a fort for the Hudson's Bay Company. Victoria’s city centre, with its stately Edwardian architecture, sur- rounds the Inner Harbour, home to visiting yachts, ferries and floatplanes. Street entertainers play along the causeway in the summer and flower baskets hang from the lampposts. The mountains of Washington State, across the Juan de Fuca Strait, form a backdrop and, come evening, the parliament buildings are lit with 3,560 tiny lights. Victoria embraces a relaxed West Coast lifestyle


Enjoy the relaxed West Coast style of Victoria L


ocated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital city of British Colum- bia, established in 1843 by James Douglas as


with a sophisticated urban edge; this city boasts old- world charm blended with new-world panache. As a destination, Victoria is perfect for so many reasons: the mildest year-round climate in Canada, a tanta- lizing fresh and local food scene, dazzling gardens, invigorating outdoor activities, intriguing history, ex- citing family attractions, world-class hospitality and the breathtaking natural beauty of the Pacific coast. Victoria is large enough to be genuinely cosmopoli- tan, yet small enough to explore easily on foot or bi- cycle.


Victoria's size is one of its best features. The pop- ulation of the city of Victoria is about 80,000 and Greater Victoria is approximately 345,000. Victoria's size makes access to outdoor adventure extremely easy; here you’ll find an active city with a population that loves the outdoors. The quality and variety of activities is one of the biggest reasons Victorians love their city. You can step outside your hotel door and within a few short steps be cycling, kayaking or whale watching right from Victoria's Inner Harbour, or be hiking through a rainforest within a 20-minute drive. Beyond the traffic, locals love to cycle; so much so that the city has been dubbed the “Cycling Capital of Canada”. According to the city of Victoria, cycling accounts for 10 per cent of commuter travel — more than in any other city in the country.


When it comes to attractions, Victoria has every-


thing from castles and hands-on education centres to kid-friendly activities. The city’s many museums focus on a variety of subjects: art, military, maritime, agri- culture, pioneer and natural history, as well as First Nations culture. Moreover, Victoria’s only natural and human history museum, the Royal B.C. Mu- seum, is also acclaimed for its outstanding touring exhibitions.


Victoria's sophistication is evident in the food and


wine scene that has burgeoned over the last decade. Victoria and southern Vancouver Island have devel- oped a reputation as "Canada's Provence" for their high quality, niche food products such as artisan cheeses, seaweed, water buffalo, pastured poultry, wild mushrooms, white asparagus, salad greens, bal- samic vinegar, cider, spirit distillery and fine wines. All are locally produced and harvested by a handful of farms and producers who together create a cast of culinary characters. The city, traditionally known for its Afternoon Tea,


is leading the way with a modern twist on the clas- sic cocktail culture. Add to this that Victoria's wine


Victoria is known as the cycling capital of Canada


region, the Wine Islands, is also the fastest growing wine region in Canada. Vancouver Island's bounty can be experienced in many of Victoria's restaurants, but a farm and winery tour through the Cowichan Valley or Saanich Peninsula provides a wonderful introduction to the gastronomic destinations on the Island.


Victoria is a city of beautiful contrasts, where the


Tips for travelling during hurricane season


f you choose to travel to a hurricane- prone destination during hurricane season, taking the following steps can help reduce your personal risk: • Check travel.gc.ca Travel Advice and Advisories for up-to-the-minute informa- tion on your destination. • Confirm your travel arrangements


I


before you leave home and make sure your travel insurance covers trip cancel- lation or interruption in the event of a hurricane. • Leave copies of your travel docu-


ments and detailed information on your itinerary, tour operation, flights, hotels, cruise ships, telephone numbers and email addresses with family or friends at home. • Stay informed by listening to the lat-


est warnings and advisories on local radio, television or websites. Hurricane centres will issue and update them when neces-


8 www.lifestyles55.net


sary. Follow the advice of local authori- ties and emergency response personnel. Maintain close contact with your family to keep them informed of your situation. • Know how to contact the Canadian government office nearest to your desti- nation. The Emergency Watch and Re- sponse Centre in Ottawa is also available 24/7 for emergency consular services and can be reached by email at sos@interna- tional.gc.ca. • Sign up for Registration of Cana- dians Abroad so that the government of Canada can contact you if necessary. Stay connected to Canada through the government’s Travel Advice and Adviso- ries, Travel Smart mobile web app, email updates and RSS feeds, and Twitter and Facebook channels.


Information is provided by travel.gc.ca and getprepared.gc.ca. Please visit either website for more detailed information.


Hurricane season runs from June to November. October 2017


Victoria is the gateway to the natural splendour of Van- couver Island.


elegance of history mingles with the flair of modern life. It is a place to relax and restore your sense of balance and also a place to indulge in thrilling adven- tures. Every day in Victoria offers wonderful new ex- periences.


Editorial provided by Destination British Columbia. For more information on great getaways in British Co- lumbia visit destinationbc.net


As dusk descends upon the Victoria harbourfront, the parliament buildings are lit up by thousands of lights. All photos courtesy of Destination B.C.


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