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Vancouver - a brief overview
It’s not difficult to fall for Vancouver. Famed among other things for its quality of life, its mountain-circled setting and its dining scene, it’s a city that regularly has travellers debating the viability of a permanent move. Those that do settle here have much to be smug about, from an endlessly evolving cultural
scene to a close-at-hand natural wonderland that suits everyone from hikers to sailors. It’s a genuinely cool city – and, come winter, genuinely cold – and with more bars, stores, cafés and arts venues that you can shake a stick at, it rewards lengthy exploration.
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Top 10 sights in Vancouver

Vancouver Aquarium
V6G 3E2 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/659 34 74
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Opening times:
Daily 1000-1700
Located in the heart of beautiful Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a leader in research and education of marine life and conservation efforts. The aquarium is a self-sustained, non-for-profit facility dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life.
Beaty Biodiversity Museum
V6T 1Z4 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/827 49 55
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Opening times:
Tues-Sun 1000-1700
evenry third Thursday 1000-2030
The university’s enjoyable biodiversity collection includes Canada’s largest blue whale skeleton and all manner of birds, insects, fish and fossils.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
V7R 4J1 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/985 74 74
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Opening times:
Various
A great way of getting a unique view of the region’s fabled landscapes, this park offers no less than seven suspended footbridges, granting views 30m (100ft) above the forest floor.
Jimi Hendrix Shrine
V6B 2V5 Vancouver
Kanada
Tel. +1-604/688 01 12
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Opening times:
Mo – Fr 12:00 – 18:00 Uhr (Jun – Sept)
Guitar legend Jimi Hendrix’s grandmother used to run a snack bar on Main Street in downtown Vancouver. Long after his death, fans would make the pilgrimage to the building, where a Hendrix exhibition had been installed. Now the building is making way for a modern apartment complex. Happily, the exhibition has already found a new temporary home. Once the new building is ready, the exhibition will return to its original spot – with the addition of a Hendrix statue some ten meters tall.
Vancouver Art Gallery
V6Z 2H7 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/662 47 19
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Opening times:
Wed-Mon 1000-1700
Tue 1000-2100
Holding excellent temporary exhibitions alongside a very strong permanent collection, the gallery was established back in 1931 and remains an artistic lynchpin for the city and wider region.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden
V6B 5K2 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/662 32 07
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Opening times:
Various
Intended as a means to strengthen the relationship between Chinese and Western cultures, this wonderfully serene traditional garden provides soothing respite from the pace of modern life outside its walls.
Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
V6C 2G3 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/682 34 55
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Opening times:
The gallery is now closed for renovation
Dedicated to promoting contemporary Indigenous Art of the Northwest Coast, the gallery is named after a famous carver and sculptor who lived locally.
UBC Botanical Garden
V6T 1Z4 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +01-604/822 42 08
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Opening times:
Various
Affiliated to the university, these deeply attractive gardens also feature the Greenheart Canopy Walkway, taking you well above the forest floor.
Telus World of Science
V6A 3Z7 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/443 75 00
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Opening times:
Mon-Fri 1000-1700
Sat-Sun 1000-1800
Giving an educational and entertaining look into the wonders of science, this high-tech visitor attraction will appeal to any budding young enthusiasts – and plenty of older ones too.
Grouse Mountain
V7R 4K9 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/980 93 11
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Overlooking the city from up on high, Grouse Mountain offers visitors a variety of activities year round, from skiing, sleigh rides and snowshoeing in winter to lumberjack shows, paragliding and hiking in summer.
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Country information
Country overview
Canada is a rich and diverse travel destination. Enjoy outdoor sports such as skiing, canoeing and sailing alongside museums and theater – this enormous country offers a wide range of activities for every taste and interest. The west of Canada is mainly famous for its breathtaking landscapes, while the east is a blend of European charm and North American bustle.
The north is the best place for observing wild animals. If solitude is what you seek, the wide-open spaces are the place for you. Most Canadians live in large cities like Vancouver in the west or Quebec, Montreal or Toronto in the east.
Geography
Canada covers the northern part of the North American continent, with the exception of Alaska in the northwest, which is a US state. Greenland is off the coast of Canada in the northeast; to the west is the Pacific Ocean, and to the east the Atlantic. In the south, the 48th parallel forms the border with the USA. After Russia, Canada is the largest country in the world by land mass, but it only has 37 million residents.
Most of the middle of the country consists of the breadbasket region of the Laurentian Plateau. The Rocky Mountains are to the west, and to the southeast are the Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence River and Niagara Falls.
