#G1PhotoFridayEurope

Reflections on Lake Bled, Slovenia

on February 15, 2019

Lake Bled is one of the most picturesque locations in all of Europe and this picture does it great justice! Lake Bled, Slovenia adjoins the town of Bled and hosts the Island of Bled, where you will find the Church of the Assumption. Bled Castle sits on the north shore of the lake with the Zaka Valley at the west. While visiting Lake Bled be sure to charge up your camera because there are many great views of the area. If you have a sweet tooth, try the Cream Cake, or Cremeschnitte, that is famous in the area, yum!

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @mbrittain01 using the hashtag #gate1travel. This tranquil scene was taken at Lake Bled, Slovenia. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Slovenia and Central Europe trips here!

Latin AmericaSmall Group Discoveries

The Mysteries of the Atacama

on February 11, 2019

Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth. Yet it is teeming with beauty and plenty of surprises. Our Discovery Tours small group takes you to its fascinating heart, where you’ll gain remarkable insight into its wildness, its history, and its culture. Here’s what we find most fascinating about this mysterious place. We look forward to sharing it with you during our new Natural Wonders of Bolivia & Chile small group tour.

  • This vast desertscape stretches for some 49,000 square miles between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.
  • Scientists believe the Atacama saw no significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971. Further, they call it the oldest desert on earth—at least three million years old!
  • The landscape has been compared to that found on Mars, so much so that movie crews have used it to stand in for the Red Planet and NASA has tested out some of their Mars rovers on its terrain.
  • The metallic-blue lakes of Miñiques and Miscanti were once one large lake, until lava flow from an eruption of the Miñiques volcano separated the two. Today, they occupy a starkly beautiful landscape that is home to flora and fauna found nowhere else.
  • Remarkably, about a million people call the Atacama Desert home. The vast majority of them live along the coast. But inland, people still eke out a living in tiny villages such as Socaire, Machuca, and Toconao. The latter boasts a welcoming market of textiles made from alpaca and other handicrafts, as well as a striking bell tower that is pure Atacama in its architectural style. 
  • With its clear skies, high elevation, and freedom from light pollution, the Atacama is one of the world’s best spots for stargazing. As conditions permit, you’ll visit an observatory and turn your gaze skyward with an astronomer.
  • At the desert’s edge, a 12th-century pre-Inca fortress provides remarkable insight into an ancient civilization while the site of Tulor, with its circular dwellings, lets you imagine life here as long as 2,000 years ago.
  • Geysers, hot springs, mud pools, and fumaroles steam and bubble and burst forth from the earth at the Atacama’s El Tatio geyser field, the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and the third largest in the world.
  • Wind and time have sculpted the jagged contours of Moon Valley and Death Valley, a pair of geological wonders rich in vast breathtaking landscapes and colors.
morocco
#G1PhotoFridayMediterranean

Colorful Pottery in Ouarzazate, Morocco

on February 8, 2019

Ouarzazate, Morocco (pronounced war-zazat) is today’s featured destination for #g1photofriday. This quiet town is located just south of Morocco’s High Atlas mountains and is known as a gateway to the Sahara Desert. This city is the capital of Ouarzazate Province in Draa-Tafilalet region of south-central Morocco. Be sure to visit many of the prominent kasbahs in town, Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site to the west and the old town while here.

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @m.geroux using the hashtag #gate1travel. This colorful photo was taken in Ouarzazate, Morocco. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Morocco trips here!

#G1PhotoFridayEurope

The Stunning Island of Capri, Italy

on January 25, 2019

Capri, Italy is an island located in the Gulf of Naples on the southern coast of Italy. It is known for its luxurious resorts, plentiful shops, cove-studded coastline and the Blue Grotto Cave. Do not forget to take in the rugged landscape, picture-perfect natural beauty and clear-blue/green waters that you have to see to believe. Take lots of photos in Capri because it is one of the most postcard-worthy landscapes you will ever see!

