Victoria is British Columbia's capital city located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, across the Johnstone Strait from mainland Canada. It has the mildest climate in Canada with gardens that bloom all year. From here you can explore wild beauty of the Pacific coast and take adventures in the great outdoors. It is one of the best locations in the world for taking a whale watching cruise and a visit to the beautiful Butchart Gardens is a must.
Welcome to Victoria
This is a city where the charm of the old-world and British influences meet with new-world experiences. With natural beauty on the Pacific Coast, old growth forests, floral gardens, magnificent mountains, sweeping views and the mildest climate in Canada, this is a year round destination. Established as Fort Victoria in 1843 by the Hudson's Bay Fur Trading Company it was incorporated as a city in 1862.
Gardens
Victoria is Canada's Garden City attracting garden enthusiasts from around the world who come to see the beautiful public and private gardens on display year round. The most famous is the spectacular Butchart Gardens which is a must for all visitors to the city.
Food & Drink
Victoria has the 2nd highest number of restaurants per capita in North America making it a culinary paradise. Many chefs use the freshest local ingredients from Vancouver Island when preparing their menus. The area is home to wineries, cideries, distilleries, brew-pubs and microbreweries and produces award winning wines, handcrafted ales, organic meats, edible flowers and herbs, fresh seafood and gourmet delicacies.
Outdoor Activities
Ocean coastline, old growth forests and abundant marine life combine with exciting outdoor activities making Victoria and Vancouver Island an ideal destination for the adventurous. The mild climate means there are plenty of activities to do year round including whale and wildlife watching, boat tours, walking tours, kayaking, cycling, mountain biking, ziplining, golfing, fishing, sailing, diving, surfing and much more.
Heritage Arts & Culture
There are many museums and art galleries in and around Victoria. Learn about the history of British Columbia and the ancient cultures of the First Nations at the Royal BC Museum. Discover the city's maritime heritage at the Maritime Museum of BC and see over 15,000 objects d'art at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. The city has an impressive heritage with Canada's oldest Chinatown, narrowest street and the oldest licensed brewpub in the country.
Victoria is a shopping paradise. Spend time browsing its quaint shops, local markets and shopping centres. This is a walking city, so you can enjoy your shopping at a leisurely strolling pace. Here are some of the best areas to visit for shopping;
Government Street - One of downtown Victoria's most famous shopping districts, Government Street showcases Victoria's British heritage in its shop windows. The 19th century shops are perfect for sampling gourmet chocolates, grabbing a coffee and browsing native art, fashion, jewellery, Christmas shops & souvenir outlets along the bustling pavements.
Trounce Alley & Bastion Square - Trounce Alley is one of Victoria's best kept secrets. Just 4 blocks from the Inner Harbour it is home to many boutique fashion and gift shops. Across the street is Bastion Square, once the site of Victoria's Court House and the scene of several hangings. Now it is animated with many shops and restaurants. Visit in summer to take in the Bastion Square Festival of the Arts, a bustling market of local arts and crafts..
LoJo - Lower Johnson Street or "LoJo" for short is located between Wharf Street and Douglas Street in the heart of Victoria's Old Town. It is characterized by colourful heritage buildings housing fashion shops and restaurants.
Chinatown - Victoria's small Chinatown is small but is also the oldest in Canada. Once home to opium dens and gambling halls, it now has a mix of stores, condos, Asian markets and diners. Take a stroll down Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in Canada. The Victoria Design District incorporates Chinatown and boasts numerous furniture and decor stores.
Fort Street - Here you will find a mix of fashion stores, speciality boutiques, book stores, home decor and accessory shops along with antique and collectible stores. There are also a range of cafes and restaurants along both side of this main thoroughfare leading out of the downtown area.
Oak Bay Village - In the heart of Victoria's most British-looking neighbourhood with Tudor style buildings, hanging baskets and quaint charm you will find tearooms and pubs mingling with boutiques, art galleries and gift shops along the Village high street.
Shopping Centres - There are a number of shopping centres around Victoria. The Bay Centre Downtown, Mayfair Shopping Centre and Hillside Shopping Centre offer shops services and dining all under one roof. Recently added to this is Uptown with a mix of large retailers, smaller boutiques and restaurants in a modern outdoor mall setting.
Victoria enjoys a mild climate all year round. Greater Victoria is one of Canada's driest areas, with an average snowfall of only 25 centimetres (9.75 inches) and an average rainfall of 592 millimetres (23 inches), less than recorded precipitation in Vancouver, B.C. or Seattle, Washington. Summers are pleasantly warm, but never too hot and the winters are mild.
Victoria Average Daily High Temperature
(Degrees Celcius)
January: 7
February: 8
March: 10
April: 13
May: 16
June: 19
July: 22
August: 22
September: 19
October: 14
November: 9
December: 7