General knowledge
Key facts
Population: 37.06 million (2018 estimate)
Capital: Ottawa
Language
English and French are the official languages.
Currency
1 Canadian dollar = 100 cents.
Currency abbreviation: C$, CAD (ISO code). Bank notes come in values of 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 C$, and coins have face values of 2 and 1 C$, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cent.
Electricity
110 V/120 V, 60 Hz. Two-pronged flat plugs. Adapters are required for European plugs.
Public holidays
National holidays between January 2020 and December 2021 are listed below.
Some provinces of Canada also observe additional holidays.
* not in all provinces
2020
New Year’s Day: 1 January 2020
Good Friday: 10 April 2020
Victoria Day: 18 May 2020*
Canada Day (Republic Day): 1 July 2020
Labor Day: 7 September 2020
Thanksgiving Day: 12 October 2020*
Remembrance Day: 11 November 2020*
Christmas Day: 25 December 2020
2021
New Year’s Day: 1 January 2021
Good Friday: 2 April 2021
Victoria Day: 24 May 2021*
Canada Day (Republic Day): 1 July 2021
Labor Day: 6 September 2021
Thanksgiving Day: 11 October 2021*
Remembrance Day: 11 November 2021*
Christmas Day: 25 December 2021
All information subject to change.
Flight and accommodation
Nightlife in Vancouver
From patio bars to brewpubs, blues venues to casinos, and techno clubs to wine lounges, Vancouver has all bases
covered. The most notable nightlife neighbourhoods include Yaletown, Gastown and Granville Street.
Brix and Mortar
V6B 5P6 Vancouver
Canada
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This stylish Yaletown bar is near-peerless in Vancouver for its cocktails.
Commodore Ballroom
V6Z 1K3 Vancouver
Canada
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One of the largest and best known of the city’s nightclubs, with regular guest DJs.
Yaletown Brewing Co
V6B 2T9 Vancouver
Canada
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The city’s original brewpub, it’s also been voted the best in Canada.
Fringe Café
V6K 2H3 Vancouver
Canada
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What this quirky, well-stocked bar lacks in size it more than makes up for in character. A gem.
The Blarney Stone
V6B 2J1 Vancouver
Canada
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Vancouver has a broad array of Irish pubs – this is one of the most popular.
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Restaurants in Vancouver
It’s been claimed – and often – that Vancouver has Canada’s best dining scene. And when you consider its oyster bars, dim
sum restaurants, charcuterie specialists and thousand-and-one other options, it’s no real surprise.
Five Sails Restaurant
V6C 3E1 Vancouver
Canada
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Price: Expensive
The views, service and food make this a truly classy option.
Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
V6B 5T4 Vancouver
Canada
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Price: Expensive
Vancouver loves its seafood, and you won’t find a better spot to enjoy it.
Salmon n’ Bannock Bistro
V6H 1G5 Vancouver
Canada
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Price: Moderate
Specialising in First Nations-inspired cuisine, it makes for a remarkable meal out.
Forage
V6E 1C5 Vancouver
Canada
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Price: Moderate
The contemporary cuisine has drawn the restaurant rave reviews since it opened in 2012.
Meat & Bread
V6B 2N3 Vancouver
Canada
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Price: Cheap
Nothing fancy about this place and its roast meat sandwiches, but its legions of fans tell their own story.
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Calendar of events
Polar Bear Swim
Since 1920, plucky members of the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club have taken to the icy waters of English Bay each year on New Year’s Day. The initial dip may have only attracted around 10 swimmers, but today’s event sees over 2,000 hardy souls plunge into the bracing sea, many wearing weird and wacky fancy-dress costumes.
Chinese New Year Parade
Chinatown’s kaleidoscopic celebration marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year and runs along Pender Street from the Millennium Gate, turning at Gore Street and looping back along Keefer Street. Colourful dance troupes, marching bands, lion dances and martial arts are all part of the festivities, drawing around 50,000 spectators. On the same weekend, a two-day cultural fair is held at Sun Yat-Sen Plaza on Pender Street.
Dine Out Vancouver Festival
Vancouver’s cosmopolitan population is matched by its diverse dining scene and this festival gives foodies a chance to try some of the city’s finest gastronomic delights. Over 230 restaurants offer three- (or more) course set-price menus. It’s also a chance to sample gourmet experiences not normally available at other times of the year such as culinary and cocktail tours, cooking classes, street markets, and BC beer and wine tastings.
