Second largest country in the world - Canada
Just a hop, skip and jump away lies a land of searing beauty and dramatic contrast. From cosmopolitan Montreal in the east to multi-cultural Vancouver in the west, Canada seems very European...but venture beyond the cities and you discover a true frontier country where an unforgiving nature can inspire and show you a very different holiday in Canada.
Many people come on holidays to Canada for the sheer grandeur of the mountain scenery in places like Lake Louise. Travelling on the glassed-in Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver through to Calgary is certainly one way to see the country! The bubble-roofed train winds it way through the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia. Precipitous gorges, lofty mountain peaks and endless forests dot the landscape. Every hour of the journey sees the scenery getting bigger and better. You overnight in a small cowboy town before heading on to Calgary - home of the biggest rodeo in the world.
Rodeo might sound like an American Wild West activity - and its true, American cowboys have made the whole idea quite famous. But Calgary's annual Stampede is extraordinary. They call it the greatest outdoor show on earth and it's hard to dispute. This city of a million people smack dab in the centre of Alberta in the middle of Canada has taken the whole cowboy thing completely to heart and there are cattle roping shows, classic stagecoach races, bronco bucking, and massive nightly parties for weeks on end every July. BYO cowboy hat - or just pick one up at the airport.
Canada holidays are often about some of the world's best skiing with the thick champagne powder of Revelstoke and Whistler garnering world-wide attention from those in the know. Revelstoke is a relatively new ski area set in northern British Columbia and the scenery, terrain and facilities place this on a par with anything in Europe - better, dare we say it, than most European destinations when it comes to the sheer breadth of skiable terrain, the season-long quality of the snow and the facilities to get you to where the snow is.
Montreal is a wonderful city to explore - not only for Francophiles, but for lovers of good food, micro brews and jazz nightlife. Old Montreal is a cobblestoned slice of heaven with little music clubs, great hole-in-the-wall eateries and an eclectic range of up-market boutiques.
Quebec City, the nation's major francophone area lives in the cold north and you can see the impact in the solidity of the castellated public buildings that make up the city seat. Chateau Frontenac, the massive, rambling fort-like building on the St Lawrence River is a tourist destination in its own scenic right, let alone a grand hotel.
When you hit Winnipeg, Edmonton and the Prairies you'll find a much more laid back Canada. This is food and markets, sunrises and vast open spaces; it's Winnipeg's amazing modern architecture and roads that go forever. Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta province and an excellent base to explore the Prairies out beyond.
Back towards the west coast you have the lovely city of Vancouver - declared one of the most liveable cities in the world by many a magazine. Why? Surrounded by water it's just drop-dead gorgeous, and with plentiful immigration Vancouver has discovered the best of many cultures in the foods and activities that vie for your attention. It's close to good skiing and in summer the locals take to their yachts. Vancouver Island, just off the coast from the city, is truly beautiful. So close to a major city, yet so rugged, with forest covered steep cliffs dropping to sandy beaches, sea life everywhere and hiking trails inland.
Flights to Canada and holidays to Canada are easy with Holiday Supermarket. We can tell you all about it in person or you can get the best prices right here. Whatever you do, make Canada top of your bucket list and explore one of the most scenically advantaged countries in the world.