A photograph of Canada

Country guide

Places to visit in Canada — page 4

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. Notre-Dame Basilica Notre-Dame Basilica
    57 30 min

    Notre-Dame Basilica

    Basilique Notre-Dame

    The Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal stands as the city's principal Gothic Revival church and the defining interior of Old Montreal. Its twin towers rise above Place d'Armes, marking a historic focal point of the district.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Montreal
  2. Vancouver Art Gallery Vancouver Art Gallery
    58 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
  3. Roy Thomson Hall Roy Thomson Hall
    59 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
  4. Waterfront station Waterfront station
    60 45 min

    Waterfront station

    Waterfront Station

    Waterfront Station is a heritage transit hub in Vancouver serving as a major interchange for rail, SeaBus, and SkyTrain services. The building preserves classical architectural elements while functioning as a practical arrival point for commuters and visitors.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Vancouver
  5. False Creek False Creek
    61 45 min

    False Creek

    False Creek is a short inlet in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia, separating downtown from the rest of the city to the south.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Vancouver
  6. Canada Place Canada Place
    62 45 min

    Canada Place

    Canada Place is Vancouver’s sail-roofed landmark on Burrard Inlet, recognised by five white roof sails that echo a ship in harbour.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Vancouver
  7. Grand Théâtre de Québec Grand Théâtre de Québec
    63 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
  8. Maison Saint-Gabriel Maison Saint-Gabriel
    64 1 hr 30 min

    Maison Saint-Gabriel

    Maison Saint-Gabriel is a seventeenth-century farmhouse museum in Montreal, Quebec, devoted to the history of early French settlement.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  9. Bata Shoe Museum Bata Shoe Museum
    65 1 hr 30 min

    Bata Shoe Museum

    Bata Shoe Museum is a Toronto institution devoted to footwear as cultural evidence. Its subject is unusually focused: shoes are examined not simply as accessories, but as objects that reveal design, materials, construction, work, movement, status, and identity.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Toronto
  10. Montreal Biosphère Montreal Biosphère
    66 1 hr 30 min

    Montreal Biosphère

    Biosphère

    The Montreal Biosphere is an environment museum housed in a striking geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller for Expo 67. The structure stands on Saint Helen's Island in the Saint Lawrence River as a landmark of architectural innovation.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  11. The Aga Khan Museum The Aga Khan Museum
    67 1 hr 30 min

    The Aga Khan Museum

    Aga Khan Museum

    Aga Khan Museum is a purpose-built Toronto museum devoted to art, ideas, and cultural histories connected with Muslim civilisations.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Toronto
  12. Saint Joseph's Oratory Saint Joseph's Oratory
    68 30 min

    Saint Joseph's Oratory

    Oratoire St-Joseph

    Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal is Canada's national shrine, a monumental Roman Catholic basilica perched on the northwestern slope of Mount Royal in Montreal.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Montreal
  13. Nathan Phillips Square Nathan Phillips Square
    69 45 min

    Nathan Phillips Square

    Nathan Phillips Square is Toronto's primary civic square, serving as the city's central public gathering space and a signature landmark. Located directly in front of Toronto City Hall, it functions as the symbolic heart of municipal governance and community celebration.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Toronto
  14. Plains of Abraham Plains of Abraham
    70 45 min

    Plains of Abraham

    Plaines d'Abraham

    Plains of Abraham is a historic battlefield landscape and major urban park beside central Québec City.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Quebec City
  15. John Street Roundhouse John Street Roundhouse
    71 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
  16. Mount Royal Park Mount Royal Park
    72 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
  17. Montreal Science Centre Montreal Science Centre
    73 1 hr 30 min

    Montreal Science Centre

    Centre des sciences de Montréal

    Montreal Science Centre is a hands-on science museum and IMAX venue on the Old Port waterfront. Its value lies in the specific collection, landscape, architecture, or public setting represented by that record.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  18. English Bay English Bay
    74 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
  19. Notre-Dame Basilica-Cathedral Notre-Dame Basilica-Cathedral
    75 30 min

    Notre-Dame Basilica-Cathedral

    Basilique cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Québec

    Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral is a Roman Catholic basilica-cathedral located in Old Québec within the fortified city walls.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Quebec City
  20. McCord Stewart Museum McCord Stewart Museum
    76 1 hr 30 min

    McCord Stewart Museum

    Musée McCord Stewart

    McCord Stewart Museum is a museum of Montreal history, photography, fashion, and material culture beside McGill University. Its value lies in the specific collection, landscape, architecture, or public setting represented by that record.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  21. Montreal Holocaust Museum Montreal Holocaust Museum
    77 1 hr 30 min

    Montreal Holocaust Museum

    Musée de l'Holocauste

    The Montreal Holocaust Museum is Canada's largest Holocaust education museum. Its local name is Musee de l'Holocauste Montreal. The institution focuses on preserving and sharing the history of the Holocaust through survivor testimony, historical artifacts, and educational exhibitions.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Montreal
  22. Old Port of Montreal Old Port of Montreal
    78 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
  23. Bloedel Conservatory Bloedel Conservatory
    79 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
  24. Bois-de-Coulonge Park Bois-de-Coulonge Park
    80 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
  25. Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site
    81 1 hr 30 min

    Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site

    Lieu historique national Cartier-Brébeuf

    Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site is a riverside historic place beside the Saint-Charles River in Québec City. It commemorates Jacques Cartier’s wintering at Stadacona in 1535–1536 and the later mission associated with Jean de Brébeuf and other missionaries.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Quebec City

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.