Vancouver International Marathon
Vancouver’s city marathon follows a scenic route from Queen Elizabeth Park, through Pacific Spirit Park and the UBC campus, along the shore of Kitsilano, before crossing into Downtown through the West End, round the Stanley Park seawall and finishing off in Coal Harbour. There’s also a half marathon, 8km race and a kids’ fun run. The Health, Sports & Lifestyle Expo takes place over the same weekend.
Vancouver International Children's Festival
Crammed with music, theatre, dance, storytelling, puppetry, circus arts and much more, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival embodies the buoyant spirit and endless curiosity of children all over the world. First held in 1978 for the young people of Vancouver and the surrounding area, the festival has since grown in popularity. It offers a packed programme of acclaimed Canadian and international professional performers as well as numerous hands-on arts activities ranging from painting and pottery classes to circus training and stilt walking. Each year the festival welcomes more than 50,000 children, parents and educators to Vancouver’s waterfront Vanier Park, providing them with a valuable cultural and educational experience.
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
In tented pavilions at an evocative waterfront venue, Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival is a season of four professionally produced Shakespeare plays performed against a spectacular backdrop of mountains, sea and sky. Throughout the summer, two different plays are presented at each of the Mainstage and the Studio Stage. This is one of Canada’s largest professional Shakespeare Festivals and offers a unique theatre experience.
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
A dynamic programme of over 300 concerts treats audiences to a thrilling mix of jazz genres in this big hitter on Vancouver’s summer calendar. Organised by the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, the festival draws up to 500,000 concert-goers. Festivities kick off with the Downtown Jazz Opening Weekend, showcase both international and local artists, and wrap up with a weekend of free performances in David Lam Park.
Canada Day Celebrations
Fiercely proud Canadians take to the streets for the annual Canada Day festivities, dressing in red and white and painting their faces with maple leaves to celebrate the country’s birthday. Vancouver’s main celebrations include a parade, kids’ activities, a citizenship ceremony, and live music performances throughout the day. The culmination of the day’s events is a dazzling fireworks display in Burrard Inlet.
Celebration of Light
Vancouver’s biggest event sees three countries compete over three evenings in the world’s largest offshore fireworks competition. Up to 400,000 spectators pack the shores of English Bay each night along with over 1,000 boats on the water to watch a glittering display of pyrotechnics.
Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival
Attracting a massive 650,000 spectators, Vancouver Pride is a world-renowned celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Beginning at Robson and Thurlow Streets, diverse and dazzling floats travel through the heart of Vancouver’s gay neighbourhood along Denman Street, Pacific Street and Beach Avenue. The parade finishes off with a raucous festival at Sunset Beach featuring live music and a local market.
Vancouver International Film Festival
This highly acclaimed cinematic celebration showcases the best of world cinema. Fans are treated to hundreds of movies from around 80 countries in a carefully planned programme which usually includes multiple Canadian and world premieres. There’s a particular focus on Canadian film as well as the largest selection of East Asian films outside the region.
Vancouver International Fringe Festival
A late-summer favourite, this diverse festival features over 800 theatrical performances by around 100 artists. Most of BC’s largest theatre festival takes place on Granville Island, but a few performers produce BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue) events at various locations throughout the city, which in the past have included a boat, a tree, a fire escape and the back of a bicycle. Shows are chosen by lottery, ensuring a truly eclectic mix of theatre.
Vancouver Writers Fest
A celebration of story, this literary festival brings together authors, poets, graphic novelists and spoken word performers from across the globe in a lively programme of panel discussions, readings and interviews. The aim is to ‘ignite a passion for books and ideas’.
All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.
Flight and accommodation
Hotels in Vancouver
Whether you’re after romance, retro, good value or a business-friendly gleam, Vancouver has the accommodation to suit all
tastes and budgets. And if you find yourself with a mountain view, so much the better.
Rosewood Hotel Georgia
V6C 1P7 Vancouver
Canada
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Category: Luxurious
There’s classic luxury on offer at this legendary Vancouver property.
L'Hermitage Hotel
V6B 3A4 Vancouver
Canada
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Category: Luxurious
This exclusive hostelry pleases even the most discerning of guests: Centrally located near the Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station and equipped with every modern convenience and luxury, the hotel also boasts an outdoor heated salt-water lap pool.
Granville Island Hotel
V6H 3R9 Vancouver
Canada
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Category: Moderate
Situated on Granville Island, this is ideal for a different take on Vancouver living.
