St Lawrence River And Great Lakes: Where Every Lock Reveals The Soul Of North America

Canada is a huge country that offers tourists a large number of wonderful attractions to visit and explore. One of those not to be missed is Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia found on the east coast of Canada and one of the places you can visit on an MSC Cruise. Each city has a symbol that represents it more than anything else: for Halifax, its citadel that dates back to the late 18th century, famous in Canada both for its beauty and for its historical importance, fills that role. Inside the star-shaped citadel, you can explore the history of Halifax on guided tours. The museum staff, dressed as soldiers of the army and navy, will show you the clothes used in the past and other items in maritime activities. To the south-west of the city, your MSC cruise will offer you an excursion to one of the most beautiful and evocative settings on the Atlantic coast, the small village of Peggy's Cove, famous for its red lighthouse that was built in 1868. In this fishing village, elements of nature and domestic intimacy coexist: it is a land of boulders eroded by glaciers where the presence of humans can be found only in a handful of colorful houses and fishing shacks over the waters of the marina. The village lighthouse stands on top of a granite outcropping, made slippery by the splashes of the ocean waves. Less than a kilometer from the public gardens of Halifax can be found another place of great historical-cultural interest that you can visit on your MSC cruise: the Fairview Cemetery, a Canadian cemetery, famous for being the resting place for 121 victims of the shipwreck of the Titanic. Halifax's connection with the famous naval tragedy on April 15, 1912 can also be seen at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which houses an excellent permanent exhibition on the disaster, including photographs, wooden artifacts and the only intact Titanic deckchair in the world.

Gaspé is a city with an intoxicating mix of regional cultures, sitting at the tip of the GaspéPeninsula in the immense region of eastern Quebec. It's surrounded by dramatic rock faces, pounding surf and jagged coasts dotted with lighthouses. It's also home to an abundance of flora and fauna. The Gaspé Peninsula, situated along the coast of the majestic St Lawrence River, is the birthplace of Canada, where Jacques Cartier first claimed the land for France. It contains four national parks, including Bonaventure Island, and the massive Perc Rock (one of the world's largest natural arches sitting in water), as well as over 200,000 northern gannets. In town you can explore Gaspé maritime heritage and legendary hospitality. The modern Gaspé cathedral is built almost entirely of wood, with beautiful stained glass. The Muse de la Gaspsie tells of Jacques Cartier's voyages, and the Anglo-French struggle for power over this region.

"The otherworldly, limestone structures of the Mingan Archipelago await at Havre St. Pierre, Quebec's most northerly call. Perched on the northern shore of the mighty St Lawrence River's gaping jaws - and looking out across the vast stretch of water to the distant Anticosti Island - where white-tailed deer stalk dense forests - Havre St. Pierre is a feast of staggering scenery and diverse wildlife. View less The Mingan Archipelago's monolith treasures have been carefully, painstakingly sculpted by Mother Nature's hand - using ocean, wind and ice erosion to create towering rock outcrops, which stand improbably counterweighted and precariously balanced over the waters. Sail between the scattered array of islands and formations, and keep your eyes peeled - you may be joined by pods of friendly minke whales as you weave between skerries and rocky isles. Look out for eagles soaring overhead too, and the colourful puffins which nest on the sheer cliffs. Back at Havre St. Pierre, stroll isolated river beaches, and wander the wooden boardwalk to soak in panoramas of the world's largest estuary - which lures the world's mightiest animal, the blue whale, to feast in its krill-rich depths. A walk out to the quaint lighthouse which crowns the shore is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, or you can take some time to learn a little more about the culture and traditions of the region's Inuit people."

Tadoussac is a village in Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saguenay and Saint Lawrence rivers. The indigenous Innu called the place Totouskak meaning "bosom", probably in reference to the two round and sandy hills located on the west side of the village.

The gateway to the Saguenay Fjord, the city lies at the intersection of a triad of sprawling national parks, amid some of North America’s most impressive scenery. Embark on adventures to witness leaping waterfalls, forest-clad fjord banks, and whales crashing athletically offshore. Learn more of Saguenay's heritage, with a tour of the picturesque pulp mill, which dates back to the 1800s, and now houses a museum. Elsewhere the Petite Maison Blanche is a humble wooden house that was one of the few buildings to survive the floods of 1947. View less It’s the expansive scenery of Fjord-du-Saguenay National Park that draws most visitors to this part of Northern Quebec, however, and you can venture out to immerse yourself in the immense Ice Age fjord's national park, as it gouges through a spectacular 60-mile route, before unloading into the St. Lawrence River. Said to be the Northern Hemisphere’s most southerly fjord – and one of the world’s longest - it's 270 metres deep in parts, and towered over by steep, scenic slopes. Get out to meet the area’s varied wildlife – which ranges from moose and wolves to orcas, belugas and blue whales. Sail on the surface in kayaks, or take a sightseeing cruise. Earthy trails invite you to hike in the fresh air, among fragrant pine needles, while daring strung bridges, mountain bike routes, and climbable rock faces cater to the adventurous. Secluded rocky beaches and rejuvenating spas offer a more relaxed way to experience Saguenay's charms.