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @thetravelingbrunettes
 using the hashtag #gate1travel. This water-front photo was taken in Capri, Italy. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Italy trips here!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Gaudi & Dali: Spain’s Modern Masters

on January 23, 2019

Among the many pleasures of visiting Spain, art lovers especially revel in the ability to witness a millennium’s worth of the world’s greatest masterpieces. Two masters stand out—famed modernista Antoni Gaudi and surrealist Salvador Dali. The former was an architect and the latter a painter, and their work seems dissimilar at a glance. But Gaudi’s influence on Dali, and the fact that both created work that shattered conventional ideas of what art could be, link them in art history as Spain’s rebellious artists.

Gaudi: The Singular Saint

Gaudi was part of the modernistas, Catalan modernists who believed art played two roles: to defy bourgeois conformity and to create change in society. Gaudi created works that elevated the influence of nature in the man-made, reflected his faith, and resist rules of symmetry and restraint that had previously defined “good taste.”

Born in 1852, he studied architecture but never managed to impress his teachers. He had the last laugh, as he designed the otherworldly Sagrada Familia Cathedral (a work still in progress!), the vividly tiled Parc Guell, countless mansions, and even the ornate signature streetlamps of Barcelona. Seven of his creations are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Unfortunately, his face was not as easily recognized as his buildings. In 1926, after he was struck by a streetcar, he was mistaken for a beggar and couldn’t convince a taxi to take him to the hospital. When a policeman finally removed him from the scene, he was left at the pauper’s ward, and his friends couldn’t find him until the next day. But as a display of solidarity with the poor, he refused to be moved to better conditions. 

He died there a few days later, and the outpouring of grief was profound: it was reported that half of Barcelona’s citizenry donned black and took to the streets on the day of his funeral.

Dali: The Surreal View

Salvador Dali was born a half century after Gaudi, and by the time he was studying art, the influence of the modernistas was waning. Expelled from art school, he threw himself into experimenting with cubism and dadaism, and met kindred spirits in Miro and Picasso. It was in Surrealism, a movement which revived and reframed the values of the modernistas, that he found his visual language. 

With the melting clocks of his most famous work, “The Persistence of Memory,” he put surrealism on the global map, joining the pantheon of Spanish masters. He was exhibited in Paris and New York and beyond, and held a special affinity for the US: The artist lived in the states during World War II, worked on a scene for Albert Hitchcock, and even appeared in a US film commercial.

His time away from his native Spain allowed him to escape controversy at home. Dali was a staunch supporter of fascist leader General Francisco Franco, who he said brought “clarity, truth and order” to Spain. Despite the limited success of his paintings in the final decades of his life, he was indeed seen as one of the most important artists of the century.

A few years before he died, Dali was asked to write the foreword to a biography of Gaudi. In doing so, he paid tribute not only to his predecessor but to his own work, and he wasn’t a bit modest in his assessment. He wrote, “Gaudi is a genius; so am I.” 

Learn more about these fascinating artists during our new France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Bordeaux to Catalonia: A Feast of Farm-Fresh Cuisine and Stellar Wines

on January 23, 2019

The Pyrenees Mountains, their snow-capped peaks soaring to the heavens, divide France and Spain like a colossal wall torn from larger-than-life mythologies. Historically and culturally, this natural border has allowed the two nations to evolve quite distinctly. It is remarkable how life is steeped in France’s typical joie de vivre on one side of the mountains and how particularly robust and rustic everything feels on the Spanish side. 

But one thing the French and Spanish share is their love of their unique cuisines and wines. Are they different? Absolutely … and deliciously so! But each is rooted in an agricultural tradition that spans centuries, from generations-old farms to prolific vineyards that date back to ancient Rome. Here’s our survey of some of our favorite culinary pleasures, from the rolling, rocky hills of the Dordogne Valley to the tapas bars of Barcelona.