The Burrard
V6Z 1Y7 Vancouver
Canada
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Category: Moderate
This hip, one-time motor inn has been reinvented as somewhere to be seen.
Bay View House
Point Grey
V6R 2H2 Vancouver
Canada
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Category: Moderate
This tiny boutique hotel close to Jericho Beach Park in Point Grey is wonderfully peaceful but at the same time conveniently located between the city center and the airport.
Flight and accommodation
Outdoor adventures in Vancouver
Wild woods, steep slopes, rough waters: Vancouver, the metropolis on the west coast of Canada, has all of these right on its doorstep. No wonder locals and tourists alike want one thing above all else: to get out into the great outdoors!
Grouse Mountain: steep slopes on Vancouver’s home peak
North Vancouver, BC V7R 4K9
Canada
Tel. +1/604-980 93 11
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Admire a glorious, snow-covered mountain panorama as you stroll barefoot along the warm sands of the Pacific shore – in Vancouver, you can do just that! The mountains at the city’s back rise well over a thousand meters above sea level. Mount Fromme boasts spectacular bike descents, while neighboring Grouse Mountain is legendary for its truly sweat-inducing climb. The steep path to the summit covers a little less than three kilometers, but along the way, there is a difference in altitude of 900 meters to be overcome. The record time for the climb is 25 minutes, but it takes most hikers one and a half to two hours to reach the top. In winter the Grouse Grind trail is closed, but then the ski and snowboard runs (some of them extremely challenging) of Vancouver’s best-known mountain are open to winter sports fans. Another very popular activity is exploring Grouse Mountain on snowshoes along its marked snowshoe trails.
Wilderness with skyscrapers: Stanley Park
Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1/604-873 70 00 (Vancouver city hotline)
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Directly bordering high-rise downtown Vancouver, it is larger than New York’s Central Park and – unlike most urban green areas – a genuine wilderness: Vancouver’s Stanley Park with its gnarled, centuries-old maple trees. Eagles circle above their crowns, while the occasional raccoon and coyote rustles through the undergrowth. Located on a peninsula extending out into the Pacific, the park is encircled by the Seawall, a coastal promenade popular with joggers and inline skaters. Beach volleyball is played on several public bathing beaches, and there are public tennis courts and a pitch-and-putt golf course on the park’s perimeter.
Shopping at Canada’s biggest outdoor store
Vancouver, V5Y 1P3
Canada
Tel. +1/604-872 78 58
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Unspoiled forests, rugged mountains, rough waters: Vancouver really isn’t short of challenging destinations for adventure lovers. But even for day trips, having the proper equipment is important: Set off without and you could soon find yourself regretting it! In Vancouver, the place to stock up on all the gear for shorter and longer expeditions into the wilds is giant outdoor store MEC. Sleeping bag, snowshoes, thermals, kayak or mountain bike – MEC has everything it takes to put a gleam in an eager adventurer’s eye. In the unlikely event that you don’t find what you need here, simply take a few steps around the corner to MEC’s neighboring outdoor specialists, which include a shop specializing in the iconic Swedish brand Fjällräven.
Treetop trails: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
V7R 4J1 Vancouver
Canada
Tel. +1-604/985 74 74
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A narrow suspension bridge spans the steep gorge where, 70 meters below, you can hear the rush of the Capilano River. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of Vancouver’s best-known outdoor attractions. The same applies to the neighboring Cliffwalk, a semicircular series of walkways, bridges and platforms protruding from a granite rock face and on a level with the treetops. Thanks to an entire network of other platforms and bridges, you can enjoy a squirrel’s perspective of the forest. Next door, an exhibition of totem poles gives visitors an insight into the time when only the Canadian First Nations inhabited the area – the tradition of these gigantic sculptures is said to have originated in this region.
Paths across the water: kayak tours
Various locations, including Granville Island in the center of town and a little further out on Jericho Beach
Canada
Tel. +1/604-689 75 75
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Many parts of Vancouver are located right on the coast and have long beaches and coastal promenades so conditions could not be better for exploring the area by kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard. Fantastic beaches, hidden coves and offshore islands all provided by a number of operators all year round. If you only want to venture out onto the water for an hour or two, then False Creek is the ideal place to paddle the waves against the high-rise downtown backdrop. An affordable alternative for visitors who prefer a sea trip that requires no personal exertion is the roughly ten-minute ride on the Seabus ferry, which shuttles back and forth across the fjord between downtown and north Vancouver from 6 am daily.
