EXCURSÕES EM TERRA

View rolling farmlands, stunning seascapes, tiny villages and bustling harbors along Blue Heron Drive as you get ready to meet Anne of Green Gables and actual descendants of Lucy Maud Montgomery. First stop is Silver Bush and the Anne of Green Gables Museum, here you’ll tour the museum, explore the beautiful grounds with many flower beds and gardens and share some Raspberry cordial with Anne herself!

Next, it's off to Cavendish, the old farm site that inspired L. M. Montgomery's first novel, Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908. Highlighting some of the finest attractions on Prince Edward Island's breathtaking north shore, this is definitely the ultimate Anne experience.

Your tour begins with a ride through Charlottetown, the birthplace of Canada. Sit back and relax, enjoying views as you travel en route to Cavendish, home of the Green Gables Heritage Place, the house that inspired the children’s classic. In fact, it is hard to think of Prince Edward Island without mentioning author Lucy Maud Montgomery, who lived here during the late Victorian era and it was the setting of her novel, Anne of Green Gables. Published in 1908, the tale of a spunky red haired orphan was an instant hit and from that moment on, visitors flocked to Cavendish, leading to the establishment of the national park.

The homestead immortalized in the book is exceptionally beautiful and fans will get a kick out of exploring the ground they have read so much about. Relatives of the author often offer guided tours and you never know when they will appear to greet guests! You may browse the gift shop for books and souvenirs. You’ll travel through the stunning park to the red sandstone cliffs, set against white capped waves for an incredible photo opportunity .

OVERVIEW

Spend hours enjoying the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival, an annual event that celebrates all things seafood related with a special focus on local specialties. On the enlightening walk to the venue, you will pass landmarks that the guide will describe in fascinating detail. Once you enter the festival, you will be free to wander about on your own. Depending on the day that you attend, you might watch celebrity chef challenges, an oyster-shucking contest and culinary demonstrations featuring mussels and oysters sourced from the waters surrounding Prince Edward Island with Celebrity Chef Corbin! Favorite local bands will perform live on the main stage nearly every hour. If you wish to dine at the festival, head for the Shellfish Pavilion. PEI oysters, mussels and lobster rolls are on the menu for you to purchase, as well as non-seafood choices.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival for hours on your own.
• Watch culinary events ranging from cooking demonstrations to oyster-shucking contests.
• Listen to local bands performing all day on the main stage.
• Dine on PEI oysters and mussels at the Shellfish Pavilion, if you like.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Walk through the historical heart of Charlottetown and stop along the way to sample some of its quintessential desserts. Located in a century-old former industrial building, Founder’s Food Hall & Market is now home to all sorts of shops, several known for sweets such as artisanal chocolates and French pastries. You may be offered a handcrafted donut from Prince Edward Island, featuring unique flavors and fresh, local ingredients. Stroll to Peake’s Quay, another popular spot with abundant restaurants and sweet shops. You might have a taste of Charlottetown’s famous ice creams, as you’ll find one of the best locations there for dessert, where you will have the chance to taste the best handcrafted old- fashioned ice cream using Prince Edward Island milk. Our journey will conclude where stores have lined since Charlottetown was incorporated in 1855, Queen Street. Where you may enjoy a variety of chocolate tastings and find representative venues such as Green Gables Chocolate.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stop at three vastly different venues known for their artisanal sweets.
• Sample an array of desserts that are Prince Edward Island specialties.
• Enjoy a true taste of the island as the desserts are made with locally sourced ingredients.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Gain an overall understanding of Charlottetown Walking through three vastly different landmarks, each one historical in its own way. The largest of the city's greenspaces, Victoria Park has provided a serene waterfront setting since 1873. While traversing the shaded paths, you may come across some of the original survey stones. At Province House - a National Historic Site that overlooks Queen Square - you will discover how Canada was formed as the result of a watershed conference held in the building in 1864. That event led to Canada becoming a federation, the reason Charlottetown became known as the Birthplace of Canada. St. Dunstan's Basilica earned its National Historic Site designation for being the most elaborate church in the Maritime provinces and a fine example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. Pope Pius XI granted St. Dustan's the title of basilica in 1929 for its historical significance.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit two National Historic Sites that lend great insight into Charlottetown’s past.
• Stroll through Victoria Park, the city’s largest parkland.
• Pause at the site of the 1864 conference that led to the formation of Canada.
• See one of only 20 churches in Canada that the pope has designated as a basilica.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Savor oysters and mussels harvested from the seas surrounding Prince Edward Island and listen to Gaelic folk music as an accompaniment. The venue you will walk to for your culinary immersion will be Peake’s Quay Restaurant & Bar, which features the city’s largest outdoor patio overlooking the waterfront. You will have a PEI oyster sample freshly shucked. You will also be served locally sourced mussels, world-famous for the unique and exquisite taste and quality only Prince Edward Island can offer. These mussels contain more iron and vitamin B12 than beef and they are delicious. Majority of the island’s population is Scottish and Irish, so to add a local touch to your dining experience, Gaelic folk music will be playing.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delight in PEI’s one-of-a-kind oysters and mussels.
• Discover why oysters and mussels from Prince Edward Island are so prized.
• Listen to authentic Gaelic music that reflects the island’s ethnicity.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival with its organizer, who will give you an exclusive insider’s look at this much anticipated annual event. On the walk to the venue, you will learn a bit about the history of Charlottetown and get glimpse into local life. Still, nothing can prepare for the excitement and scope of the festival, especially when you see it as a VIP. You will have access to the VIP tent and a Shuck & Tell with an Oyster Shucker! But there is more, the event’s organizer will show you around the grounds, describe how the festival has grown since it was first held in 1996 and introduce you to vendors that will offer curated tasting of a PEI’s famed oyster and mussels. Fun and entertaining events are scheduled every hour starting at noon with live music playing all day. Highlights include celebrity chef challenges, an oyster-shucking contest and culinary demonstrations of local dishes that feature PEI shellfish. Most every delicious concoction is available at the Shellfish Pavilion.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy an exclusive VIP look at the annual PEI International Shellfish Festival.
• Tour the festival grounds with the event’s organizer for an insider’s perspective.
• Watch culinary events ranging from cooking demonstrations to oyster-shucking contest.
• Enjoy curated tastings of PEI’s succulent oysters and mussels.
• Listen to local bands performing all day on the main stage.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a leisurely walk through leafy Victoria Park, a tranquil setting at the southernmost tip of Charlottetown. Named for Queen Victoria in 1873, the property was once farmland and the site of a British fortification built to protect the shipping channel into Charlottetown Harbor. Today, the park is the city’s largest greenspace. As you meander along the paths that wind through the waterfront oasis, you will surely be enthralled by the serenity. The park’s coastal road runs past historical sites such as Prince Edward Battery and the Angle Stone, one of the markers that the 19th-century surveyors placed when laying out the park. Dead Man’s Pond lies the heart of the property and is supposedly bottomless, full of pirate treasure and haunted by the spirits of murdered people that were dumped in the water. In spite of the legends, Victoria Park is one of Charlottetown’s most delightful and peaceful settings.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stroll through Victoria Park, the city’s largest urban oasis.
• Admire the views of the waterfront from Charlottetown’s southernmost point.
• Enjoy the serenity of the park, an oasis despite being near the heart of the city.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Charlottetown, many of them iconic attractions that define the city. To ensure the best possible results, selfie expert and award-winning photographer Berni Wood will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. Your pictures will be ideal for posting on social media and sharing in other ways.