For centuries, a native Iroquois village occupied the cliff-top site of what is now Quebec City. The first permanent European settlement began in 1608 when Samuel de Champlain established a fur trading post. By 1663, New France had become a royal province, administered by a council appointed directly by the crown and answerable to the king's council in France. Long-brewing European struggles between England and France spilled over into the colonies, prompting the construction of Quebec's formidable fortifications. The Seven Years War put an end to French reign and left the city in English hands. The English successfully warded off an American attack in 1775, and for the next century Quebec quietly earned its livelihood as a center for shipbuilding and timber trade. By 1840, when it was declared the provincial capital of Lower Canada, the accessible supplies of timber had run out. The final blow came with the appearance of steamships that could travel as far as Montreal, while sailing ships found it difficult to proceed beyond Quebec City. Losing its importance as a major port, the city experienced a decline but remained a center of small industry and local government. Later years saw a tremendous rise as tourism made use of Quebec's fantastic location and appearance. Being Canada's most historic city and the only walled city in North America earned it the classification of World Heritage Treasure by UNESCO in 1985. Today, the visitor is greeted by an authentic, profoundly French city, where 95% of its half million people are French-speaking. Both parts of the city - Haute-Ville and Basse-Ville (Upper and Lower Town) - feature winding, cobbled streets flanked by 17th- and 18th-century stone houses and churches, graceful parks and squares and countless monuments. Croissants and steaming cups of coffee at sidewalk cafés conjure images and aromas of Paris. Great emphasis has been placed on Quebec nationalism; as a result the city has become a symbol of the glory of French heritage. The motto "Je me souviens" (I remember) is inscribed above the entrance to the Parliament Building and on the license plates of Quebec cars. As you come ashore, endless pleasures await you in this marvelous city.

Canada's most diverse metropolis, Montréal, is an island city that favors style and elegance over order or even prosperity, a city where past and present intrude on each other daily. In some ways it resembles Vienna—well past its peak of power and glory, perhaps, yet still vibrant and grand.But don't get the wrong idea. Montréal has always had a bit of an edge. During Prohibition, thirsty Americans headed north to the city on the St. Lawrence for booze, music, and a good time, and people still come for the same things. Summer festivals celebrate everything from comedy and French music and culture to beer and fireworks, and, of course, jazz. And on those rare weeks when there isn't a planned event, the party continues. Clubs and sidewalk cafés are abuzz from late afternoon to the early hours of the morning. And Montréal is a city that knows how to mix it up even when it's 20 below zero. Rue St-Denis is almost as lively on a Saturday night in January as it is in July, and the festival Montréal en Lumière, or Montréal Highlights, enlivens the dreary days of February with concerts, balls, and fine food.Montréal takes its name from Parc du Mont-Royal, a stubby plug of tree-covered igneous rock that rises 764 feet above the surrounding cityscape. Although its height is unimpressive, "the Mountain" forms one of Canada's finest urban parks, and views from the Chalet du Mont-Royal atop the hill provide an excellent orientation to the city's layout and major landmarks.Old Montréal is home to museums, the municipal government, and the magnificent Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Montréal within its network of narrow, cobblestone streets. Although Montréal's centre-ville, or Downtown, bustles like many other major cities on the surface, it's active below street level as well, in the so-called Underground City–-the underground levels of shopping malls and food courts connected by pedestrian tunnels and the city's subway system, or métro. Residential Plateau Mont-Royal and trendy neighborhoods are abuzz with restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, and cafés. The greener areas of town are composed of the Parc du Mont-Royal and the Jardin Botanique.

Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, is a major Canadian city along Lake Ontario’s northwestern shore. It's a dynamic metropolis with a core of soaring skyscrapers, all dwarfed by the iconic, free-standing CN Tower. Toronto also has many green spaces, from the orderly oval of Queen’s Park to 400-acre High Park and its trails, sports facilities and zoo.

Mackinac Island sits in Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. Mackinac Island State Park, with trails, woods and the limestone Arch Rock formation, covers most of the island. Founded in 1780, Fort Mackinac is a walled cluster of military buildings on a coastal bluff. The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum has local works, including Native American art, maps and 19th-century photos

Milwaukee is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan's western shore. It's known for its breweries, many of which offer tours chronicling its role in the beer industry. Overlooking the Menomonee River, the Harley-Davidson Museum displays classic motorcycles, including one of Elvis Presley’s. Nearby is the Milwaukee Public Museum, with its large-scale European Village and a recreation of old Milwaukee.