Itinerary

Trans North Atlantic Journey May 2021
Date:
May 23, 2021 - June 17, 2021
Meeting point:
Quebec City, Canada
Length:
26 days / 25 nights
Mileage:
8,325 NM
Day 1 - Sunday, May 23: Québec City, Canada CYQB

Welcome to Québec! Air Journey staff will greet you at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.
 
All participants will meet for introductions and attend an extensive briefing covering the general procedures of our Journey as well as details for tomorrow’s departure.
 
Afterwards, we will gather for a welcome cocktail before dinner.

Hotel : Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
Welcome cocktail and Dinner included
Day 2 - Monday, May 24: Québec City, Canada CYQB → Goose Bay, Canada CYYR → ReykjavÍk, Iceland BIRK (575 + 1,340 Nautical Miles) (Alternate routing available)

We will fly over the immense forests and numerous lakes of Canada on our way to Goose Bay for a technical stop.
 
Then continue and land at ReykjavÍk, on the west-coast of Iceland.

 

Hotel : Hotel Borg
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 3 - Tuesday, May 25: ReykjavÍk, Iceland

Today we will visit the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s most unique and popular attraction.
 
Communicating a world of healing power, wellness and beauty, the Blue Lagoon was founded on a unique source of geothermal seawater that originates in Iceland's extreme environment.

Hotel : Hotel Borg
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 4 - Wednesday, May 26: ReykjavÍk, Iceland BIRK → Dundee, Scotland EGPN (725 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Dundee, Scotland’s fourth-largest city and the 51st most populous built area in the United Kingdom.
 
Upon arrival, we will transfer to the multi award winning Taypark House, former Scots Baronial Mansion. This eye-catching building was constructed around 1863 and is set within serene garden grounds and panoramic views across Dundee’s Botanical Gardens and out towards the River Tay and the hills of Fife.

Hotel : Taypark House
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 5 - Thursday, May 27: Dundee, Scotland

With our local guide we will visit Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum located in a grand old Victorian building in the center of Dundee, the McManus keeps a collection of works by 19th and 20th century European masters and local artists, as well as local history exhibits from prehistoric times to the present day.
 
Our tour then continues to St. Andrews, located on the Scottish coast and a home to the oldest university in the Scotland, St. Andrews is a town filled with history, beauty, and a diverse local culture.

Hotel : Taypark House
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 6 - Friday, May 28: Dundee, Scotland EGPN → San Sebastián, Spain LESO (790 Nautical Miles)

Fly to San Sebastián.
 
Located in the center of San Sebastián, Akelarre Hotel enjoys the tranquility of a natural environment on the Basque coast. The Hotel’s restaurant Akelarre has maintained 3 Michelin Stars since 2006.

Hotel : Akelarre Hotel
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 7 - Saturday, May 29: San Sebastián, Spain

With our local guide we will go for a half-day city tour of San Sebastián and see the Victoria Eugenia Theater, Paseo Nuevo promenade, San Telmo Museum, North Station, Avenida de la Zurriola and Buen Pastor Cathedral.

Hotel : Akelarre Hotel
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 8 - Sunday, May 30: San Sebastián, Spain

Today we will go for a scenic drive to Bilbao, an industrial port city in Northern Spain and visit the Guggenheim Museum. The Guggenheim is Bilbao’s collection spans from the mid-20th century to the present day, concentrating on postwar painting and sculpture in America and Europe. 
 
The collection includes key works by significant artists including Anselm Kiefer, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Gilbert & George, and Richard Serra.

Hotel : Akelarre Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 9 - Monday, May 31: San Sebastián, Spain LESO → Seville, Spain LEZL (405 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Seville - capital of Southern Spain’s Andalusia region.
 
We will transfer to Hotel Alfonso XIII, commissioned by the King of Spain to play host to International Dignitaries during the 1929 Exhibition, Hotel Alfonso remains an iconic cultural landmark.

Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 10 - Tuesday, June 1: Seville, Spain

Today we will go for a half-day city tour and explore the history of Seville – Bridge of Isabel II, Reales Alcázares, La Real Maestranza, Archive of the Indies, Plaza de La Encarnación, Plaza de España and view of La Giralda.

Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 11 - Wednesday, June 2: Seville, Spain

Today is at leisure to relax or explore on your own.
 
This evening we will go for a Flamenco dance show, seeing a flamenco show in Seville is an absolute must along with eating tapas and drinking sherry wine!

Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 12 - Thursday, June 3: Seville, Spain LEZL → Madrid, Spain LEMD (215 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Madrid, Spain's central capital, a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro. 
 
Upon arrival, we will transfer to Heritage Madrid Hotel, an oasis in the heart of city where you can experience unique experiences surrounded by details of classic elegance.

Hotel : Heritage Madrid Hotel
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 13 - Friday, June 4: Madrid, Spain

Today we will explore the historic sights and get the background on the Spanish Empire that spanned the globe in the 16th and 17th-centuries. 
 
Visit Prado, one of the best and most popular art museums in the world. There is an overwhelming collection of masterpieces by renaissance and baroque masters. Madrid’s green heart and full of elegant gardens, the Retiro Park, was a royal property up to the end of the 19th century when it was opened to the public. Plaza Mayor is a handsome renaissance square and local art nouveau marketplace that dates to 1916.

