{"id":165367,"date":"2026-08-12T16:39:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T16:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/165367\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T16:39:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T16:39:14","slug":"7-crowd-free-hidden-gems-to-explore-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/165367\/","title":{"rendered":"7 crowd-free hidden gems to explore in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

How much do you know about the world\u2019s second largest country? Famous for its love of ice hockey (if you\u2019ve seen Heated Rivalry, you\u2019ll know why), \u2018Mounties\u2019, moose, lobster rolls and maple syrup, we also have Canada<\/a> to thank for Ryan Gosling and C\u00e9line Dion.<\/p>\n

Peaceful, welcoming and crowd-free (it has one of the lowest populations in the world), Canada is increasingly popular as a long-haul destination with UK tourists, with almost 900,000 expected to visit this year. \u2018Canada has become one of our top destinations, says Trailfinders\u2019<\/a> Nikki Davies. \u2018It\u2019s the combination of cities, fly-drive holidays, iconic rail journeys and great wildlife.\u2019 <\/p>\n

WHERE TO GO <\/p>\n

It\u2019s impossible to see everything Canada has to offer on one trip, so most first-time visitors focus on one of three main regions: West for the Rockies and Prairies; Central for Toronto, Montreal, Ontario and Quebec; or Atlantic Canada for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia\u2019s rugged coastlines.<\/p>\n

Thanks to rising demand, travel firms have launched a range of new itineraries to all three this year \u2013 with 19 from Cox & Kings<\/a>. Managing director Jennifer Charlton says: \u2018While many first-time visitors gravitate to the Rockies, Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is a hidden gem. The Cabot Trail has spectacular coastal scenery, plus hiking, wildlife spotting and charming fishing villages. It delivers everything people imagine Canada to be.<\/p>\n

Ottawa, the capital, is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year and likes to call itself \u2018Canada in one city\u2019. Air Transat<\/a> and Air Canada<\/a> have just launched direct flights to the city, from \u00a3328pp and \u00a3389pp return respectively, and you\u2019ll be following in the footsteps of King Charles and Queen Camilla, who visited last May. The King said: \u2018Every time I come here, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream \u2013 and from there straight to my heart.\u2019 After a Canadian adventure of your own, you\u2019ll no doubt feel the same. Here\u2019s our pick of the best places to swap the stars and stripes for the maple leaf this year <\/p>\n

CROWD-FREE CANADA: 7 HIDDEN GEMS<\/p>\n

1. The Okanagan Valley<\/p>\n

\"an<\/p>\n

Wirestock\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

A thousand miles north of California\u2019s famous Napa Valley, this stunning lakeside region of British Columbia is home to more than 200 wineries. Kelowna, the main city on Okanagan Lake, has a unique wine and orchard museum; Penticton in the Okanagan Valley is nestled between two lakes (Okanagan and Skaha) and boasts more than 2,000 hours of sunshine a year; while from Vernon you can do watersports on three lakes (Kalamalka, Okanagan and Swan).<\/p>\n

2. The Canadian Rockies<\/p>\n

\"sculptures,<\/p>\n

Hans Harms\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

While the American Rockies include Yellowstone Park and Mount Rushmore, their craggier Canadian counterpart boast the glacial Icefields Parkway, Lake Louise and 5,200ft-high Banff Upper Hot Springs. The luxury Rocky Mountaineer<\/a> train connects Vancouver with the mountain towns of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper over two- to three-day itineraries with overnight hotel stops.
<\/p>\n

3. Toronto<\/p>\n

\"directly<\/p>\n

Roberto Machado Noa\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

With its skyscrapers, subways and Art Deco buildings, Toronto is a popular cinematic stand-in for New York \u2013 you\u2019ll recognise it in everything from The Handmaid\u2019s Tale and Suits to Zoolander and Good Will Hunting, as well as Heated Rivalry. A dynamic metropolis on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario, with a population of nearly 3m, it might not have the Statue of Liberty, but Niagara Falls is just a short helicopter ride away.<\/p>\n

Stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto<\/a> in Yorkville for five-star style and a side of star spotting. It\u2019s the luxury hotel brand\u2019s flagship property \u2013 the first Four Seasons opened here in 1961. A 55-storey skyscraper with 259 rooms (all with great views), the service is impeccable \u2013 chef concierge Harry Hollywood will arrange everything from set-jetting tours to day trips to Niagara Falls. The 30,000sq ft spa is the best in the city (it takes up the entire 9th floor) and Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud is behind the hotel\u2019s stylish Caf\u00e9 Boulud and d|bar.<\/p>\n

4. The Trans-Canada Highway<\/p>\n

\"vehicles<\/p>\n

junhaolu\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Route 66, America\u2019s famous highway, might be celebrating its 100th birthday this year, but those potholes need repairing! Hit Canada\u2019s 4,860-mile-long Trans-Canada Highway instead for a road trip of a lifetime. It links Victoria in British Columbia on the west coast to St John’s, Newfoundland on the east coast, passing through all 10 Canadian provinces. Just be careful not to run out of gas!<\/p>\n

5. Montreal<\/p>\n

\"a<\/p>\n

Eduardo Fonseca Arraes\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

It may not have the iconic Las Vegas strip, but it\u2019s always showtime in Montreal, with some casinos open 24\/7. Canada\u2019s French-speaking city has a packed social calendar, with its international Jazz Festival<\/a> \u2013 the world\u2019s largest \u2013 starting in June and the Just For Laughs<\/a> festival in July.<\/p>\n

6. Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

\"peggy's<\/p>\n

Mlenny\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

When it comes to maritime history, whale-watching and autumnal leaves, it\u2019s hard to beat Nova Scotia (New Scotland in Latin), which has over 13,000km of rugged shores, sandy beaches and fishing coves on the Atlantic coast. Famous for its pretty clapboard houses, lighthouses and lobster shacks, as well as the capital city of Halifax, don\u2019t miss the dramatic Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island and the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides on Earth.
<\/p>\n

7. Vancouver<\/p>\n

\"a<\/p>\n

Wirestock\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

British Columbia\u2019s buzzy coastal city is officially the 9th most liveable city in the world, in the Economist Intelligence Unit\u2019s top 10 for the second-year running. Visitors also fall in love with Vancouver for its sheer natural beauty. Rainforests, mountains and beaches are all within reach (even within a day), and you can take Harbour Air<\/a> seaplanes from a pontoon in the picturesque harbour to places such as Victoria (British Columbia\u2019s charming capital on Vancouver Island). Along the west coast, cycle along Stanley Park\u2019s 17-mile Seawall, the longest uninterrupted waterfront path in the world, and hop on one of the dinky False Creek Ferries<\/a> to Granville Island, a stylish food and shopping district, where you can also go seal and whale watching with Sea Vancouver<\/a>.
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