Storefronts clamour for your attention in a multitude of languages. Tides of people going about their day sweep you along the busy streets. From the home-style sausages smoking on sidewalk grills to the white napkin power lunches of Bay Street, Toronto buzzes with perpetual activity and ambition.
In the national capital of Ottawa, red-coated guards march past lofty parliament buildings with choreographed precision. Grand boulevards designed to receive eminent dignitaries, like you for instance, lead the way to the nation's treasures.
A culinary jaunt through the cozy hamlets of the Eastern Townships yields delectable new discoveries. Among them, a lovely Chardonnay that you proudly present at the Montreal bistro where you bring your own wine and the waiters remember your name. After dinner, you revel in its blissful after-effects as you stroll the lively streets. Perched on the edge of a quiet fountain for a late-night chat, you finally understand the meaning of joie de vivre.
Like its neighbour Quebec, Ontario is one of the largest provinces in the country and offers visitors an array of possibilities from five-star hotels in the cosmopolitan city of Toronto to peaceful lake side cottages in the rural areas. While in Toronto, check out tourist attractions such as the CN Tower which was recently nominated as one of the seven wonders of the modern world and boasts more than 2 million visitors a year! Take a stroll along the Waterfront and visit Ontario Place which offers exciting rides for the young and old. Visit the Toronto Zoo, home to more than 5000 animals. Southern Ontario (Canada’s fruit belt) makes many of the finest wines in the country. Take a wine tasting tour through one of the numerous vineyards in the Niagara region. While in the area, don’t forget to check out spectacular Niagara Falls, one of the world’s most requested honeymoon spots.
Ottawa, Canada’s Capital City, is also a lovely city to visit. In the winter, bring your skates and have fun skating down the Rideau Canal, the longest outdoor skating rink in the country. You can also visit the Parliament buildings and some of the best museums in the country including the National Museum of Science and Technology and the Museum of Civilization (located in nearby Hull).
If you are in the mood for a little European flavour, Quebec is the place to visit. Quebec City has an interesting historical background and you will appreciate the many narrow cobblestone streets and various houses dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The Quebec City Winter Carnival is well worth the trip but make reservations well is advance and dress warmly! Dining in Quebec is an experience you don’t want to miss. Some Quebecois specialties include traditional tourtière (meat pie) and of course tarte au sirop d’érable. Eighty percent of the world’s supply of maple syrup is produced in Quebec.
If you visit in the Spring when the maple tree sap starts to flow, give yourself a treat and head off to one of the maple syrup farms for a Sugaring-Off party, but go when you are hungry and expect to leave very sated indeed. Duck foie gras and Quebec lamb are also delicious. If you are in the mood for a little cheese with your wine, sample one of Quebec’s various cheeses (over 80 different kinds of cheeses!).
You may also want to visit Montreal and eat in one of the hundreds of world class restaurants. During the summer months, Montreal is an exciting city with one festival following another: The Montreal International Jazz Festival and The Just for Laughs Festival. If you are in the mood for something a little less structured, head over to Mount Royal on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy what is called ‘TamTam’, a spontaneous gathering of drummers who meet to jam as soon as the snow melts until the snow falls again.
Source: Canadian Tourism Commission