At the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria BC is influenced by warm North Pacific currents and sheltered by majestic mountains, which has resulted in the very mildest climate across Canada. The gardens and parks in this stunning city are adorned with flowers and foliage anytime of the year.
The capital of British Columbia, Victoria is a skyscraper-free, quiet, and mainly residential and administrative. To add to these charms is a beautiful downtown district that is positioned around the stunning Inner Harbour, which has retained its Victorian atmosphere and heritage.
Here is a list of some of the top-rated Victoria BC attractions:
1. The Royal British Columbia Museum
British Columbia’s provincial museum is located between the Fairmont Empress Hotel and the Parliament Buildings. It is rated as the very best museum for cultural and natural history in Canada, with a host of 3-dimensional displays that offer a feast of smells, sounds and sights. Some of the other interactive features on offer include the replica HMS Discovery, which was the ship which brought Captain Vancouver to this area, and a street featuring shops in the Old Town.
2. The Fairmont Empress Hotel
Constructed in the year 1908, for Canadian Pacific, such as the Château Frontenac in Québec City, this hotel situated on the Inner Harbour is still a favorite landmark in Victoria. Francis M. Rattenbury was the architect that designed the Empress, and when you enter the massive lobby of this prestigious hotel, it is similar to taking a journey back to the First World War. Afternoon tea, which is served in style and grace is a unique experience for visitors from all over the world. The extension found on the north-side of the hotel is home to a collection of various scenes all in miniature at the Miniature World. The models of dollhouses, castles and historical events captivate people of all ages.
3. Beacon Hill Park
Well-tended and green, Beacon Hill Park is a popular recreation area that is nearby to the center of town. From the highest-point you can enjoy outstanding views over Juan de Fuca Strait along with the snowy peaks that iconic Olympic Peninsula has to offer. The milestone found on the southwest-edge of this park is the marker for the western-end of the Trans-Canada Highway.
4. Chinatown
Adjoining the Old Town is Victoria’s charming, yet small, Chinatown. When entering through the conspicuous gate, this area occupied 2 blocks near to Fisgard Street and Government Street. About a century ago, around 8,000 people resided in this Chinese quarter. In the year 1971, it turned into a designated historic-district. A favorite sightseeing stop in Chinatown is the extremely narrow Fan Tan Alley.
5. The Parliament Buildings
Situated on the south-side of the Inner Harbour, you will find the seat of British Columbia’s provincial government, known as the Parliament Buildings. Designed by Francis M. Rattenbury a Yorkshire architect, and built in 1897, these imposing stone-buildings feature orderly and neat gardens, and an extremely attractive appearance, more specifically at night when this building is lit up by a multitude of pretty lights.
Perched above the monstrous dome is the gilded statue of Captain George Vancouver, who was the man who accomplished the very 1st circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. There are also figures of a variety of famous personalities from this province which embellish this façade. While a big statue of Queen Victoria overlooks the Inner Harbour from a terrace. The tours by horse-drawn carriage that run through town-center leave from close-by.
6. The Hatley Park National Historic Site
This historic site based in Victoria BC, is made up of a famous castle that was built in 1908 by the former British Columbia Premier, and the James Dunsmuir a coal baron, and the Edwardian estate with Italian, rose and Japanese gardens. Visitors have the choice to stroll through the beautiful gardens or participate in guided tours of the iconic castle.