Ten Things to Do in Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia

The city of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, was my introduction to Western Canada. And why it took me so long to visit this part of this country, I’ll never know. Even though I was only here for one day with a friend, I loved this city. It just had this vibe that, while it’s still Canadian, it’s also very relaxed and cool. It is almost an island vibe. I did a lot of walking while in Victoria and took a lot of photographs in my one day visit. I decided to split this post into two parts, highlighting 10 things one can do in Victoria in a span of perhaps 10 hours – Part I contains the things I categorized as “historical”.

I love checking out various Chinatowns when I travel. Victoria’s Chinatown isn’t very big or all that exciting, but it is the second oldest in North America. And that alone is what makes it worth a look. Here, you can find the usual collection of restaurants, shops, the tall gates, stone lions, and interesting architecture.

Built in the late 19th century, Victoria’s Parliament buildings and grounds are fairly impressive. There are tours of the interior (apparently free) but since it was a lovely day, we decided to laze on the grounds instead. The large green lawn is a fantastic place to chill, relax, and maybe even grab a snooze in the sun – and we were by no means the only ones doing this. The grounds also contain a totem pole, a statue of Queen Victoria, and a war memorial. Definitely a great place to indulge in some people watching. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).