Many countries can say they built railways, however very few can brag that they were built by the railways. Canada is one of the few where the railway was the reason the nation exists in its current political borders. Despite various natural and man-made obstacles, the Canadian Pacific Railway linked Montreal and Toronto to Vancouver in 1885. In early 2025, my wife and I had a chance to enjoy Canada's spectacular landscapes firsthand on The Canadian, a four-night train journey from Vancouver to Toronto.

The P'tit Train du Nord, a popular bicycle trail north of Montreal, has been on my bucket list for over five years. As a train enthusiast and avid cross-country cyclist, this trail held a special allure for me, combining my two passions. In July 2024, I finally had the opportunity to fulfill this dream, tackling the most popular section of the trail between Mont-Tremblant and Mont-Ronald alongside my close friends. In this article, I'd like to share the fascinating story of the P'tit Train du Nord, a railway that offers a rich history, stunning scenery, and warm hospitality for those who take it. Let's pedal through time and celebrate the rebirth of this iconic railway, now a vibrant driver of tourism in the Laurentides!

Many Torontonians criticize their subway which I think is totally unfair. As someone who lived in Toronto for seven years and regularly used its subway to commute, my opinion is that the Toronto subway is amazing… if the population of the city remained at 1.2 million residents as it was in the early 1950s. The truth is that the subway has simply not kept up with the population growth and demand for public transit. But this is changing and changing fast. In the article, we will also explore subway art, look into some weird names and old-school traditions, find out the reason subway trains are so well-kept, and discuss what sets the Toronto streetcar network apart from other networks in North America. Let's go!

Montreal has a special place in my heart. My two-year-long immigration project revolved around this great city. Before I set foot in Canada, I already had a pretty good idea of where I would live, work, send my kids to daycare and school, shop for groceries, spend weekends and so forth. And while I was seriously planning to settle in Montreal, I secretly envied those who could afford to live in Vancouver. So far, neither city ended up being my home. This did not prevent me from exploring Montreal though where I have spent quite a bit of time over the past 10 years. And you know what I like the most about this city? Not bagels, not smoked meat, not even poutine. Its métro! Here are my reasons why.

The COVID-19 pandemic made me realize that Ontario does not actually have too many backpacking opportunities close to big cities like Toronto or Ottawa. With the US-Canada borders closed, Adirondacks Mountains as well as other destinations in Vermont, New York and Pennsylvania are out of reach for most Canadians. So unless you're willing to get stuck behind a steering wheel for hours bound to Northern Ontario or Quebec, you're pretty much down to a few options. One of them is the 387 km / 240 mile Rideau Trail connecting Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario.

Tourists and locals alike recognize Ontario not only for its big-name attractions like Toronto or Niagara Falls, and not even for hungry mosquitos and black flies in the springtime, but also for its pretty, historic towns. Carefully preserved in time and maintaining the original 19th-century look, many of them compete to be named the quaintest or the coziest town in Ontario. Merrickville, located only 40 minutes from Ottawa and known as the "Jewel of the Rideau", often makes the cut.

Contrary to popular belief, Québec does not only bring an old European city to mind but rather has its own distinct French-Canadian flavour, unlike anything you can find in Europe. Québec looks and feels fabulous in many ways. I know quite a few people who aren't big fans of Montreal, but not a single person who wouldn't fall in love with Québec after visiting it. Even in the middle of winter, when it's freezing cold outside and there is a real chance of getting frostbite, Québec somehow manages to attract busy crowds for its world-famous winter carnival. Mesdames et messieurs make the acquaintance of Québec, one of my favourite places in Canada!

European exploration of Upper Canada which makes most of Ontario today began at around present-day Ottawa and Kingston. Passable rivers and adjacent lakes were essential to maintain a reliable connection with other North American towns and cities and, of course, Europe. Being the oldest in the whole province, the area surrounding Ottawa and Kingston corners the prettiest towns built by the British and Irish settlers. One of those towns, Almonte, sits immediately west of Ottawa and was named by Expedia one of the 10 charming small towns in Canada.

