FRENCH CANADA & NEW ENGLAND

Transcription

1 FRENCH CANADA & NEW ENGLAND QUEBEC CITY, MONTREAL, THE BERKSHIRES & BOSTON SEPTEMBER 22 OCTOBER 7, 2019 TOUR LEADER: DR MATTHEW LAING

2 FRENCH CANADA & NEW ENGLAND Tour dates: September 22 October 7, 2019 Tour leader: Dr Matthew Laing Tour Price: $10,740 per person, twin share Single Supplement: $3,460 for sole use of double room Booking deposit: $500 per person Recommended airline: Air Canada Maximum places: 20 Itinerary: Quebec City (3 nights), Montreal (3 nights), Burlington (1 night), Pittsfield (3 nights), Boston (5 nights) Date published: October 15, 2018 Overview Maple trees and covered bridges, apple orchards and watermills, rugged coastlines and solitary lighthouses few areas of North America are as breathtakingly beautiful as French Canada and New England in the autumn. This new 16-day tour takes you to the best these regions have to offer, from the stone ramparts and elegant chateaux of Quebec to the brilliant autumn colours, spectacular art and incredible literary legacy of New England. Stays in Quebec City, Montreal and Boston are complemented by day trips to Ottawa, Hartford and Newport, with plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of the countryside. Nature and culture come together as this tour immerses you in some of the very best in art and performance. Visit incredible art galleries with some of the finest European and American collections in the world, as well as an opportunity to learn about unique regional arts and crafts, including the Shakers, the Group of Seven and American Arts and Crafts movement. Evening performances will include some of North America s finest symphonies and playhouses. On this tour you ll also find yourself amidst the birthplace of great American literature, including the homes and places that inspired Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edith Wharton, Herman Melville, Henry David Thoreau and Mark Twain. Amidst it all, you ll be immersed in region rich in history and architecture, with a chance to explore some of the most iconic sites of North America s founding, from the French trappers and missionaries of Quebec to the story of American Independence in Boston, Lexington and Concord. Your tour leader Dr Matthew Laing is a historian and political scientist at Monash University who has led tours to the Americas and Europe with Academy Travel for five years. He has a strong personal interest in architecture, cultural history and modern art, with a particular expertise in the United States. Enquiries and bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Rebecca Fussell at Academy Travel on or (outside Sydney) or rebecca@academytravel.com. au Matthew holds a BA and PhD from the Australian National University, and wrote his doctorate on the history of the United States presidency. He has worked as a lecturer and research fellow at the Australian National University, Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and now at Monash University in Melbourne. He is an accredited ADFAS lecturer and frequently holds public lecture series in Melbourne. He currently teaches United States history and leadership, and has published on both topics. Matthew s tours strive for intellectual engagement and to reveal the stories, both big and small, that can bring history to life. A voracious reader and traveller, Matthew strives to be a generalist and draws upon a wide range of subjects from politics to architecture to develop his understanding of a place. Matthew s passion for the United States started as an intern in the United States Congress in 2007.

3 Tour Highlights AUTUMN GLORY Famous for its spectacular autumnal foliage, see Quebec and New England in fall glory along the scenic byways, forested mountains and covered bridges of Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut INCREDIBLE ARCHITECTURE Tour Quebec s stunning legacy of French Romanesque Revival, Neo-Gothic and Second Empire architecture, including Montreal s Notre-Dame and Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, as well as modern masterpieces. THE BIRTH OF AMERICA Iconic sites of early American history where the world s most influential independence movement began, including Boston s Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall and Paul Revere s midnight ride in Lexington and Concord. MASTERS OF ART AND CRAFT From traditional crafts to modern masterpieces in the unique collections of the Berkshires and Boston: the Clark Museum of Art, the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum, the Shelburne Museum, and an authentic Shaker village. GREAT HOMES Great homes big and small, from the literary salons of authors such as Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Edith Wharton and Louisa May Alcott, to the summer cottages of tycoons like the Vanderbilts.

