Vancouver

Canada·North America

Currency

CAD

Language

English

Timezone

Vancouver

Continent

North America

Our guide

Discover Vancouver

Vancouver sits between ocean and mountains, and both are visible from almost anywhere — you can ski in the morning and walk a beach in the afternoon without hurrying. Stanley Park occupies an entire peninsula of rainforest at the edge of downtown, larger than Central Park, and holds the Vancouver Aquarium. Canada Place pushes its white sails into the harbour. The Vancouver Art Gallery occupies the old courthouse, and the Lions Gate Bridge links the city to the north shore. In Gastown, the Gastown Steam Clock has whistled every quarter hour since 1977.

When to go

June to September: the dry season, and it is magnificent. The rest of the year, rainy Vancouver earns its reputation — nearly as much water falls as on London, spread across a grey, mild autumn and winter. Snow is rare in the city and abundant on the mountains beside it, which is why you can ski thirty minutes from downtown. May and October are honest compromises.

Getting around

The SkyTrain, a driverless metro, links the airport, downtown and the suburbs; the SeaBus crosses the harbour in twelve minutes for the price of a ticket. Downtown walks well and Stanley Park is done by bike, the seawall circling it in nine kilometres. A Compass card covers the whole network.

Where to eat

Asian cooking leads our data by a wide margin, Japanese and Chinese at the top: Vancouver has one of the largest proportions of residents of Asian descent in North America and you can taste it. The sushi is good and cheap at a level that surprises visitors. Pacific salmon is the local product above all. Fourteen halal addresses are listed.

Good to know

The Canadian dollar is the currency, taxes are added to the displayed price and a tip of 15 to 18 % is expected. The rain is fine and persistent rather than violent: a hooded waterproof serves better than an umbrella. The mountains are reachable by public transport, but hiking kit is still required — the ground rises quickly.

Smart Planning