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. Grouse Mountain Grouse Mountain
    02 1 hour

    Grouse Mountain

    Grouse Mountain is a prominent peak on Vancouver's North Shore, rising above the city with a summit accessible by aerial tramway.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  2. Toronto Islands Toronto Islands
    03 3 hours

    Toronto Islands

    The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in Lake Ontario, located just offshore from the city's downtown core.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  3. Stanley Park Stanley Park
    04 1 hour

    Stanley Park

    Stanley Park is a 405-hectare forested peninsula beside downtown Vancouver, where towering coastal trees meet the waters of Burrard Inlet, English Bay, and the First Narrows.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  4. Montreal Botanical Garden Montreal Botanical Garden
    05 1 hour

    Montreal Botanical Garden

    Jardin botanique de Montréal

    Montreal Botanical Garden is a major botanical garden and the horticultural anchor of Space for Life in the Olympic District. Its value lies in the specific collection, landscape, architecture, or public setting represented by that record.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  5. High Park High Park
    06 1 hour

    High Park

    High Park is Toronto's largest central public park, situated in the city's west end. The municipal park encompasses a significant natural area including oak savannah, woodlands, and waterfront along Grenadier Pond.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  6. John Street Roundhouse John Street Roundhouse
    07 1 hour

    John Street Roundhouse

    Roundhouse Park

    Roundhouse Park is a railway heritage park located in downtown Toronto, adjacent to the CN Tower. The park occupies a historically significant site that was once part of the Canadian Pacific Railway's John Street Roundhouse operations.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  7. Mount Royal Park Mount Royal Park
    08 1 hour

    Mount Royal Park

    Parc du Mont-Royal

    Mount Royal Park is Olmsted-designed urban park, Montreal skyline outlooks, wooded paths, and the city-defining mountain landscape. Its value lies in the specific collection, landscape, architecture, or public setting represented by that record.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  8. English Bay English Bay
    09 1 hour

    English Bay

    English Bay Beach

    English Bay Beach is a sandy urban shoreline on Vancouver’s West End, opening directly onto English Bay and the seawall.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  9. Old Port of Montreal Old Port of Montreal
    10 1 hour

    Old Port of Montreal

    Vieux-Port

    Old Port of Montreal is the historic St. Lawrence waterfront, used for promenades, cruises, seasonal events, and the Clock Tower district. Its value lies in the specific collection, landscape, architecture, or public setting represented by that record.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  10. Bloedel Conservatory Bloedel Conservatory
    11 1 hour

    Bloedel Conservatory

    Bloedel Floral Conservatory

    Bloedel Conservatory is a domed indoor garden and bird sanctuary at the highest point of Queen Elizabeth Park. Its controlled tropical climate creates a warm green refuge within Vancouver's temperate landscape.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  11. Bois-de-Coulonge Park Bois-de-Coulonge Park
    12 1 hour

    Bois-de-Coulonge Park

    Parc du Bois-de-Coulonge

    Bois-de-Coulonge Park, known locally as parc du Bois-de-Coulonge, comprises landscaped former vice-regal grounds situated along a riverside in Québec City. The property served as the residence of Quebec lieutenant-governors, reflecting its historical significance in provincial governance.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  12. Queen Elizabeth Park Queen Elizabeth Park
    13 1 hour

    Queen Elizabeth Park

    Queen Elizabeth Park occupies the summit of Vancouver’s highest point, but its character is shaped by what happened beneath that summit: a former basalt quarry was transformed into terraces, rock walls, winding paths, and intensely planted gardens.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  13. Queen's Park Queen's Park
    14 1 hour

    Queen's Park

    Queen’s Park is a civic park in central Toronto, surrounding the Ontario Legislative Building. It combines landscaped grounds, open lawns, mature trees, pathways, monuments, and the visible exterior of the provincial legislature.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  14. VanDusen Botanical Garden VanDusen Botanical Garden
    15 1 hour

    VanDusen Botanical Garden

    VanDusen Botanical Garden is a cultivated Vancouver landscape where living plant collections are experienced through movement.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  15. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
    16 1 hour

    Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

    Doctor Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

    Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a purpose-built classical Chinese scholar’s garden in Vancouver’s Chinatown, where carefully framed views connect architecture, rock, water, planting and movement.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  16. Jericho Beach Jericho Beach
    17 1 hour