4 Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D. Tour start & finish time The tour begins in the evening in Quebec City on Sunday, 22 September, at the Le Germain Hôtel The tour ends mid-morning in Boston on Monday, 7 October. Sunday 22 September Arrival Arrive in Quebec City, and meet your fellow travellers over a welcome drink in the hotel bar. Overnight Quebec City. Above: Walking the charming historic streets of Old Quebec City Below: Montmorency Falls, higher than Niagara; and the picturesque Île d Orléans by the Saint Lawrence River dotted with farmhouses and vineyards is one of the first settlements for New France in the 16th century Monday 23 September Old Quebec After a morning lecture in the hotel, today we set out to explore Quebec City, first settled in 1535 by Jacques Cartier and one of the first settlements in North America. The Historic District of the city includes much expertly preserved 16 th and 17 th century architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We ll walk the ramparts of the original citadel, explore the cobblestone plazas, gaze upon the magnificent basilicas and meander through the winding alleys that feel like a French medieval city. In the afternoon, we ll walk the famous Terrasse Dufferin and Chataeau Frontenac. Tonight, we have a welcome dinner in a traditional Quebecois restaurant. Overnight Quebec City (B, D). Tuesday 24 September Art and Nature in Quebec This morning, we ll head to the Montmorency Falls, one of the highest in North America, and then take a driving tour of Île d Orléans. One of the most beautiful regions of Quebec, this island was one of the first places settled in Canada and is famous for its picturesque villages and delicious farm-fresh food, which we ll have the chance to sample at lunch. A short return drive will have us back in Quebec City in the afternoon, allowing us to visit in the National Fine Arts Museum of Quebec, which houses some of the finest art of the region. The evening is free, but there will be the option to take the ferry to nearby Levis, which provides a spectacular view of the old city lit up over the waterfront at night. Overnight Quebec City (B, L). Wednesday 25 September Down the Saint Lawrence Today we set off towards Montreal, taking a route parallel to the famous St Lawrence River. We ll stop on the way in Trois- Rivières and take in the famous Notre-Dame-du-Cap cathedral and some of the old city. After lunch, we continue onto Montreal, the largest city in Quebec, entering via Parc Jean-Drapeau, the site of the famous Montreal World s Fair of 1967, and take a

5 peek at Buckminster Fuller s iconic dome and Moshe Safdie s Habitat 67, both icons of Quebec s modern identity and modernist architecture. Overnight Montreal (B) Thursday 26 September Montreal History and Culture We start this morning with a lecture, before heading off into the heart of Old Montreal and its well-preserved historic quarter. Of particular interest will be the breathtaking Basilica de Notre Dame, preserved historic architecture in the old city, and the archaeological remains at the Pointe-à-Callière. In the afternoon we ll visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, a leading Canadian art collection. After returning to our hotel, we ll venture out in the evening to see a performance from one of Montreal s leading cultural institutions such as the Circ du Soleil or the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Overnight Montreal (B). Friday 27 September Ottawa, Canadian Capital Today we ll take a day trip to Canada s capital Ottawa, just a short drive to the southwest of Montreal. There we ll tour the city s major sites, including an insider s tour of the beautiful Gothic Revival masterpiece - the Canadian Parliament House as well as the Rideau Canal, and some free time to explore the markets and cafes of Ottawa s ByTown district. In the afternoon we ll cross the river to see the Canadian National Museum of History, the national preserve of the evolving story of both modern Canada and its First Nations peoples. We ll return to Montreal in the evening. Overnight Montreal (B). Saturday 28 September Into New England We say goodbye to Quebec and hello to New England, the wooded expanses of the northeast United States famous for its autumn colour. We ll make the most of the foliage today by making out way to our next destination via the scenic byways of Vermont, including the stunning Routes 100 and 108 through charming small towns such as Stowe. We ll arrive around lunchtime at Shelburne, home to the famous Shelburne Farms and Shelburne Museum, one of the best collections of American crafts in the nation. In the evening, we ll have a group meal at a local farm-to-table restaurant. Overnight Burlington (B, D). Above: The dazzling combination of blue and gold inside Montreal s Notre-Dame Basilica; and the centrepiece of Ottawa's downtown landscape, Parliament Hill Below: Stunning Autumn colours vie for your attention as we make our way through the charming small towns in Vermont Sunday 29 September Welcome to the Berkshires After a lecture in the hotel, we ll make our way further south through the hills and river valleys of New England, taking frequent stops for photos this morning, as well as visiting the gorgeous towns of Bennington and Manchester as we make our way to The Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. After lunch in Williamstown we ll visit the Clark Art Institute, notable for its excellent collection of Old European Masters, including several iconic works of Renoir, as well as American regional masters such as Winslow Homer. Overnight Pittsfield (B).

