laid-back, cosmopolitan cities are complemented by remote, quirky outposts. Whether you’re a hardcore adrenaline junkie looking for a backcountry adventure, an explorer heading out on a big road trip, a city lover hunting for cutting-edge culture and fine cuisine or a combination of all the above, Canada ticks all the boxes.

Canada also has the world’s longest coastline at 202,080km (125,566 miles). The country’s highest mountain with a peak at 5,959m (19,550ft) is Mt Logan in the Yukon Territory.

The landscape is diverse, ranging from the Arctic tundra of the north to the great prairies of the central area. Westward are the Rocky Mountains, and in the southeast are the Great Lakes, the St Lawrence River and Niagara Falls. The country is divided into 10 provinces and three territories.

fluently bilingual people. Immigration has also changed the language picture considerably; while not official languages, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic and other languages are often heard on the streets of Canada’s largest cities.

Currency

Canadian Dollar (CAD; symbol C$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of C$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of C$2 and 1, and 25, 10, 5 cents. Although the 1c coin (or penny) remains legal tender, as of 2013 it is being phased out of circulation.

Electricity

110-120 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style flat two-pin and three-pin (grounded) plugs are standard.

General business opening hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

2018

New Year’s Day: 1 January 2018
Good Friday: 30 March 2018
Victoria Day: 21 May 2018*
Canada Day (Republic Day): 1 and 2 July 2018
Labor Day: 3 September 2018
Thanksgiving Day: 8 October 2018*
Remembrance Day: 11 and 12 November 2018*
Christmas Day: 25 December 2018

All information subject to change.

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. Register beforehand in front of the English Bay Bathhouse.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. Before the fireworks, SHOREfest hosts free concerts in English Bay and Sunset Beach.

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.

This highly acclaimed cinematic celebration is one of the biggest film festivals on the continent and 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.

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’. Bestselling authors Margaret Attwood, Martin Amis, JK Rowling, Salman Rushdie and John Irving are just a few of the impressive list of former guests.