Getting There

By plane: Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located around 15 kilometres south of the city centre. Once you leave arrivals, head to the Canada Line platform where you can catch a SkyTrain that will take you to Downtown Vancouver is less than 30 minutes.

By train: Pacific Central Station is the main train station for services arriving in Vancouver from cities across Canada and the US including Toronto, Banff, Calgary and Seattle.

By bus: Bus services connect Vancouver with numerous other Canadian destinations including Calgary, Whistler and Victoria. Services also arrive from cities in the US including Seattle. Most of these buses also arrive at Pacific Central Station.

Getting Around

On foot: You'll definitely be able to explore Downtown Vancouver and beyond on foot. However, you will need to use public transport at some stage during your stay.

By SkyTrain: Vancouver's SkyTrain is the world's longest automated rapid transit system. Fully automated trains run on three different lines namely the Expo Line, the Millennium Line and the Canada Line.

By bike: This city boasts numerous bike paths so cycling is a popular way to get around. In fact, it can be the best way to see some of the city's attractions like Stanley Park.

Vancouver has what is known as an oceanic climate and it usually sees warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. July and August are usually the hottest months, boasting average temperatures of 17.5ºC. During winter it doesn't get as cold in Vancouver as it does in many other Canadian cities. January tends to be the coldest month when temperatures hover around 2.5ºC but can drop below zero. Winter is Vancouver's wettest season with November, December and January all generally seeing in excess of 200mm of rainfall.

Consulates

USA: +1 604 6854311
Australia: +1 604 6841177
New Zealand: +1 604 6847388
UK: +1 604 6834421
Spain: +1 613 7472252*
France: +1 604 6375300
Germany: +1 604 6848377
Italy: +1 604 6847288
Ireland: +1 604 6839233

*Embassy in Ottawa

The Foundation, 2301 Main Street, Mount Pleasant Generous portions of scrumptious vegetarian and vegan dishes are what you'll find at this popular restaurant. Usually pretty crowded, this funky eatery offers a tempting array of dishes from nachos to tofu at very affordable prices. Open Sun-Thurs noon-1am, Fri-Sat noon-2am.

Modern Chinese cuisine Wild Rice, 117 West Pender Street, Chinatown The menu of this chic little spot features a good selection of modern Chinese dishes. Whether you fancy a big bowl of noodles or simply a spring roll sized snack, you'll find something to tickle your taste buds. Open Sun-Thurs 5pm-10pm, Fri 11.30am-midnight, Sat 5pm-midnight.

Bandidas Taqueria, 2781 Commercial Drive, Kensington-Cedar Cottage This interesting little spot is a must if you're dining out along The Drive. It serves up Mexican food with a twist as all the burritos, enchiladas, tacos and nachos are vegetarian or vegan. Open Sun-Thurs 10am-11pm, Fri-Sat 10am-midnight.

Nice Café, 154 East 8th Avenue, Mount Pleasant Boasting a comfy, lived-in interior, Nice Café is a very popular spot with locals. There's a great choice on the menu including everything from soups and salads to big burgers, sandwiches and all-day breakfasts. Open Mon 9am-3pm, Tues-Sun 9am-4pm.

Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante, 970 Smithe Street, Downtown Vancouver Italian food is what you'll find on the menu here. A great selection of pizzas and pasta dishes are served up at reasonable prices alongside some very tempting desserts. Open Mon-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri 11am-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun 4pm-10pm.

Granville Entertainment District, Downtown Vancouver Centred on a stretch of Granville Street, the Granville Entertainment District is filled with a great selection of bars and clubs. It's so popular that on busy weekend nights they even block off the street to traffic. Some of the standouts include The Roxy and The Commodore, both of which operate as nightclubs and live music venues.

The Cambie Pub, 300 Cambie Street, Gastown The first thing that'll hit you when you walk in the door at the Cambie is a wave of noise consisting of loud music, sports on the TV and all the chattering punters. The second thing you'll notice is that lots of these punters are enjoying big pitchers of beer while sitting at picnic tables. Open Sun-Thus 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am.

Libra Room, 1608 Commercial Drive, Grandview-Woodlands You'll hear some great live music at the Libra Room, with two different bands taking to the stage each and every night. The drinks menu is pretty enticing too and includes everything from martinis to beer. Open Sun-Thurs 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am.