    Jericho Beach

    Jericho Beach is a public waterfront area on Vancouver's west side, facing English Bay. The location combines sandy beachfront with a sailing centre and open views across the water toward the North Shore mountains.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  17. Parc Jean-Drapeau Parc Jean-Drapeau
    18 1 hour

    Parc Jean-Drapeau

    Parc Jean-Drapeau is the Expo 67 park spread across two St. Lawrence islands, combining landscape, culture, beach, and major-event spaces. Its value lies in the specific collection, landscape, architecture, or public setting represented by that record.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  18. Leslie Street Spit Leslie Street Spit
    19 1 hour

    Leslie Street Spit

    Tommy Thompson Park

    Tommy Thompson Park occupies the Leslie Street Spit, a long waterfront peninsula extending into Lake Ontario from Toronto’s port lands. Its wetlands, meadows, forests and shoreline create an urban nature destination with important wildlife habitat.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  19. Dorchester Square Dorchester Square
    20 1 hour

    Dorchester Square

    Square Dorchester

    Dorchester Square is a historic public square in downtown Montreal, also known locally as Square Dorchester. It provides an open green pause between the cathedral district and the Golden Square Mile.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  20. Kitsilano Beach Kitsilano Beach
    21 1 hour

    Kitsilano Beach

    Kitsilano Beach is a broad sandy waterfront in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood, facing English Bay with downtown Vancouver and the North Shore mountains visible across the water.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  21. Place du Canada Place du Canada
    22 1 hour

    Place du Canada

    Place du Canada is a civic square in downtown Montreal, Quebec. It adjoins Dorchester Square and stands near Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. The public space forms part of the central greensward running through Montreal's commercial core.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  22. Christie Pits Christie Pits
    23 1 hour

    Christie Pits

    Christie Pits Park

    Christie Pits is a large urban park in Toronto, Ontario. The park occupies a significant depression in the city's topography, forming a natural amphitheatre with a prominent hill at its centre.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  23. Roger-Van den Hende botanical garden Roger-Van den Hende botanical garden
    24 1 hour

    Roger-Van den Hende botanical garden

    Jardin botanique Roger-Van den Hende

    Jardin botanique Roger-Van den Hende is a botanical garden operated by Université Laval in the Sainte-Foy district of Quebec City. It serves as both a public horticultural destination and an academic resource for the university.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  24. Saint-Louis Square Saint-Louis Square
    25 1 hour

    Saint-Louis Square

    Square Saint-Louis

    Square Saint-Louis is a compact Victorian-era public square in Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough. Its identity comes from the combination of landscaped green space, mature trees, fountains, pathways, benches, and the colourful nineteenth-century houses that surround it.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  25. Second Beach Second Beach
    26 1 hour

    Second Beach

    Second Beach is a public waterfront area in Stanley Park, Vancouver. It features a heated outdoor swimming pool, a sandy beach, and direct access to the city's famous seawall.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  26. Toronto Botanical Garden Toronto Botanical Garden
    27 1 hour

    Toronto Botanical Garden

    The Toronto Botanical Garden is a major public garden complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It occupies a significant site beside Edwards Gardens, forming part of an important horticultural destination in the city's northeastern area.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  27. Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park
    28 1 hour

    Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park

    Parc-nature du Bois-de-Liesse

    Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park, also known as Parc-nature du Bois-de-Liesse, is a large woodland reserve in Montreal’s west-island area.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  28. Edwards Gardens Edwards Gardens
    29 1 hour

    Edwards Gardens

    Edwards Gardens is a formal former estate garden located in Toronto, Ontario. It serves as the landscape setting for the adjacent Toronto Botanical Garden. The gardens were originally developed as a private estate before becoming a public space.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  29. Grange Park Grange Park
    30 1 hour

    Grange Park

    Grange Park is a public green space in downtown Toronto, directly behind the Art Gallery of Ontario and beside OCAD University.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  30. Jarry Park Jarry Park
    31 1 hour

    Jarry Park

    Parc Jarry

    Jarry Park, known locally as Parc Jarry, is a large public park located in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough of Montreal.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  31. Kew Gardens Kew Gardens
    32 1 hour

    Kew Gardens

    Kew Gardens is a historic public park in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood, close to Lake Ontario. It is a neighbourhood green space rather than a botanical institution, offering landscaped areas, lawns, trees and room for community life.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  32. La Fontaine Park La Fontaine Park
    33 1 hour

