Victoria is known as The Garden City, but visitors will quickly realize the breathtaking blooms are only the beginning of the magic that awaits them in Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city. Situated on a spectacular harbour on the Southern tip of Vancouver Island and steeped in old English charm, this city of 75,000 is nothing if not cultured.

Victoria’s lush landscape and mild year-round temperatures welcome the visitor from the moment they arrive. Add to that fine dining, cheerful pubs, afternoon teas, excellent shopping and a host of outdoor activities, and Victoria is a city you’ll not want to miss.

Victoria was recently featured in Condé Nast Magazine as the winner of the 2003 Reader’s Choice Awards for the Best City in the Americas, and was also voted one of the Top 10 Vacation Destinations in the World. Vancouver Island was voted the Best Temperate Island in the Americas, and one of the Best Temperate Islands in the World.

Its world-famous Inner Harbour, both beautiful and exciting, is home to the Royal British Columbia Museum, the historic ivy-covered Empress Hotel, the B.C. Legislature Building, as well as theatres, galleries, restaurants, gardens and parks. Beyond the impressive architecture lies the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean and Olympic Mountains of Washington State.

When the sun sets, the evenings in Victoria promise a spectacular view of tall ships shimmering in the harbour and buildings adorned with thousands of sparkling lights. But the romance doesn’t stop there. Be sure to stroll along the cobblestone streets and discover welcoming cafes, bustling bistros, horse drawn carriages and fine dining, complete with the freshest seafood.

Lamp posts adorned with hanging flower baskets, London-style double decker buses, shops filled with British imports and Harris Tweed, and afternoon teas add to the English flavour of this city.

Victoria has not forgotten the rich culture of the First Nations, who inhabited the area for thousands of years before white settlers. The provincial museum is home to a world-class collection of native cultural and spiritual artefacts, while Beacon Hill Park boasts the world's tallest free-standing totem pole erected in 1956 by renowned Kwakwaka'wakw artist Mungo Martin.

Adding to the history of Victoria, which was established in 1843 by Sir James Douglas as a Hudson's Bay Company Fort, is its Old Town and historic Market Square, where shops and restaurants inhabit a restored 19th-century courtyard. In Bastion Square, visitors find street vendors and artists displaying their wares alongside cafés and pubs.

When it’s time get adventurous, Victoria offers everything from sea kayaking and scuba diving, to whale watching and fishing. Hiking trails wind through lush forests and along wind-swept beaches of the Pacific, while the Inner Harbour hosts various charters and scenic cruises.