The second largest country in the world, Canada is a vast and beautiful land. Boasting one of the lowest population densities in the world and one of the highest qualities of life, it’s an amazing place to visit. From the frozen arctic to the countless mountains, forests and plains (not to mention the dramatic coastline), it’s a country of amazing scenery. It’s also a country where outdoor living is embraced, making it an ideal destination for hikers, skiers and nature enthusiasts. However Canada isn’t all about the wild and it also boasts some amazing cities. Featuring cutting edge architecture, sensational restaurants and a good dollop of history, they’re fun and interesting places. Whether you’re visiting Canada for the cities or the nature, you’re going to love the country and it’s amazingly friendly people.
There’s so much in Canada to see and the distances are so great, it can be hard to know where to begin. Beginning with Canada’s cities is as good a place as any. These cities act as gateways to the various provinces of the country and are all well serviced by local and international flights. Many of the cities are highlights in their own right and rank highly on the global index of best cities to live in. Whether you’re visiting Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal or Calgary, you’re going to encounter modern cosmopolitan cities with plenty of things to see and do.
From Canada’s cities we turn to the great outdoors. Canada’s greatest asset is its many national parks and the seemingly endless unspoilt landscapes. Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Parks all rank amongst the very best in Canada and North America. There’s no shortage of ways to enjoy Canada’s parks and the outdoors, with surfing, skiing, hiking and fishing all hugely popular activities.
Despite the gleam of the cities and beauty of the countryside, you could argue that Canada’s people are it’s real attraction. Friendly, welcoming and honest to a fault, you’ll soon understand why so many people aspire to live in Canada. The country has embraced multiculturalism and you’ll find an amazing array of restaurants and cuisines to sample on your visit. Perhaps the most unique cultural region in all of Canada is French speaking Quebec. The province has its own distinct culture and identity, making it a fascinating addition to any visit to Canada.
Canada is a vast land covering 3.85 million square miles. The second largest country in the world, it stretches from it’s temperate southern border with the USA to the Artic Ocean in the far north. While Canada’s land mass is a similar size to the neighbouring USA, it has just 15% of the population. Canada is surrounded on three sides by oceans. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west, Atlantic Ocean to the east and Arctic Ocean to the north. Canada’s only land borders are with the USA, stretching the width of the country in the south and with Alaska in the north west.
The best time to visit Canada largely depends on where you’re going and what you intend to do. If you’re coming for the ski season, it typically covers the winter and early spring, running from late November until April. If you’re coming to visit the cities and explore the surrounding national parks, a visit from June to October is recommended. This period covers late spring, the summer and early fall. During this time you’ll enjoy Canada’s driest months and warmest days. If you’re intending to visit the wilderness in the north of the country, it’s recommended that you limit your trip to June, July and August. Outside of this time temperatures can plummet and there can be very heavy rainfalls.
Canada’s sheer size means that it’s impossible to see all the top sights in one trip. Depending on how long you’ve got, we’d recommend taking in one or two of the major cities. You can then use these cities as a base to explore the surrounding national parks and wilderness. If you plan well, you can even take a once in a lifetime road trip between two or more of these amazing cities. Check out the trip ideas and itineraries section below for inspiration.
Clean, vibrant and bursting with restaurants and arts, there’s not much to dislike about Canadian cities. The worst part is having to decide which ones you aren’t going to be able to visit.
Our top 5 Canadian cities to visit are:
Canada’s natural beauty is well documented. However, it’s hard to isolate just a few individual attractions as many of the highlights, such as the Canadian Rockies stretch for hundreds of miles. Anyway, we’ve given it our best shot.
Our top 5 natural attractions in Canada are:
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