6 Above: The round barn at Hancock Shaker Village Below: Panini's Interior of a Picture Gallery with the Collection of Cardinal Silvio Valenti Gonzaga is one of the many highlights of the Wadsworth Atheneum; and for 275 years, Boston's Faneuil Hall remains a site of meetings, protests, and debate right up to this very day Monday 30 September Playground of the Arts Today we explore the rich cultural heritage of The Berkshires, long a muse and home for some of America s greatest writers and craftsmen. We ll see the latter first hand at the Hancock Village, one of the last Shaker communities in the United States, famous for its hand-made furniture. We ll have a group lunch of Shaker-grown produce. In the afternoon we ll start our literary trail of Massachusetts, seeing the Herman Melville home and the estate of Edith Wharton, as well as the Norman Rockwell museum. Overnight Pittsfield (B, L). Tuesday 1 October Hartford, Connecticut A day-trip today to nearby Hartford, Connecticut, to continue our trail of exemplary art, literature and culture. Our first stop is the Wadsworth Atheneum, an exceptional institution and the first in the United States to acquire pieces by greats such as Salvador Dali, Caravaggio and Piet Mondrian. We ll lunch and take in the sights of downtown Hartford, before stopping in the afternoon at the home of Mark Twain, one of America s most celebrate authors and humourists. We ll return to Pittsfield in the evening. Overnight Pittsfield (B). Wednesday 2 October Lexington and Concord Our literary trail will take us eastward today. We ll make our way across Massachusetts to Boston via Lexington and Concord, two town famous for their history and literary contributions. In the morning, we ll see iconic sites of American literature, including the Walden Pond that inspired Henry David Thoreau and the Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women. After lunching in Concord, we ll the follow the historic trail to Lexington, upon which the very first battle of the American Revolution occurred, and Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride to warn that the British were coming. In the late afternoon we ll check into our hotel in Boston and have a group meal nearby. Overnight Boston (B, D). Thursday 3 October Colonial Boston Boston was one of the foremost cities of colonial America, and we ll discover its rich early history, from its settlement by the Pilgrim fathers to its role in American independence. We ll take the Freedom Trail through the historic heart of the city and its many preserved colonial-era buildings, as well as the Boston Commons and Trinity Church. After lunch we ll take a leisurely stroll through the Beacon Hill district and around the Boston State Capitol, and we ll have a free afternoon to explore the city on our own or continue with the tour leader if desired to sites on the north end of the Freedom Trail. In the evening we ll enjoy a performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Overnight Boston (B, D).

7 Friday 4 October Centre of Learning Boston is also one of the nation s great centres of education and learning, and we ll explore this aspect today. After a lecture in the hotel, we ll take a trip to Harvard University, consistently ranked as the best in the world, and take a tour of its historic campus. We ll also have a chance to drive through and see some of the major sites of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The afternoon will be taken up by a visit to the Isabell Stuart Gardner Museum, an incredible art collection set in a Venetian-style Palazzo. Overnight Boston (B). Saturday 5 October Newport, Rhode Island Our final day-trip today will see us venture south to Newport, Rhode Island, the famous playground of the Gilded Age and home to the great mansions of the rich and famous. We ll take a guided tour of the town and visit inside two of the largest and most ostentatious of these summer cottages, including The Breakers, the palatial summer home of the Vanderbilt family. Overnight Boston (B). Caption Sunday 6 October Back Bay and Modern Boston We ll round out our visit to Boston this morning by venturing over to Back Bay, taking a guide tour of this relatively modern district of the city, but home to two of its architectural masterpieces the Boston Public Library and Henry Hobson Richardson s Trinity Church. We ll take a visit to both and lunch in area, before heading in the afternoon to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, with a guided tour of this collection which rivals any in New York or Los Angeles. Tonight, we have a farewell dinner in grand style. Overnight Boston (B, D). Monday 7 October Farwell Today we must say our farewells. In the morning, we ll have the option to squeeze in one more point of interest - the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. Airport transfers will be arranged for transfers out of Boston in the morning and afternoon (B). Above: detail of John Singer Sargent s El Jaleo, a highlight of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston; and the Breakers at Newport, Rhode Island Below: early 19th-century homes in Boston s Beacon Hill precinct Hotels Hotels have been selected principally for their central location. Quebec City, Le Germain Quebec (3 nights) Montreal, Le Germain Montreal (3 nights) Burlington, Hotel Vermont (1 night) Pittsfield, Hilton Garden Inn (3 nights) Boston, The Bostonian (5 nights)

8 The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum s always-blooming Courtyard

9 Tour Price The tour price is $10,740 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $3,460 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour. Tour Inclusions Included in the tour price All accommodations in carefully selected hotels All breakfasts, and selected lunches and dinners, in hotels and local restaurants Land travel by coach, rail or taxi as required Two performances during the tour, depending on availability and scheduling Extensive background notes and lectures Services of Australian tour leader throughout tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Qualified local guides Tips for all services stated as included in the itinerary Not included International airfares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour we recommend Air Canada, who fly direct to Vancouver, with connections to Quebec City from most Australian cities. Please contact us for further information on competitive economy, business and first-class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers. Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Rebecca Fussell at Academy Travel on or (outside Sydney) or rebecca@academytravel.com.au Weather on Tour In autumn temperatures are pleasant but falling rapidly as the leaves change. Weather can be unpredictable, with occasional rain or cool changes, but never for long. Fitness Requirements of THIS tour GRADE TWO It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour. Participation criteria for this tour This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of physical activity per day on most days, including longer walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and museums tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold, humidity and heat walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites, which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required A note for older travellers If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You will have to miss several activities and will not get the full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.

