Montreal Jazz Festival

Itinerary

• Quebec

  Located in east-central Canada, Quebec is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level. Quebec occupies a territory nearly three times the size of France or Texas, most of which is very sparsely populated.  More than 90% of Quebec's territory lies within the Canadian Shield, a rough, rocky terrain sculpted and scraped clean of soil by successive ice ages.

• Montreal

  Montreal is the cultural capital of Quebec and the second largest city in Canada. For over a century and a half, Montreal was the industrial and financial centre of Canada, leaving a legacy of architecture and wealth. It has a well-deserved reputation as one of the liveliest cities in North America, with an inordinate number of attractive, fashionably dressed people. Tourism is centered in Old Montreal's historic and quaint riverfront, downtown's shopping, and museums, and the Latin Quarter's restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and pubs. Summer brings a seemingly endless stream of festivals, celebrations, and musical events.

• • Montreal
  • Inside Notre Dame Montreal
  • Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel

  Day 1: Montreal

  Welcome to Montreal.

  Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred from the airport to your hotel in a private vehicle with a professional driver.

  You will be provided with a pre-departure package which will include all necessary information that you will need for your trip including materials such as vouchers, maps, train tickets (if relevant) etc.

  This afternoon, set out on a private walking tour with your own professional guide and learn about the history and architecture of the city, including many colourful anecdotes that reveal the secrets of Old Montreal, from yesterday to today. The tour will take you from Place d'Armes to Place Jacques-Cartier, including the Royal Bank, Notre-Dame Basilica, Cours Le Royer, St. Jacques, Notre-Dame and St. Paul Streets, City Hall, the Champ de Mars and the old Bonsecours Market.

  Tonight you will immerse yourself in the magic of the Montreal Jazz Festival. While the festival may be called “jazz,” it resounds with an array of musical genres: swing, bebop, blues, world music, klezmer, salsa, Gypsy, reggae, cabaret, jazz-rock fusion, DJ sampling, and of course plenty of straight-ahead modern jazz.  Shows are held in a wide variety of venues, from relatively small jazz clubs to the large halls of Place des Arts. Some of the outdoor shows are held on cordoned-off streets while others are on terraced parks. Typically there are well over 500 concerts offered during the span of 10 days, from noon to midnight, about 350 of which are outdoors and free to the public.

  Accommodation: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth (4.5*)

  The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel is a renowned local landmark, celebrated internationally for its world-class accommodations. This historic hotel has helped define the city’s distinct elegance and charm for over 50 years. It offers 1,037 rooms, of which 100 are suites, and is conveniently located above the train station and within walking distance of sports and cultural attractions. There is a skilfully integrated Health Club featuring state-of-the-art equipment and an indoor pool, as well as three distinctive venues to experience Montréal's gastronomy at its best: Les Voyageurs lounge, Le Montréalais bistro- restaurant and the award-winning Beaver Club, recognized as one of the best tables in Canada.

• • Biking in Montreal
  • Montreal Jazz Festival

  Day 2: Montreal

  Enjoy a private morning bike tour of Montreal as a novel way of seeing this beautiful city. After meeting in a central departure point, you will pick up your bike for your tour, which will be led by a professional tour guide. En route you will enjoy a panorama of the city starting at the Old Port, to the Latin Quarter, La Fontaine Park, with an unusual detour into one of the alleys of The Plateau, to mount Royal Park, into the Golden Square Mile's Victorian ambiance, the business district, and onto Old Montréal.

  This afternoon you will immerse yourself in Haute Couture - French Canadian-style! Montreal is known as one of Canada’s leading fashion centres, with an exotic array of designer salons and artisan studios. From the Atelier of Escada to the loft of the newest leading-edge clothing designers, you will get a feel for the city’s dynamic fashion scene as you are led around by your personal shopper.

  Tonight you will once again have the opportunity to sample from the wide range of jazz venues and musical acts on offer as part of the Montreal Jazz Festival. Depending on your dates and interests, you could see anyone from Motown music legend Stevie Wonder (who helped kick off the festival's 30th anniversary by holding a free outdoor concert open to the public), to Ben Harper (who closed off the festival in 2009), to everyone in between (like local jazz phenom Nikki Yanofsky, who was discovered at the Jazzfest in 1990 when she was only 12).

  Accommodation: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth (4.5*)
• • Eastern Townships
  • Beaver Club

  Day 3: Montreal

  Today you will head out of Montreal to experience the authentic rural pleasures of Quebec's "Gourmet Trail". Drive south of the city into the pastoral rolling countryside of the Eastern Townships, where scenic villages are interspersed with lush vineyards. Sample local vintages, artisanal cheeses and local delicacies brought fresh from the farm to the table, then enjoy lunch at one of our favourite local restaurants (lunch included) before returning to Montreal.

  Tonight you will set off to explore the historic cobblestone streets of Old Montreal aboard a caleche, a romantic horse-driven carriage. Your knowledgeable driver can take you on a variety of different circuits (we recommend riding down Rue Saint-Paul and through the side streets of the Old Port), while providing a running narrative of the colourful background history of the different neighbourhoods.

  Dinner tonight is at the legendary Beaver Club, originally founded in the year 1785, by the merchants then carrying on the Indian trade of Canada. The Beaver Club is a Canadian institution, with its sumptuous surroundings, wing chairs, starched linens, impeccable staff, and a menu that relies on such classics as roast beef, grilled chops, poached salmon, and Cornish hen. The bar also happens to serve the best martini in the city.

  Accommodation: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth (4.5*)

• Day 4: Montreal

  Transfer to the airport in a private vehicle with a professional driver.

Accommodation

• • Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel

  Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth (4.5*)

  The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel is a renowned local landmark, celebrated internationally for its world-class accommodations. This historic hotel has helped define the city’s distinct elegance and charm for over 50 years. It offers 1,037 rooms, of which 100 are suites, and is conveniently located above the train station and within walking distance of sports and cultural attractions. There is a skilfully integrated Health Club featuring state-of-the-art equipment and an indoor pool, as well as three distinctive venues to experience Montréal's gastronomy at its best: Les Voyageurs lounge, Le Montréalais bistro- restaurant and the award-winning Beaver Club, recognized as one of the best tables in Canada.

  • More information

The Fine Print

• Trip Operator

  Horizon & Co. (founded in 1963), is a privately-owned leading boutique travel company. Horizon designs and stages authentic and deeply personal travel experiences that are carefully choreographed to induce a life-long memory. In addition to offering published trips on seven continents, Horizon builds private custom trips for discerning individuals and small groups.

• Contact Information

  Horizon & Co.
  Tel: 1-800-387-2977
  Email: admin@horizon-co.com
  Web: www.horizon-co.com

• What's Included:

  • Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services

• What's not Included:

  • Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

• Trip Terms & Conditions

  • Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $250). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. We accept payment via credit card, certified check, wire transfer or money order.
  • Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
  • Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
  • Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
  • Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of deposit. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to 100% of program price.
  • Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.horizon-co.com/terms-and-conditions
  • Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

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