Originally Fort Victoria,
Victoria
was the first
European settlement on
Vancouver Island and is the oldest city on
Canada's west coast. Leading US travel magazine Condé
Nast Traveler did vote
Victoria one of the world's top-ten cities to visit, and world number one for ambience and environment.
Victoria has gone to town in serving up lashings of fake Victoriana and chintzy commercialism - tearooms, Union Jacks,
bagpipers, pubs and ersatz echoes of empire confront you at every turn. Much of the waterfront area has an undeniably
quaint and likeable
English
feel. The odd red phone box, good beer, and well-mannered drivers, Victoria has more British-born residents than
anywhere in Canada, its no wonder than that many often refers to it as most British city in Canada. These days though
the city prefer to celebrate its combined native, Asian, and
European heritage
This city, 71 km south of Vancouver and 2˝
hours away from Seattle by high-speed ferry, has since evolved into a walkable, livable seaside town of gardens,
waterfront walks, and restored 19th-century architecture. Some of its more known attraction includes Craigdarroch
Castle, Point Ellice House & Gardens, Craigflower Manor & Farmhouse and Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Though often damp, the weather here is extremely mild which bring out it's compactness, relaxed and pleasantly
sophisticated nature.
