Victoria is one of Canada's most beautiful and world-renowned cities. The capital of British Columbia, Victoria boasts many beautiful beaches and a wide range of parks. Popular activities include whale watching, shopping along picturesque Government Street and strolling through fragrant Butchart Gardens. A place of traditions and striking flare, Victoria is a city of surprising diversity. British Columbia's Legislative Buildings and the Empress Hotel twinkle with light in the evening while breathtaking First Nations totem poles watch over the harbour. Long summers and the mildest climate in the country make Victoria Canada's island paradise.