Downtown Victoria
Downtown Victoria is the urban center and entertainment hub of Greater Victoria. While mainly commercially zoned, this beautiful city has many attributes that are hard to find all in one place, including public green space and incredible ocean and mountain views. One can get lost in its many unique neighbourhoods such as the oldest Chinatown in Canada, fashion block "Lo-Jo", or "Historic Fort Street". There are many architecturally stunning churches, schools and castles not to mention pedestrian pathways such as the Songhees Trail along the harbour if you prefer a jog with your headphones. If you need a rest, duck into Habit on Pandora for the best coffee in town, or go next door to Mole' for a fresh and local gourmet breakfast (extensively researched).
Many people begin their journey into downtown by sailing into the James Bay Inner Harbour. Cruise ships, passenger and vehicle ferries, yachts, seaplanes and even a train drop people off in the heart of Victoria. The first sights to set the stage for this historical city are Francis Rattenbury's huge Edwardian chateau-style Empress Hotel (completed 1908) and the Romanesque granite Parliament Buildings for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (completed 1898). Considered the gateway to Victoria, you can head off to the shops, malls, restaurants, museums, and theatres of "Old-town", or grab a horse carriage tour into residential James Bay to see the many interesting Heritage Homes. Originally set up as a fort in 1841 for the Hudson's Bay Company, many of the Edwardian style homes still remain and are amongst the most sought after and valuable homes on the market for its solid construction and stunning architecture.
Old-town is a fantastic part of the city where many commercial businesses were built in a big way with the discovery of Gold in the 1860's. Many of the buildings have been restored, and many are in the process, including many great conversions into condos, studios, and lofts. The City of Victoria has been stepping up its effort to increase residence base and boost the downtown economy, which mainly counts on tourism. This effort has led to a new urban renaissance of high-rise condos with fantastic penthouse views of the US Olympic Mountains (South), Mt. Rainier (South-East), Mt. Baker (East), Sooke Hills (West) and the Gowlland Mountain Range (to the North-West).