I hope you enjoyed the first part of my article about the top 12 things that I believe set Iqaluit apart from other provincial and territorial capitals in Canada. Scroll down to read the second part and make sure you book your own trip to Nunavut to experience everything firsthand. I know for a fact that I will return one day to explore more of what this fascinating Canadian territory has to offer.

Named "The Loveliest Town in Canada", Niagara-on-the-Lake has got quite a few things to brag about. In the late 18th century, the British Crown appointed it as the first capital of the Province of Upper Canada which is now known as Ontario. Niagara-on-the-Lake's climate is ideal for producing wines, some of the best wines I've ever tasted including a world-famous ice wine. The oldest continuously used golf course in North America calls this cozy town home. While apples and strawberries flourish all over the country, your "Canadian Grown" peaches, apricots, or cherries are likely brought to your local grocery store from Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Vieux Port de Montréal (or Old Port of Montreal in English) draws about six million visitors a year.  For most Americans and Canadians from English-speaking provinces and territories, the Old Port of Montreal is a quintessential piece of Europe carefully preserved by the Québécois over the years. If you're up to cobble streets with old stone buildings, cozy cafés, delicious crêperies, bakeries selling fresh French croissants and baguettes, and sharp gothic spires, look no further - Old Port has it all. But to have the best experience, try to visit it after dark on a weekday in May or June, and you'll be amazed at how intimate and lovely this place can be.

Ottawa has earned a reputation as a place with lots of things going on year-round. No shortage of festivals and special events draws enough attention from people all over Canada and overseas, thanks to its role as the capital of the second-largest country in the world. Canadian Tulip Festival, arguably the largest tulip festival internationally, has become a very compelling reason people flock to Ottawa for two weeks in May each year. But why Ottawa? The climate is nowhere similar to the one in the Netherlands, especially in the winter. Click 'Read More' to find out.

Medieval French Town Honfleur entices you from the first glimpse. My favourite eye-catchers included narrow cobbled streets, manicured houses of Old Bassin harbour that squeeze one another and old mossy walls of the church of Saint-Etienne. But only after I left Honfleur did I learn that one of the greatest figures in Canadian history and "The Father of New France", Samuel de Champlain set sail to Canada from Honfleur to found Quebec City in 1608.

Mississauga is the 6th most populous city in Canada, yet very few people outside of the Greater Toronto Area would recognize it. And those who do, I bet would have a hard time spelling or pronouncing its name. What's absolutely remarkable about Mississauga is that this city of over 750,000 people does not have a feeling of a big city at all, but rather a suburb of Toronto. Most of Mississauga is covered with one or two-story residential and office buildings. Up until recently, it didn't even have a city centre that would look more or less like a traditional North American downtown. The reason for that is that Mississauga was never a single city. It was created to pull many small towns and villages together, mostly farmlands. But it's changing now and changing fast. Ladies and gentlemen - meet Mississauga!

You still have a few weeks left to visit MosaïCanada 150 - a collection of 33 chef d'oeuvres made of plants commemorating Canada's 150th Anniversary. The exhibition is hosted in Gatineau, Quebec in Jacques-Cartier Park. Admission is free and it's the 'must-see' while in Canada's Capital region.

Although human history in North America dates back at least ten millennia, very little cultural heritage has been preserved over the years, and what's left mostly comes in the form of languages, traditions and legends of aboriginal people. So unlike Asia, the Middle East or Europe, very few archeological sites from pre-Columbian North America have lasted till our days. Even after the European settlers arrived, this has not changed much, so newer buildings would just replace the old ones. Agreed that this approach helps a town or a city always look young and fresh, but what about keeping a historical heritage? This way, nothing is going to become old enough to be preserved. So I'm really surprised that an abandoned brick factory in Toronto, a long-time eye sore rather than a historical place, has not only been preserved but also restored and transformed into an environmental centre and a tourism destination known far beyond Toronto city limits.