Open left menu vancouver. Vancouver is a prosperous Canadian city. Where is Vancouver located in which country?

The exceptional convenience of Vancouver's location cannot be overstated. The city stretches along the shores of the huge English Bay on one side, and on the other it adjoins Burrard Bay, which was explored by George Vancouver on a sloop in 1792. The harbor and Stanley Park headland separate the city center from residential areas to the west and north. To see it all, use two observation points.

Cross Burrard Inlet on the Lions Gate Bridge (Lion Gate) and head up Capilano Road to the Skyride, a cable car that takes you to the top of Grouse Mountain (Grouse Mountain). It offers superb views of the city and harbour. The mountain's northwest slope, favored by skiers, faces Capilano Lake and Vancouver Island in the background. On the way back, take a detour to cross a wobbly suspension bridge 70m above the torrent at the bottom of Capilano Canyon. (Capilano Canyon).

Back in the city center, head to the panoramic terrace at the top of the 50-story Harbor Center observation tower (Vancouver Lookout Harbor Centre, 555 West Hastings Street). The panorama of the city against the backdrop of the mountains is breathtaking. On clear days, you can use a telescope to see Mount Baker in the US state of Washington.

For tourism information about the province, contact the Vancouver Visitor Center (200 Burrard Street). There is also a tourist information center at Vancouver International Airport, and in general there are more than a hundred of them in the province.

City center

Georgia Street and Robson Street are the two main arteries that run across the West End peninsula to Stanley Park. Georgia Street runs through the park to the Lions Gate Bridge. To avoid traffic jams, leave your car in the parking lot and explore the city center on foot. Start your walk through downtown Vancouver from Robson Square, where the courthouse stands (Courthouse), one of the masterpieces of modern North American architecture created by Arthur Erickson. Typical of the Vancouver architect's style, the building has only seven floors, but it occupies a central position in the square despite the skyscrapers towering above it. It does not have the marble columns and porticoes that traditionally adorn courthouses. Instead, it is divided into tiers of glass-enclosed galleries, offices, courtrooms, shops and restaurants. The water from the pool cascades spectacularly, surrounded by flowering rose bushes, orange trees, Japanese maples and a miniature pine forest. A complex system of stairs and ramps, popular with roller-skating enthusiasts, connects the shopping centers and attracts large crowds during city festivals.

Robson Square is also home to the Vancouver Art Gallery. (Vancouver Art Gallery; open: daily 10.00-17.30, Tue and Thu until 21.00). It occupies the old courthouse, a neoclassical temple restored by Erickson. Among the works of Canadian artists presented in it are works by Emily Carr (1871-1945) . Known to her Kwakiutl Indian friends as "Klee Wyck" ("She Who Laughs"), this eccentric woman lived in Victoria, where she ran a boarding house and pushed her pet monkey in a pram. Living among the Indians and working with the French Post-Impressionists shaped her unique artistic style: expressive landscapes and drawings of totems, painted in broad strokes, with swirls of bright colors. Pay attention to the dramatic paintings “The Big Raven” (1931) and "Totem Forest" (1930) .

The stretch of Robson Street between Bute and Burrard Streets is filled with Vietnamese, Japanese, Scandinavian, Italian and French restaurants.

East of Robson Square is the Grenville Mall pedestrian shopping area (Granville Mall) will take you to the Harbor Center and the waterfront. At the foot of Grenville Street, take a cheap cruise on the SeaBus ferry across Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver (12 minutes each way). In addition to the panorama of the city and the harbor, you can take a close look at the architectural complex of Canada Place (Canada Place), similar to an ocean liner entering the bay; its white “sails” remind of the history of the port (laid down in the 19th century). The complex was originally the national pavilion at EXPO 86, and now houses a conference center and several modern hotels.

Chinatown's Pender Street is home to Canada's largest Chinese community, mostly descendants of immigrants who worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Visit here for fruit and vegetable markets, fish stalls, spice and medicine shops, and boutiques selling silk and satin clothing, as well as bamboo and lacquerware from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. The windows of countless restaurants display mouth-watering dishes of roasted pork and poultry, always attracting tourists.

Center A (Centre A; 2 West Hastings Street; open: Tue-Sat 11.00-18.00) gives visitors the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Asian culture: there is an exhibition of contemporary paintings, costumes and photographs from China, Japan, India, Korea and Indonesia.

Sun Yat-sen Garden (Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden; open: daily May - mid-June and Sept. 10.00-18.00; mid-June - Aug. 9.30-19.00; Oct.-April 10.00-16.30) on the corner of Carroll Street and Pender Street offers a rare opportunity to enjoy peace and quiet. The pavilion, with its glazed tiled roof, wood carvings and lattice windows, opens onto a courtyard with an exquisite rock garden and miniature landscaping. A microcosm of nature, reflecting the Taoist concept of yin and yang, was created by artists who came from Suzhou, the great center of Chinese garden culture. Light is balanced by shadow, and rough blocks of limestone (yang), chosen for their lumpy and winding surface, are balanced by the smooth surface of ponds and the quiet babbling of streams (yin). Plants symbolize human virtues: pine, bamboo and winter cherry represent strength, grace and renewal of life.

