Itinerary

To ensure you get the most out of your visit, we've redone our schedule and jam-packed it with every tea opportunity and bit of festiveness we could fit in. That said, this doesn't mean you should feel pressured to participate in everything listed. Choose the activities that suit you best, and make sure to enjoy some leisure time to relax and take in the beauty of this magical city. [Itinerary updated 11 July 2015]

*indicates an additional optional cost — see our Excursions page for more information

Friday Prelude (hotel check-in is officially at 4pm; rooms are double occupancy)
  • 3pm(ish) - Your Travelling Tea Tour hostess Joy arrives at the Empress
  • 3:30pm - If you arrive in time, join us for tea at the *The White Heather, the most popular tearoom in Victoria
  • 5-7:30pm - Leisure time to get settled in
  • 7:30pm How do you do - After making the acquaintance of our fellow participants in the hotel lobby, we'll take in the harbor lights as we amble just a few blocks over to *Bartholomew's English-Style Pub for an 8pm no-host bite in vintage surroundings. While noshing, we'll savor some introductory facts and tidbits about the queen's empire in the 19th century. Live music commences at 9pm giving you the option of reveling in the local color or heading back to the Empress for a good night's sleep 

Saturday - of Mansions & Castles & Elegance 
Tea at the Empress!
  • 8am - We'll begin the day with an 11-minute walk to the new fashionable breakfast spot, *The Clay Pigeon, featuring authentic Canadian cuisine
  • 9:30am - We'll walk back to the Causeway Marina (at the Empress) and take the *Victorian Harbour Ferry water taxi to Fisherman's Wharf for some prowling
  • 11:30am We'll take a leisurely 10 minute stroll along the waterfront to the *Gatsby Mansion for luncheon tea at 12noon
  • 1:30pm What better place to walk off our exquisite luncheon tea than at a castle, specifically, the nearby *Craigdarroch Castle museum home ... after a 10 minute cab ride, that is. We'll stay about an hour then return by cab to the hotel around 3:15pm to freshen up
  • 3:45pm - A highlight of our tea tour, Afternoon Tea at the Empress - offering the most revered tea service in North America (Tea cost included in your overall tour package)
  • 6-8pm Evening Respite - Enjoy some relaxing personal time napping, or by indulging in one of these soothing options:
    • Speaking the Unspoken - Learn the language of the fan, womanly wiles and the meaning of flowers while unwinding in the Empress' lobby with tour hostess Joy
    • *Empress Willow Stream spa
    • *Harbor-side horse-drawn carriage ride
  • 8pm - *No-host sunset supper at *The Old Spaghetti Factory. (Marinara sauce does wonders to balance out all the tea fare)
  • 9pm - Night owls may choose to while away the evening's waning hours with Victorian board games in the lobby, or enjoy that new fad 'jazz' in the hotel's lounge

Sunday - Garden Glories
  • 8am - Chances are, most of our group will still be full from the day before, but for those go-getters who are eager to start the day with that most important of meals, we'll take a short walk around the Inner Harbour to grab a coffee at the Hotel Grand Pacific's popular *Courtyard Cafe
  • 9:15-10:45am - We return to the hotel for a mini tour ... literally. Here we will find the famed *Miniature World attraction - "The Greatest Little Show on Earth"
  • 11am Ever had Elevenses? Now's your chance at the *Abkhazi Garden Teahouse, listed as one of the top 5 must-see gardens in Victoria. The romantic site boasts a romantic tale of its own: "The beautiful Abkhazi estate has a magical story that began in the 1940s when Prince and Princess Abkazi came to Victoria to settle down after many years of being apart. They created a magical oasis in their backyard and looked after their garden with love"
  • 12:30pm - We'll hop in a cab for a half hour drive to the breathtaking Butchart Gardens for a tour followed by afternoon tea in the Butchart Dining Room at 3pm. (Admission to the gardens & tea are included in your overall tour package) 
  • 4:30pm - Urban adventure calls as we brave the highly praised city bus system for a scenic ride back to the Empress. (Incidentally, the bus fare costs about a tenth of the price of a taxi) 
  • 5:30-7:30pm Evening Respite - Back to the hotel for another relaxing evening. If your wanderlust keeps you on the go, consider taking advantage of this last chance to take in the city sights
  • 7:30pm - *No-host dining at the hotel's popular Bengal Lounge (you may apply your $25 dining credit here)
  • 9-10:30pm - Chinatown's *Hidden Dragon Lantern Walk

Monday (hotel check-out is officially at 11am)
  • 8am - A fine fare thee well. We bid bon voyage to one another over a light no-host breakfast in the picturesque *Empress Room (you may apply any balance on your $25 dining credit here)
  • 11am - For those who are still in town, we'll make one last tea stop to the *1864 Point Ellice House & Gardens"A time capsule of household Victoriana" where we'll have tea in the garden and then tour of the grounds. If the seasonal weather is uncooperative, we'll visit the *James Bay Tea Room, dubbed the most traditional tearoom in Victoria
  • If you have even more time to fill prior to departure, consider touring the Royal British Museum or prestigious Parliament Buildings 
  • 6pm (departs) -8:45pm (arrives) Ferry from Victoria to Seattle (for those going that route)

*indicates an additional optional cost — see our Excursions page for more information

updated 25 August, 2015

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