When it comes to a country like Canada which is big and has so much diversity to offer, it’s not simple to come up with a list of must-visit cities. The 3 territories and 10 provinces of the country spread over an area of 9,985,000 million km² offer a large number of cities that are worth visiting for every traveller; each equipped with beautiful landscapes, amazing attractions and kind people. In fact, it won’t be wrong to state that there aren’t any bad cities in this country!
Having said that, it can also not be denied that there are some which stand out. Let’s acquaint you with 3 such must-visit cities in Canada that provide something spectacular which can’t be found anywhere else in the country, or perhaps in the world. In fact, these cities deserve a place in any list detailing the most famous cities of the world.
Toronto, Ontario
The financial centre of Canada, Toronto has big swaths of distinctive neighbourhoods and populations, including Korean, Italian, Greek and Chinese (with North America’s second largest Chinatown). This city is easily the best-known city of Canada owing to multiple factors such as the buzz created by Toronto International Film Festival each year, sky-high CN Tower and various reputed sports franchises like The Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs and The Blue Jays.
Apart from all the features that refined major cities are well-known for – live theatre, excellent shopping and museums – Toronto’s provides easy access to Lake Ontario’s waterfront as well as the three rivers which pass through the city, offering residents and travels a respite through various parks and trails. Furthermore, the city is only two hours away from the United States’ border, through Niagara Falls.
Montréal, Québec
Despite being a French-speaking city, many of Montréal’s residents, especially the ones working in the hospitality and retail sector also speak fluent English. The city used to be Canada’s economic centre up until 1970s. It still has various important landmarks including the 50 widely-known National Historic Sites. The old town is what attracts a great multitude of travellers to Montréal. It’s a central neighbourhood situated close to the waters, and has retained a lot of its cobblestone streets and architecture from the 17th century, clearly demonstrating the influence of the French here.
Vancouver, British Columbia
This is the city where mountains and ocean meet each other. Apart from its amazing natural beauty, this coastal metropolitan city of British Columbia has a certain relaxed charm about it which gets it counted amongst the most popular Canadian cities. Vancouver also serves as a gateway for all kinds of exciting adventures such as Blackcomb/Whistler ski resort, and a good number of islands situated off the coast. It also serves as a stop for cruise ships, majority of which are headed towards Alaska.
Situated at less than three hours distance from Seattle in US, its public transportation system is nothing short of exceptional. In fact, visitors can reach Vancouver International Airport from downtown in a matter of 20 minutes!