FROM FARM TO PLATE

Dordogne: Duck, Duck, Goose

It’s not safe to be a waterfowl in France’s Dordogne region, where life on the wing often ends on the plate. One of the region’s signature dishes is magret de canard. The fattier (and more intensely flavorful) French Moulard duck breast is pan seared and then served with a sauce of wine enriched with rendered fat. Found on the vast majority of local restaurant menus, it’s a true comfort food. Confit de canard—which uses the legs instead of the breasts—is even more indulgent. Slow cooked so that they render fat, the legs are softened and then fried, often with potatoes. The result is melt-in-your-mouth meat. But the ultimate indulgence is Foie gras, the rich liver of a goose or duck. Sliced into tender slivers, pressed into a paté, or wrapped in puff pastry, it is a delicacy known worldwide. 

Bordeaux & Beyond: Classic Local Dishes

Bordeaux may be close to the sea, but the city’s most in-demand dish is entrecôte marchand de vin, a rib steak seared with a red-wine gravy which purists prepare with butter, shallots, herbs, and bone marrow. This style of preparation—known as à la bordelaise—is practiced all over the city and in surrounding areas and might also be used to create the perfect lamb dish. 

A visit—or a meal!—in southern France is not complete without sampling mouthwatering desserts. When in St. Emilion, you won’t have to go far to discover a rainbow sampling of cute and colorful macaroons, the snappy sandwich cookie filled with delicious cream. They do, after all, originate from here. The native-born dessert in Bordeaux is decidedly less dainty: a rum-soaked confection created by nuns from the Annonciades convent in the city. The cakes—called canalés, named for the fluted copper mold in which they are made—are filled with custard and have a crispy sweet glaze.

Northern Spain: Where Fresh Cuisine Is a Social Event

One of the great pleasures of visiting Spain is participating in its lively food culture. Throughout the Basque region and Catalonia, vast farmlands raise livestock and grow produce that makes its way into the restaurant kitchens of Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona. Then the chefs get to work creating the artful small plates for which Spain is known.

In Barcelona, tapas bars draw huge crowds of foodies every evening. These sophisticated small plates can be hot or cold – from simply presented olives and cheeses to more complex, richly flavored dishes that may be battered and fried or swimming in olive oil or delicious sauce. In the most authentic tapas bars, dishes may be on display in a glass case. Salted cod loin, meatballs, pickled vegetables, battered squid, sausages, croquettes and dozens of other items might grace a menu – reflecting the endless bounty of Northern Spain.

In Bilbao and throughout the Basque region, tapas go by a different name: pintxos or pinchos. Dry cured ham (or jamon serrano), anchovies, stuffed peppers and other often elaborate preparations are served on small slices of bread. These mouthwatering appetizers are named for the toothpick that secures the topping to the bread (a “pincho”).

Of course, to fully appreciate the incredible cuisine of France and Spain, it is best to pair your dish with one of the region’s wines. In France, vintners have been perfecting the art of wine-making for some 2,000 years, creating the largest wine economy in the world. Spain may have a younger viticulture, but it boasts the highest percentage of land dedicated solely to vineyards of any nation on earth. And both countries are passionate about the wines they make.

PERFECTION IN A GLASS

French Bordeaux & St. Emilion

As Bordeaux, known as “Little Paris” for the grandeur of its architecture, became a major port city, merchants here ferried France’s finest wines to the Netherlands and Great Britain, creating a global demand. Still the epicenter of the wine industry to this day, Bordeaux’s 13,000 grape growers and 10,000 châteaux together produce nearly a billion bottles of wine every year.

The wines of Bordeaux vary by color, though the region is best known for its array of deep, rich reds. Bordeaux reds blend two wines—Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—and each vineyard determines the proportions. Vineyards on the left bank of the Gironde River are Cabernet heavy, while those across the water favor the Merlot. Both yield earthy reds, good with lamb, beef, truffles, and tomatoes. The whites here, drier than the reds, are excellent with seafood, including the sweeter varieties, which also shine with cheese.