Rested and refreshed, head towards Gastown's harbor and marshalling yards (Gastown) between Water Street and Hastings Street, a revitalized area of ​​red brick houses and cobblestone streets, this is where Vancouver began. Nowadays it is replete with boutiques, souvenir shops, bars and restaurants, without hiding its commercial essence, but without losing its original charm. Gastown owes its name to Gassy. (To the braggart) Jack Dayton, owner of the best saloon and self-proclaimed mayor of the city. A former riverboat captain, he opened a bar near the sawmills, where drinking was prohibited. Now in Maple Tree Square there is a monument to Dayton: he is depicted with a barrel of whiskey, thanks to which, according to legend, he was able to convince lumberjacks to build the city in 1867.

At the west end of Water Street, you'll see the world's first monumental steam clock, which blows a loud whistle every 15 minutes.

If the Robeson Square Courthouse has piqued your interest in Arthur Erickson's architecture, then drive or take public transportation to Mount Burnaby (“mountain” is too loud a name for it, because its height is only 400 m) and the Simon Fraser University campus. The center of student activity is the large alley of the Academic Courtyard - with the play of light and shadow among the stairs and terraces under a glass roof supported by steel trusses. On your way back to the city center, stop by BC Place, a huge concrete stadium with an oval dome, where the BC Lions club play their home games.

Stanley Park

Stanley Park (Stanley Park), located on a peninsula jutting into English Bay, is one of the best urban parks in North America. The 450-hectare forest of Douglas fir, cedar and spruce was once a government reserve that supplied timber and mast timber for the Royal Navy. In 1899, the city leased it as a park and named it after Lieutenant Governor of Canada Lord Stanley, the same man after whom hockey's Stanley Cup is named.

In the early morning of December 15, 2006, a storm hit the ancient park. Thousands of trees were uprooted; The wonderful promenade on the embankment, 8.8 km long, was also badly damaged. Even with $3.6 million in donations, restoration work is still far from complete. Although the damage will be visible for many years, Stanley Park remains a "must" destination for visitors to the city.

Its alleys are always full of people walking, jogging, and riding bicycles. (they can be rented from shops on nearby Denman Street). Walking past Brockton Oval, with its immaculately trimmed grass, cricket action reminds you that this is British Columbia. Near the cricket ground is a magnificent group of Haida and Wwakiutl totem poles, a reminder of another important cultural heritage of the province. If on the way to Cape Brockton Point you hear a cannon salvo, do not be surprised: it is heard every evening, at 21.00, as a tribute to tradition: this is how fishermen were once notified of the curfew.

Turning west, you walk along the embankment and pass a bronze statue with the amusing name "Girl in a Wetsuit", the local answer to Copenhagen's "The Little Mermaid".

Continue on to Prospect Point (Prospect Point), which offers a good view of oil tankers and bulk carriers with grain heading to Japan, China and Russia. The totem pole marks the spot where Captain Vancouver met members of the Squamish tribe.

The main attraction of the Vancouver Aquarium (Vancuver Aquarium Marine Science Centre; open: daily Jul-Aug 9.30-19.00, Sep-June 9.30-17.00)- without a doubt, a show of dolphins and beluga whales, accompanied by a performance of fur seals. Also look at the striped catfish, which can bite through a crab shell.

Signposted trails lead to scenic freshwater Beaver Lake (Beaver Lake); the beavers that gave it its name were “deported” from here after nearly destroying the water system. The park's sandy beaches on the west coast of the peninsula are some of the most popular in Vancouver.

English Bay

After exploring the city center, take an excursion to Point Gray (Point Grey), where you can relax on very comfortable beaches (at Wreck Beach you can go without clothes). Nearby is the grounds of the University of British Columbia, with one of the most beautiful campuses in North America; The terraced Sedgwick Library and the Faculty Club rose garden are two jewels in a superb setting of sea and mountain.

On Marine Drive in Point Gray is the Museum of Anthropology (open: mid-May - mid-October daily 10.00-17.00, Tue until 21.00; mid-Oct. - mid-May Wed-Sun 11.00-17.00, Tue until 21.00), the pride of the university. In 1972, Arthur Erickson designed this majestic building of glass and concrete beams to commemorate the "long wigwams" of the Northwest Coast Indians, made of poles and wooden beams. The lawn is decorated with a remarkable group of totem poles and two cedar houses built in the 1930s. by the Haida Indians.

At the museum, among artifacts from other Pacific civilizations, the rich culture of the coastal Indian tribes - Haida, Kwakiutl, Salish, Tlingit and Tsimshian - is presented in a beautifully lit display under a transparent glass roof. Note the cedar canoes built for trade along the Pacific coast.

