Vancouver in Canada...

Vancouver is the largest city in Western Canada, and the third largest in the whole of Canada. Located on the south-western coastal corner of the British Columbia province, it is well known for its natural beauty, for it is nestled snugly between the Coast Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver is frequently ranked as one of the "best cities to live in" and is certainly a beautiful destination to visit.

Vancouver is split into several distinct areas, most of which have notable attractions.

The City Centre is in the Downtown peninsular, and includes the West End, Yaletown, Gastown, Chinatown and Stanley Park.

Coal Harbour is a new high-rise neighbourhood, situated on the waterfront.

Kitsilano is a young urban professional neighbourhood.

Vancouver South is mainly residential area, incorporating many neighbourhoods.

East Vancouver is a working class area, incorporating Main Street, an up and coming “artsy” part of the city.

Greater Vancouver includes the suburbs of the the North Shore, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Surrey and Coquitlam.

Founded by Captain George Vancouver in 1792, Vancouver is a relatively young city, however it’s history began long before then, as Indigenous people had lived there for thousands of years beforehand. The city truly arrived in 1986, when Vancouver hosted the Expo 86 World Trade Fair. Media attention meant that Vancouver soon became a notable destination. Vancouver has been awarded to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and so once more, this beautiful place will be put back into the limelight.

Apart from its winter time connections, Vancouver is also known for its scenic beauty, as it is one of those rare places where one could ski in the mountains, windsurf in the ocean, and play a round of golf all in the same day. Surrounded by water on three sides, and crowned by the North Shore mountains, Vancouver is a great destination in itself, as well as a great starting point for discovering the area's many outdoor activities.

Places of interest in Vancouver

Stanley Park - Situated in the City Centre, it is one of Vancouver‘s biggest draws, and is in fact an extension of the downtown peninsula. Other parks worth visiting include the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Park, and the Pacific Spirit Park.

Vancouver Aquarium is a world class aquarium, and is famous for its marine life research and rehabilitation programme.

Vancouver Lookout! Harbour Centre Tower has a fantastic 360-degree view of cosmopolitan and Greater Vancouver, the majestic North Shore Mountains.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is 136 metres in length and 70 metres above the Capilano river! In addition to the bridge there is also a large park with rainforest eco-tours, North America's largest private collection of First Nations story poles and the Treetops Adventure which is a series of bridges that link between trees as high as 30 metres above the forest floor.

Grouse Mountain - Take the sky ride to Grouse Mountain or hike up for free, to enjoy breathtaking views of the city from the North Shore. This is truly the peak of Vancouver.

The Museum of Anthropology is located at the University of British Columbia and is one of Vancouver's most impressive museums, as it houses the world's largest collection of West Coast Native artifacts. Other museums in Vancouver include the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Telus Science World and H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, inside of which is the Vancouver Museum, which is focussed on the history of Vancouver.

Granville Island is home to Vancouver's famous public market. Along with the large market there are also numerous local art galleries, restaurants and even a brewery.

Gastown is Vancouver's historic district, there are many tourist shops, restaurants and pubs in this area.

Vancouver has the mildest climate of any other major city in Canada, although the weather can be quite unpredictable, somewhat like the British Climate! Summers are not too hot, with temperatures averaging 25 degrees Celsius (77 F). During the winter, it hardly ever freezes, but be warned, there is plenty of rainfall. The best time to visit Vancouver is between July and October, when you are likely to have excellent weather.

Bargain Canada stays in Vancouver are freely available these days, due to easily accessible travel websites, which offer package holiday deals and last minute flights to Vancouver. Visitors arrive at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which is located just south of the city. Turn your clocks back by 8 hours, as the time zone is -8 hours GMT.