11 Christmas Tours in Canada to Build a Day Around

1.Christmas Magic Walking Tour in Old Quebec

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 146 reviews · 2 hours · from $28Our pick

Walk Old Quebec for two hours with a costumed guide such as Stacy, Pierre, or Sandrine, taking in Château Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace, Place Royale, and Notre-Dame-de-Québec Basilica. Expect a strong history tour with Christmas stories, French heritage, stairs, cold weather, and a small hot chocolate.

“Sandrine was a great guide! It was a bitter cold day and she kept things moving and interesting. It was a bitter cold day and we were glad some people didn’t show up as it kept the group smaller and able to move to warm spaces more quickly.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Christmas Magic in Old Quebec

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 61 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $28

Walk through Old Quebec with guides such as Israel, Chantal, Charles, or Sardinia, stopping at the German Christmas Market, Château Frontenac, Notre-Dame Basilica, and Petit-Champlain. Expect a small-group, two-hour outdoor tour with hot chocolate, holiday sights, and plenty of local history.

“Tour had some good information but not as much overall Canadian history as would have been nice. Some parts of the tour felt boring and unnecessary when we walked to an old building (now apartments) to talk about a nun that was not that significant. The kids were easily bored and half our group faded out before the tour was over. We did not tour the markets or have a treat from the market as advertised, just some hot chocolate from a stand near a hotel. It just overall was not that engaging.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Victoria and Butchart Gardens Christmas Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · from $203

Travel from Vancouver to Victoria by coach and BC Ferries, then enjoy free time around the Inner Harbour before seeing Butchart Gardens dressed for Christmas. Guides such as Dave Rogers, Leslie, Andy, and Gordie add local stories and practical help. Expect a full 12-hour day with transport and garden admission included.

“Excellent tour. We were well looked after by our driver Dave Rodgers throughout the day. I would have liked more time in Victoria to look around rather than view the gardens, although they were lovely.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Old Montréal Small-Group Christmas Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 39 reviews · 1h 30m · from $25

Walk from Victoria Square to Bonsecours Market with an English- or French-speaking guide. Hear stories of Christmas customs in New France, see Old Montréal dressed for the season, and visit the Santa Claus exhibit at the World Trade Center.

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Christmas Walking Tour in Old Montreal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $26

Walk Old Montreal for 90 minutes with a local English-speaking guide. See the World Trade Center Santa display, holiday lights, historic arcades, and Bonsecours Market while learning how French traditions shaped Christmas in Montreal.

“Stamatia Kafoutis, our guide, was great--informative of history, architecture, and local activities.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Vancouver Christmas Lights Karaoke Trolley Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $53

Start at Canada Place for a three-hour evening ride through Vancouver’s holiday lights, with karaoke, snacks, guided commentary, and stops at Stanley Park, English Bay, Robson Street, Gastown, St. Paul’s Hospital, and VanDusen Botanical Garden. The vehicle is an enclosed bus rather than a classic open trolley.

“I thought it was an actual trolley, but it is a bus which was enclosed, which was actually nice because it was cold outside, but it actually turned out to be very fun. This is something I would never do. I wanted to see the Christmas lights, but I’m not into karaoke, but it turned out to be a really fun good time and the tour guides were fun.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.German Christmas Market Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 15 reviews · 1h 30m · from $34

Join a French or English-speaking guide for a 90-minute walk through Quebec City’s German Christmas Market. Taste glühwein, a pretzel, and stollen while learning how German market customs blend with Quebec traditions. Meet at the Tourist Information Center and dress for winter weather.

“Missed the start time …our fault Called the service to try and catch up either the group . No help at all Again we were late”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Christmas Lights Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $93Top rated

Meet Gustavo at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for a private two-hour walk through downtown, Underground Montreal, Place des Arts, Old Montreal, and the Old Port. Along the way, expect holiday lights, Notre-Dame Basilica, local history, and indoor stops to warm up.

“Gustavo was an amazing guide that taught my parents and I about Montréal we wouldn’t have found on our own. He was funny and relatable, highly recommend! Hopefully will be back for another tour in the summer months. :)”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Christmas Interactive Walking Tour of New France

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 7 reviews · 1 hour · from $23Best value

Walk Quebec’s Lower Town for one hour with a French or English guide, meeting at the Quebec City Mural. Actors appear along cobblestoned streets to share odd Christmas customs, old cures, and winter tales. Valerie has led the experience, and the tour runs rain or shine.

“I took the tour on December 23 at 7:00 p.m. with Valerie, and it was the best experience I had in Quebec. Highly recommended for families with children or teenagers. The actresses were outstanding, the performances were excellent, and the stories were told with impressive quality. A truly immersive experience, crafted with great attention to detail. Congratulations to the entire team for such a wonderful experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Christmas in Victoria and the Butchart Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Spend about two hours at Butchart Gardens for its Christmas lights, 12 Days of Christmas display, and carolers, then tour Victoria’s decorated homes and Inner Harbour. Alan or Darwin picks you up downtown, supplies water and umbrellas, and returns you to your hotel. Admission and skating cost extra.

“Alan picked us up at our hotel right on time. He made the excursion so much fun sharing his fascinating knowledge of the history of the city and the buildings we saw. Alan gave us great tips on touring the garden and found us immediately when we returned to the starting point. When he heard us planning our transportation for our trip to the ferry he offered to take care of that for us.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.1 hour City Tour & Butchart Gardens: Christmas – Entry included!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $100

Join Island Time Tours for a 4 to 5-hour Christmas outing from Victoria. Your afternoon includes a one-hour city tour, round-trip transport, Butchart Gardens entry, and the Twelve Days of Christmas lights. Guides such as Marcus and Colleen add local stories along the way.

“Our guide was fantastic! Very knowledgeable about the city and history of Victoria. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone!”

Check availability →Read our full review