gets extremely cold in the winter months, especially January and February.

I would recommend doing this itinerary in the summer or autumn, from May-October would be ideal with the hottest weather being in July and August.

However July and August is also the peak travel season for this region. We visited in September and still had good weather but with less people and more flexibility on attractions and booking options.

I’m also glad the weather wasn’t cold while we were in Niagara Falls because you do get wet on the cruises and Journey Behind the Falls activities. Equally in the winter, Niagara Falls becomes icy and cold (although it doesn’t freeze) so that can also be a very beautiful and unique time to visit the area.

You could also do this route in the winter if you were interested in winter travel although flight and rail services could be reduced and some attractions or experiences might not be available.

We’re really keen to go back to eastern Canada in December and see the cities lit up for Christmas and maybe with a dusting of snow in Montréal and Québec, so that’s also an option if you like the colder weather!

The Eastern Canada 7 day itinerary

Day 1: Fly into Toronto and travel to Niagara Falls

Where we stayed in Niagara Falls: Hilton Niagara Fallsview

As I mentioned above, we flew into Toronto Pearson International Airport with Air Transat, but having already been to Toronto before, we booked a transfer with Niagara Airbus to take us directly to Niagara Falls for the start of this trip.

If you do want to add a couple of days in Toronto to the start of your trip, it’s easy to do and VIA Rail has a daily train from Toronto to Niagara Falls to kick off this itinerary when you’re ready.

We arrived in the early evening and checked in to the incredible Hilton Niagara Falls - Fallsview Hotel

I don’t think I’ve ever had such a spectacular view from a hotel room and what a way to kick off our 7 day Canada itinerary! Being able to look directly out over the famous Niagara Falls was spectacular - you can get this by booking a Falls view room.

For dinner we went to Brasa Steakhouse which was SO MUCH FUN! This is an all-you-can eat Brazilian steakhouse where you put a green coaster on the table to signal to the servers that you're ready for meat to be cut, then they come and carve different meats for you at your table, my favourite was the peppercorn steak and the parmesan steak. Also make sure you try the pineapple - it’s like festive favoured pineapple!

They also have Samba dancers on the weekend and live music throughout the evening which was so much fun to watch.

This wasn’t just dinner, this was a whole dining and show experience that is absolutely worth it and an amazing way to start our trip!

Of course we had to make sure we were back in our room by 10pm because did you know there are daily fireworks in Niagara Falls from mid-May to mid-October?!

The fireworks display is on the edge of the gorge but we had the perfect view from our room to watch the whole display and it is spectacular, plus the falls are lit up with changing lights throughout the evening.

It’s so cool to me that they have this totally free fireworks show every day, it lasts about 5 minutes and is definitely worth watching!

Day 2: Niagara Falls adventures

Get ready for an action packed day in Niagara Falls!

This is a very full day itinerary but it’s made a whole lot easier if you get the Niagara Falls pass. This pass includes entry to a whole series of attractions and also gives you a free pass to ride the buses in Niagara Falls.

There are three types of pass: Classic, Plus and Premium and the difference between them all is how many attractions are included in the pass. Premium includes all attractions but I would suggest picking the pass that best suits what attractions you want to visit and also how long you’re visiting Niagara Falls for.

We found the pass was also useful for the 603 bus which runs up and down the water on the Niagara River Parkway every 15 minutes - this is the only route you need to visit all of these attractions in a day, just get your pass verified at your first attraction then show the pass each time you board the bus.

9am - White River Walk (included in the pass)

I’m so glad we got here for 9am when it opened because we had it almost to ourselves! This is a short wooden boardwalk running alongside the Niagara River and you take an elevator down 70m to reach it.

Once you’re in the gorge, you’ll see the stunning turquoise white water rapids up close as well as the historic Whirlpool Rapids Railroad Bridge from below.

This is a gorgeous walk that’s well worth doing, there’s information boards down there to learn more about the history of the gorge, the speed and power of the water and how the gorge is changing the landscape and surroundings.

This is also where I learnt that these are Class 6 white water rapids - the most dangerous waters in the world!

a wooden walkway along one side of a river gorge, trees are on the left, a turquoise fast flowing river on the right and the cliffside of the gogre is beyond, at the White River Walk in Niagara Falls Canada — White River Walk

10am - Whirlpool Aero Car (included in the pass)

I just had no idea that there were so many other attractions to visit at Niagara Falls, besides just seeing the falls themselves and the Aero Car is another great example of that.

