A Country Built on a Grand Scale
Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area, with ten provinces and three territories stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic and north to the Arctic. Its capital is Ottawa, and it is known for its national parks, lakes, cosmopolitan cities and a welcome that mixes English, French and Indigenous heritage. Canada's landscapes are vast, from the Rocky Mountains and the prairies to the Canadian Shield and a coastline longer than that of any other nation.
The big cities are an attraction in themselves. Toronto offers museums, theatre and the CN Tower, Montreal blends French culture with festivals and food, and Vancouver pairs Pacific scenery with a lively dining scene. Quebec City, with its walled old town recognised by UNESCO, feels like a corner of Europe on the St Lawrence River. Niagara Falls, on the Ontario side, remains one of the continent's most visited natural attractions.
Rocky Mountain Parks and Atlantic Coastlines
In the west, Banff and Jasper national parks form part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO site, known for turquoise lakes such as Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, glaciers and wildlife. Whistler, in British Columbia, is the country's best-known ski resort, and the wider Rockies extend south into the United States. The Rocky Mountaineer train offers a leisurely, scenic way to cross the mountains between Vancouver and Banff.
In the east, Nova Scotia's Cabot Trail, Prince Edward Island's red-sand beaches and Newfoundland's colourful fishing villages offer a very different pace. Seafood, from lobster rolls to Atlantic salmon, is a highlight, and autumn brings maple colour across Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. For a destination guides audience, the diversity of Canada makes it ideal for themed trips, from food to wildlife and from skiing to road journeys.
Read the full Canada guide on Visit Travel Group, or see YourCanada.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.