Visit Victoria, Canada

Named for Queen Victoria, this garden city is situated in the south of Vancouver Island and is the capital of British Columbia.

Compact and easily navigated, it lends itself to discovery on foot, in a horse-drawn carriage or, thrillingly, from a lowflying float-plane.

Parliament Buildings

Victoria is adorned with some lovely colonial architecture such as the Parliament Buildings while the Empress Hotel is an historic gem, an excellent place to take afternoon tea. The nearby Butchart Gardens are world-renowned, as is the Royal British Columbia Museum while other attractions include Craigdarroch Castle, the home of artist Emily Carr, and orca whales which visit the waters off the island in the summer.

Whale watching from Victoria

The waters around Victoria are home to three resident pods of orcas, or killer whales. Famously savage but graceful, these magnificent sea mammals can be seen from 14-metre ocean cruisers or inflatable zodiacs, both fast and stable, on trips that also often sight minke and grey whales, porpoises and harbour seals, with a commentary provided by on board marine biologists.