As you walk and ride through Charlottetown, you will pause at designated selfie stops that may include:
• All Souls’ Chapel, a designated National Historic Site of Canada.
• Fanningbank Government House, the 1834-built home of the island’s lieutenant governor.
• City hall, a Romanesque Revival-style landmark.
• Elegant 19th-century merchant residences such as Beaconsfield.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Charlottetown.
• Follow tips from local selfie expert Berni Wood to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Review the photos you’ve taken while snacking on mussels at a local pub.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

Enjoy your day visiting most of the Island's favorite attractions. Your tour begins with a drive around Charlottetown enlightened on the history of this quaint little town that became the "birthplace of Confederation". Make your way along the Trans-Canada Highway, through towns and villages, to the Confederation Bridge. This marvel of engineering, opened in 1997, is the longest in the world crossing ice-covered waters, and spans the Northumberland Strait connecting Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. You'll have ample time for picture taking, browsing for souvenirs, or sampling some PEI Potato chips all while enjoying the view from Gateway Village. Your journey continues to the Anne of Green Gables Museum at Silver Bush where descendants of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables, await your arrival and invite you to the old family farm. Enjoy a visit with Anne and a light picnic lunch. Departing Park Corner you will enjoy wonderful views of the North Shore including Prince Edward Island National Park and a stop at Cavendish Beach. Your travels are complete with a factory tour and snack as you make your way back to the pier

Settle in for a relaxing drive through Charlottetown, taking in the historical landmarks and getting your bearings so that you may easily explore further on your own.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive in the heart of downtown Charlottetown, which was named in 1763 in honor of Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III. Now the capital of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown is known as the birthplace of Canada because an historic 1864 conference was held here, which led to the country’s confederation.

The town is wonderfully atmospheric, as you will see driving along the charming waterfront and through the heritage districts. One of the most historically important residences is Beaconsfield, an elegant 1877 home built for wealthy merchant and shipbuilder James Peake and his wife, Edith. Now a museum, the Victorian home is filled with period furnishings.

You may also drive past the 1834-built Fanningbank Government House, where the island’s lieutenant governor lives, the Romanesque Revival-style city hall, and All Souls’ Chapel, a sandstone building that has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Along the way, the guide will point out the architectural significance of the landmarks and elaborate on the history and development of Charlottetown.

Toward the end of the driving tour, you will pass through an area filled with art galleries, one-of-a-kind boutiques and eclectic restaurants. Being that this is an introductory tour of Charlottetown, you will have plenty of time afterwards to explore further on your own.

Meander through Charlottetown at a leisurely pace, admiring four of its most glorious churches, ranging from the oldest to one said to be haunted by phantom bell ringers. After walking from the pier, you will soon arrive in the heart of Charlottetown, home to some of Canada’s most beautiful and historical churches. Your first destination will be Trinity United Church, which opened in 1864, shortly after the convention that led to the country’s confederation. The town’s oldest church in continuous use, Trinity can accommodate 1,000 worshippers and is known for its magnificent stained-glass windows however we’ll only be able to admire it from the outside due to damage caused by Hurricane Fiona in late 2022. Next, you will visit St. Dunstan’s Basilica, a stone French Gothic-style church that was rebuilt in 1913 following a devastating fire. It’s the fourth church built on this site, all of which were destroyed by fire. Now designated a National Historic Site of Canada, the elaborate church is one of the town’s most visible landmarks, particularly its soaring spires. Then, you will drop by St. James Presbyterian Church. Unlike the stone churches in town, it was features a wooden ceiling and interior columns. Phantom bell ringers supposedly haunt the church, a story that it has been commemorated on stamps. Before returning to the pier, you will also see St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, which was constructed in 1869. Designed by one of Prince Edward Island’s leading architects at the time, the church is inspiring, as is the attached All Souls Chapel, a National Historic Site.