Older than Bordeaux and further north, St. Emilion is one of the most romantic cities in France. Soon after its founding, it was making wines commercially, expanding private vineyards that were planted a good 700 years before. When the Santiago de Compostela through France became a major pilgrimage route in the 11th century, a robust wine industry tempted visitors to stop here. Today, it is known for its reds, which most often blend Merlot and Cabernet Franc; a few wineries adding Cabernet Sauvignon to the mix. Reaching maturity—and your table—faster than Bordeaux vintages, St. Emilion wines stand up well to game birds, salmon, and nutty cheeses like tomme de savoie or reblochon.

Spanish Rioja

Since at least the 9th century, when monks began tending vines, winemaking has been part of the local culture here, but it wasn’t until 1902 that Rioja was formally recognized as a wine variety, and not till the end of the 20th century that it was both awarded a certificate of origin (which guarantees its provenance) and given the highest classification Spain allows.

Though best known for its red wines, white and rosé Riojas are also produced here. Experts describe classic Rioja wines as bold and complex, with unmistakable cherry and vanilla notes. What makes a Rioja so full-bodied is the use of oak barrel-aging techniques inspired by the wineries of Bordeaux. Some Riojas are aged up to five years in barrel and bottle before their release. The result is a wine hardy enough to stand up to meat and strong cheeses, and, if you ask a Spaniard, to challenge any wine France can produce.

In a Discovery Tours small group, you’ll have time to indulge in every morsel on your plate and linger over every glass, whether during included meals and tastings or during time on your own. We do hope you’ll join us to savor the culinary pleasures of these remarkable countries.

Learn more about our delicious France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Carcassonne

on January 21, 2019

It is impossible not to be completely enchanted by France’s medieval fortress town of Carcassonne. It is the perfect storybook castle. Built upon a rocky hillock, it is encircled by nearly two miles of remarkably preserved walls and some 50 watchtowers. But it’s a wonder that it is standing today at all: In the mid-1800s, it was almost completely demolished by the French government, a loss that is impossible to imagine.

Celtic tribes were among the early inhabitants of this region of Gaul, as it was known during the Iron Age. It was the Romans who erected the first walls here in the fourth century, recognizing this location on the River Aude as an ideal crossroads for trade routes between the Mediterranean and Atlantic and between the Pyrenees and France’s Massif Central mountains. Visigoths rebuilt the fortifications in the fifth and sixth centuries and more walls were added in the 13th and, under King Philip IV, in the 14th. 

This is all to say that a walk through Carcassonne is a journey through France’s rich past. If these walls could talk, they would tell of the rise and fall of empires and, eventually, of the fall of Carcassonne itself when the Sun King Louis XIV signed the Treaty of the Pyrenees with Spain in 1659. The treaty gave France the province of Roussillon, thus moving the French border farther south and stripping away Carcassonne’s importance as a military defense.

Those who remained in Carcassonne reinvented their city as a center for woolen textiles. But by 1849, the French government saw no reason to let the now-dilapidated walls continue standing. The medieval city was marked for demolition.

But the 1848 Revolution (which predated the French Revolution by 40 years or so) had emboldened the citizenry of France—and the people of Carcassonne. Led by the mayor Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille and by archaeologist/historian Prosper Mérimée, they campaigned to preserve their beloved city and its history for future generations. The government relented and thus began an epic effort to restore Carcassonne to its original glory, a decades-long endeavor overseen by architect Eugene Viollèt-le-Duc. In 1997, this incredible treasure was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Witness the magnificently preserved walled city of Carcassonne for yourself during our France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

One Culture, Two Countries

on January 18, 2019

Robust, hearty, and proud, the Basque region is said to have a mind of its own. By some accounts, it enjoys more autonomy than any other region in Europe. Officially, it comprises Spain’s undulating farmland and jagged hills that roll from the famed Rioja region north to the Bay of Biscay. Unofficially (that is to say, historically), it is much larger, hopping the French border into the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.