It’s just a 4 minute bus ride on the 603 bus or a 15 minute walk from White Water Walk to the Aero Car.

The Whirlpool Aero Car is a suspended 3,600ft across Niagara Gorge and takes you right over the top of the vibrant turquoise waters and the swirling whirlpool in Niagara River as the river takes a sharp bend.

The cart takes you across to the other side and back without disembarking and lasts around 10 minutes. This is also why I’d recommend coming here earlier in the day as the queue to board the Aero Car was a lot longer after 11am when we walked by again.

On the Aero Car, once you start the return journey you’ll also have the chance to move around the cart so you can see the incredible views of the gorge in all directions.

A sharpe fork in a river with rocky cliff faces covered in trees, the river is bright turquoise with white waves on the fast-flowing turn of the river, see from a viewpoint above — Whirlpool Aero Car

10.45am - Niagara Helicopters

I’m including this in the itinerary because we were booked to do this but sadly were not able to due to low clouds and no helicopters flying that day.

However the great thing about Niagara Helicopters is that you don’t need to pay upfront, it’s a walk-in attraction and you only pay if the flight goes ahead!

Find out more here. It’s only a 9 minute walk from the Aero Car so it’s easy to add on to your itinerary if the weather is looking promising.

12pm - Lunch at Table Rock House Restaurant

We took the bus back up the gorge to Table Rock which took around 15-20 minutes.

Table Rock House Restaurant is the closest you can dine to horseshoe falls and has the most incredible views. It also sources all their ingredients from within 100 miles so you know you’re getting the freshest local produce. I had the salmon and Taylor had a burger, we also had their poutine which was like an elevated poutine with braised beef and sauteed mushrooms.

They also had an amazing selection of local craft beers which if you know me, I’m always looking out for craft beer on my trips! The Silversmith Black Lager was a standout.

1.30pm - Niagara Takes Flight (included in the pass)

This attraction is right outside the restaurant entrance so it’s a no-brainer for you next stop on the action-packed Niagara itinerary!

Niagara Takes Flight is a flight simulation which takes you on a soaring adventure over the Falls and the surrounding landscapes.

You’re led into a room to learn about the traditional history and ancestors of the land before going into an immersive theatre with 4D effects, I was most impressed by the smells they incorporate into the experience! And it’s narrated by James Cameron - how cool?!

This is a family friendly attraction too as long as children are over 100cm tall.

2.15pm - Journey Behind the Falls (included in the pass)

This attraction is downstairs in the same building as the restaurant and Niagara Takes Flight, so it’s another easy stop.

On your way in, you’ll be given a yellow poncho as it does get wet down there!

Then you’ll ride an elevator that opens up into the tunnels behind the falls. There is a viewing platform and two additional tunnels that are right behind the thundering wall of water of Horseshoe Falls and it is breathtaking!

The roar of the water is so loud that you can feel it in your chest and it’s so powerful that you can feel the rumbling beneath your feet.

Then when you step outside onto the viewing platform, you’re right next to the 57m drop of horseshoe falls with one fifth of the world’ fresh water crashing down right next to you!

During the warmer months, Journey Behind the Falls is open until 10pm if you’d like to see the Falls and the fireworks from that angle.

3.30pm - Zipline to the Falls

Now this is certainly something I never expected to be doing at Niagara Falls… a zipline!

We walked back along the river to take in the views of the falls and to reach the zipline start point.

This is a 670 metre zipline that takes you past American Falls and towards the base of Horseshoe Falls, giving you a totally unique perspective of Niagara.

I’d read that the queues for the zipline can get quite long but when we arrived at this time, there was almost no wait apart from getting rigged up in our safety equipment and waiting for the line to be clear for us to go.

This was so so much fun to experience flying high above the river and seeing the falls from above. After the zipline they bring you back up to the start on an ATV.

Book the zipline here.

A perspective from someone ziplining over some trees next to a river with a view of Niagara Falls in the distance and three other zipliners either side — Niagara Falls zipline

4.30pm - Niagara City Cruises

Right below the zipline is the dock for Niagara City Cruises and of course a cruise into the Falls is a must-do while in Niagara Falls!

