Quezi

Butchart Gardens - courtesy Bitman - CC-BY

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia.

Founded in 1843 as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post and known briefly as “Fort Albert”, the settlement was later renamed Fort Victoria, in honour of Queen Victoria.

Walking is an easy way to explore the entire downtown area. Victoria is also the most bike friendly city in Canada. Victoria has many little shops tucked away in every nook and cranny in the city center. Although people mostly think Victoria is a ‘tourist only’ destination and the shops filled with souvenirs, there are other quality independent stores. And for dining, I will just say, Victoria has the second highest density of restaurants per capita of all North American cities. While it has its share of fast food and other international chains, it also has many excellent eateries featuring local and international cuisine including “West Coast Fusion.” Since Victoria’s downtown is small, most of the nightlife is located within walking distance.

Victoria has added whalewatching to its traditional London style double-decker bus tours. Victoria is the only city in the world where you can zoom out on a boat in the morning to see a pod of killer whales and make it back in time for Victoria’s famous afternoon tea. Yes, a Victorian afternoon tea is expensive and incredibly touristy, but also a highly complicated and ritualized art form that goes on for an hour or more. And a must see is the Butchart Gardens. Gorgeous during the day and illuminated on summer evenings, it takes on a whole new dimension when the fireworks begin. Saturday nights in the summertime, you get both.

Nicknamed the Garden City for Butchart Gardens and a lot of other greenspace. It also has the world’s most northern Mediterranean climate at a latitude of 48.5 North. In the winter, the average daily high and low temperatures are 8.2 C (47 F) and 3.6 C (38 F). The summer months are also mild, with an average high temperature of 19.6 C (67 F) and low of 11.3 C (52 F).

Victoria is served by Victoria International Airport.  Public transportation is bus (including double-decker buses) and taxi.

Victoria population is 83,250 (2009).

1 is the international calling code for Canada
250 is the Victoria area code

For more information about Victoria