Our Discovery Tours small group has the privilege of experiencing one Basque culture in two different countries when we cross the border from San Sebastian, Spain, to Biarritz, France.

San Sebastian: A Coastal Retreat Fit for Spanish Royalty

So stunning is the setting of San Sebastian—squeezed between mountains and sea and boasting one of the most beautiful sand crescent beaches in Europe—the Spanish queen-regent Maria Cristina proclaimed it the royal summer home. La Concha Beach, watched over by elegant 19th-century architecture, fronts the city like a horseshoe as misty mountains rise on either side. Throughout San Sebastian’s inviting streets, Belle Epoque resort buildings grace the cityscape.

The city, just 12 miles from the French border, has had a long and turbulent history, some of it owing to its strategic location on the Bay of Biscay. But today the “Pearl of Northern Spain” has emerged as a revered center of Basque culture and cuisine. Locals here embrace their Basque heritage with more verve than their Spanish traditions. Look no further than the city’s street signs, dutifully printed in Euskara, the Basque language. Residents even call their city “Donastia,” its Basque name. You’re sure to fall for its many charms: gorgeous architecture, tree-lined green spaces, and young athletes playing pelota (an early form of jai alai, which was invented in the region) in parks.

Biarritz: French Seaside Glamour

Biarritz has long relied on the sea. From the 12th century, whaling was a major industry. It lasted about 300 years until the whales migrated to coastal Canada. In the 18th century, area doctors claimed the ocean here held curative properties, which lured those seeking good health. Napoleon III caught on to the town’s popularity and built a villa here for his Spanish bride, Empress Eugenie. British and Russian nobles followed, cementing Biarritz’s reputation as a luxury resort. Victor Hugo himself regaled, “I have not met in the world any place more pleasant and perfect than Biarritz.”

Today, Eugenie’s villa is the elegant and massive Hotel du Palais, the glittering centerpiece of Biarritz. Europeans flock here for the casinos as much as they do for sunbathing time on La Grande Plage, the largest beach. Even surfers find the bay’s conditions favorable; in fact, it was here that Europe saw its first surfers. The story goes that the American director of The Sun Also Rises was filming here in 1957 when his California friend visited, surfboard in tow. As he took to the waves, the French had never seen anything like it. 

And you will never see anything like San Sebastian and Biarritz. Join us on our France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip!

#G1PhotoFridayLatin America

Cruising Among Giants in Beagle Channel, Argentina

on January 18, 2019

Beagle Channel is passage located in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago on the southern tip of South America. This strait separates the main island of Tierra del Fuego from the various other small islands around it. The Beagle Channel is one of three navigable passages that link the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east, in the very southern tip of the continent of South America. See the vast beauty and experience mother nature up close while cruising through Patagonia and the Beagle Channel.

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @ever_721 using the hashtag #gate1travel. This postcard-like photo was taken in Beagle Channel, Argentina. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Patagonia and Antarctica trips here!

Evening at Lake Louise
USA & Canada

Canada: Where Wonders Never Cease

on January 16, 2019

Between the forested Pacific shores of Vancouver Island and the rocky fingers of land that reach into the Atlantic at Newfoundland’s Terra Nova National Park, the second largest country on earth spans some 4,700 miles as the bird flies. Within its vast expanse, countless natural treasures and cultural riches unfold. Snow-capped peaks and turquoise lakes are encircled by mountains and European-flavored Old Towns. Sophisticated cities, sleepy fishing villages littered with lobster traps and tranquil lands, sacred to the First Nations people who have lived here for millennia. This is all woven together by a rich tapestry of French, British, Scottish, and Asian traditions.