You can book your tickets here and they’re good for any time of day so you can turn up whenever is convenient to you and get on the next sailing (they run every 15 minutes or so).

You’ll don the famous red poncho and head out on a 20 minute cruise directly into the pool of Horseshoe Falls before cruises back alongside American Falls.

When I tell you… nothing prepares you for how wet and windy it is once you reach the falls!

The spray off the water will drench you, the power of the water feels like you’re being blasted by a wind machine and the water is roaring all around you as the boat propels forwards against the strong current of 6 million cubic feet of water that flows over the falls every minute.

This was just the best activity to end our day of adventures around Niagara Falls.

People on a boat in red ponchos with blue water and the large Niagara Falls in the background — Niagara City Cruises on the boat

Incline Railway (included in the pass)

We walked back along the river again to enjoy the views and took the Incline Railway back up to the hotel.

Dinner at Watermark Fallsview Dining

This is the fine dining restaurant in the hotel, located on the 33rd floor with spectacular views of the Falls.

Coming here for sunset is the perfect time for dinner with incredible views and seeing the waterfalls light up at night.

We loved the variety of food options on the menu, we had crab cake and burrata for starters and tiger shrimp and steak for mains, then cheesecake and lemon meringue tart for dessert. All with the most stunning view to top off the incredible day!

Then of course we had plenty of time to head back to our room for night two of the fireworks.

If you’ve still got the energy though, your Niagara Parks Pass includes the Niagara Parks Powerstation where you can see the sound and light show at night from the 1905 hydroelectric power plant and learn about the history of the power station and harnessing the power of the falls.

Day 3: travel to Kingston via Toronto

Where we stayed in Kingston, Ontario: The Smith Hotel

Morning:

We left fairly early to transfer to Toronto Union station for our 11.38am train from Toronto to Kingston, Ontario: our next stop on our 7 day Canada itinerary.

There are a few options for transferring from Niagara Falls to Toronto:

There is one train that runs every late afternoon/early evening if you want to travel up to Toronto the night before your train to Kingston

The GO Transit system

Private transfer

All options take 2-3 hours but allow extra time if you’re travelling in rush hour.

We did a private transfer again with Niagara Airbus as we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to reach the station before our train check in.

VIA Rail check-in for the Eastern Corridor is 45 minutes before your train departure.

Toronto Union Station is beautiful and staff were super helpful with clear signage for the boarding area for our train.

Be aware that the baggage sizing is strict and all bags are checked prior to boarding, we already knew our bag was slightly longer than the allowed size and were able to pay a $15 CAD fee for the larger baggage size.

It’s around 2.5 hours from Toronto to Kingston along the shores of Lake Ontario so the views out the right hand side of the train across the water are beautiful. There are food and drink options available for purchase on the train, or you can bring your own.

We were in Economy for this journey and I’m 6’2/188cm tall, but the leg room was incredible, I’ve literally never had so much legroom on a train!

Afternoon:

We arrived into Kingston VIA Rail station just after 2pm and took a taxi for the 15 minute journey to our hotel. We used a local taxi service called Amey Taxis or you can use Uber.

We stayed at the gorgeous Smith Hotel which is a self-check-in hotel inside a converted church - absolutely stunning! Our room was a loft-style apartment with a self-contained kitchen, living room, bathroom and two bedrooms - definitely one of the most unique places I’ve ever stayed!

A large hotel room in a loft style with a bedroom on the second floor seen through a glass wall above the hotels seating area and kitchen which can be seen below — Smith Hotel

After our morning of travel we headed straight out to the Belvedere Hotel to their Bathhouse Spa which is a stunning restored 1880s subterranean limestone spa.

They have hot pools and cold plunges, a sauna, relaxation room and outdoor plunge pools and a firepit. The warm, low lighting and relaxation spaces made this feel like such a perfect luxury afternoon after a day of lots of movement and it was such a stunning place to relax and we spent around 3 hours there.

The Belvedere Hotel also owns the Smith Hotel (where we were staying) so it’s easy to book and arrange the two!

The spa is only a 15 minute walk from the Smith Hotel so we took a meandering route back through Kingston, taking in the beautiful 19th century architecture of the Sydenham Ward: a residential area with beautiful preserved properties that showcase the 200-year Kingston history.

