Vancouver
Young, open and always worth a trip
Categories: Vancouver British Columbia Canada
Picturesquely situated on the western coastline of Canada, Vancouver is directly on the Pacific Ocean. To the east are the impressive ridges of the Coast Mountains, which give the city a breathtaking scenery of sandy beaches and mountain peaks. Founded in the 1860s as a small sawmill settlement in the course of the gold rush and becoming a city in 1886, Vancouver soon developed into an economically significant metropolis.
With over half a million inhabitants, Vancouver is now the largest city in the west of the country and the third largest in Canada. 
© JFL Photography / Fotolia
Vancouver only gained tourist significance with the 1986 World Expo, which was organized by the city in honor of the 100th anniversary. As a result, the city, which until then had been insignificant in terms of tourism, was on everyone's lips and developed into an interesting attraction for tourists from all over the world, which today more than ever promises an unforgettable vacation.
Some of the unusual buildings that were constructed in the course of the Expo still shape the cityscape today.
Unmistakable is the geodesic dome of TELUS World of Science Vancouver on the banks of the False Greek. To this day, the striking building is used as a museum with changing and interactive exhibitions and also houses a cinema in which scientifically relevant films are presented.
The Canada Palace and the Plaza of Nations have also been preserved from the World Expo and impress with their unique architecture. Due to Vancouver's rather short history, most other buildings are also relatively young and modern, but no less impressive.
Two of the oldest preserved buildings in the city are the Vancouver Art Gallery, built in 1906, and the Dominion Building, which until 1910 was considered the tallest building in the entire British Empire.
One of Vancouver's landmarks is the Marine Building in Art Deco style. In addition to architectural sights, Vancouver also offers numerous green spaces and parks, which together make up about 11% of the city area. Among them is Stanley Park, which is the largest city park in Canada with over 400 hectares.
Here you will find Siwash Rock, naturally grown secondary forest, numerous monuments and totem poles, the Vancouver Aquarium and a total of 200 kilometers of cycling and hiking trails where you can enjoy nature and landscape.
The comparatively young city looks back on an ongoing history of immigration, making life in Vancouver highly multicultural and characterized by tolerance. After San Francisco, Vancouver has the largest Chinatown in North America.
Other parts of the city are clearly Indian, Italian, Greek, Japanese or Korean in character and thus offer a diverse cultural and culinary offering.
Every year, the Chinese New Year and the international dragon boat race are organized by the Chinese community and attract many visitors. Another annual highlight is the Celebration of Light, which takes place every year in late summer in the night sky on the beaches of the English Bay. 
© Crin / Fotolia
The world's largest fireworks competition is held here to atmospheric music and attracts 1.5 million visitors every year.
Even between these major events, Vancouver has a rich cultural life in the city's many museums or cafes and clubs. Vancouver, with its diverse architecture, nature and culture, is a destination that promises and keeps its promise of fulfilling diversity while welcoming you with open arms.
