Victoria, perched on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in Canada, has earned its place as one of the world’s most celebrated small cities.
Its accolades include being named Best Small City in the World (2023-2025) by Conde Nast Traveler for three consecutive years, recognized twice as one of the top family travel destinations (2024-2025) by Good Housekeeping and highlighted as one of the best places to visit in Canada in 2026 by U.S. News & World Report.
British Columbia’s (B.C.) capital is renowned for its natural beauty, oceanfront living, mild climate and relaxed pace — just a scenic, 90-minute ferry ride from Vancouver. Named after Queen Victoria, this British-influenced city pairs cosmopolitan sophistication with laid-back West Coast tranquility.
Here’s a look at some of the city’s newest dining, activity and accommodation options, as well as its can’t-miss classic attractions.
The Must-Visit List
In Victoria, many of the city’s top attractions are tucked within its compact downtown core, which each spring transforms into a cascade of color as more than 1,000 flower baskets bloom from city lampposts and remain through the fall.
Among them is the landmark Fairmont Empress , a luxury hotel overlooking the city’s inner harbor and well-known for its afternoon tea. The tiered plates of sweets, savories and loose-leaf, premium tea are served on royal China, which replicates the pattern of the tea set King George VI and Queen Elizabeth brought with them during their 1939 visit. (Their daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, also stayed at the Empress, which has the vintage royal tea set on display in the hotel gift shop.)
Kitty corner to the Empress is the historic British Columbia Legislative Assembly, where the public can take free weekday tours of its grand interior, featuring more than 100 leaded and stained glass windows, or make reservations for lunch or dinner at the affordable Parliamentary Dining Room. At night the Parliament buildings’ outline is lit up by over 3,000 soft glowing lightbulbs.
The Royal B.C. Museum is home to Indigenous exhibits.
Credit: 2026 Destination Greater VictoriaAdjacent to the legislature is the Royal B.C. Museum, a modernist complex, where visitors can learn about B.C.’s natural history and see some of its more than 7 million artifacts, including a life-size woolly mammoth. The museum’s First Peoples Gallery will be reopening later this year — but in the meantime, visitors can tour two other permanent Indigenous exhibits, including a replica of the ceremonial house of Chief Kwakwabalasami, the late Jonathan Hunt, who was born and lived his life near Fort Rupert, on Vancouver Island. There is also an updated languages exhibit, called Our Living Languages, which tells the history of B.C.’s Indigenous languages and the work being done to revitalize them.
While Victoria is a playground for urbanites, it also offers effortless access to the island’s rugged wilderness. From the inner harbor, you can hop on a boat for a whale watching tour. If you are lucky, sightings have also happened close to shore.
And for those who love the outdoors and indulgence, there’s Havn Saunas, a floating Nordic spa in the city’s inner harbor that opened in 2023. Set aboard a beautifully refurbished 1943 WWII naval workshop barge, the space has been transformed into a serene wellness retreat, complete with saunas, hot tubs and a restorative hydrotherapy circuit.
Havn offers a floating Nordic spa in the city’s inner harbor.
Credit: 2026 Destination Greater VictoriaVictoria’s New Dining Opportunities
One of the newest dining spots in Victoria is The Bengal in the Fairmont Empress, designed to evoke the grandeur of the British Raj era in honor of Queen Victoria and her role as empress of India. It reopened to the public last December, after a decade-long absence, when the space was used for private functions only. Today, its grand room serves breakfast and dinner with some items on the menu giving a nod to its Indian-heritage past. This legendary room was also Victoria’s first cocktail bar when it opened in 1954, as the Coronet Lounge.
Another new Victoria dining experience is Cafe Malabar, which made Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants Top 10 List in 2024. The spacious waterfront restaurant is delighting diners with vibrant South Indian cuisine inspired by India’s Malabar coastal region, where dishes blend bold Indian spices with fresh West Coast ingredients.
The Fairmont Empress is home to The Bengal, one of Victoria’s newest dining options.
Credit: 2026 Destination Greater VictoriaUni Modern Japanese Restaurant is another hot new spot, located on a coveted corner of Wharf Street. Uni takes full advantage of Victoria’s seaside location with sea-to-table menu items, such as fresh sashimi, sea urchin, nigiri, a diverse mix of sushi and sunomono (seafood salads).
While downtown Victoria is a haven for food lovers, just a 10-minute drive away, visitors will find Janevca Kitchen & Lounge, inside the newly opened Rosemead House. Under the direction of Andrea Alridge, executive chef, the menu embraces a fire-driven approach, from wood-fired pizzas to smoked vegetables and house-made sourdough baked in the restaurant’s wood oven.
Where to Stay
For easy access to downtown’s vibrant scene, top hotel choices include The Fairmont Empress, the Inn at Laurel Point — just a short stroll away from Fisherman’s Wharf — and Magnolia Hotel & Spa, where guests can borrow a bicycle to explore nearby Beacon Hill Park, one of the city’s premier green spaces. Travelers should make sure not to miss the Children’s Farm or the reclining “Moss Lady” sculpture near the duck ponds.
Rosemead House, a newly opened boutique hotel, was originally a private mansion built in 1906, and has been transformed into a luxurious, 28-room retreat that blends old-world charm with modern design and amenities. Its spa, Salt & Ivy, opened last November, offering custom facials and a range of treatments, with a full hydrotherapy circuit set to debut this spring.