Numerous sculptures that you will see were incorporated into the structure of the building as columns and cross beams. One giant Kwakiutl, accompanied by two slaves, symbolizing the power and prestige of the master, once supported a massive central ceiling beam. Other exhibits feature totem animals, such as a mother bear protecting a human child. Prehistoric examples of stone carving demonstrate a continuity of totemic styles. Some smaller figures, carved from soft black mudstone, were made in the 19th century. by the Haida Indians especially for European tourists, who found their own caricatures in them. Note the large bathtub-sized wooden celebratory dishes used to distribute food at potlatch ceremonies, when tribes proclaimed their greatness through generous charity. An important part of the collection is dedicated to jewelry made of gold, silver and copper, wooden masks and ritual rattles. Many of them are stored in galleries 6 and 7, former warehouses.

The so-called visible storage system is a major innovation that makes thousands of art objects from the museum's storerooms accessible. Take advantage of this system to make your own discoveries, compare cultural works from around the world, or simply admire the richness of so-called primitive art.

Nitobe Memorial Garden (Nitobe Memorial Gardens; open: daily mid-March - mid-Oct. 10.00-18.00; mid-Oct. - mid-March Mon-Fri 10.00-14.30) south of the museum is a wonderful example of classic Japanese landscape design. Garden paths with stone lamps lead through ponds with humpback bridges to a traditional tea pavilion among Japanese maples and azaleas.

Return to the city center along Point Gray Road and stop at the Hastigs Old Mill Museum (Old Hastings Mill Store Museum; 1575 Alma Street; open: mid-June - mid-Sept. Tue-Sun 13.00-16.00; mid-Sept. - mid-June Sat. 13.00-16.00) near Jericho Beach. This building, transported here on a barge in the 1930s, is the only thing left of old Gestaun after the fire of 1886. At first it housed a post office, then a department store, and now a museum recreating the atmosphere of the late 19th - early 20th centuries . Vancouver's first bohemian neighborhood was Kitsilano. (Kitsilano). These days, students and artists are more likely to hang out on Commercial Drive (Commercial Drive).

Vanier Park, near the Burrard Bridge, is home to the Pacific Space Center, which includes the MacMillan Space Center (HR MacMillan Space Centre; open: daily Jul-Aug 10.00-17.00; Sep.-June Tue.-Sun.), and two small but interesting museums. One, Vancouver Museum (Vancouver Museum; open: Tue-Sun 10.00-17.00, Thu until 21.00), focuses on local history and anthropology. Other, Maritime Museum (Martime Museum; open: May-Aug. daily 10.00-17.00; Sep. - mid-May Tue.-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00), presents the history of the Pacific port. Its main exhibit is the Arctic reconnaissance schooner Saint-Roch. This Royal Mounted Police vessel sailed around North America through the Panama Canal and the Arctic Ocean in search of the famous Northwest Passage, hunting down German U-boats along the way.

The area where English Bay narrows into False Creek reflects Vancouver's taste for the good life. The once miserable wasteland of dilapidated warehouses, sawmills, factories and marshalling yards has been transformed into a fashionable shopping area with elegant apartment buildings.

On Granville Island (Granville Island), under the bridge of the same name (actually it is a triangular peninsula formed on the site of a landfill), you will see a colorful mixture of markets, cafes, boutiques, galleries and theaters. Children love it not only because of the toys at the Children's Market (open: daily 10.00-18.00), but also because there is a large water park with water slides.

False Creek (False Bay) gave its name to the quarter with houses of original architecture, surrounded by gardens and terraces. In the eastern part of the “bay” the EXPO-86 exhibition was held, a reminder of which is the huge geodesic dome of the Expo Center. Now it houses an IMAX cinema with a huge screen and the World of Science applied science center. (Science World; open: daily 10.00-17.00), where you can see anything from a pickle light bulb to the interior of a beaver lodge.

If you wonder where Vancouver is, you always need to clarify what you are talking about. This name is given to a city in the US state of Washington, an island in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the third largest city in Canada located next to it on the mainland coast.

Vancouver on the world map

American and Canadian Vancouver are located at a distance of approximately 500 km. Vancouver Island is visible in good weather from the windows of the houses of the Canadian metropolis. It was once inhabited by Indians. Now Canadian Vancouver is divided into areas in which you can find densely populated English, Irish and other ethnic groups.

Recently, the number of immigrants from China has been rapidly growing in the city of Vancouver.

How to get there?

Traveling from Russia to Vancouver by plane. You have to fly with a transfer, and sometimes more than one. It is most convenient to choose Heathrow or Frankfurt am Main as a transit point when departing from Moscow. When flying from St. Petersburg, it is better to choose Amsterdam. The closest international airport to Vancouver is Richmond. The distance from it to Vancouver is 12 km.

You can buy a plane ticket using this search form. Enter cities of departure and arrival, date And number of passengers.

Getting to downtown Vancouver from the airport is easy. Skytrain. Its line, The Canada Line, connects the airport to the city. At night, when the metro is not working, you can get there by bus or taxi.

In order to get to Vancouver Island you will have to use by ferry. They are very comfortable here. All ferries are equipped with soft seats for passengers. They have TVs, Wi-Fi, cafes and even small shops.