This is Canada. And if you’ve only been looking at it from afar, you’ve been missing out. Lucky for you, we have a myriad opportunities for you to experience it up close. Herewith, our survey of Gate 1 Travel’s inspiring destinations from west to east …

The Scintillating Cultural Centers of British Columbia 

The capital of British Columbia (BC) is a seaside gem. Situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is every bit as regal as the queen for whom it was named. The British settled here in 1843 and many historic buildings central to its founding remain. Get a sweeping and insightful view of the city’s past at the Royal BC Museum, a fascinating chronicle of the region’s natural history, First Nations heritage, and modern history. View some colorful, towering totem poles next door in Thunderbird Park and experience the second oldest Chinatown in North America. Vancouver Island’s natural splendor is on full display at Beacon Hill Park, where you can marvel at stunning views of Juan de Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. And you surely won’t want to miss the floral brilliance of Butchart Gardens, a fantastic showcase of flowers, topiary, statuary, and fountains. 

Vancouver, the largest city in BC, has literally been shaped by water. The Fraser River courses to the south and the Burrard Inlet meanders in from the sea to the north. Other scenic bays, inlets and rivulets make this one of the most picturesque cities in the world. The diverse heritage of the people – Chinese and other Asian populations are equally at home here as Vancouverites of European descent bringing a unique multiculturalism found in few other cities.  You can see where the city was born, take in its frontier spirit, and imagine its logging and fishing past as you browse the historic street of Gastown and the large public market at Granville Island.  As for Vancouver’s natural beauty, there’s ample to admire not only in the spectacular vistas of the nearby Coast Mountain range, but also at Stanley Park, a 1,000-acre haven of dense rainforest often cited as the most stunning public park in the world.

Alberta’s Soul-Stirring Beauty

Where BC and Alberta meet, a magnificent wall of alpine peaks emerges, continuing its reach from the United States. The Canadian Rocky Mountains host innumerable turquoise lakes, gleaming glaciers, hot springs, yawning canyons, and torrential waterfalls. Sprawling vistas here can only be described as majestic; forests climb up steep slopes, stopping short of bald rocky summits, and sinewy rivers wind their way through deep-cut valleys. You can explore it all from two bases, each exuding a relaxed mountain setting where nature takes center stage. 

Laid-back Jasper in the Athabasca Valley was established in 1813 as a fur trading outpost. The surrounding namesake park was founded in 1907 as Jasper Forest Park and later given national park designation. You are truly in the midst of astonishing wilderness here. The massive wall of Pyramid Mountain rises to the north of town, named for its pyramidal shape. After gazing upward at its peak, you can peer downward into the nearby Maligne Canyon. Thrilling walking trails lead to breathtaking overlooks into the depths of its narrow crevice, which was carved by river waters over eons. East of here, a dramatic valley road leads to the incredible Maligne Lake. Set in a long, narrow trough between soaring hills, it is the largest glacier-fed lake in the Rockies. Tiny Spirit Island, a cluster of evergreens floating on aqua-green waters, enjoys a jaw-dropping backdrop of jagged peaks.

The epically scenic Icefields Parkway links Jasper and Banff, tracing the Continental Divide past jagged mountains and glistening glaciers. Along the way, the powerful Athabasca Falls roar through a pine forest and the Athabasca Glacier—just one finger of the massive Columbia Icefield—spills down into the valley from Mt. Columbia. Measuring up to 900 feet thick in some places, its ice is nonetheless receding at about 16 feet per year and may not be around for future generations to witness. You will see the vast Athabasca river valley when you dare to step on to the thrilling Glacier Skywalk, a glass walkway that clings to the edge! After such a dramatic experience, breathe in the serenity of emerald-hued Lake Louise, one of Canada’s most visited natural sites for its magnificent setting at the foot of Fairview Mountain.

Set in a valley near the eastern reaches of the Rockies, the resort town of Banff is the gateway to more natural wonders. The town enjoys a unique setting as it wraps around the dome-like Tunnel Mountain, which is also partly encircled by the meandering Bow River. Banff was settled after workers of the Canadian Pacific Railroad discovered hot springs at Sulphur Mountain. As interest in the area grew, so did the desire to preserve the natural beauty here, and so Canada’s National Parks system began. 