We also saw the Kingston Courthouse, the last gas lamp in use from 1847-1947 and the iconic Hendry House - a Kingston landmark built in 1886 complete with red brick turrets and a wraparound porch, I think this would be my dream house!

A large old black gas lamp outside with trees in the background, the gas lap has writing on that says "last gas lamp 1847-1947" in Kingston Ontario — Last Gas Lamp

A large, ornate red brick house with many windows, brick turrets ,and a wraparound white porch. The garden at the front is full of colourful flowers — Hendry House

Evening:

After a quick change, we headed out into downtown Kingston for dinner at the famous Chez Piggy.

Chez Piggy is a Kingston institution and a must-visit spot if you’re looking for places to eat in Kingston.

Located in a charming stone courtyard set back off the main road, a couple converted this old stable to a restaurant in 1979 and specialises in flavours and dishes from around the world but all made with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.

This restaurant truly feels like one of those family owned places that is so warm and welcoming and we were there on a Monday evening but were so shocked how busy it was - it’s a popular spot all week and all year round for locals, it appears!

The courtyard is also a really nice spot if you want casual drinks or dinner in the warmer weather.

After dinner we of course had to go in search of craft beer and some live music!

Kingston Brewing Company was the first place to sell craft beer in the city and now as a bottle shop next door to its pub taproom location. The taproom is all dark wood and cosy booths with a strong beer selection.

Then we went to Musiikki Cafe which has live music every night of the week and on Mondays it’s jazz! This was such a fun evening experience and the band were so incredibly talented with a singer, keyboard, drums, guitar and trombone, plus they had other local musicians come up and jam with them too - so talented!

Day 4: explore Kingston

Morning:

Kicking off our morning in Kingston at Lay Low Cafe for breakfast - I highly recommend for huge portions, great coffee and a gorgeous interior!

Taylor had pancakes and I had the biggest plate of eggs, bacon and homefries I’ve ever seen!

After fueling up for the day, head over to Kingston Pen for a Penitentiary tour of this famous former-maximum security prison that shut down in 2013 after 178 years of operation: the oldest penitentiary in Canada!

I’ve done a couple of tours like this before but I’ve never been on one where the tour guides are former prison staff! As we were taken around the prison we spoke with 5 different people who had worked at the prison as guards and general staff from the regular cells to a guard who worked in the solitary confinement area, to another guard who joined shortly after the infamous 4-day prison riot and hostage situation of 1971.

The prison was widely considered to be one of the most brutal in Canadian history, yet I was also surprised to learn about their Regional Treatment Centre which was a pioneering psychiatry and correctional facility within the prison but separate from the main inmate areas.

The prison also had family visitor units where an inmate and their family could live together for 72-hours in a contained apartment with a garden, BBQ and kids toys - only allowed for prisoners with good behaviour.

I really encourage you to book a Kingston Pen tour, learning about the old and the recent history of the prison was fascinating!

The interior of a café with wooden tables, wicker chairs, a green booth, wood floors, and large windows — Lay Low Café

A large old stone penitentiary with many barred windows and a tall chain link fence in front of the building — Kingston Penitentiary

Lunch:

For the afternoon it was back to the beautiful Sydenham Ward of the city, this time for Afternoon Tea at the Secret Garden Inn.

The Secret Garden Inn is a stunning Victorian property, lovingly and authentically restored and cared for by the couple who own it. Complete with stain-glass windows, sweeping staircase, the most vibrant garden complete with a koi pond and with 7 boutique rooms.

We were booked for their signature afternoon tea - a nod to the Victorian heritage of the building and a fun fact we learnt while we were there: the Queen visited the church across the road in the 1950s when she came to Kingston.

The afternoon tea itself was stunning in its attention to detail; from savoury bites to delicate desserts all with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, even down to the cake stand made by a local blacksmith and the plates custom made by a local potter.

My personal favourites were the paté, the petit fours and the freshly made scones. The glass of bubbly and also selecting our preferred tea flavours was also a really fun part of the experience.

We honestly could have stayed and chatted to Natasha, who hosted us, for hours about the Inn, the food, the area and the city generally - being able to talk to a local about the place we’re visiting is always my favourite!

Of course also had to do some neighbourhood sightseeing afterwards, don’t miss the gorgeous architecture of:

The Secret Garden Inn

The Rosemount Inn
Hochelaga Inn and the castle house next door (jokingly called the only castle in Kingston!)

