What is/are your favourite Canadian city(ies)?

[Aemma]

My favourite, well next to my home town of Ottawa which I won't include here because well, I want to talk about somewhere else eh, is Montréal. It's rich in culture and refinement; it's industrial yet old world; it's sassy yet elegant. It has a buzz all its own and nothing that compares to the sterile overgrown Toronto or the roll-up-the-sidewalk-at-6-pm style of Ottawa. It reeks of old money in some neighbourhoods and of lesser means in others and everything else in between. Nowhere else in the world can you get a 'hot dog steamé'. It's the home of the old Forum and the Habs. It's the French Canadian's gateway to modern French Canadian culture set in historic architecture and landscapes....It's...ahhhh....in a word: Montréal. :)

Montréal est un monde en soi. :)

Salut!...Aemma

[TheGreatest]

My favourite, well next to my home town of Ottawa which I won't include here because well, I want to talk about somewhere else eh, is Montréal. It's rich in culture and refinement; it's industrial yet old world; it's sassy yet elegant. It has a buzz all its own and nothing that compares to the sterile overgrown Toronto or the roll-up-the-sidewalk-at-6-pm style of Ottawa. It reeks of old money in some neighbourhoods and of lesser means in others and everything else in between. Nowhere else in the world can you get a 'hot dog steamé'. It's the home of the old Forum and the Habs. It's the French Canadian's gateway to modern French Canadian culture set in historic architecture and landscapes....It's...ahhhh....in a word: Montréal. :)

Montréal est un monde en soi. :)

Salut!...Aemma


Well my favorite town is a small place in Manitoba where my ancestors have lived in (or near) for a hundred years.
But Montreal is certainty my favorite. It's the closet you can get in North America to a strong European culture and setting. You don't get these kind of opportunities in the American/Canadian PNW, were everyone is first generation and the oldest building being no more than 20 years...


Not technically a city but the West Edmonton Mall is probably my favorite part about Edmonton. I also like going to Calgary to see the Calgary Stampede.
Alberta has always been a second home for me. I absolutely hate where I live, everyone is Asian or obsessed with the PC/MC culture. In Alberta, I can find a lot of people with a similar racial and political background. In all likelihood and despite the awful weather, I probably will be moving to Alberta after finishing my education.

[Treffie]

I've only been to 5 of them so I'll try to be as objective as possible.

1. Montreal, a real classy city IMO, nice architecture down by the river, friendly people, great food, especially along Rue Ste. Catherine.

2. Vancouver, have stayed here for a fortnight, fantastic setting, looks like a new pin, excellent food here also.

3. QC, great architecture, esp around the old town - eg Chateau Frontenac. Beautiful surroundings esp with Montmorency Falls just around the corner (I saw these in mid Feb when they were completely frozen, stunning!:thumb001:)

4. Ottawa, only stayed here for 6 hours, so didn't really get to see the city. This place I'll always remember, it was -15c with a really hard northerly wind - couldn't feel my face!

5. Toronto, stayed even less here, but it looked ok.

[TheGreatest]

I've only been to 5 of them so I'll try to be as objective as possible.

1. Montreal, a real classy city IMO, nice architecture down by the river, friendly people, great food, especially along Rue Ste. Catherine.

2. Vancouver, have stayed here for a fortnight, fantastic setting, looks like a new pin, excellent food here also.

3. QC, great architecture, esp around the old town - eg Chateau Frontenac. Beautiful surroundings esp with Montmorency Falls just around the corner (I saw these in mid Feb when they were completely frozen, stunning!:thumb001:)

4. Ottawa, only stayed here for 6 hours, so didn't really get to see the city. This place I'll always remember, it was -15c with a really hard northerly wind - couldn't feel my face!

5. Toronto, stayed even less here, but it looked ok.


I've visited Toronto B/C of friends and family. Personally the whole ''Empire of Toronto" attitude doesn't rub off well on me.

[Vulpix]

I've only visited three Canadian cities: Montréal, Québec and Ottawa. My favorites are Montréal and Québec :thumb001:. I wonder if they still are the same :(... I visited them 10 years ago.

[Atlas]

Montreal for it's awesomeness.