The Cave and Basin National Historic Site on the slopes of Sulphur Mountain, site of those first hot springs, is where it all began. You can step inside the cave system to visit the steaming reservoirs and imagine they were your own discovery. If you wish, ascend the summit of Sulphur Mountain by gondola. Nearby, follow footpaths into the wide Johnston Canyon, formed over thousands of years by the flow of Johnston Creek. Another astonishing lake awaits in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, named for the ten pointy pinnacles lined up all in a row. You may not be able to decide which moves your spirit more: the peaks themselves or their mirror-like reflection in the pristine waters of Moraine Lake. 

In the unlikely event that your spirit is not moved by Lake Moraine, then the dappling of lakes in Waterton Lakes National Park should do the trick, located near the US border. You’ll even step over into Glacier National Park in the US state of Montana, which, with Waterton, forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. This is a soul-stirring wonderland of mountains, prairies, forests, falls, and lakes that bring the wild west to mind. And for a true glimpse of life on the frontier, visit the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in Fort MacLeod, Alberta. For 5,500 years, indigenous Blackfoot people killed buffalo by driving them from their grazing spot to this 36-foot-high cliff.

Sophisticated Cities from Calgary to Quebec City 

Speaking of stampedes, Calgary recalls the days of old Alberta with its famed annual rodeo. Canada’s largest city was founded as a headquarters for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1886 and has evolved into a modern cultural center, rich in history and architecture. Alberta’s capital, Edmonton, contains Canada’s largest living history museum, Heritage Park. It boasts replicas of historic houses, churches, covered wagons and more. For a more modern glimpse of Edmonton’s agricultural traditions, you can browse the famed Farmer’s Market in Old Strathcona. 

Jump farther east into Ontario and you’ll experience the world-renowned multicultural mélange of Toronto. More than 140 languages can be heard on its streets and the city boasts a varied culinary scene that reflects its many colorful ethnicities. Of course, the centerpiece of Toronto is the famed CN Tower, once the largest freestanding structure in the world at more than 1,800 feet. Around it, a patchwork of distinct neighborhoods, museums, and remarkable architecture unfold. 

One of Canada’s most spectacular natural wonders is a short drive from Toronto: the spellbinding Niagara Falls, fed by a torrent of water from four of the five Great Lakes. Daredevils have risked their lives by encasing themselves in barrels and balancing on tightropes here. Your experience will be considerably tamer as you feel the soothing mist of the falls from a boat, followed by a wine tasting on the Niagara Peninsula. Niagara is not the only spectacular gathering of water in this intimate corner of Ontario. The mighty St. Lawrence River courses its way northeast, following the New York border. Along the way, it plays host to an astounding 50-mile archipelago of 1,864 islands known as the Thousand Islands. A boat cruise lets you witness some of them up close. 

The sheer grandeur of Canada is on display in its scintillating capital, Ottawa. Locals love their city so much that not even the winter’s cold keeps them inside; many skate to work or school on the frozen Rideau Canal. But you’ll be visiting in warmer months when the city is at its most glorious, marveling at the Gothic-style Parliament buildings and paying homage at the National War Memorial. Free time might lead you to any of the city’s many splendid museums or to a pleasant cruise along the canal.

More than any other region in Canada, the province of Quebec has long clung to its French heritage. This tenacity lends its two major cities—Montreal and Quebec City—a delightful joie de vivre. History appears on every corner in these fraternal towns, but it’s not to be outdone by succulent pastries from French bakeries and fine cuisine served in cafes and brasseries. In Montreal, situated on an island in the St. Lawrence River, sophisticated culture meets Old World charm. It is pure pleasure to take in the details of its many art galleries, admire sweeping city views from atop Mount Royal, marvel at the Basilica of Notre Dame, and stroll the cobbled streets of Vieux-Montreal. Quebec City has been called the “most French” city outside France. Adding to its European flavor, it is also the only walled North American city north of Mexico. Its Place Royale transports you back in time to the city’s original settlement while the iconic Chateau Frontenac and an adjacent terrace provide stunning views of the St. Lawrence River.

