Victoria BC

The camera stands on the walkway above the harbour at the point in the evening when the sky has gone deep blue and everything artificial has taken over. The Parliament Buildings are along one side and they are the reason to be here after dark: the entire building is outlined in individual bulbs, every cornice, gable, dome and window arch traced in warm light, so the shape reads as a drawing rather than a mass. In front of them the harbour is flat calm and takes the whole thing again upside down, along with the moored boats, a paddle-wheeler at the quay and the string of lamps along the causeway. Turn inland and it is an ordinary handsome small city at night - lit shopfronts, a wide road, mature trees, a statue on a plinth, people walking. This is a narrow band of a panorama; the interest is all at eye level.

The city of Victoria lies on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off the Pacific Coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia, 62 miles west of Vancouver, British Columbia and 62 miles from Seattle in Washington State. Victoria is well known for its architecture and scenic waterfront, with the Inner Harbour being one of the most popular areas among visitors. The iconic British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located along the harbor, not far from The Empress Hotel. The neo-Baroque dome of the Parliament buildings is one of the most recognizable sights in the city, and the building and its beautiful grounds are open for tours as well.

Sheltered by the rain shadow effect of the nearby Olympic Mountain range, Victoria is blessed with temperate weather year-round, making it one of the sunniest places in all of Canada, and its beautiful gardens, green space, and architecture are attractive to travelers as well. Each year, Victoria hosts 3.5 million overnight visitors and another 50,000 daytime visitors arriving on cruise ships.

The city is one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. The area was originally inhabited by the indigenous Songhees Tribe of Coast Salish peoples and explored by Juan Perez and Captain James Cook in the late eighteenth century. In 1841, fur trader James Douglas established a trading post for the Hudson Bay Trading Company, later renamed Fort Victoria after England’s queen. Over the next several decades, Victoria grew due the Fraser Canyon gold rush and the establishment of the Royal Navy at nearby Esquimalt and eventually became part of British Columbia. Over time, the city’s focus shifted toward architecture, real estate, tourism, and the arts, fondly captured by writers such as Rudyard Kipling. In 1903, the University of Victoria opened its doors. Colorful Butchart Gardens opened in 1904, and the regal Empress Hotel opened in 1908. The city experienced further real estate growth just before World War I, adorning the city in many beautiful Edwardian buildings that are still standing.

Inner Harbour The heart of Victoria is the Inner Harbour, a charming waterfront walk surrounded by some of Victoria’s most popular locations. Victoria is one of the best walking cities in the world, with beautiful walking paths and bike trails as well, and the many buskers and artists in the Inner Harbour neighborhood are among the perks to exploring on foot, along with the terrific views and array of restaurants and shops to check out.