Victoria
Situated at the southern tip of Vancouver Island,
Victoria is Western Canada's oldest city. The city, named in honour
of Queen Victoria began in 1843 as a Hudson Bay Company trading post.
Victoria grew rapidly, with the Fraser Valley gold rush in 1858, as it was
the main port of entry to the Colonies of Vancouver Island and British
Columbia. The city became a well established provincial capital in 1871
when British Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation.
Today, Victoria still a city of
governance, has also evolved into a bustling centre for tourism where
people come from far and wide to experience a piece of old England. The
two most striking pieces of architecture in Victoria are the Government
buildings and the Empress Hotel. Both of which impose upon the beautiful
harbour in the centre of the city. One of the most popular delights of
visiting Victoria has to be ‘tea’ at the Empress Hotel, which although
slightly more pricier that the other excursions you may participate in and
around Victoria, is certainly one you will not forget. Putting itself on
par with ‘tea at the Ritz’ the Empress provides a good excuse to done your
smart attire and pretend, just for a while, that you are part of the crème
de la crème in 1920's England.
The Governance buildings and the
Empress Hotel are not the only examples of classic old England, and as you
wander around the city exploring you will come into contact with lovely
architecture and quaint tea shops on nearly every street.
One of the
main contrasts however to its counterpart is the weather! Victoria
experiences the most mildest climate in Canada, causing it to be one of the
most beautiful cities also, with it's flowers constantly in bloom and
dripping from every lamppost and sidewalk, on a blue skied day who could
ask for anything more?
Another beneficiary of this
wonderful weather are the Butchart Gardens. The gardens were founded by
Jennie Butchart in 1904 who began to beautify a quarry site which her
husband's manufacturing of Portland cement had left. For over 100
years the family has committed to making the gardens the spectacular
example of horticulture it is today and it now continues to delight
visitors from all over the world. Set in fifty-five acres there are four
main gardens from which many paths wind in between and around offering
beautiful views of these wonderful gardens. In the summer months the
gardens lay on a most spectacular fireworks display every Saturday evening,
however remember to bring warm clothing as the displays often do not start
until 9.30 to 10.00 pm.
There are many day trips to Butchart
Gardens which are advertised in the hotels and tourist information centre
which can be booked with coach travel to and from the gardens, however the
gardens can also be reached, by the more adventurous and those on a tighter
budget, via public bus on route 75.
No trip to Victoria would be
complete without visiting the BC Museum. Based adjacent to the Governance
buildings the museum is easily accessible and will be entertaining for both
adults and children alike. Some of the many exhibits you will find in the
museum include a full exploration of the history of British Columbia and
the influence that change has had on the First Nations culture. Towards
the end of the history of British Columbia there is a life size street full
of old shops which you can look in and see products which were used and
desired in the past 3 or 4 decades.
Also in the building of the BC
Museum is the National Geographic IMAX Theatre where you can dive into the
Coral Reefs of the South Pacific and encounter a half-ton grizzly bear in
the wild! An amazing experience which is ideal for a lazy afternoon, after
having walked around the museum in the morning.
Victoria is ideally
suited for Whale watching expeditions, with the whale's natural
habitat only minutes from the downtown harbour. There are many different
methods of whale watching, from the comfort of a large boat or for the more
adventurous there are the fleet of waiting Zodiac Speedboats. Whatever
method you chose you will be sure to see some exciting wildlife such as
porpoises, bald eagles and seals, as well as some beautiful coastal
scenery.
For evening entertainment, Victoria's laissez faire
approach to life carries on. With many restaurants catering for the
eclectic taste buds and hungry stomachs, there are also many bars open,
with familiar titles such as the ‘Elephant and Castle’, which cater for
lovely ‘pub-grub’ as well as a relaxed way to while away the evening
watching the world go by.
One of the most popular ways to get to
Victoria is on one of the BC Ferries, which depart from Tsawwassen on the
mainland. This beautiful journey brings many delights, especially during
the spring months when the gulf between Vancouver Island and the mainland
is used by the Whales in their migration to the warmer waters to rear the
young. However it is quite easy to get swallowed up in the stunning views
of the surround Gulf Islands on the trip to miss the whales all
together!
Victoria is so hard to summarise, however this is what
makes it so popular with visitors both old and young, something for
everyone, and a bit of twee old England added in for good
measure!
Article Written By
CraveCanada
Last Updated: Thursday 15th December 2005 - 6:50pm
GMT
United States Edition