Roavina

Country guide

Canada

A photograph of Canada
Photograph · Chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0

Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area and has the longest coastline of any, running from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north into the Arctic across ten provinces and three territories. Just over 41 million people live in it, and not evenly: the great majority are in urban areas while very large stretches hold almost nobody. Ottawa is the capital, and Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are the three largest metropolitan areas and the three realistic starting points. The federal government is officially bilingual in English and French, and which of the two a street is lived in changes as you cross the country.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
English and French
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+1
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Canadian dollar (CAD)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
911
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and B · 120 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
Water systems and advisories are managed by multiple jurisdictions

Planning a visit

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Vancouver Art Gallery Vancouver Art Gallery
    02 1 hour

    Vancouver Art Gallery

    Vancouver Art Gallery is a downtown museum whose programme places British Columbia and other regional perspectives in conversation with international art.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  2. Roy Thomson Hall Roy Thomson Hall
    03 1 hour

    Roy Thomson Hall

    Roy Thomson Hall is a major concert venue in downtown Toronto, located on King Street West. It serves as the primary home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Toronto
  3. Grand Théâtre de Québec Grand Théâtre de Québec
    04 1 hour

    Grand Théâtre de Québec

    Grand Théâtre de Québec is a major performing-arts complex in Québec City, presenting orchestral music, opera, dance, and theatre. It is associated with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec and functions as one of the city’s principal destinations for professional performances.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Quebec City
  4. Princess of Wales Theatre Princess of Wales Theatre
    05 1 hour

    Princess of Wales Theatre

    Princess of Wales Theatre is a major commercial theatre in Toronto’s Entertainment District. Developed by the Mirvish family, it is one of the city’s principal venues for large touring productions, especially Broadway-style musicals that need a substantial stage and auditorium.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Toronto
  5. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
    06 1 hour

    Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

    The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is a landmark downtown Toronto venue devoted to opera and ballet.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Toronto
  6. Palais Montcalm Palais Montcalm
    07 1 hour

    Palais Montcalm

    Palais Montcalm is a restored art-deco performance hall in Québec City, focused on classical and jazz music.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Quebec City
  7. The Polygon Gallery The Polygon Gallery
    08 1 hour

    The Polygon Gallery

    The Polygon Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Situated in the Shipyards District at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue, it occupies a prominent waterfront position with views across Burrard Inlet toward downtown Vancouver.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  8. Le Diamant Le Diamant
    09 1 hour

    Le Diamant

    Le Diamant is a contemporary theatre in Old Québec, created through the reinvention of a heritage building.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Quebec City
  9. TIFF Lightbox TIFF Lightbox
    10 1 hour

    TIFF Lightbox

    TIFF Bell Lightbox is the permanent headquarters of the Toronto International Film Festival, located in Toronto's Entertainment District. The facility serves as a year-round cultural centre dedicated to film exhibition, education, and presentation.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Toronto
  10. Digital Orca Digital Orca
    11 1 hour

    Digital Orca

    Digital Orca is a public sculpture by Canadian artist Douglas Coupland beside the Vancouver Convention Centre waterfront. Its orca form is built from cubic, pixel-like shapes, giving the work a digital appearance against Coal Harbour’s natural setting.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  11. RBC Amphitheatre RBC Amphitheatre
    12 1 hour

    RBC Amphitheatre

    Budweiser Stage, locally known as RBC Amphitheatre, is a large outdoor amphitheatre situated on the Exhibition Place grounds in Toronto, Canada. The venue hosts major concerts and live entertainment events, operated under the Live Nation network.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Toronto
  12. Inukshuk Inukshuk
    13 1 hour

    Inukshuk

    The English Bay Inukshuk is a stone waterfront landmark on Vancouver’s shoreline. An inukshuk is a human-made stone marker associated with Inuit and other Arctic peoples.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  13. Vancouver Playhouse Vancouver Playhouse
    14 1 hour

    Vancouver Playhouse

    The Vancouver Playhouse is a civic performing-arts theatre located in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. Operated by the City of Vancouver through its parks, recreation, and culture division, it serves as a smaller companion venue to the adjacent Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  14. Society for Arts and Technology Society for Arts and Technology
    15 1 hour

    Society for Arts and Technology

    Société des arts technologiques (SAT)

    The Society for Arts and Technology, known locally as Société des arts technologiques, is a digital-arts institution in Montreal. It operates as a centre for experimental media, supporting creation, production, and presentation in emerging technological art forms.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Montreal
  15. Théâtre Petit Champlain Théâtre Petit Champlain
    16 1 hour

    Théâtre Petit Champlain

    Théâtre du Petit Champlain

    Théâtre Petit Champlain is a compact performing arts venue in Quebec City's historic Lower Town. It functions as a French-language music and theatre room, serving as a cultural landmark within the Petit Champlain district.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Quebec City
  16. Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
    17 1 hour

    Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art

    The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is a downtown Vancouver institution dedicated to contemporary Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  17. Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Auditorium) Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Auditorium)
    18 1 hour

    Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Auditorium)

    Queen Elizabeth Theatre

    Queen Elizabeth Theatre is a civic performing arts venue in Vancouver, operated by the city. It serves as a major destination for opera, ballet, and touring theatrical productions.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Vancouver
  18. Koerner Hall Koerner Hall
    19 1 hour

    Koerner Hall

    Koerner Hall is a concert venue within Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music. It hosts classical, jazz, chamber, and contemporary performances in an intimate hall designed around close audience-performer contact and carefully shaped acoustics.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Toronto

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Canada be?

Ten to sixteen days is realistic for one Canadian region, not for crossing the country. An eastern cities route, a Rockies journey and a Pacific itinerary each work better as their own trip.

What entry documents are needed for Canada?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada lists visitor visa and electronic travel authorisation rules. The required document depends on passport, travel method and status, so complete the official eligibility check for the actual journey.

What is the best way to travel around Canada?

Toronto, Vancouver and Montréal are the principal air gateways. VIA Rail is most useful in the Québec City–Windsor corridor and on selected long-distance services; outside major centres, a car or domestic flight may be necessary.

When is a practical time to visit Canada?

May to September suits many city and national-park itineraries, but northern access and mountain conditions have shorter operating seasons. Winter is a separate travel plan with different road, daylight and activity constraints.

What money and payment basics apply in Canada?

Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). Payment fees and acceptance are Not recorded at national level here, so verify rental deposits, remote-area fuel payment and card conversion terms directly with each provider.

What practical safety details should I save for Canada?

Call 911 for an emergency in Canada. Electrical supply is 120 V through Type A and B sockets; the source set does not record one nationwide tap-water statement, so local guidance applies.