Whistler: Excursion to the winter sports Mecca
Canada
Tel. +1/800-944 78 53 (Tourism Whistler)
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Out of the way there! The bobsleighs racing down the Olympic track in Whistler reach speeds of up to 125 kilometers per hour. Here, bob beginners can even snag a ride down the ice channel with experienced pilots. For winter sports fans wishing to try out as biathletes, it’s worth making the 90-minute drive to Whistler, where beginner courses are available. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, the famous resort was the venue for several disciplines, and both professional and hobby athletes love its breathtaking ski and snowboard. In summer, Whistler beckons with mountain biking, rafting and zip lining, as well as relaxation on hiking trails and the golf course.
Flight and accommodation
First Nations avant-garde at the Equinox Gallery
West Coast art has long consisted of far more than traditional carvings, as demonstrated by the interdisciplinary – some vibrantly colored – works of Sonny Assu (born 1975), a member of the Weka’yi First Nation. The acclaimed Equinox Gallery in the east of the city represents First Nations and other Canadian artists.
Open
Tuesday – Saturday: 10 a. m. – 5 p. m.
Vancouver, BC V5T 1E1
Canada
Tel. +1-604/736 24 05
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Best time to visit
Today: Friday, 15.01.2021 03:00 UTC

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Climate & best time to visit Canada
If you’re planning on skiing or enjoying winter sports, the best time to visit Canada is between December and April, though some resorts open as early as November and extend their seasons as late as June (or even July on Whistler’s glacier). If you want to enjoy the great outdoors without the snow, travel between May and September. Be aware however, that if there’s been heavy snowfall during the winter, some high-altitude hiking trails may be closed well into July. May, June and September are typically cheaper than July and August, but you’ll get the best of the weather in the latter two months.
Summer thunderstorms are common throughout Canada. Occasionally, these may become severe. Tornados also occur throughout Canada, with May to September being prime months. The peak season is June and early July in southern Ontario, Alberta, southeastern Quebec, and a band stretching from southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, through to Thunder Bay. The interior of British Columbia and western New Brunswick are also tornado zones. Earth tremors occur in the western mountains. Forest fires can occur at any time, regardless of the season, particularly in the grasslands and forests of western Canada.
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absolute max | absolute min | Ø absolute max | Ø absolute min | relative humidity | Ø precipitation | days with deposit > 1mm | sunshine duration | |
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Jan | 15 °C | -16 °C | 5 °C | 0 °C | 86 % | 210 mm | 15 | 1.6 h |
Feb | 16 °C | -13 °C | 7 °C | 1 °C | 82 % | 167 mm | 14 | 2.9 h |
Mar | 20 °C | -9 °C | 10 °C | 2 °C | 76 % | 141 mm | 14 | 4.1 h |
Apr | 26 °C | -2 °C | 14 °C | 5 °C | 73 % | 95 mm | 11 | 5.6 h |
May | 28 °C | 0 °C | 18 °C | 8 °C | 73 % | 67 mm | 9 | 7.3 h |
Jun | 33 °C | 1 °C | 21 °C | 11 °C | 74 % | 58 mm | 7 | 7.4 h |
Jul | 32 °C | 4 °C | 23 °C | 12 °C | 74 % | 41 mm | 5 | 9.1 h |
Aug | 33 °C | 3 °C | 23 °C | 12 °C | 77 % | 50 mm | 5 | 8.2 h |
Sep | 30 °C | -1 °C | 19 °C | 10 °C | 83 % | 87 mm | 8 | 5.9 h |
Oct | 25 °C | -6 °C | 14 °C | 7 °C | 89 % | 184 mm | 12 | 3.6 h |
Nov | 23 °C | -12 °C | 9 °C | 3 °C | 90 % | 203 mm | 17 | 1.8 h |
Dec | 15 °C | -13 °C | 6 °C | 1 °C | 92 % | 236 mm | 17 | 1.2 h |
year | 33 °C | -16 °C | 14 °C | 6 °C | 81 % | 1537 mm | 134 | 4.9 h |
Flight and accommodation
Phone calls & Internet
Country code: +1
Telephone
Public telephones are now rare, but a few of them still exist. They are operated with coins, phone cards or credit cards.
Mobile phone
CDMA and GSM (800, 850, and 1900 MHz). Not all European mobile phones will work in Canadian networks. Mobile phone coverage can be spotty outside of densely populated areas. The Canadian mobile phone network is organized regionally. Providers include Bell Canada (bell.ca), Telus (telus.com), and Rogers (rogers.com). Renting mobile phones locally, or doing so online in advance of your trip, is cheap and easy.
