Page 252 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

250  P A CIFIC NOR THWEST REGION B Y REGION

1 Victoria

A quiet city, Victoria has an old-fashioned atmosphere, one
enhanced by the hanging flower baskets that decorate the
streets. Established as a Hudson’s Bay Company fur-trading
post in 1843 by James Douglas, Victoria had its risqué
moments during its Gold Rush years (1858–64), when
thousands of prospectors drank in its saloons. Established
as the capital of British Columbia in 1871, Victoria was
soon outgrown by Vancouver. Today, this multicultural
city is still BC’s political center, as well as a popular Historic buildings along Yates Street, typical
attraction for visitors. of Victoria’s Old Town Victoria Airport
25 km (15 miles)
CHINATOWN McPherson F I S G A R D S T R E E T
was, in the 1800s, Victoria’s Playhouse
commercial center. Downtown STORE ST ALLEY FAN TAN CENTENNIAL C OR M ORAN T S TRE ET
SQUARE
Victoria
stretches from Inner Harbour Train Station
to Quadra, Belleville, and City Hall
Herald Streets. Historic Fort J O H NSON ST BRIDGE Market PA N D O R A A V E N U E
Street is home to Fabulous Square J O H N
Fort Street, lined with eateries,
shops, and antique stores.
The visitors’ center provides G O V E R N M E N T S T R E E T BROAD STREET S O N S T R E E T
YAT E S S T R E E T
details on walking tours, Victoria
including ghostly walks Harbour Bastion V I E W S TR EE T St. Andrew’s Q U A D R A S T R E E T
Square
and historical tours. The Bay
Inner
J Inner Harbour Harbour Centre D O U G L A S S T R E E T F O R T S T R E E T
Foot of Government St. W H A R F S T B L A N S H A R D S T R E E T Cathedral
Craigdarroch Castle
Home to the Songhees, of the BROUGHTON STREET
Coast Salish Nation, between COURTNEY STREET Art Gallery of
1850 and 1911, the Inner Victoria COURTNEY STREET Greater Victoria,
Parliament buildings illuminate the waters Harbour today is vibrant with Bug Zoo Government House
of the Inner Harbour boats, pedestrians strolling along James H U M B O L D T S T
the promenade, and street Bay B U R D E T T A V E
Exploring Victoria performers. Plaques along the Fairmont
Empress Hotel
Many of Victoria’s attractions walkway pay tribute to those DOWNTOWN
are downtown and in Old who shaped the harbor’s FA I R F IE LD R OA D
Bus
Town, which is bordered by history. The promenade offers B E LL E VI LLE ST REE T Terminal
Wharf, Humboldt, Douglas, excellent views not only of the
and Fisgard Streets. Plaques harbor but also of the Parliament
on historic buildings, now Buildings and Empress Hotel, O S W E G O S T R E E T Royal BC H U M B O L D T S T R E E T
housing funky shops and cafés, particularly in the reflecting Parliament Museum
offer insight into this area that sunlight of late afternoon. Buildings Helmcken
House
Thunderbird ACADEMY CLOSE
Park QUADRA ST
S U P E R I O R S T R E E T SOUTHG A T E S T R EET
S U P E R I O R S T R E E T
M I C H I G A N S T R E E T South
M E N Z I E S S T Beacon Hill
Park
Park
T O R O N T O S T R E E T AVALON ROAD D O U G L A S S T R E E T
S I M C O E S T R E E T
Emily Carr
House JAMES BAY
0 meters 500
Victoria’s busy Inner Harbour at the foot of Government Street 0 yards 500
For hotels and restaurants see pp290–91 and pp304–5

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