Afternoon:

Kingston is famous for its waterfront and sits at the point where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River - home to the 1000 Islands. Known as the freshwater sailing capital - you’ll understand why when you see how many boats there are in Kingston harbour and everyone seems to own some sort of water craft!

This means that Kingston is THE PERFECT place for boating, cruises and water activities.

We had a sailing charter booked with Ahoy Rentals for a personalised tour of the Kingston waterfront on their beautiful 26’ sailing boat but unfortunately the weather had other plans and high winds meant it couldn’t go ahead.

However I want to give them a shoutout because as well as sailing tours, they also offer kayaking, SUPs, canoes and bike rentals - perfect if you’re looking for a locally owned business who really knows their stuff about Kingston because Ahoy Rentals has been running since 1997!

And if you’d prefer something bigger, we did also try and book onto the Kingston Waterfront Cruises but sadly that was also cancelled because of the weather but they also do sunset dining cruises too in the 1000 Islands (very cool!)

Instead we embarked on the iconic Kingston Trolley tour which gave us a great historic tour of the city for an hour, including going up to Fort Henry, the Royal Military College of Canada and the Queen’s University Campus. It’s a hop-on-hop-off tour and we probably wouldn’t have seen these areas of the city otherwise.

Evening:

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening exploring Kingston’s downtown area which has such an incredible amount of independent shops.

Some of my favourites were:

Novel Idea (an independent bookstore)
Berry & Peterson Booksellers (I got a gorgeous leather-bound philosophy book from here)
Martello Alley (art gallery)
Pan Chancho Bakery & Cafe
Antique Emporium

Maybe it’s because it’s a university city or maybe it’s because of the long and strong history of the city, but Kingston feels young and lively and growing with independent businesses.

And did you know Kingston has more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in Canada? So you really are spoiled for choice here.

For dinner we went to The Everly. Now I’m not really a pasta person usually unless it’s freshly made and cooked to perfection and their seasonal corn pasta was one of those dishes I’m going to think about for a while!

We also had yummy fresh oysters and the vibe of the restaurant itself was gorgeous, as it seems with everywhere in Kingston. Their cocktail selection was also impressive!

As you know, I love craft beer and a local recommended Daft Brewing so we took a bit of a walk for an evening drink to try Daft. I’m a huge fan of sour beers which they specialise in so of course I had to get a tasting flight!

Day 5: travel to Montréal

Where we stayed in Montréal: Montréal Marriott Chateau Champlain

For the next leg of our Eastern Canada itinerary, we took the 9.02am VIA Rail train from Kingston to Montréal which meant getting to the station 45 minutes before for check-in - although the station at Kingston is a lot smaller than Toronto and with far less people joining the train here.

We travelled from Kingston to Montréal by train in VIA Rail business class on this leg and our tickets included our larger sized luggage and also a meal on this train: breakfast in this case.

A train table and seat in business class on VIA Rail with dark grey leather chairs and a wide table with cup holders. A lush green landscape is out the window — Business Class on VIA Rail

Breakfast was tasty and fresh and with regular coffee refills, beautiful scenery to enjoy, fast and free onboard wifi and extremely spacious seats, tables and charging points, this is the nicest train journey I’ve ever been on, I almost didn’t want our 3-hour journey to end!

The great thing about when you arrive at Montréal Station is that you’re in the heart of everything and our hotel Montréal Marriott Chateau Champlain was just across the road from the station exit.

We were booked in a Park View room at the Montréal Marriott Chateau Champlain and I was once again blown away by this stunning hotel room and view - just check out my picture below to see what I mean!

We went for lunch at the hotel’s restaurant: Lloyd and they also have a gorgeous roof terrace called Belvu Terrace with views of the city skyline.

Then it was time to explore our Montréal itinerary!

Out hotel room in Montreal with a large bed in the foreground, a desk against the left wall and a chais lounge in front of the domed window which has a view of downtown Montreal — Marriott Chateau Champlain room

Afternoon:

Keen to see more of the city, we rented a bike with Ca Roule Montréal and a private guide who showed us around the Old Port of Montréal and the Lachine Canal.

We learnt about the history of the Old Port and its strategic position on the St Lawrence River, plus information about the surrounding landscape like St Helen’s Island where the Montréal Expo 1967 was held and about the Circuit GIlles Villeneuve - the Montréal F1 track which you can cycle and walk around!