You can get by water not only to the island, but also to the city of Vancouver. Its port receives passenger sea liners.

From the United States of America, the city of Vancouver can be reached by train or bus.

North Hollywood Information

Vancouver is not only considered by many to be one of the best cities in the world. Very often it is called "North Hollywood". This is due to the fact that a large number of films are created in Vancouver, Canada. The Vancouver film studio is second in scale in North America only to Los Angeles and New York.

Story

The city of Vancouver was named after the British Navy officer credited with discovering the Burrard Sound. The coast of the strait, striking in its beauty, turned out to be not only aesthetically attractive, but also rich in such minerals as gold. This was the main reason for the founding of the settlement, which over the centuries has turned into a beautiful modern metropolis.

In 1827, not far from the location of the modern city, a point for buying and selling gold was opened. People rushed to the Canadian coast in search of the treasured metal. Through the efforts of 25 thousand builders who arrived on the Fraser River, which was the main place of gold mining, a settlement appeared, which received the name New Westminster. It is now part of modern Vancouver.

Settlement Gastown, which became the basis for the construction of Vancouver, began to be built around a local sawmill. In 1870, Gastown was renamed Granville, which in 1886 became Vancouver. During this period its population was only 1000 people.

General information

The city is located in the province of British Columbia and is the third largest in the country. Its area is 114 sq. km. The main languages ​​of communication in the city are English and French. The city itself is multi-ethnic. It has its own national quarters. Vancouver is very clean, well developed public transport network:

• ground metro;
• trolleybuses;
• buses;
• ferries;
• suburban Railway.

The city is dotted with many bike paths, but few people, when talking about the advantages of Vancouver, mention the large number of bike paths in it. homeless people. In reality, the high standard of living of Canadians is not accessible to all residents of the metropolis.

The mild, warm climate for which Vancouver is famous is precisely the factor that attracts homeless people to these places.

Manages the city's economy city ​​hall. The city is a major industrial center of the country. The offices of the largest logging enterprises and miners are located here. The majority of the population is English-Canadian.

Climate

The city is surrounded by mountains and water. This determines its mild climate. There is a large amount of rainfall here every year. There are so many of them that Vancouver is often called "wet city".

Average air temperature here in summer it stays between +22 degrees and 0. Such weather conditions contribute to the fact that plants growing in the city always have green foliage. Snow falls extremely rarely in Vancouver and is not always a pleasant surprise for city residents.

Guide to the Canadian metropolis

For tourists coming to the city, maps of public transport routes, metro stations, attractions, cafes, restaurants and hotels are issued. The city itself is divided into districts, which include various territorial districts.

Lake Ontario, Casa Loma Castle, the Hockey Hall of Fame - these and other attractions of Toronto in .

Districts

The city is divided into districts:

Things to do?

Tourists in Vancouver always have something to do and places to go. Here you can in any weather:

• play Beach volleyball;

Many sand playgrounds have canopies or are located indoors, which protects them from rain.

• visit museums and parks, of which there are quite a lot in the city;
• go karting or jump on a trampoline, take fencing lessons or play any other sport;
• visit natural parks or shopping and entertainment centers.

If a tourist arrives in a city with the aim of seeing the sights, then you can visit:

1. observation tower Vancouver Lookout;
2. Japanese garden Nitobe;
3. a park Stanley;
4. art gallery;
5. bridge "Lions Gate";
6. conference center;
7. center "Scientific World";
8. Vancouver public library;
9. island Granville.

Look video tour in Vancouver:

November 8th, 2016 , 09:09 am

I’ll tell you a little about Vancouver, a city in British Columbia, Canada, in which I have been lucky enough to live for more than two years.

Initially, my contract involved moving to Seattle, America, but it turned out that only a limited number of work visas in the USA are issued per year, and they are given out randomly among applicants. This time fortune turned its back on me and I flew past Seattle.

In return, I received an offer to work in Vancouver for now, and if desired, apply for an American work visa for the next year. I must say that I had a very skeptical attitude towards both Vancouver and Canada in general.

I knew about Canada that it is in the north, which means it should be cold there, especially in winter. Canadians love to play hockey and do it well, and between hockey matches these bearded men cut down forests with axes, speaking to each other in English and French alternately. I came here with such a baggage of stereotypes.

I didn’t know anything about Vancouver except that the Olympics were held here not very long ago.

The first impression was also somehow not particularly inspiring - at the intersection next to the building where I temporarily settled, a not very clean homeless man was sitting and begging for change. After, where in three years of life I had to deal with such a contingent only a couple of times, and only somewhere at train stations, the contrast was not in Canada’s favor - you meet beggars here regularly.

But after a couple of months this city won my heart. I lost all desire to move to Seattle, especially after visiting it for the weekend.

When choosing between the USA and Canada, I chose Canada. I still don’t regret this decision, although doubts crept in a couple of times, but only when the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar began to sag quite noticeably in relation to its southern namesake. But this was rather a rational approach speaking to me; emotionally I am still on Canada’s side.