Hotel : Heritage Madrid Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 14 - Saturday, June 5: Madrid, Spain LEMD → Catania, Italy LICC (890 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Catania on the island of Sicily. Upon arrival, we will transfer to Taormina’s seaside district on the Mediterranean Sea. Set on its own exclusive beach, beside one of the most beautiful coastlines in all of Italy, Villa Sant’ Andrea overlooks the tranquil aquamarine sea.
 
Built by an aristocratic family in 1830 among lush, subtropical gardens, this secluded retreat retains all the charm of a private residence. Relax in a sun-dappled seat or enjoy a short cable car ride to the center of Taormina with its many cultural attractions and sophisticated shopping scene.

Hotel : Villa Sant' Andrea
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 15 - Sunday, June 6: Catania, Italy

Today we will tour along Sicily’s eastern coast, past varied landscapes, gardens and traditional villages including Fiumefreddo di Sicilia before heading inland for a visit to a local winery. Rising in elevation, enjoy views of Mt Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site that dominates the Sicilian landscape.

Hotel : Villa Sant' Andrea
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 16 - Monday, June 7: Catania, Italy

Today is at leisure to relax or explore on your own.

Hotel : Villa Sant' Andrea
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 17 - Tuesday, June 8: Catania, Italy LICC → Florence, Italy LIRQ (420 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Florence. This capital of Italy’s Tuscany region is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture. 
 
Upon arrival, transfer to Hotel Villa Cora, an aristocratic residence built at the end of the XIX century upon commission by Baron Oppenheim reflecting architectural styles of that period.

 

Hotel : Villa Cora
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 18 - Wednesday, June 9: Florence, Italy

Today we will go for a half-day city tour and discover a myriad of architectural wonders and a profusion of exquisite artwork, all of which culminate into one cultural masterpiece of the city.

Hotel : Villa Cora
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 19 - Thursday, June 10: Florence, Italy

Chianti dream! Today we will spend our beautiful day with a full-day picnic in the best wineries of the Chianti region.
 
The tour will be accompanied by a best wine expert and we will visit three wineries of different sizes and positioned around Montalcino, with tasting of great wines followed by lunch.

Hotel : Villa Cora
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 20 - Friday, June 11: Florence, Italy LIRQ → Milan, Italy LIML (130 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Milan Linate Airport where we will transfer to Como – Immerce yourself in Lake Como. Enjoy a breathtaking setting on the shores of Italy's most famous lake, Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como exudes romantic Italian style perfectly complemented by timeless Oriental charm. Atmospheric, elegant and incredibly private, the hotel effortlessly blends the romance of the past with the luxury of the present.

Hotel : Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 21 - Saturday, Jun 12: Lake Como, Italy

With our local guide, begin an exploration of Como, the lake’s main town, as we discover historic center. After lunch, enjoy a cruise around Lake Como admiring chic hillside villas and hotels against the backdrop of the Alps.

Hotel : Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 22 - Sunday, June 13: Lake Como, Italy

Today is at leisure to relax or explore on your own.

Hotel : Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 23 - Monday, June 14: Lake Como, Italy LIML → Bruges, Belgium EBOS (430 Nautical Miles)

Fly to Ostend, the capital of West Flanders in Northwest Belgium.
 
Transfer to Hotel Duke’s Palace, former residence of the Burgundian aristocracy and a unique hotel in Flanders, located in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bruges.

Hotel : Hotel Duke's Palace
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 24 - Tuesday, June 15: Bruges, Belgium

Today enjoy a walking tour with our local guide as we begin our exploration of Bruges. We will visit the famous Minnewater (Lake of Love), one of the most delightful corners of the city, Our Lady's Church — home to Michelangelo’s magnificent 16th-century marble statue, Madonna of Bruges — and the Market Square with its grand Belfry. Admire Bruges’ beautiful Town Hall Square (Burg) and the ornate façade of the Basilica of the Holy Blood. The basilica was originally constructed in the 12th century as the residence of the Count of Flanders.
 
After lunch, visit the Groeninge Museum (‘The city museum of Fine Arts’). The collection in the museum spans several centuries (from the 14th to the 20th century) and focuses primarily on works by painters who lived and worked in Bruges.

Hotel : Hotel Duke's Palace
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 25 - Wednesday, June 16: Ostend, Belgium EBOS → ReykjavÍk, Iceland BIRK (1,100 Nautical Miles)

After breakfast and an in-depth briefing, we will launch for our over-water crossing to Iceland and spend the night at Hotel Borg.
 
Dignified and imposing, Hotel Borg overlooks the beautiful square of Austurvöllur, in the heart of Reykjavík, across from Althingi, the Icelandic parliament and the cathedral.

Hotel : Hotel Borg
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 26 - Thursday, June 17: ReykjavÍk, Iceland BIRK → Goose Bay, Canada CYYR → Home (1,340 + Nautical Miles) (alternate routing available)

After breakfast and another in-depth briefing, we will fly to Goose Bay for a technical stop to refuel before flying our separate ways as we head home.

Breakfast included