A photograph of Canada

Country guide

Canada

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 Arct...

Photograph · Chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0

14,620 Places
4Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

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.

Checked 2026-08-25

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

Top things to see

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

  1. Maison Alphonse-Desjardins Maison Alphonse-Desjardins
    32 1 hr 30 min

    Maison Alphonse-Desjardins

    Maison Alphonse-Desjardins is a heritage house in Lévis, Quebec, preserved as a monument to Alphonse Desjardins, founder of the caisse populaire cooperative credit union movement.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Quebec City
  2. Roedde House Museum Roedde House Museum
    33 1 hr 30 min

    Roedde House Museum

    Roedde House Museum is a restored Victorian-era residence in Vancouver's West End. It preserves the domestic history of the Roedde family, early Vancouver residents. The house represents late-19th-century middle-class family life through its architecture and surviving furnishings.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Vancouver
  3. Toronto Railway Museum Toronto Railway Museum
    34 1 hr 30 min

    Toronto Railway Museum

    Toronto Railway Museum is a compact heritage attraction in the historic John Street Roundhouse, a former locomotive maintenance facility in downtown Toronto.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Toronto
  4. Musée de la place Royale Musée de la place Royale
    35 1 hr 30 min

    Musée de la place Royale

    Musée de la Place-Royale is a place-based museum in Québec City’s Lower Town, centred on the history and urban character of Place Royale.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Quebec City
  5. Campbell House Museum Campbell House Museum
    36 1 hr 30 min

    Campbell House Museum

    Campbell House Museum is a historic house museum in Toronto, Ontario. Built in 1822 for Sir William Campbell, Chief Justice of Upper Canada, it is recognized as Toronto's oldest surviving building from its original era.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Toronto
  6. Chinese Canadian Museum Chinese Canadian Museum
    37 1 hr 30 min

    Chinese Canadian Museum

    The Chinese Canadian Museum is a history museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown, dedicated to Chinese Canadian heritage and lived experience. The museum places national stories inside a neighbourhood that has long been a centre of Chinese Canadian community life.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Vancouver
  7. Le musée du Monastère des Augustines Le musée du Monastère des Augustines
    38 1 hr 30 min

    Le musée du Monastère des Augustines

    Monastère des Augustines is a Québec City heritage complex rooted in the Augustinian Sisters’ medical and spiritual work. The sisters established the first hospital north of Mexico in 1645.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Quebec City
  8. Musée des Ursulines Musée des Ursulines
    39 1 hr 30 min

    Musée des Ursulines

    Musée des Ursulines de Québec is a historic convent museum in Québec City’s Upper Town, near the basilica. The Ursuline order founded the institution in 1639 and established an early school for girls in New France.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Quebec City
  9. Museum of Contemporary Art Museum of Contemporary Art
    40 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Contemporary Art

    The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada, commonly called MOCA Toronto, is a contemporary-art institution in Toronto’s Junction Triangle. It occupies a former industrial building, connecting the museum experience with the neighbourhood’s manufacturing heritage and changing urban character.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Toronto
  10. new Insectarium of Montreal new Insectarium of Montreal
    41 1 hr 30 min

    new Insectarium of Montreal

    Insectarium de Montréal

    Montreal Insectarium is an Espace pour la vie attraction in the Olympic Park area of eastern Montreal. It introduces visitors to arthropod biodiversity through live insects, entomological science and habitat-focused displays.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  11. Scarborough Museum Scarborough Museum
    42 1 hr 30 min

    Scarborough Museum

    Scarborough Museum is a City of Toronto heritage museum set within Thomson Memorial Park. The four-building complex presents Scarborough’s local history and the communities that shaped the former municipality, now part of Toronto.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • 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.