Vancouver is a wonderful city. I walked its streets up and down and, although I have something to tell about it, most of it will be a photo essay.

I settled in downtown, which is surrounded by water on three sides. Almost like the song about Vladivostok, widely known in narrow circles.

All these boats scurrying back and forth never cease to please the eye, which, in theory, should have already gotten used to such a sight in two years.

I cannot call this city extremely interesting from a tourist point of view.

However, you can definitely spend a few days here without getting bored.

You can often stumble upon something interesting by accident.

Or something downright ugly.

Here, contrary to my stereotypical impression, no one speaks French except tourists from France or the province of Quebec.

The Chinese language is much more popular here than French.

It was even written somewhere that Vancouver is the most “Asian” city in North America. I can’t vouch for its authenticity, but it seems true. So for lovers of exotic cuisine, this is a paradise.

In general, this is a very international place. Walking down the street, you can hear dozens of different languages. This city resembles New York in miniature.

Tolerance for everything here has been elevated to the rank of a cult. On the street you can sometimes meet such colorful characters, at whom in other places passers-by would constantly stare, breaking their necks, but here, at most, it causes a slight smile. People seem to be accustomed to any possible way of expressing themselves.

This is not surprising, there is always something going on here. Some kind of cosplay...

...then the “polar bear swim” on the first of January.

People love the holiday feeling. Preparations for Halloween begin a couple of months in advance. Almost immediately after Halloween, windows are decorated for Christmas, then for Valentine's Day, and so on - all year round.

The most unexpected thing about Vancouver for me was the climate. It's hot here in summer. You can even swim in the sea, although not for long - the water in the bay is still quite cold.

The strange thing is that it is warm here in winter.

The temperature very rarely drops to zero. In two years in downtown, I saw snow only twice, once for each winter, but even it melted immediately, barely touching the ground.

True, in autumn and winter there is one very big disadvantage - it rains constantly. And this is perhaps the main drawback of this city. When it’s disgustingly drizzling outside the window 25 days out of 30, it’s very depressing, you want to climb the wall.

Everyone struggles with this winter doldrums differently. Someone is looking for some kind of entertainment under the roof, such as museums, cinemas, libraries, exhibitions, restaurants, shopping centers. And someone goes outside the city. For example, skiing. Fortunately, after driving only 150-200 km you can find yourself in a completely different winter climate, where there will be plenty of snow.

They say that living in Vancouver, you can go skiing in the morning and sunbathe on the beach in the evening. And this is really possible in the spring, when there is still a lot of snow in the mountains, and the summer heat is already in the city.

From an environmental point of view, there is also complete order here. A huge part of the city is occupied by Stanley Park.

It's basically just a piece of rain forest with a web of trails cut through it.

A very pleasant and popular place for walking. In some places you forget that quite a large metropolis is buzzing nearby.

In the park you can find a huge number of different representatives of the animal world: geese, ducks, squirrels, beavers, skunks, even, oddly enough, turtles. But what fascinates me most are the raccoons; I can never pass by without taking a few photos.

You can often see seals on the coast, and a couple of times whales even swam into the bay. I think few cities can boast such a variety of wildlife within the city.

British Columbia is generally obsessed with the environment. There are bicycles, vegetarian restaurants and electric cars all around.

Stanley Park is far from the only place where you can get in touch with nature. For example, in North Vancouver you can walk along the suspension bridge over the canyon. The ticket costs about $40, which is, of course, a robbery. But this is a tourist attraction where a huge number of people come.

At the same time, every local who loves forest walks knows that there is a suspension bridge no worse, almost without people and completely free. You just need to take the bus to Lynn Valley.

Another popular place on the outskirts of the city is Grouse Mountain. Here you have two options. Or you pay $45 for a gondola ride.

Or you pay with your feet and tramp up almost a kilometer on foot along the very popular Grouse Grind trail. If you are not used to hiking in the mountains or are not confident in yourself, then it is better not to even start. You need to constantly go up with a decent slope. When I climbed for the first time, I was completely unprepared for such an attraction and cursed everything in the world. Now, after being carried away by hiking in the local mountains, this seems funny. Now we climb up there from time to time as an exercise.

There is a sign on the trail warning that you can meet a bear in the forest. To be honest, there are so many people passing through here every day that I really doubt the relevance of this warning. Although, anything can happen - there are really a lot of bears in the area.

Here on Grouse, in a fenced area, live two grizzly bears. They were once rescued as babies, and now this is a very popular place to take a safe photo of the bear.

There are activities on the mountain for any time of year. In summer you can see various performances or dine on the restaurant terrace. Several paths, or trails as they are called here, begin from here to wilder places. After all, there are beautiful views of Vancouver from the top.

In winter, you can go ice skating or skiing here. Although it rains in the city in winter, at this altitude it gives way to snow.

Not everything, of course, in Vancouver is as beautiful and rosy as we would like. There are also some disadvantages here. This is a very expensive city. Especially in the real estate market, prices have long exceeded a reasonable limit. The government is trying to somehow combat this, for example, by introducing an additional tax on the purchase of real estate for non-residents, but so far no measures are really working, and prices are only rising.

