Historic Charlottetown Small Group Walking Tour
- 2h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Join this small-group walking tour led by a life-long Islander with deep Charlottetown roots for a relaxed, engaging experience through the heart of this historic city. With years of teaching experience and recognition for heritage interpretation, your guide brings Charlottetown’s history to life. As you stroll through the city, discover the significance of Great George Street, St. Dunstan’s Basilica, Province House, All Souls’ Chapel, and more. You’ll learn not just what happened here, but why Charlottetown played an important role in the founding of Canada. Along the way, your guide will share local details and personal family stories, offering a perspective you won’t find in a guidebook. There’s plenty of opportunity to ask questions and take photographs. Step beyond the postcard and discover the people, places, and stories that helped shape Charlottetown. Come for the landmarks. Stay for the stories. Leave with a deeper appreciation of Charlottetown and its place in history.
Inclusions
What's included
- Public washrooms are available at two locations.
What's not
- Bottled water
Itinerary
The tour will first circle the park to cover the early history of the Island from the Mi’kmaq through the French to the English design of Charlottetown as the colonial capital.
As we walk up Great George Street, we will feature several buildings that tell the story of Charlottetown’s early years such as the Bank of Prince Edward Island, the Bishop’s Palace, and the Great George Hotel.
The story of St. Dunstan’s Basilica is tied to its first Bishop, Angus MacEachern. You will hear how this building is the fourth church on this site. We will look at some interesting carvings on the church exterior. When the building is open, we will give you the opportunity to see the grand interior.
Province House is the site of the Charlottetown Conference that led to Canadian Confederation. It is also the home of our provincial legislature. The tour does not enter the building.
We will learn the history and architecture of this memorial to the Fathers of Confederation. We will then enter the Centre for a mid-tour break.
We will stroll along this pedestrian section of Richmond Street with many opportunities for photographs showing the best examples of late Victorian architecture in the city.
As we stroll along Kent Street, we will talk about the city hall built in 1888 to house the fire station. Next door we will pass the modern fire station, and finally the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel.
A beautiful park with photo opportunities, Rochford Square is the boundary of Charlottetown’s Bog district. Here we will hear of the history of Charlottetown’s Black community.
Attached to the main cathedral is All Souls’ Chapel, a national historic site. We will enter the chapel view the art and architecture, the work of the Harris brothers.
“Fanningbank” has been the official residence to PEI’s Lieutenant Governor since its colonial days and has accommodated members of the royal family. You can pose for a photograph on the front verandah as did the Fathers of Confederation.
Built in 1877 as the finest home in the city, we will learn of its many occupants. We will pass many more beautiful houses with rich history and architecture as we make our way back to Water Street.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Your guide will meet you in front of the Charlottetown Visitor Information Centre at 6 Prince Street. Look for him to the right of the doors under the big question mark "?". Your guide, Doug, will be holding a yellow "All About Town" walking tours flag.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 10 travellers
- Operated by
- All About Town PEI Tours
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Group size is small to ensure all participants hear the guide.
How it compares in Charlottetown
- Its from-price is 88% below the median of the 71 experiences we list in Charlottetown.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Charlottetown
Charlottetown, capital of Prince Edward Island, is a small harbour city of low brick streets where the talks behind Canadian Confederation began in 1864.
Charlottetown sits on the south shore of Prince Edward Island, on a harbour fed by three rivers. In 1864 delegates met in Province House, a sandstone building that is still the seat of the provincial legislature, to discuss uniting the colonies of British North America. The Confederation Centre of the Arts stands nearby, the spires of St Dunstan's Basilica rise over the streets, and Victoria Row keeps its brick storefronts, now cafés and restaurants.
