Canada
Vancouver
Welcome to Vancouver, Canada! This shiny glass city sits right where snow-capped mountains meet the wide blue Pacific Ocean, so you can ski and windsurf on practically the same day.
Why is it famous?
Vancouver is famous for its incredible setting — a modern downtown of glass skyscrapers squeezed onto a peninsula, with the North Shore Mountains rising right behind it and the ocean lapping at its edges.
It's consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities on Earth thanks to its mix of nature, clean air, and outdoor adventure right in the city.
How was it built?
Vancouver grew up around its natural harbor, Burrard Inlet, starting as a small sawmill town in the 1860s before booming when the railway arrived in 1887.
Today its downtown is famous for glass condo towers, a building style now nicknamed 'Vancouverism' that architects around the world try to copy.
Amazing facts
Stanley Park, Vancouver's giant downtown park, is bigger than New York City's Central Park and is almost entirely surrounded by ocean.
The Lions Gate Bridge connects downtown Vancouver to the North Shore mountains, stretching high above the water below.
Quick facts
- Stanley Park, Vancouver's giant downtown park, is bigger than New York City's Central Park and is almost entirely surrounded by ocean.
- The Lions Gate Bridge connects downtown Vancouver to the North Shore mountains, stretching high above the water below.
- Vancouver hosted the Winter Olympics in 2010, welcoming athletes from all over the world.
- On a clear day, you can see snow on the mountains and palm-like plants in the city gardens at the very same time.