Internet
There are internet cafés in larger cities, but their numbers are dwindling as more and more cafés and restaurants are offering their guests free Wi-Fi access. Wi-Fi is often available at popular tourist attractions. A map of free Wi-Fi hot spots is available for Montreal from Zap (zapwifipublic.ca).
Flight and accommodation
Shopping in Vancouver
Key Areas
Lots to choose from here, from the vintage clothes racks and vinyl stores of Commercial Drive to the high-end boutiques and jewellery stores of Robson Street. The gay-friendly area known as Davie Village is another area with great shops, while Kitsilano has a relaxed, alternative feel.
Markets
When summer comes around, Vancouver fills with farmers’ markets, the best of them including the Sunday market in Kitsilano, where you’ll find everything from Fraser Valley honey to local crafts, and the Wednesday market at Main Street Station, where local produce vendors make it a great option for foodies.
Shopping Centres
Malls are a common sight in Vancouver. The Pacific Centre (cfshops-com/pacific-centre) has fashion stores by the dozen, so it’s a strong option if you’re after high-end goods, while on the north shore, the Park Royal Shopping Centre (shopparkroyal.com)is another that caters well to shoppers in search of variety and designer labels.
Flight and accommodation
My Vancouver
At the end of a long day in the city, I like to meet up with other seafood fans for dinner at the Sandbar (vancouverdine.com/sandbar) on Granville Island. It only takes two minutes to cross to the island on the tiny “nutshells” that are False Creek Ferries’ boats (granvilleislandferries.bc.ca) and find yourself right in front of the cozy restaurant. Simply pick your favorite from the daily updated fish and oyster menu and then relax and enjoy your dinner and the fantastic view of the Vancouver skyline and the mountains in the background.

Florian Schwebel, First Class flight attendant
Flight and accommodation
Traveller etiquette
Conduct: Dos and don’ts
Canadians shake hands to greet each other. In the French-speaking areas of the country, they sometimes greet each other with a light kiss on each cheek (bises). Typical rules of politeness apply when visiting someone’s home. Formal clothing is expected in elegant clubs, restaurants and at the theater.
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in public buildings and restaurants. Some places may have designated smoking areas.
Tipping
Service generally is not included in hotel and restaurant bills. A customary tip is 10 to 15 percent of the total bill (before GST/VAT). Taxi drivers also expect about 15 percent. Baggage porters should be tipped 1 C$ per piece of luggage, and hotel staff generally expect a tip of 1-2 C$ per day of your stay when you depart.
Flight and accommodation
Health
Main emergency number: 911
Food & Drink
Tap water is safe to drink and food safety standards are high. If camping in the backcountry, you should be aware of the risks of giardia, where water in streams or lakes has been contaminated by animal waste. This can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and headaches. Ensure you boil, filter or purify water first; purification tablets are easy to buy in any outdoor equipment store. You should also be aware of the dangers of eating shellfish directly from the sea, which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, resulting in illness or death. Check locally before you travel.
Other Risks
Summer can bring extremely high temperatures, so you should guard against the problems of heat and sunstroke. Wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn, particularly on days when the widely publicised UV rating is high. (Remember that sunburn can be a risk in winter too, especially if you’re skiing, when the high altitude and reflection from the snow can be a potent combination.) In winter, on the other hand, temperatures can be bitterly cold and frostbite is a real risk; ensure you wear multiple layers and a hat, and cover your face when outdoors.
Rabies is present in animals. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay.
If walking in tick-infested woodland and brush areas, you should be aware of the risk of Lyme disease. Ensure you cover bare skin (tucking in all clothes), use insect repellent containing DEET and remove any attached ticks using tweezers. The disease is transmitted from the bites of the western blacklegged tick in British Columbia and the blacklegged or deer tick in other parts of Canada. Since 2010, there has been an increased risk in southern Quebec due to newly discovered populations of ticks carrying the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. The first symptom is usually a circular rash, accompanied by fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain and swollen lymph nodes. You should seek treatment as soon as possible as symptoms can worsen if left untreated.
Contractual physician of Lufthansa
Dr. Karon, Stanley Frank505-1160 Burrard Street
Vancouver B.C. V6Z 2E8
Canada
Tel. +1-778-383/848
Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it bear the cost of any treatment.
Flight and accommodation
Visa & Immigration
IATA Travel Centre
The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.