    La Fontaine Park

    Parc La Fontaine

    La Fontaine Park, known locally as Parc La Fontaine, is a major urban park in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough. It serves as a central recreational space for residents and visitors alike.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  33. Locarno Beach Locarno Beach
    34 1 hour

    Locarno Beach

    Locarno Beach is a public Vancouver beach on the English Bay shoreline, between Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks. It belongs to the city park system and offers a calmer western waterfront setting than the busier central beaches.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  34. Maisonneuve Park Maisonneuve Park
    35 1 hour

    Maisonneuve Park

    Parc Maisonneuve

    Maisonneuve Park is a large urban green space in eastern Montreal, beside the Montreal Botanical Garden and close to the Olympic District.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  35. Sugar Beach Sugar Beach
    36 1 hour

    Sugar Beach

    Sugar Beach is a public waterfront park on Toronto's eastern harbour. Its sandy beach, pink umbrellas, and shoreline seating create a distinctive public space beside an area shaped by industrial harbour activity.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  36. Third Beach Third Beach
    37 1 hour

    Third Beach

    Third Beach is a sandy public beach on the western shoreline of Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. It faces westward toward the Strait of Georgia, offering direct views of the sunset over the water.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  37. Woodbine Beach Woodbine Beach
    38 1 hour

    Woodbine Beach

    Woodbine Beach is the principal public swimming beach in The Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. It stretches along the shore of Lake Ontario and serves as the area's main summer recreation destination.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  38. Canoe Landing Park Canoe Landing Park
    39 1 hour

    Canoe Landing Park

    Canoe Landing Park is a public park in Toronto's CityPlace neighbourhood, surrounded by high-rise residential towers and former railway lands. Its identity comes from public art by Canadian artist and author Douglas Coupland, especially the large red canoe.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  39. Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park
    40 1 hour

    Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park

    Grand Parc de l'Ouest

    Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park, or Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques, is Montreal’s largest nature park. The park occupies the western tip of the Island of Montreal on a peninsula where the Ottawa River meets the Lake of Two Mountains.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  40. Domaine de Maizerets Domaine de Maizerets
    41 1 hour

    Domaine de Maizerets

    Domaine de Maizerets is a historic estate on Quebec City's east side, encompassing extensive gardens and parkland. The property functions as a public green space where visitors can experience landscaped grounds with heritage character.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  41. HTO Park HTO Park
    42 1 hour

    HTO Park

    HTO Park is an urban beach park located on Toronto's central waterfront. The park features sandy beach areas, grassy lawns, and distinctive yellow umbrellas that have become a visual signature.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  42. Parc Chauveau Parc Chauveau
    43 1 hour

    Parc Chauveau

    Parc Chauveau is Quebec City's largest park, situated along the Saint-Charles River. This extensive green space serves as a genuine riverfront outdoor destination for residents and visitors seeking natural surroundings within the urban environment.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  43. Parc régional des Rapides Parc régional des Rapides
    44 1 hour

    Parc régional des Rapides

    Parc des Rapides

    Lachine Rapids Park, known locally as Parc des Rapides, is a riverfront park situated at the western end of the Island of Montreal.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Montreal
  44. Spanish Banks Spanish Banks
    45 1 hour

    Spanish Banks

    Spanish Banks Beach

    Spanish Banks is a public beach park on Vancouver's west side, situated along English Bay.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  45. Trinity Bellwoods Park Trinity Bellwoods Park
    46 1 hour

    Trinity Bellwoods Park

    Trinity Bellwoods Park is a large public green space in Toronto’s west end, between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  46. Vanier Park Vanier Park
    47 1 hour

    Vanier Park

    Vanier Park is a waterfront public park on the south shore of English Bay in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. Its peninsula setting opens views across the water toward downtown, the North Shore mountains, and the bay.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  47. Berczy Park Berczy Park
    48 1 hour

    Berczy Park

    Berczy Park is a compact public park in Toronto’s Old Town, close to Front Street, Scott Street, St. Lawrence Market, and the historic commercial streets around them.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  48. Corktown Commons Corktown Commons
    49 1 hour

    Corktown Commons

    Corktown Common

    Corktown Common is a large public park in Toronto’s West Don Lands. It combines recreation, habitat, and flood protection for the lower Don River area.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  49. Pacific Spirit Regional Park Pacific Spirit Regional Park
    50 1 hour