Mandatory car insurance also costs a lot of money. I pay two and a half thousand a year, and this is practically the most basic minimum that is possible.

There are also many homeless people here, who often sleep right on the streets of downtown. There is a particularly large concentration of them on the notorious East Hastings Street in Vancouver, where wealthy people try not to interfere. There is generally a separate world here with very murky and sometimes abnormal characters. In principle, if you walk along it, nothing bad will happen to you, but you will see many not very pleasant scenes from the life of drug addicts and half-crazy people.

By the way, marijuana is treated very calmly in Vancouver. It has not yet been officially legalized, but everything is moving towards this, and in reality no one will be fined for smoking it. From time to time, supporters of legalization even organize a sale right in the city center, with police on duty and ambulances standing nearby. But I’ll write about this separately someday.

Overall, despite minor shortcomings, Vancouver is a surprisingly pleasant city to live in. People here for the most part try to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, which sets the tone for other less active residents to get out of the house more often.

In general, come - you will like it. Just not in winter, otherwise you'll get wet.

There are at least a couple of reasons to get acquainted with this amazing Canadian city: Vancouver is recognized as the best place to live, and it was not in vain that it was chosen for hosting the Winter Olympic Games.

Vancouver is located in a district called British Columbia, in the southwestern part of Canada on the Pacific Ocean. This is the largest city in this province; in addition, Vancouver is one of the main ports of the continent of North America and is the most picturesque in the country. It should be noted that the local nature is ideal for sports: thanks to the temperate climate, you can run, bike, roller skate, play tennis, golf, ski almost all year round - there are several first-class ski resorts in the vicinity, which can be reached in less than in an hour. The most popular ski resort is Whistler. It must be said that most Vancouverites lead a healthy and sporty lifestyle; when they come home from work, they go to relieve stress not in a bar, but in the gym or in nature. How can you sit at home when there is such beauty all around: the ocean, mountains and beaches? Downtown Vancouver is located right at the foot of the mountain peaks Mount Seymour and Hollyburn. And the city is surrounded by eighteen kilometers of excellent sandy beaches, starting from Stanley City Park and ending on the other side of English Bay: Kitsilano Beach, Jericho Beach, Spanish Banks Beach, Locarno Beach, Point Bay Beach ", "River Beach", "Acadia", "Tower". But, I must say frankly, not everyone dares to swim in the rather cool waters of the ocean, because even in summer, the maximum water temperature does not exceed eighteen degrees. But for picnics, the beach is simply ideal. There are heated pools, showers and changing cabins. The air here is simply healing, and it’s not for nothing that these places have the lowest incidence of disease in all of Canada. And also, here is the lowest percentage of smokers: nicotine pollution of the local environment is almost equated by Vancouverites with a crime. Vancouver is the calmest city in Canada in terms of the crime situation. It is also one of the five most beautiful coastal cities in the world. Actually, thanks to all these factors, Vancouver has earned the title of the most comfortable place to live. And similar studies have been carried out more than once or twice. All applicants for this honorary title were given marks on a 100-point scale, and the city confidently scores ninety-eight points.

Vancouver's attractions won't disappoint either. The program of obligatory excursions includes a visit to the Old Town - Gastown. This is the oldest district, named after Gussie Jack, the father of the city, who became famous for the fact that with only one barrel of whiskey from his property, he managed to become a millionaire. And it all happened like this: in 1849, a native of Britain went to San Francisco in search of gold. And twenty years later he landed on the southern shore of Burrad Bay, with a barrel of alcohol earned during all this time. He decided that he couldn’t live honestly and resorted to a trick, announcing that he wanted to open a saloon, and those who helped him could treat himself to his whiskey for free. The saloon was built in twenty-four hours! Very quickly, Jack's "drinking room" became a popular place, and then other buildings were erected around it.

Harbor Center Tower– a skyscraper with a circular observation deck, to which a high-speed glass elevator will take you in a matter of seconds. The view from the tower is simply breathtaking.

Science World Center- a forty-seven-meter structure in the shape of a ball, which is crowned with the silhouette of a dinosaur. There is a super-modern Science Museum located here. It’s very creative and interesting here, for example, a visitor can walk inside...a camera, blow soap bubbles in the shape of a square, try to catch up with his own shadow, and so on.

Stanley Park- the largest in Canada, it is surrounded on almost all sides by the ocean. The park houses a magnificent Aquarium, Marine Science Center and other attractions. Surprisingly, one Vancouver writer likened it to a “thousand-acre therapy couch.” You can walk around the park on foot, rollerblade or bike, fortunately, the rental point is located right there. You can also take a ride on a special bus or an old horse-drawn carriage.

Capilano Park- famous for its ancient forests, through which many trails pass. There is the Capilano Canyon, through which you can walk along a long suspension bridge that is already one century old. There are also magnificent waterfalls here.