10 About Academy Travel Each year Academy Travel organises around 60 journeys to Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Americas, each focusing on a distinctive historical, artistic or cultural theme. The aim of every Academy Travel journey is to combine the pleasures of independent travel with the benefits and shared enjoyment of a group. Academy Travel is an Australian-owned travel company, founded in The company s staff includes both academic experts and travel professionals with over two decades industry experience. We also have our own office in Rome which organises our tours in Western Europe. This means we have direct control over the selection of hotels, restaurants, coaches and local guides, guaranteeing superior quality. Great itineraries Academy Travel works hard to create itineraries that provide a balanced experience walking tours, museum and gallery visits, live performances, city and countryside. We re proud to be constantly innovating, from opening up new destinations, creating tours around festivals and special exhibitions, to providing unrivalled depth in our residential tours. Like-minded groups Over the years we ve been in operation, we ve developed a loyal band of Academy Travellers, some of whom have travelled with us more than 10 times. They say the small groups (maximum 20, average 17) and distinct themes of our tours attract like-minded travellers and create a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. Long stays Feedback from our clients consistently tells us that creating itineraries with three and four-night stops, or even longer, is far more appealing that rushing from place to place. Wherever possible, we plan our tours around a limited number of stops, making your travels more relaxed and more meaningful. Special Events A private viewing of the Sistine Chapel? Tickets to a sold-out concert by the Berlin Philharmonic? A worldfamous art fair? Access to private homes and gardens? Behind-the-scenes visits? Many of our tours feature access to places and events that are usually not offered on most group tours. Expert tour leaders We work closely with a team of academically qualified and highly experienced tour leaders. They don t just rattle off the facts they help us plan our itineraries and, on tour, freely share their deep knowledge and genuine passion. Most of our tour leaders are still teaching at an advanced level and many are still undertaking academic research. Years of experience Academy Travel was founded in 2004 by a team with decades of prior experience in small group travel. On average, our tour leaders have over 11 years experience, some with 25 or more years. To ensure quality, we have our own office in Rome, Italy and a network of trusted suppliers around the world. ACADEMY TRAVEL TAILORED SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS info@academytravel.com.au academytravel.com.au

11 TO SUBMIT YOUR BOOKING: Complete form on screen. Simply click in the box to fill in your details and press Tab to progress to the next box. Save the completed form and it to us. Or print the form, complete the fields and send it back to us. Name of tour: Departure date: A Your details This is my first tour with Academy Travel I have previously travelled with Academy Travel PASSENGER 1 PASSENGER 2 Your title (Ms, Mrs, Mr, Dr etc): Your full name (as it appears on your passport): Your title (Ms, Mrs, Mr, Dr etc): Your full name (as it appears on your passport): Preferred first name: Date of birth: Preferred first name: Date of birth: Postal Address: Postal Address: State: Postcode: State: Postcode: Phone - Area code: Phone: Phone - Area code: Phone: Mobile: Mobile: Passport number: Expiry date: Passport number: Expiry date: Frequent flyer number(s) Seating (Aisle or window) Frequent flyer number(s) Seating (Aisle or window) Name of next of kin (not travelling with you): Name of next of kin (not travelling with you): Relationship to you: Contact number of next of kin: Relationship to you: Contact number of next of kin: PROOF OF IDENTITY Please provide a photocopy of the photo page of your passport together with this booking form. ROOMING PREFERENCES I am travelling: on my own with a friend or family member. Name of friend or family member (if not passenger 2) I/we would like: a room for sole occupancy a twin-bedded room a double-bedded room B Your special requirements MEAL REQUIREMENTS/ALLERGIES Please indicate below if you have any special dietary requirements. Appropriate meals will be requested for you on all flights and group meals based on this information. PASSENGER 1 PASSENGER 2 I do not have any specific dietary requirements or allergies I have the following specific dietary requirements/allergies I do not have any specific dietary requirements or allergies I have the following specific dietary requirements/allergies MEDICAL CONDITIONS Please indicate below if you have any serious health issue that may affect your travel insurance coverage, your physical capacity to undertake some activities on tour or may otherwise need to be considered by the tour leader/manager during the tour. PASSENGER 1 PASSENGER 2 I have no specific medical condition that Academy Travel needs to know about Academy Travel needs to know about the following medical condition(s) I have no specific medical condition that Academy Travel needs to know about Academy Travel needs to know about the following medical condition(s) Level 1, 341 George Street Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: or (outside Sydney) ACADEMY TRAVEL