The Lamplighter, 92 Water Street, Gastown Attractive drinks specials along with lots of entertainment options bring in a mixed crowd to this Gastown establishment. Hockey and football games are shown on the big screen, there's a live reggae band on Thursday nights and a DJ at weekends. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-2am, Fri 11am-3am, Sat 10am-3am, Sun 10am-2am.

Pourhouse, 162 Water Street, Gastown A turn of the century themed bar and restaurant, the Pourhouse is filled with abundant candlelight and a huge selection of speciality drinks. Amongst the wide variety of cocktails on offer you'll find around 6 or 7 different variations on the classic Manhattan. Open Mon-Fri 11.30am-1am, Sat 5pm-1am, Sun 5pm-midnight.

Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Downtown Vancouver Housed inside a very impressive building, the Vancouver Art Gallery is spread out over four floors. From paintings to video, you'll see a great selection of more unusual pieces here. Open Wed-Mon 10am-5pm, Tues 10am-9pm; admission $19.50.

Capilano Suspension Bridge, 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver Originally opened in 1889, the Capilano Suspension Bridge is 450-feet long and can take the weight of a jumbo jet. After crossing the bridge, make time to explore the park's temperate rainforest. Open daily, hours vary with season; admission $27.95; free shuttles depart daily from Canada Place.

Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Kitsilano The Museum of Vancouver has been in operation in some form since 1894 and is a real treasure trove of Vancouver history. Be sure to visit the neon-lit 50s gallery with its gleaming car and funky jukebox. Open Tues-Sun 10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-8pm, closed Mondays; admission $12.

Fish are friends... Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avison Way, Stanley Park Huge numbers of people visit this aquarium each year to see the amazing collection of creatures. Inhabitants of this watery wonderland include everything from fish to frogs to beluga whales. Open daily 9.30am-5pm; admission $21.

Grouse Mountain, 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver A top skiing spot in winter and a great place for a hike at warmer times of the year, Grouse Mountain is popular with both residents and visitors. As you head up in the Skyride you'll see stunning views of the city. Open daily 9am-10pm; admission $39.95.

January-February - Dine Out Vancouver During this event, lots of Vancouver's top restaurants offer specially priced three-course menus.

March/April - Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival This week-long festival features a wide variety of different events including wine tastings, seminars and more. Wines from all over the world are featured.

June-July - Vancouver International Jazz Festival You'll be able to hear world-class live jazz in venues across the city during this festival's 10-day run. Many of these performances are free.

June-September - Bard on the Beach On the go for over 20 years, this Shakespeare Festival takes place along the waterfront in Vanier Park. Throughout the event a great selection of Shakespeare's plays are preformed in a couple of different tents.

July - Vancouver Pride Parade The city's annual Pride Parade and Festival involves a colourful procession of floats through Davie Village. A street party is also held, alongside plenty of other events.

July/August - Celebration of Light Attended by approximately one million people, Vancouver's annual Celebration of Light is held on English Bay and features an extravagant display of fireworks.

September - Vancouver International Fringe Festival During this festival, in excess of 400 performances take place in venues across the city. Material being showcased runs the gamut from very alternative stuff to more traditional theatre.

September-October - Vancouver International Film Festival One of the biggest film festivals in North America, the VIFF features a huge selection of movies from Canada and beyond.

November-December - Vancouver Christmas Market This authentic German Christmas market is held in Downtown Vancouver on the Plaza at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. It features numerous craft and food stalls, plus choral performances, chocolate making presentations and more.

December-January - Canyon Lights Vancouver's famous Capilano Suspension Bridge sparkles during this winter festival of light. Live music, craft demonstrations and more can all be enjoyed throughout the event.

Chinatown Vancouver's Chinatown is the largest in Canada and the third largest in North America. Centred on a section of Pender Street, you'll know you're here when you see the elaborate red street lamps. Filled with affordable eateries and colourful shops, it's also home to cool attractions like the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

Kitsilano Attractions aplenty await you in this hugely popular Vancouver neighbourhood. Just a short trip from downtown, it is home to Vanier Park where you'll find the Museum of Vancouver and the H.R. McMillan Space Centre. Another top draw in this area is the much-loved Kitsilano Beach.

What a gas! Gastown This historic area of the city dates back to 1867 when the wonderfully-named 'Gassy' Jack Deighton set up a saloon here. Today, it's one of the city's most popular neighbourhoods. While you're there you can have a stroll, check out the shops and stop to have a look at the landmark steam-powered clock. Make sure to go back at night to enjoy Gastown's lively bars and restaurants.