Lion Gate Bridge- Vancouver's largest bridge. It received its name in honor of Lion Mountain, located nearby. It was built in 1938. The length of the bridge is 1832 meters, the height of its tower supports is 111 meters. Up to seventy thousand cars pass through it every day. The entrance to the bridge, true to its name, is decorated with figures of lions.

China town- a large Chinatown, the second largest in all of North America. Walking through its streets with numerous markets, you lose the feeling that you are in Canada.

Be sure to take a trip on a replica of the Royal Hudson Steam Train, the same one that the king and queen traveled across Canada back in 1939. The trip lasts two hours, during which time you will fully enjoy views of the rocky coastline and dense forests of British Columbia, and as a final touch - the majestic Shannon Falls and fascinating exhibits of the railway museum.

Van Dusen Botanical Garden- opened in 1972, and located in Vancouver, covers an area of ​​​​twenty-two hectares. This is a favorite visiting place for both city residents and tourists who come to admire the splendor of the natural landscapes. The garden was created to preserve and propagate ornamental plants. Then exotic flowers, shrubs, and trees from different parts of our planet began to be brought into the garden. The garden area is divided into thematic zones.

Nitob Japanese Garden on Marine Drive- was opened in 1960, located on the territory of the botanical garden, next to the Plant Research Center. Outstanding specialists from Japan were invited to create the garden. They managed to place traditional elements for a classic Japanese garden very harmoniously and compactly. The main attraction of Nitob is the tea house. Tea ceremonies are regularly held there, and everyone can take part in them. By the way, when the Japanese Emperor Akihito was brought to this garden when he was visiting Canada on an official visit, he was surprised and said: “I’m in Japan!”

Christ Church Cathedral– the second, the unofficial name of which is “Floating Cathedral”. It was named so not because of its location on the water, but because of its design features. The Cathedral is the center of the Anglican Church of British Columbia. The very first version of the cathedral, erected here in 1853, did not stand for long, and in 1869 it burned out due to the fact that it was built of wood. The ministers managed to save only church utensils with icons. Christ Church was built in its present form in 1957. The majesty of the cathedral amazes with its splendor, and its interior decoration is no less beautiful. , at different times visited by Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, and Prince Charles. Every Sunday there are choir performances here, which are broadcast on the radio, and there are often concerts here.

Vancouver Anthropological Museum– the most popular among the city’s many museums, it is open on the campus of the University of British Columbia. There is a wide collection of unique anthropological finds and amazing archaeological rarities on display here. It was founded in 1947. At first it was located in the basement of the University library, but as the exhibition expanded, it needed another building. It was erected in 1976. Today, the museum's storerooms contain half a million diverse exhibits from all over the world: unique objects of art, beautiful ceramics, ancient statues, mysterious totems and masks, religious objects, ancient jewelry, etc.

We must pay tribute to the authorities of Vancouver, this Canadian city is surprisingly intelligently and very conveniently organized for numerous tourists, it is beautiful here: there is a lot of greenery, there are majestic ocean waters around, and the local people are extremely friendly and are always ready to help and tell you where this or that attraction is located, how to get there. Vancouver is a city you want to return to again and again.

Three times Vancouver has won the title of “best city on Earth” according to the British publication The Economist. Solid, multicultural, multinational, law-abiding, it gives the impression of a calm and quiet haven where you want to spend your whole life.

Vancouver is an incredibly green and clean city. Trees brought from different parts of the world grow in parks and alleys. Japanese sakura and Chilean araucaria, exotic for these places, have taken root well and delight the townspeople during the flowering period. Vancouver's historical heritage is not very extensive, but this fact is compensated by the beauty of the city, the abundance of parks, recreational areas and excellent beaches. The city has a fairly mild climate with short winters without prolonged frosts. Therefore, a trip here is comfortable at any time of the year.

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What to see and where to go in Vancouver?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walks. Photos and brief description.

A city park on the bay, located adjacent to downtown Vancouver. Indigenous peoples lived in this territory long before colonization by the British, and the first British ships arrived here. The park is a unique synthesis of nature and human creation. The total length of walking trails is more than 250 km. The territory contains artificial ponds, monuments, sculptures and sports grounds.

A picturesque landscape park, one of the most popular places in the city. It is visited with pleasure by both locals and tourists. The park contains all the representatives of the flora that grow in Canada: numerous conifers, birch, ash, maple, rhododendrons. The park is very popular among newlyweds; wedding photo sessions often take place here.

The garden was founded in 1972 with funds from industrialist-philanthropist U.D. Van Dusen. Most of the area is occupied by ornamental plants collected from all over the world (there are more than 250 thousand specimens in total). The garden is divided into thematic areas and decorated with various sculptures, pavilions, Indian totems, plant labyrinths and lakes. The park covers an area of ​​22 hectares.

A museum and architectural monument, a repository of priceless works of art. This museum is the largest in Western Canada. The gallery was founded in the 30s. XX century, the collection was based on works by the Canadian artist E. Carr, works by M. Chagall and D. Wall. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum organizes temporary exhibitions, which bring works of art from the best European galleries.

