Canada Travel Planner

A lesser country might have made much more of its inevitable border rivalry with popular-culture juggernaut - the USA, but not Canada. This sprawling, naturally-blessed and culturally bewitching nation has so much to offer that it has simply stopped counting the ways. Confident that its sights, delights and characteristic friendliness speak for themselves, Canada doesn't so much sell itself as to keep doing what it does best.

A melting pot of cultures and a vast expanse of natural wonders, Canada surprises virtually every first-time visitor. But with so much to offer, why doesn't this nation sing its own praises much louder? The answer must surely lie in the country's invaluable sense of safety and security. Friendly, accessible and refreshingly uncrowded, Canada wears its heart on the inside, confident that those who come here will almost certainly return ...

Culture & history

Diversity is the key to the richness of Canada's cultural offerings. Being a nation of immigrants with well-entrenched policies of multiculturalism, the nation's urban centres are fascinating melting pots of ethnic neighbourhoods, exotic restaurants, colourful shopping variety and an eclectic arts scene. The influence of Canadian natives is particularly strong and positive, thanks largely to a relatively peaceful assimilation process over the years.

Canada's larger museums and cultural centres are good starting points for getting a handle on the complexity of the nation's cultural tapestry, after which your best education is to simply immerse yourself in the vibe and variety of each city and town on your itinerary.

Of the myriad of cultures represented in this large nation (the last census recorded more than 200 ethnic origins), one of the most interesting and dominant is the French. While mostly centralised in the French-speaking quarter of Quebec, it has also spread to Ontario, the Maritime provinces and beyond. Officially a bilingual country, Canada is a great place to brush up on your French and experience exquisite French cuisine for a fraction of the price you'd pay in Europe. Bon appetit!

Family fun

Families looking for stress-free fun all year round can stop looking. Canada's refreshingly relaxed pace of life and its love of both the great outdoors and indoors ensure there are several holidays' worth of activity in every visit. From hiking, biking, horse riding, camping and kayaking through to all the winter thrills of skiing, snow boarding and tobogganing-this nation likes to 'do' rather than just 'watch'.

Canada loves its big festivals and events too, staging them throughout the year to ensure there's always something to catch every seasonal tourist. In winter, the Quebec Winter Carnival is a huge two-week festival jam-packed with concerts, night parades, football games, snow sculptures, ice skating displays, slide runs and, especially for the littlies, the chance to finally discover what 'dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh' is all about.

At the other end of the spectrum, every July brings families the chance to experience the famous Calgary Stampede. A rowdy celebration of the Canadian West, the Stampede has something for everyone, with rodeo action, ranch tours, innovative agricultural displays, live entertainment, terrific shopping, daily pancake breakfasts and even an urban beach!

Natural wonders

Few countries boast a list of natural wonders as long and diverse as Canada. For mountain scenery unparalleled around the world, the Heritage-listed Canadian Rockies are a collection of seven parks, four national and three provincial, that together cover the full dictionary of mountainous superlatives: jagged peaks, dramatic gorges, conifer-clad slopes, mineral-rich glacial streams and gleaming turquoise lakes.

Any tour of the Rockies will almost certainly take in beautiful Banff, Canada's first national park and the world's third, covering more than 6000km of valleys, forests, meadows, lakes and glaciers.

Get in the know

In Vancouver and looking for something to do? Read ahead for a good night out... The Georgia Straight This is the city's news and entertainment weekly paper, offering an up-to-date calendar of events and the most happening scenes, whether it be live theatre, concerts, dance, films, restaurants or children's activities. Published every Thursday, The Straight also offers restaurant and show coupons as well as political and cultural features.