12 BOOKING FORM C Your travel plans I/we wish Academy Travel to arrange air travel from Australia. Economy Class. Premium Economy Class. Business Class. I/we will organize our own air travel. I/we are undecided about air travel. Please contact us to discuss the available options. I plan to leave Australia before the tour commences. Planned departure date: I intend to take part in the extension tour offered in the itinerary (if applicable). I/we plan to undertake additional travel before/after the tour and would like Academy Travel to organise this (please describe destinations and length of stay required below). To discuss your travel arrangements please contact the travel consultant for your tour. You can also enquiries to info@academytravel.com.au. D Your acceptance of booking conditions PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND SIGN BELOW DEPOSITS A deposit of $500 per person is required to confirm your booking on a tour. Final payment of the tour fee, insurance and any additional travel will be due 60 days before departure. CANCELLATION FEES If you decide to cancel your booking the following charges apply: More than 60 days before departure: $500* days before tour start: 25% of total amount due days before tour start: 75% of total amount due 14 days or less before departure: 100% of total amount due *This amount may be credited to another Academy Travel tour within 12 months of the original tour you booked. UNUSED PORTIONS OF THE TOUR We regret that refunds will not be given for any unused portions of the tour, such as meals, entry fees, accommodation, flights or transfers. TRAVEL INSURANCE Academy Travel requires all participants to obtain comprehensive travel insurance. We offer a comprehensive policy with a reputable insurer if required. PASSPORT AND VISA A valid passport is required for all international travel. If you do not hold an Australian passport you may require a re-entry permit. Some countries require a visa to be issued before you depart Australia. We will advise you of all passport and visa requirements, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you meet passport and visa requirements before you depart. WILL THE TOUR PRICE CHANGE? If the number of participants in a tour is significantly less than budgeted, or if there is a significant change in exchange rates Academy Travel reserves the right to amend the advertised price. If this occurs you will be given the option of canceling your booking and obtaining a full refund. If an Academy Travel tour is forced to cancel you will get a full refund of all monies paid. WILL THE ITINERARY OR AIRLINE CHANGE? Occasionally circumstances beyond the control of Academy Travel make it necessary to change airline, hotel or to make slight amendments to daily itineraries. We will inform you of any changes as soon as they occur. FINAL PAYMENT Full and final payment for the tour, airfare travel, insurance and any additional travel you book is due 60 days before departure. Payment may be made by bank deposit, cheque, cash or credit card. Please note there is a surcharge for payments made by credit card. Academy Travel reserves the right to decline the booking or terminate the holiday of any traveller. I/we accept the conditions on this booking form I/we have read the information about the physical requirements of the tour in the detailed itinerary and confirm that I/we are able to meet these requirements. Date: AUTHORISATION By submitting this booking form, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions above and on our website, and the inclusions and non-inclusions listed in the detailed itinerary for the tour. E Deposit payment f How did you hear about this tour? A non-refundable $500 deposit is required for each person listed on this booking form. Please indicate which method you have chosen to pay your deposit: Number of passengers: Amount of deposit: $ Paid directly by cheque (Please make cheques payable to Academy Travel) Paid by credit card (Please complete details below) MasterCard Visa American Express Card Number: 3 or 4 digit security code: Expiry date: Please select where you first heard about this tour: I receive the Academy Travel tour program I receive the Academy Travel weekly s I saw an advertisement online please specify I saw an advertisement in please specify I attended a lecture at... please specify Searching the internet please specify A friend recommended Academy Travel tours Other... please specify Name on card: Amount: $ AUTHORISATION Date: By submitting this booking form you are authorising us to charge the cost of deposits for booking on this tour. No further charges will be made without your prior authorisation. g SEND Please send your completed booking form to: Academy Travel GPO Box 5057 Sydney NSW 2001 Or info@academytravel.com.au or fax it to (02) Additional booking forms can be downloaded from our website: academytravel.com.au /18 ACADEMY TRAVEL TAILORED SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS info@academytravel.com.au academytravel.com.au