The history of the museum began with a small collection from the University of British Columbia. Gradually the exhibition grew, replenished with new exhibits. In 1976, a new building was erected for the museum, designed by architect A. Erickson. The exhibition halls display collections of traditional Indian tribal totems, jewelry, paintings, Chinese ceramics, textiles, prints and much more.

The city museum, whose collection has been collected for more than 100 years. The main emphasis is on the history of Vancouver and the surrounding area, but also on the territory of the museum you can see the achievements of world culture. The museum conducts extensive educational and research activities, organizes lectures, educational programs and other educational events. The Vancouver Museum houses the MacMillan Space Center with a planetarium and astronomical exhibit.

The museum's exhibition is dedicated to the maritime exploration of Vancouver, the Arctic and British Columbia. The main exhibit is a 1928 ship that was able to circumnavigate North America by sailing through the Panama Canal. The museum exhibition consists of ship models, navigation charts, documents and books. The collection is housed in a triangular building of modern architecture.

A science museum housed in a modern ball-shaped building. The diameter of the structure is 47 meters, the top is crowned with the figure of a dinosaur. The exhibition is a creative space where you can immerse yourself in the very essence of natural phenomena - walk through the “insides” of a camera, look inside the human body, try to lift a piece of a heavy meteorite. The museum will be especially interesting for families with children.

The aquarium is located in the center of Vancouver on the territory of Stanley Park. It is home to about 50 thousand marine inhabitants. In addition to shows and entertainment programs, the aquarium hosts educational events where you can delve deeper into the history of the world's oceans and its inhabitants. The Vancouver Aquarium is home to sharks, dolphins, otters, corals, starfish, dolphins and other underwater inhabitants. But the main pride of the aquarium is the polar beluga dolphins: beautiful and intelligent animals.

Skyscraper in downtown Vancouver, built in 1977. The place is notable for the fact that it has a rotating observation deck, from where you can view the city from all angles, as well as admire the harbor and surrounding area. The structure reaches a height of 177 meters and consists of 28 floors. The opening of the tower took place in the presence of astronaut Neil Armstrong. Offices of commercial organizations are located on the territory.

A nine-story library complex, which includes a book depository, reading rooms, shops, cafes, a social service center, offices and underground parking. The library building resembles a modern interpretation of the Roman Colosseum. The funds store more than 2.6 million copies of books, magazines, newspapers, maps, reference books, government publications and other printed sources.

Granville is a former commercial and industrial area of ​​Vancouver located on False Creek. These days, it has transformed into a popular family holiday destination, a fashion gallery space and a shopping mecca. Life is literally in full swing on Granville Island: atmospheric restaurants are packed with visitors, museums are always full of tourists, markets offer a varied and original selection.

Vancouver's historic district, the heart of the city and the center of its identity. Gastown's modern buildings mix with Victorian buildings, old houses and pavements contrast with trendy clubs and restaurants. Gastown is home to Canada's largest Chinatown. The first settlers arrived here in the second half of the 19th century, and since then Gastown has changed its appearance several times.

The pier and architectural complex in the form of a giant sailboat are one of the main attractions of Vancouver. On its territory there is a hotel, conference rooms, a cinema, restaurants and shopping areas. The complex was erected for the opening of Expo 86. Cruise ships are constantly moored at the Canada Place pier; from the observation deck you can watch the activities of the port.

One of the largest sports arenas in Canada, which hosts various world-class competitions. The stadium was built in 1983 and reconstructed in 2011. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. BC Place is the main venue for Canadian Football League matches. In addition to sporting events, concerts of world stars take place here.

A popular city beach located in the area of ​​the same name. The place is provided with a comfortable tourist infrastructure: cafes, swimming pools, walking paths, sports grounds and much more for the convenience of visitors. In the 60s. In the 20th century, the Kitsilano area was chosen by representatives of the hippie subculture, then they were replaced by creative bohemians and office workers.

Beach in a cozy bay in a residential area in the western part of central Vancouver. This place is famous for its incredibly picturesque sunsets, which attract tourists from all over the world. English Bay is a venue for social events, celebrations and festivals. The beach is also popular with locals, who enjoy spending time by the ocean in any weather.

A suspension bridge about 500 meters long connecting the city center with the northwestern regions. It is considered one of the symbols of Vancouver. The building was erected in 1928. The bridge has a fairly large capacity - from 60 to 70 thousand vehicles cross it every day. In 2005, Lions Gate was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The bridge is located 70 meters above the Capilano River. The structure is not supported by pillars, but it is so strong that it can support the weight of almost 100 elephants. At the entrance to the bridge there are Indian totem poles depicting mythical creatures. Capilano was built at the end of the 19th century, the first structure was made of wood and ropes. At the beginning of the 20th century it was replaced with a metal one.

A mountain in the outskirts of Vancouver that offers magnificent views of the city. Grouse Mountain can be reached by cable car. In winter, the mountain turns into a first-class ski resort with developed infrastructure. For ski and snowboard lovers, there are dozens of equipped slopes and trails, panoramic cafes with breathtaking views of Vancouver.