Nova Scotia offers colourful history, beautiful scenery, fantastic food, cosmopolitan shopping, outdoor activities, music festivals, pristine beaches, and arts and crafts. The picturesque South Shore is renowned for its special mixture of coastal beauty and historic treasures, such as the stark beauty of the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove. Head south and you will arrive in Yarmouth and Acadian Shores, where French and English cultures intermingle. The unique tidal environment of the Bay of Fundy is combined with the fertile lushness of the Annapolis Valley’s farms and vineyards.
The capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city in Canada’s Maritime Provinces, Halifax deftly blends the past with the present to produce a skyline dotted with elegant 18th and 19th century architecture alongside ultra-modern towers of glass and steel. The heart of Halifax is perfect for exploring on foot, with treelined streets, international restaurants, galleries, libraries and museums. Inviting sidewalk cafés beckon you to while away a few hours amid historic settings in busy downtown, many with a backdrop of the bustling harbour.
Discover Nova Scotia’s key destinations:
Halifax
Halifax has been a port of call for ages, a large ice-free harbour – the second largest in the world. Its military advantages would attract the British to establish a colony and fort in 1749. The town became an important counter to the French fortress at Louisbourg and the British quickly set about building a fortress on top of the hill that overlooked the town, as well as constructing numerous fortifications and blockhouses along its harbour. Throughout its history, Halifax’s population has swelled during waves of North American conflict, including the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812 and both World Wars. As much as the townsfolk worked to support these military endeavours, they also exerted themselves in more civilian pursuits as Halifax came to be an important centre of trade and industry. Highlights include:
Halifax Citadel
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
The Halifax Waterfront
Province House
The Halifax Public Gardens
The Museum of Natural History
