Welcome to Vancouver

Vancouver is truly one of the world's most beautiful and most perfect places to visit or live. It is a sophisticated, fun loving, outdoor living city with a vibrant, prosperous downtown core.

Don't miss the new harbourside Convention Centre, so green it has six acres of grass growing on the roof. From its windows, you can see Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains in one direction and downtown Vancouver in the other.

From the harbour, you can watch float planes take off and land in the Burrard Inlet, cruise ships arriving and departing in summer and boats and ships sailing, rowing or motoring back and forth year round.

One tenth of Vancouver's nearly 600,000 inhabitants live downtown, most in innovative, high rise apartment buildings that feature glass and more glass showcasing the city's light and views.

Along with its downtown, Vancouver has many mature, thriving, well defined neighbourhoods with locally owned businesses, a clearly defined identity and a community feel. Each presents a unique view of the city.

Moreover, Vancouver has one of the most diverse populations in North America and with that diversity comes all the benefits: great new ideas, an embracing, cooperative spirit, ethnic food, shops, customs and celebrations.

In Vancouver, you can swim in English Bay or Second Beach, kayak in False Creek or ride horses in Southlands. Twenty minutes away, in the North Shore mountains, you can ski and snowboard in winter and hike or mountain bike in summer.

From Vancouver you are only 63 km from Victoria. Located on Vancouver Island, Victoria, British Columbia's capital, is another of the world's most beautiful cities. You can get from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria in 35 minutes by float plane or three and a half hours by bus and ferry.

From Vancouver, you are only 120 km from Whistler, one of the world's most spectacular winter ski resorts and summer playground and the site, along with Vancouver, of the 2010 Winter Olympics.