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Although Victoria is in British Columbia, it feels more like England than Canada. The city was founded in the 1800s as a Hudson Bay Co. trading post and outpost of the British Empire, populated by settlers attracted to its mild climate. Historic Victoria boasts several grand buildings, lots of shops, and aesthetic touches reflecting its English heritage. Today, part of the city's charm comes from old-world traditions juxtaposed with new-world experiences.

Victoria is also a modern, prosperous provincial capital with a diversified economy. The education, tourism and technology sectors are strong, and specialty farming has burgeoned in the nearby Saanich Peninsula and up-island Cowichan Valley. The result is a city with an international reputation for good restaurants and a penchant for outdoor activities such as whale-watching, sea kayaking, sailing and cycling. For a city of its size and scale, Victoria has an energetic, eclectic buzz. And it's only a short ferry ride or flight away from Vancouver.

Must See or Do

Sights—Beacon Hill Park for many mature trees and glorious gardens; The Butchart Gardens; the view from Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site; the Parliament Buildings.

Museums—The Emily Carr House for her artwork; the history of the area and its trades, like deep-sea diving, at the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Memorable Meals—Both levels of Ferris' Oyster Bar & Grill for great food and atmosphere; Rebar Modern Food for a delicious juice bar and health-conscious cuisine; tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel; takeout fish-and-chips from the Inner Harbour's Red Fish Blue Fish; Olo Restaurant for local food with a fresh twist.

Late Night—A brew or two at Spinnakers Gastro Brew Pub on the Inner Harbour; inspired libations at Clive's Classic Lounge; local musicians at Hermann's Jazz Club.

Walks—A slow walk around the Inner Harbour; a historic walk through Chinatown; a guided tour of the city's haunted addresses.

Especially for Kids—The Victoria Bug Zoo; Victoria Butterfly Gardens; a ride on the Victoria Harbour Ferries; Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea; the petting zoo at Beacon Hill Park.

Geography

Victoria radiates out from its Inner Harbour, where most of the historic buildings, sites and attractions are located. The city's layout is compact, with two main streets, Government and Douglas, running parallel to the harborfront. East-west cross streets, many of them one-way, are generally on an orderly grid system, with few digressions from that pattern.

Heading northbound along Government Street, you'll intersect with Old Town, Bastion Square and Chinatown. Douglas Street begins at Mile Zero, a landmark that indicates the beginning of the Trans-Canada Highway and overlooks the Pacific Ocean and precipitous Olympic Peninsula. Venture north, and Douglas Street flanks Beacon Hill Park and the Royal British Columbia Museum, then defines the eastern edge of downtown. To the east are the picturesque neighborhoods of Rockland, Fairfield and Oak Bay, as well as Craigdarroch Castle and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

History

Though Spain first claimed what is now Victoria, the English established the first European settlement in 1843, when James Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company set up a trading post there. Victoria's protected harbor on the southern coast of Vancouver Island offered a safe refuge for clipper ships, and Douglas' good relations with the native population helped the settlement grow quickly.

In an era known for its formality and elegance, early Victoria must have seemed like the wild frontier to the first British settlers, particularly in 1858, when more than 25,000 miners passed through on their way to the Cariboo Gold Rush. But the new Victorians were intent on civilizing the wilderness, taking with them their fine English china, their architectural ideas, their gardens and their tradition of tea (still staunchly upheld by visitors). They set about creating a society based on a half-remembered, half-imagined England.

The capital of British Columbia, Victoria is filled with heritage buildings and reminders of those early days. The city has a long-standing reputation for being sedate, but it is quickly outgrowing the label. Besides being the province's government hub, Victoria is home to several colleges and universities, and the city has attracted many global technology firms, bringing more young people to the city. The influx has sparked a revitalization in the central area, with old-world-style buildings being converted into restaurants, lounges and hip cafes on every downtown block.

Potpourri

With all its outdoor activities, it's no surprise that Victoria has been rated among the fittest cities in Canada.

Victoria's Maritime Museum is home to North America's oldest operating birdcage elevator.

The Fairmont Empress Hotel serves 500,000 cups of tea annually.

Victoria is home to what is recognized as the narrowest street in Canada: Fan Tan Alley. The city also boasts the oldest Chinese temple in Canada: Tam Kung Temple on Government Street in Chinatown.

Victoria arguably has the most microbreweries in Canada per capita (showcased in its beloved Ale Trail), as well as the country's oldest licensed brewpub, Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub.

The B.C. Legislature buildings on the Inner Harbour dazzle year-round with 3,560 lights.

Location

Large cruise ships dock at Ogden Point, about 1 mi/2 km southwest of downtown. The terminal has gift shops, restrooms, foreign-currency exchange and pay phones. If your cruise line has made arrangements, you can take a shuttle downtown for Can$11. Taxis also wait in front of the terminal. There's public bus service to the downtown area, or you can walk—it takes about 20 minutes to get to the city's center.

Small cruise ships often dock in Victoria's Inner Harbour. The Tourism Victoria Visitor Centre is located along the Inner Harbour on Wharf Street across from the Fairmont Empress Hotel. http://www.victoriacruise.ca.

Shore Excursions