I have honestly never visited a North American city that is so set up for outdoor living. Cycling around the city and along the Lachine Canal and EVERYONE is out, cycling, walking, running, picnic culture is huge with so many people eating on grassy areas and every restaurant seems to have outdoor al fresco dining.

This really is a city that actively embraces and encourages time spent outside. This combined with the Old Montréal cobbled streets and old stone buildings, it really is like a slice of Europe in Canada and I love it.

The Lachine Canal is a great place to spend an afternoon even if you don’t hire a bike. You’ll see famous spots like the Montréal grain silos, the Peel Basin and views of the St Lawrence River and islands around the Port of Montréal.

Along the canal itself are revitalised neighbourhoods like Griffintown and Saint-Henri. There are cool indie spots like coffee shops and breweries to stop at on your stroll: 4 Origines Microbrasserie and Messorem. Don’t miss the huge farmers market too: Marche Atwater.

A path runs alongside a canal with a city skyline visible beyond on a blue sky sunny day, one of the best things to do in Montreal on your Canada itinerary — Lachine Canal

Evening:

Just 10 minutes walk from Ca Roule bike shop is the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, host of the incredible AURA light show experience.

I’ve seen several light shows over the years but this one is by far the best and most spectacular show I’ve ever seen, with light projections, lasers and stunning orchestral music played on the church organ - it gives me goosebumps just writing that and remembering how powerful the music and the show were.

You can’t take pictures or videos during the show and it is strictly enforced, but you can take pictures before and after which is what you’ll see in my photo below.

The show is about 30 minutes and a perfect, unique way to start your evening before dinner. Book here.

Inside a darkly lit cathedral with lighting on the ceiling arches and religious decor that make it look like it's glowing in pink, blue and purple — Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal

For dinner we ate at Restaurant Melisse which has a gorgeous, warmly-lit outdoor seating area which we really enjoyed. The restaurant menu is Mediterranean inspired but it’s all fresh, local and seasonal produce so the menu changes regularly. You order several dishes like tapas and share the plates and the staff were so lovely and friendly!

Afterwards we went for drinks at Les Soeurs Grises microbrewery which was recommended to us by one of the waiters at Restaurant Melisse.

The interior of a restaurant with many tables set and warm light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, at the far end of the room the whole wall is open to a terrace where people are eating — Restaurant Melisse

Day 6: Explore Old Montréal and the Port

Morning:

We kicked off our second day in Montréal with a morning start at Strom Spa Nordique.

This is an extensive nordic-inspired spa on Nuns’ Island set in gorgeous grounds with indoor and outdoor areas including a dock on the end of the lake which is a nature reserve, they even have snapping turtles and two resident spa cats!

They have everything from hot thermal spa pools to saunas to cold plunges to relaxation rooms, firepits, steam rooms, red-light rooms and more. We spent the morning here and topped it off with lunch at their restaurant Nord but we could honestly have stayed here longer!

A high view of the large outdoor area of a spa with three blue pools, modern grey buildings, adirondack chairs, and modern buildings all surrounded by green shrubs — Strom Spa Nordique

Afternoon:

We headed back to Old Montréal and the Old Port for a boat trip on Le Petit Navire.

After our bad luck with boats and weather in Kingston, it was exciting to finally get out on the water and see Montréal from the water!

Le Petit Navire looks like an old-style boat but actually all their boats are 100% electric so they’re very quiet and it’s pretty cool! You have a guide onboard who is telling you about the sights along the waterfront, the port, city landscape, the St Lawrence River and the islands in the river too.

The wildest thing to see is how the port area is sheltered from the fast flowing water of the St Lawrence River which comes off the Class 3 Lachine River Rapids just upstream. You can actually see the contrast in the different flow speeds of the water as you come up to the tip of the island, then Le Petit Navire is steered right into the fast flowing river and you can really feel the difference in the speed and understand why historically the St Lawrence River has been treacherous to navigate for shipping.

An old style wooden boat painted white and blue with a stripped canopy and seating along either side inside for visitors on a boat tour in Montreal — Le Petit Navire boat

After our boat trip I wanted to check out some of the Indigenous shops in Montréal. Boutique Wachiya is located in Old Montréal and showcases indigenous art and crafts from Eeyou Istchee. The store prioritises community benefits and fair pay to Eeyou artists so when you buy from here, you directly support Cree culture.

