A photograph of Canada

Country guide

1 to 2 hours in 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. Old Quebec Old Quebec
    02 2 hours

    Old Quebec

    Vieux-Québec

    Old Quebec, known locally as Vieux-Québec, is the fortified historic core of Quebec City.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  2. Château Frontenac Château Frontenac
    03 2 hours

    Château Frontenac

    château Frontenac

    Château Frontenac is a landmark hotel in Quebec City’s Upper Town, beside Dufferin Terrace and above the St. Lawrence River. Its steep roofs, turrets, and ornate gables give the building a château-like silhouette that dominates the Old Quebec skyline.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  3. Museum of Anthropology at UBC Museum of Anthropology at UBC
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Anthropology at UBC

    The Museum of Anthropology at UBC is a museum of world arts and cultures with a particular focus on the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Vancouver
  4. Petit Champlain Petit Champlain
    05 2 hours

    Petit Champlain

    Petit Champlain is a historic quarter in Québec City's Lower Town, situated at the foot of Cap Diamant beneath the Château Frontenac escarpment. The area comprises narrow cobblestone streets and heritage buildings dating to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  5. Gastown Gastown
    06 2 hours

    Gastown

    Gastown is Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, established in 1867 and designated a National Historic Site of Canada. The district centres on Water Street and retains Victorian-era architecture alongside commercial development.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Vancouver
  6. Île d'Orléans Île d'Orléans
    07 2 hours

    Île d'Orléans

    île d'Orléans

    Île d’Orléans is a large agricultural island in the Saint Lawrence River downstream from Québec City. It is about 34 kilometres long and up to 8 kilometres wide, connected to the mainland by the Pont de l’Île bridge.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Quebec City
  7. Fortifications of Quebec Fortifications of Quebec
    08 2 hours

    Fortifications of Quebec

    fortifications de Québec

    The Fortifications of Quebec are the defensive walls, gates, and ramparts that encircle Old Quebec, forming the only remaining fortified city walls in North America north of Mexico.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  8. Dufferin Terrace Dufferin Terrace
    09 2 hours

    Dufferin Terrace

    terrasse Dufferin

    Dufferin Terrace is a historic boardwalk in Québec City's Upper Town, running alongside the Château Frontenac. This elevated promenade overlooks the St.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Quebec City
  9. Place Royale Place Royale
    10 2 hours

    Place Royale

    Place Royale is a historic public square in Quebec City's Lower Town, widely recognized as the restored birthplace precinct of French North America.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  10. Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal
    11 2 hours

    Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal

    The Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal is Quebec's principal public museum devoted to contemporary art and digital-media practice. Located in Montreal, it serves as a major cultural institution dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and promoting contemporary artistic creation.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  11. Kensington Market Kensington Market
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Kensington Market

    Kensington Market is a dense heritage market neighbourhood in downtown Toronto. It occupies several city blocks northwest of the central business district, centered around Augusta Avenue and Kensington Avenue.

    • Must see
    • Market
    • Toronto
  12. Morrin Centre Morrin Centre
    13 2 hours

    Morrin Centre

    The Morrin Centre is a cultural institution occupying a landmark building in Quebec City's Old Town. The structure served as a prison from 1812 to 1868 before conversion to an educational facility.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  13. Musée de l'Amérique francophone Musée de l'Amérique francophone
    14 2 hours

    Musée de l'Amérique francophone

    The Musée de l’Amérique francophone is a history museum in the Séminaire de Québec complex in Québec City. It explores French-speaking communities across North America, linking regional history with wider stories of settlement, migration, religion, education, and cultural continuity.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Quebec City
  14. Artillery Park National Historic Site Artillery Park National Historic Site
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Artillery Park National Historic Site

    Artillery Park is a staffed national historic site within the Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site. It preserves military heritage buildings and grounds that served defensive functions from the 18th to 19th centuries.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
    • Quebec City
  15. Place des Arts Place des Arts
    16 2 hours

    Place des Arts

    Place des Arts is Montreal's leading performing-arts complex, serving as the cultural anchor of the Quartier des Spectacles district. Opened in 1963, it encompasses multiple concert halls and theatres on a single downtown site.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Montreal
  16. Quartier des Spectacles Quartier des Spectacles
    17 2 hours

    Quartier des Spectacles

    Quartier des spectacles

    Quartier des Spectacles is a designated cultural district in downtown Montreal, Quebec. Established as an official zone, it concentrates the city's major performing arts venues, festivals, and public cultural spaces within a compact area.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Montreal
  17. H. R. MacMillan Space Centre H. R. MacMillan Space Centre
    18 1 hr 30 min

    H. R. MacMillan Space Centre

    The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre is a planetarium and astronomy museum located in Vanier Park, Vancouver. It occupies a distinctive building with a domed roof that has become a recognizable landmark on the city's skyline.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Vancouver
  18. Lachine Canal Lachine Canal
    19 2 hours

    Lachine Canal

    Canal de Lachine

    The Lachine Canal is a National Historic Site of Canada and a defining linear park that runs through southwestern Montreal.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Montreal
  19. Royal Ontario Museum Royal Ontario Museum
    20 1 hr 30 min

    Royal Ontario Museum

    Royal Ontario Museum is a major Toronto museum where world cultures and natural history meet under one roof.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Toronto
  20. Redpath Museum Redpath Museum
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Redpath Museum

    The Redpath Museum is McGill University's public natural-history museum, housed in a purpose-built Victorian structure. Opened in 1882, it stands as Canada's oldest building constructed specifically as a museum.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  21. Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec

    Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec is Québec City’s national art museum beside the Plains of Abraham.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Quebec City
  22. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
    23 2 hours

    Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

    Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal

    The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a five-pavilion art museum on Sherbrooke Street, not a single gallery room that can be covered on a quick circuit.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  23. château Ramezay château Ramezay
    24 1 hr 30 min

    château Ramezay

    Château Ramezay

    Chateau Ramezay is an eighteenth-century governor's residence and city-history museum located in Old Montreal, facing Place Jacques-Cartier. Built in the early 1700s, it served as the residence of the governors of Montreal.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  24. Hockey Hall of Fame Hockey Hall of Fame
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Hockey Hall of Fame

    Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame is a focused museum devoted to ice hockey’s history, achievements and cultural reach.

    • Must see
    • 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.