Victoria is known as the City of Gardens. If offers the best of all worlds - it has a lovely temperate climate, it is quiet and safe, and it has many accessible beaches, parks, golf courses and hiking areas - and great restaurants, attractions, theatre and arts. You will find a lot of information on activities in the suite including tourist brochures, restaurant guides, art magazines and more. The House Book available in the suite offers additional information, as well as a section where guests may comment about good restaurants they have found and things they have enjoyed doing.

Greater Victoria British Columbia includes the City of Victoria and 12 other municipalities and 3 electoral areas. In total there are 16 local governments serving Victoria British Columbia's population of 326,000. The 16 governments cooperate through the Capital Regional District (regional government). The region covers the southern tip of Vancouver Island, including the Gulf Islands. Most of the population is located on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island.

Greater Victoria British Columbia is bounded on the west by the Sooke Hills, much of which is wilderness preserve. Minutes from downtown Victoria you can find yourself in pristine wilderness. The Sooke Hills protect Victoria by deflecting much of the weather as it comes in from the Pacific Ocean. Much of the inclement weather travels up the Olympic Mountains on the other side of Juan de Fuca Straight giving Victoria a mild climate year-round. This unique geography that gives Victoria a special Canadian climate, also provides it with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Click here for more weather info.

When you view Victoria for the first time you will notice as you look over the City that it is very green. The Municipal gardeners seem to compete with each other and many of the residents contribute with many extraordinary efforts. Flowers abound throughout most of the year and the downtown is covered with beautiful hanging baskets during the spring and summer seasons. Go to top

The metropolitan area has a special seaside charm. So far Victoria has a limited number of high rise buildings and those that exist really are not very tall. There are many quaint buildings and hundreds of heritage buildings that have been restored. The downtown area has an "Old Towne" which is full of heritage buildings, many of which are dripping with flowers. There are numerous alleys, nooks and crannies filled with stores and restaurants. The streets bend and wind and fairly often change names as they pass from one municipality to another. Many of the streets are narrow. There is an English "air" about the City but it also has a distinct West Coast flavor.

The shoreline changes quickly as you explore it from the high cliffs along Dallas Road to the sandy beaches in Oak Bay. Blue Heron Beach House is situated on one of the closest beaches to downtown. Saanich Peninsula is a narrow finger of land north of Victoria bounded by Haro Straight on the East and the enormous fjord, Saanich Inlet on the West. The Inlet is protected by high hills on both sides and it is over 600 feet deep. To the North and West are the fabulous Gulf Islands. These Islands are home to some of the finest boating moorage and marine parks in the world, truly a sailor's delight. Standing atop one of the many accessible lookouts a lush green city spreads out at your feet. As you look westward you will see the fortress of wilderness area that protects the city and provides some of the best hiking and parks anywhere.

The islands, forests and wilderness areas provide for some of the best birding in Canada. Many species have migration routes passing through this area. The nutrient rich waters around Victoria provide some of the best diving in the World. Outdoor enthusiasts find Victoria a Mecca for ecological tours, whale watching, sea kayaking, wind surfing, cycling, hiking and mountain biking. Victoria has a Regional Park dedicated to mountain biking. Many of the Canadian Teams are centered in Victoria (rowing, sailing, mountain biking, cycling) because of the great year round weather and available practice facilities. For sure, it is difficult to describe Victoria in words or pictures - it is a very special place. Victoria is one of the best places in the world to visit and live. Conde Naste readers voted it number 1 in the world for environmental ambiance.

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