The Maritimes & More: Serenity by the Sea

Few places on earth match Canada’s easternmost provinces for their sheer tranquility, classic coastal ambiance, and authentic culture. Historically, the British and Acadians (descendants of the French) settled here during the 1600s. Today, Atlantic Canada is renowned for its cultural charms, breathtaking vistas, and a contagious love of seaside living.

Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada’s smallest province, seems torn from a storybook. Rolling green hills and rock-strewn coasts embrace small farming towns and fishing villages. This unique gem evolved with little outside influence; it wasn’t until 1997 that it was connected to the mainland by the nine-mile Confederation Bridge. PEI’s northern shores actually are from a storybook: the town of Cavendish was the idyllic inspiration and setting for Anne of Green Gables. You can step into the beloved Green Gables House, visit other sites from the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and marvel at the red beaches and stunning dunes of Cavendish. 

Known to some as “New Scotland,” Nova Scotia is deeply admired by all who visit. One of the province’s largest seaside cities is also one of its most cosmopolitan. Halifax, the maritime capital, enjoys a prime spot on a wide harbor. Its many heritage buildings—including St. Paul’s Church, City Hall, and Government House—its green parks and bustling arts and culinary scenes are all kissed by sea breezes and steeped in a vibrant history. Nearby, the highest tides anywhere roar in to the Bay of Fundy, they rise 48 feet in just six hours. The force of the waves has sculpted astonishing rock formations such as the Hopewell Rocks, gigantic towers topped with tiny forest clusters. You’ll find a more peaceful scene at Peggy’s Cove on St. Margaret’s Bay. Its quaint harbor bobs with fishing boats and its perfectly situated lighthouse creates a quintessential seaside tableau.

One notable part-time Nova Scotia resident, Alexander Graham Bell, wrote that “for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals” all the places in the world he had ever been. You may agree as you drive Cape Breton’s famed Cabot Trail through a rugged seaside highland landscape reminiscent of Scotland. As you traverse this spectacular region, witness the area’s varied heritage in old fishing villages descended from Acadian, Irish, and Scottish settlements. Take in more of the cape’s charms during your stay in Baddeck, a quaint shire town on the northern shores of Bras d’Or Lake, stopping by to visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and Historic Site.

Explore More of Canada with Our Sister Company, Discovery Tours!

Our Discovery Tours small groups are renowned for exploring off the beaten path. In Canada, we head farther north into Newfoundland and Labrador. These two geographic regions were merged into one province in 2001: Newfoundland is the wedge-shaped island jutting into the North Atlantic and Labrador spreads across the mainland. Together, they present travelers with unrivalled opportunities to head deeper into the continent and experience more of its unspoiled splendor and rich cultures.

On Newfoundland, the easternmost region of North America, cruise into the breathtaking fjords of Bonne Bay and view unique geological features at Gros Morne National Park. Uncover millennia of history amidst the stunning scenery of Port aux Choix National Historic Site. Explore the Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows—where Leif Erikson landed in the Americas 500 years before Columbus—and see the site of John Cabot’s landing in 1497. Tour the provincial capital of St. John’s, one of the oldest cities in North America. In Labrador, traverse primeval landscapes to stop by an old Basque-era whaling station of Red Bay. Along the way, visit tiny villages, sample local cuisine, and head out to sea to view the largest puffin colony on the North American east coast.

Experience Canada Up Close with Gate 1!

More than ever, travelers have been discovering Canada’s magnificent beauty, vibrant and traditional cultures, and welcoming locals. We invite you to join them, while enjoying the local insight, ultimate comfort, and terrific value you’ve come to expect from Gate 1 Travel.

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