I got some gorgeous handmade earrings and some gift cards with beautiful artwork on them.

You can also find other craft stores and souvenir shops in the Bonsecours Market.

Inside a shop with wooden floor, green structures and lots of displays of indigenous crafts throughout the store — Boutique Wachiya

Evening:

For dinner we went to Restaurant Hayat which overlooks the port and is a Lebanese and Syrian inspired restaurant with Middle Eastern dishes that really pack a punch. Portions are huge and so are the flavours, I’d also highly recommend the Artichokes for starters - they were delicious!

Five dishes of Middle Eastern food on a table at a restaurant — Restaurant Hayat

At dusk we used our Passeport Montréal card to ride La Grand Roue de Montréal (the ferris wheel). This is Canada’s tallest ferris wheel at 60 metres above the Old Port and you’ll ride for 20 minutes, seeing the incredible views of the city and up to 28km on clear days!

We loved seeing the city lit up at night and Mount Royal beyond.

Also pro tip: you can connect your phone to bluetooth speakers in your ferris wheel pod and play your own playlist as you enjoy the 20 minute ride!

Afterwards we went for drinks at BreWskey Taproom in Old Montréal.

Day 7: Montréal neighbourhoods and attractions

Morning:

What I find so fascinating is how Montréal City has so many neighbourhoods with different identities but all with collective strong community cultures.

So when we had the chance to do another bike tour around the Plateau Mont Royal neighbourhood, I was so excited. This area has been completely transformed into a haven of pedestrian and bike only roads, beautiful parks with extensive amenities from open air theatre to public swimming pools and neighbourhoods with incredible independent coffee shops, bagel shops, farmers markets and more.

We took the subway directly from our hotel to Mont Royal and joined a group biking tour with Fitz Montréal on their hidden gems bike tour of the Plateau, Mile End and Jean-Talon market.

I had actually met a woman on our Air Transat flight out to Canada who recommended the Jean-Talon Market to me, so I was really excited to be able to see it on our East Canada itinerary.

Our three hour tour took us from La Fontaine Park, through the Plateau neighbourhoods, a stop for a bagel at the famous St-Viateur Bagel Bar, before continuing on through Little Italy and to the Jean-Talon Market which is an incredible place of fresh food, fruit and veg stands, street singers, music, book stores and really just the perfect vibe of somewhere you’d want to spend a slow morning with a cup of coffee.

Touring back through Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier Park and seeing the incredible amenities offered to local communities like sports facilities, pools, a running track that becomes an ice rink in winter and gorgeous green spaces.

The route also showed us some of the best French Colonial architecture, beautifully preserved Victorian homes with spiral staircases at the front. But also some fun spots like the street named “Rue de l’Arcade” - named after the band Arcade Fire who are from the city.

Feeling inspired after our bike ride, we continued to walk south towards Av. Laval and Square Saint-Louis to see more of the beautiful architecture of Montréal’s residential neighbourhoods.

If you’re feeling brave you could head in the other direction and climb the Grand Staircase of Mount Royal to the top and see the stunning views of the city from Kondiaronk Belvedere.

Afternoon:

We went for lunch at the famous Timeout Market in Montréal as we were craving Mexican food and there is so much choice here for lunch.

tacos, nachos and guac on a square plate that says "timeout market montreal"

It’s also inside the Montréal Eaton Centre which is another access to the famous underground city in Montréal - 33km of walkways and the subway that’s used to connect downtown Montréal during the harshest winter months, but it’s open year round!

If you’ve got time, head over to the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts with amazing permanent and rotating exhibitions showing indigenous and historical art through the generations.

Our Air Transat flight back to Manchester via Toronto was at 8pm so we had to get moving and sadly start packing up to leave the city at 5pm.

But we loved it so much, I have no doubt we’ll be back!

Summary: 1 week in Eastern Canada by train

Canada trips by train are an incredible way to see more of the country, take the stress out of planning road trips and car hire, plus it’s a unique and fun way to travel.

I hope this 1 week Canada itinerary has given you plenty of inspiration to go beyond the usual places in Canada and see more of the cities and destinations that lie just beneath the surface.

With direct flights from the UK and Europe to Canada with Air Transat, it’s easier than ever to find great value flights to Canada.