    Pacific Spirit Regional Park

    Pacific Spirit Regional Park is a large forested regional park located beside the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver. Managed by Metro Vancouver, it preserves significant coastal forest habitat on the city's western edge.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  50. Place des Canotiers Place des Canotiers
    51 1 hour

    Place des Canotiers

    Place des Canotiers is a public plaza situated in Quebec City's Old Port area, positioned at river level beneath the elevated historic district of Old Quebec.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  51. Quai Paquet Quai Paquet
    52 1 hour

    Quai Paquet

    Quai Paquet is a redeveloped public plaza and ferry terminal located in Lévis, directly across the Saint Lawrence River from Québec City.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  52. Toronto Music Garden Toronto Music Garden
    53 1 hour

    Toronto Music Garden

    Toronto Music Garden is a waterfront public garden on Lake Ontario, designed with cellist Yo-Yo Ma to interpret Johann Sebastian Bach’s First Cello Suite through landscape architecture.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  53. Base de plein air de Sainte-Foy Base de plein air de Sainte-Foy
    54 1 hour

    Base de plein air de Sainte-Foy

    Base de plein air de Sainte-Foy is an outdoor recreation centre in Quebec City’s Sainte-Foy district. Its setting brings nature-based activity into the city, with a lake, surrounding grounds, trails, and equipment rental forming the core of the visit.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  54. CRAB Park at Portside CRAB Park at Portside
    55 1 hour

    CRAB Park at Portside

    CRAB Park at Portside is a compact harbour park on Vancouver’s downtown waterfront. Its name comes from Create a Real Available Beach, reflecting community efforts to create public access beside an industrial shoreline.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  55. David Lam Park David Lam Park
    56 1 hour

    David Lam Park

    David Lam Park is a public park in Vancouver's Yaletown neighbourhood, situated along the north shore of False Creek.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  56. Guild Park and Gardens Guild Park and Gardens
    57 1 hour

    Guild Park and Gardens

    Guild Park and Gardens is a public park in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario. The park occupies the grounds of the former Guild Inn, a historic artists' colony and hotel that operated from the 1930s until 2001.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  57. Joan of Arc Garden Joan of Arc Garden
    58 1 hour

    Joan of Arc Garden

    Jardin Jeanne-d'Arc

    Jardin Jeanne-d’Arc is a formal garden within the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. Named for Joan of Arc, it combines seasonal flower displays with a statue of its namesake.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  58. Montmorency Falls Montmorency Falls
    59 1 hour

    Montmorency Falls

    Chute Montmorency

    Montmorency Falls, or chute Montmorency, is a major waterfall east of Québec City. The Montmorency River drops over a cliff into a basin below, creating a dramatic natural landmark close to the provincial capital.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  59. Parc des Moulins Parc des Moulins
    60 1 hour

    Parc des Moulins

    Parc des Moulins is a public park in Quebec City situated on the former grounds of the city's zoo. The site has been transformed into a broad garden space and family recreation area.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  60. Rouge National Urban Park Rouge National Urban Park
    61 1 hour

    Rouge National Urban Park

    Rouge National Urban Park is Canada's first national urban park, established to protect natural, cultural, and agricultural landscapes within a major metropolitan area. It encompasses diverse ecosystems along the Rouge River watershed at Toronto's eastern edge, extending into neighbouring municipalities.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  61. Sunnyside Beach Sunnyside Beach
    62 1 hour

    Sunnyside Beach

    Sunnyside Beach is a west-end lakefront beach and boardwalk in Toronto, Ontario. It occupies a historic recreational area along the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, within the broader Sunnyside neighbourhood.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Toronto
  62. Sunset Beach Park Sunset Beach Park
    63 1 hour

    Sunset Beach Park

    Sunset Beach Park is a waterfront green space on Vancouver's West End shore beside False Creek. The park combines a sandy beach, grass, trees, and open views towards the downtown skyline and North Shore mountains.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver
  63. Terrasse du Chevalier-de-Lévis Terrasse du Chevalier-de-Lévis
    64 1 hour

    Terrasse du Chevalier-de-Lévis

    Terrasse du Chevalier-de-Lévis is an outdoor public terrace on the Lévis bluff, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River opposite Québec City.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Quebec City
  64. Trout Lake Trout Lake
    65 1 hour

    Trout Lake

    Trout Lake is a freshwater lake within John Hendry Park in east Vancouver. The lake and its surrounding green space form a relaxed public landscape with paths, a beach area, trees, picnic spaces, and views toward the mountains.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Vancouver

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.