Davie Village Davie Street is the focal point of Vancouver's gay village, which is home to lots of the city's lively gay scene. It's instantly recognisable thanks to the rainbow flags on the lampposts and the pink bus shelters. As well as bars and restaurants aplenty, you'll find cool stores here including the Little Sister's Book and Art Emporium.

Mount Pleasant Hop on the Canada Line of the SkyTrain and it won't be long until you get to this up and coming neighbourhood. Mount Pleasant is a cool spot with a great vibe thanks to all the funky cafés, alternative stores and laid-back bars. Many of these can be found in the SoMa (South Main) area of Mount Pleasant around the intersection of Main and Broadway.

Pacific Centre, 701 West Georgia Street, Downtown Vancouver Most of the shops in the Pacific Centre can be found below ground level. Whether you're looking for clothes, shoes or accessories you'll find it here. Well-known brands including Banana Republic, Hollister and Coach all have branches here. Open Mon, Tues & Sat 10am-7pm, Wed-Fri 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm.

Island shopping district Granville Island, False Creek The Granville Island Public Market boasts a stunning array of colourful fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, locally made cheese and more. It's also worth having a wander outside the main market hall too, as this island has a number of cool shops selling everything from art to clothing for dogs. Public market open daily 9am-7pm.

Commercial Drive, Grandview-Woodlands Affectionately known as The Drive, this long street traverses a number of neighbourhoods. For a more alternative shopping experience, check out the stretch in Grandview-Woodlands which is teeming with dollar stores, speciality shops and funky boutiques.

Robson Street, Downtown Vancouver Vancouver's shopping nexus, the stretch of Robson Street between Jervis and Granville is filled with shops tempting you to part with a 'loonie' or two. One of North America's busiest shopping stretches, it boasts stores like Guess, American Apparel, French Connection, Zara and HMV.

Metropolis at Metrotown, 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby You can get the SkyTrain from Downtown Vancouver all the way out to Metrotown. One of the largest shopping malls in Canada, it boasts in excess of 450 different shops including Foot Locker, La Senza, Fossil, Levi's and Tommy Hilfiger. Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm.

Explore beautiful Stanley Park Covering a substantial 400 hectares, this huge urban park is Vancouver's most popular green space and is visited by around 8 million people each year. Stroll along the 8.8km long section of the Seawall for breathtaking views of the city's skyline, wander through the beautiful Rose Garden, explore the forest and check out the totem poles.

Check out Christ Church Cathedral This Anglican Cathedral has been in operation since back in 1888. Imposing stone on the outside, the interior is a lot more welcoming with lots of ornate wood work, colourful stained glass and a very elaborate organ. Open to visitors Mon-Fri 10am-4pm.

Visit Queen Elizabeth Park As it's one of the highest points in Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Park affords visitors with some pretty stunning views. However, that's far from the only reason to visit. You can watch the dancing fountain in action, stroll through the Quarry Gardens or bring some food and have a picnic on one of the lawns.

Spend some time at Canada Place Stroll along the promenade and check out the Canadian Trail, a funky little walkway that represents all of Canada's cities, provinces and territories using colourful tiles. This is also a great spot for views of the harbour, the giant cruise ships that dock here regularly and out across the water to North Vancouver.

Kits me quick Make your way to Kitsilano Beach If you're looking to combine a day on the beach with brilliant views of the city and surrounding area, head down to Kitsilano Beach or Kits Beach, as it's more commonly known. Hugely popular with locals, it's a great spot for swimming and the long stretch of sand also boasts a beach volleyball area.

Start the day with a jolt of caffeine and a pastry at one of Vancouver's innumerable coffeehouses.

Head out to Stanley Park, the city's largest and most popular park, where you can visit the Vancouver Aquarium, stroll along the Seawall and more.

Walk along the harbour towards Canada Place and on the way stop to take some pictures of the Olympic Cauldron (below).

Wander towards the Gastown neighbourhood where you can have some lunch and check out the famous steam clock.

Explore Canada's largest Chinatown. Check out the shops along Pender Street and visit the beautiful Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

Head back towards the downtown area and get your cultural fix at the Vancouver Art Gallery, which boasts a large collection.

Go exercise your wallet at the multitude of stores along popular shopping drag, Robson Street.

Hop on the SkyTrain and head out to Commercial Drive where you can have dinner at Bandidas Taqueria.

After you've eaten, stop in at one of the bars on the Drive such as Libra Room where you can hear live music.

Make your way to the Granville Entertainment District and go bar hopping into the wee hours of the morning.