Insight Vacations

Highlights

• Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol.
• Segovia: Visit the medieval streets of this fortified city to see the 14th-century Alcazar Palace and extensive Roman aqueduct.
• Salamanca: See the handsome arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-colored cathedral and the 16th century university buildings as you explore the city with your Local Expert.
• Porto: See the iconic bridges and buildings decorated in tiles.
• Obidos: Lead by your Travel Director, walk through the picturesque narrow streets up to the main square of this ancient walled town.

Highlights

• Baddeck: Experience warm hospitality and Cape Breton-style home cooking with traditional music. Join local musicians and engage in an evening of song, dance and storytelling for a unique insight into Acadian culture.
• Halifax: Immerse yourself in Nova Scotia's rich maritime heritage at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Discover history, including the Halifax Explosion and the sinking of the Titanic through an immersive visit. History comes alive as you sit in a replica Titanic deck chair or climb aboard the CSS Acadia. Learn about Halifax’s connection to the Titanic: When ship owners in New York heard the ship hit an iceberg, they thought it would travel to Halifax. In the end, 150 of the 1518 lives lost were buried in Halifax. You’ll appreciate gaining insights into history exploring exhibits from a small craft boat building to World War Convoys, the Titanic to the Halifax Explosion, events and people who have defined Nova Scotia and its relationship with the sea.
• Halifax: Embark an exploration of this cosmopolitan, eclectic port city of Halifax with your Local Expert. Travel to the local cemetery where many of the Titanic victims were laid to rest before a visit to the Victorian-era inspired Halifax Public Gardens and bustling harbor front. Learn how the growth of this maritime hub can be attributed to its economic ties with the fishing industry, shipbuilding and trade, fostering a maritime culture that persists today. Your in-depth city tour will end at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic for a docent-led tour.
• Lunenburg: The hand-picked UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg invites you to discover its storied streets. Experience one of the best surviving examples of a planned British Colonial settlement in North America before meeting a Local Expert for a walking tour. Your guided tour will make sites come alive with cultural wonders like superstitions, folklore and local facts. All will be woven together with unique personal stories as you stroll past its brightly painted houses.
• Peggy's Cove: Visit scenic Peggy's Cove, a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay southwest of downtown Halifax. Take in the breathtaking coastal scenery, including its iconic Peggy's Cove Lighthouse perched on rugged granite rocks. Embrace this area's serene beauty, fishing village and artistic community that make it one of Nova Scotia's most favorite destinations.

Highlights

• Moraine Lake: Enjoy a beautiful stop at glacier-fed Moraine Lake, a vibrant turquoise lake set in the rugged Valley of the Ten Peaks.
• Icefields Parkway: Travel along the Icefields Parkway Drive, one of the most scenic drives in North America. Made up of breathtaking glaciers, soaring mountain peaks and dramatic valleys.
• Jasper: Relax on board a narrated cruise on the serene waters of Maligne Lake. Glide past jagged mountain peaks to Spirit Island, a world-famous destination accessible only by boat.
• Maligne Canyon: Join your Travel Director as you walk on the trails of Maligne Canyon, one of the most stunning gorges in the Canadian Rockies and the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park.
• Kamloops: Relish in the relaxing journey through the most spectacular scenery in North America, aboard the world's leading luxury rail experience.

Highlights

• Jackson: Historic Jackson, where the majestic peaks of the Teton Range act as your constant backdrop. Feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you walk through the town's famous landmark arch of tangled elk antlers. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the town’s boutiques and stores, which blend the Old West and the modern West harmoniously.
• Yellowstone National Park: The world’s first National Park, Yellowstone spans 2,219,789 acres and even has its own Grand Canyon. The park is home to half of the world’s hydrothermal features, more than 10,000, of which over 300 are geysers. Yellowstone is also a wildlife paradise. Some 1,700 species of plants and 400 species of birds, fish and mammals live in the park, including bison, wolves, bears, elk and moose.
• Grand Teton National Park: Travel through a mountainous landscape like no other. Witness the striking Grand Tetons thrust skyward 6,562 feet (2,000 meters) from the valley floor and keenly watch for exciting wildlife that call these mountains home. Including the grizzly bear, bald eagles, moose, bison, and elk.
• Yellowstone National Park: Catch the renowned colorful bubbling mud pots and observe Old Faithful geyser shooting water over 120 feet (37 meters) into the air. The Upper Geyser Basin boasts the highest concentration of spouting geysers, hot springs and steaming fumaroles in the world.
• Cody: Explore the award-winning Buffalo Bill Center of the West, known for its excellent Western art collection and natural history.

Highlights

• Niagara Falls: Get up close and personal with the mighty Falls. Experience the awesome power, thundering water and amazing mist from a state of the art eco-catamaran, making it a perfect and memorable way to experience this natural wonder. After the rush of excitement and rush of water, slow down and explore Niagara-on-the-Lake, a beautifully preserved 19th century village in the heart of Ontario wine country. The flower-filled, tree-lined town features old world architecture, boutique shopping and plenty of character allowing for a truly charming time.
• Montreal: Join a local Expert who will guide you around Old Montreal and Mont Royal. View the Notre-Dame Basilica, the colorful old port and Place Jacques-Cartier, both at the magnificent heart of the old city.
• Montreal: Discover the history of the first neo-gothic church in Canada, an important witness of Montréal's foundations and breathtaking architecture, gold leaves, infinite blue, thousands of stars and exceptional stained glass windows.
• Quebec City: Discover more of Quebec’s unique European charm with a Local Expert. Get an in-depth look at why Old Quebec is a UNESCO World Heritage site as you see the Latin Quarter, Plains of Abraham, City Hall, Palace Royale and views of the grand Chateau Frontenac.
• Acadia National Park: Take in the natural beauty of Acadia National Park, with its dramatic rocky shoreline and rugged nautical charm. You'll witness amazing views of the park from the top of Cadillac Mountain, while guests wanting to explore on foot can join their Travel Director to view well known spots such as Thunder Hole.

Highlights

• Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a passionate local. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, where Ancient Roman political life and law courts mingled with open-air markets and shops.
• Pisa: Your Local Expert will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th-century cathedral - the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles.
• Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Expert, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site with dedicated time to explore one of the charming fishing villages.
• Portofino: Visit this elegant fishing village and admire the colored houses and yachts moored in the harbor.
• Lake Maggiore: Experience the charming traditional social ritual of la passeggiata in the Italian Lake District. All across Italy, in cities, towns and villages people leave their houses to gently walk streets, from babies in strollers to the most senior citizens. Savor a gelato or glass of wine along the way and observe, as new romances, new babies and new shoes are all put on display. Note the ever-stylish Italians love to dress up for the occasion so feel free add a touch of flair to your outfit!

Highlights

• Stratford-upon-Avon: Learn about the life of William Shakespeare, arguably history's most famous writer, when you visit his birthplace. Then enjoy some time to explore this pretty town with its iconic Tudor houses.
• York: Your Travel Director will show you the York Minster, the city walls and the medieval Shambles during your orientation of the city.
• Durham: See the castle and Romanesque cathedral.
• Hadrian's Wall: Stop to see part of the ancient wall that once marked the border of the Roman Empire.
• Edinburgh: Explore the city with your Local Expert as you travel along Princes Street to see the Scott Memorial, the neoclassical Adam facades of New Town and the official Scottish residence of the King, Palace of Holyroodhouse.