[Æmeric]

Vancouver. It's a beautiful city in spite of all the Asians. And Victoria. In Ontario I like the Oakville-Burlington area. Not as crowded as Toronto to the east & much less diverse but still on Lake Ontario.

[Loddfafner]

Toronto is my favorite city on the continent. It is decadent in a good way, has a decent music scene, is walkable, and has a magnificent assortment of museums. The McMichael Gallery is technically outside city limits but its collection of Canadian painting is extraordinary. Unfortunately, Canada's form of nationalism is so protective they keep their culture to themselves. It comes as a pleasant surprise for visitors.

The settings of Vancouver and Quebec City rival that of San Francisco. Quebec seemed more French than anywhere in France. I asked why they have medieval city walls and then learned some history that is neglected in the schools of the USA...

I have heard good things about Montreal but have not been there since I was a kid and too young to appreciate all its charms.

My least favorite city is Niagara Falls, a predatory tourist trap. Other cities in Ontario I passed through rivaled Buffalo and Rochester for charm.

[Loyalist]

I've seen very little of Canada, and have actually never been outside of southern Ontario (I've done more travelling in the United Kingdom than here :eek:). As far as favourite cities go, topping my list would be where I live, Hamilton. Not that I particularly like it; it's dirty, poverty-stricken, and immigrant-infested, but I've become accustomed to it after being here for so long. Aside from that, Burlington is a fairly nice city, being far quieter and less diverse in comparison. The Niagara Region also has some decent cities and towns which still have an old-world feel about them, and the landscape is largely unaltered. The only negative point is that most of the wineries have been purchased by Italians and Portuguese, who are presently wrecking the look of things with their ugly home architecture (concrete, fountains, statues, and wrought iron everwhere) and Catholic churches. :thumb down2

[Treffie]

Has anyone visited Victoria? When I stayed in Vancouver we arranged a trip over to the island but the weather prevented us from going - I was so gutted!

[Loddfafner]

Victoria is a beautiful English town crammed with English gardens. Many of its inhabitants would prefer to fly the Union Jack than the maple leaf flag. If you go, don't miss the anthropology museum.

[Æmeric]

I've been there. It's smaller then Vancouver & much less diverse. Seemed to have a sizeable population of British expats, mostly pensioners. It's the capital of BC so they keep it neat & pretty. Little industry to speak of, it depends on tourism, government & the services provided to retirees. Lush verdant city but doesn't seem as wet as Vancouver or Seattle.

[TheGreatest]

Has anyone visited Victoria? When I stayed in Vancouver we arranged a trip over to the island but the weather prevented us from going - I was so gutted!


Yeah I've been there a year ago.
Americ is more or less spot on. Not as many Asians as you would otherwise encounter in Vancouver or on Lu-Lu Island.

Myself I'm thinking of moving to Victoria or Edmonton in a number of years, anything is better than Vancouver.

[YggsVinr]

Being from Canada I`ve been to quite a few Canadian cities. Personally, I`m not a big fan of cities but Québec City and Montréal (especially le vieux Montréal) are nice. I also like Charlottetown and St. John's since they're much smaller and less "urban jungle"-ish. I absolutely detest Toronto, though I've lived there. I prefer Canada's rural areas and small towns.

[Aemma]

Vancouver. It's a beautiful city in spite of all the Asians. And Victoria. In Ontario I like the Oakville-Burlington area. Not as crowded as Toronto to the east & much less diverse but still on Lake Ontario.

Yes Burlington is a fave of mine too now that you mention it. Stayed in a hotel right on Lake Ontario a few summers ago...just gorgeous. At night you could see the lights across the way from Niagara-On-The-Lake..ooooo another very very pretty town I might add. Quite the tourist trap but breathtaking though.

Cheers!...Aemma

[Aemma]

Has anyone visited Victoria? When I stayed in Vancouver we arranged a trip over to the island but the weather prevented us from going - I was so gutted!

Nope have never been that far west. I'd love to visit Victoria one day though. I'm told that it looks a bit like Ottawa what with its feel and look. I would love to have High Tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel one day. :) Had it once here at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier...what fun! There's nothing like High Tea...very civilised. :)