The Area

St. John's, our province's capital, is the perfect combination of big-city luxury and small-town charm. As the oldest and most easterly city in North America, this is where heritage lives. Melded with culture, history, and personality, St. John's has survived two World Wars, five centuries, countless hardships and triumphs. It's become a rare, old city full of character, experience and charisma, with a contemporary, sophisticated edge.

Wander down the narrow, criss-crossing streets carved by horse and carriage over 100 years ago. Pass the colourful jellybean row houses wedged together in every space lining the sides of steep hills and hidden alleyways. Once you've meandered down to the working harbour of the waterfront, look towards the Narrows and imagine a time when the waters were brimming full with fishing schooners.

 Visit Quidi Vidi, our charming village-within-a-city, which still embodies the spirit of an old fishing outport. Then, hike up nearby Signal Hill through the famous Battery, where tiny wooden homes still cling valiantly to cliffsides ravaged by ocean waves. The unmistakable, iconic Cabot Tower guards the top of Signal Hill, where military men guarded our shores throughout the 1700s and 1800s. Here, Marconi famously received his first transmission across the Atlantic in 1901. Look out over the cliffs and watch the city's harbour and captivating skyline spread out before you. Perched on the top of the horizon is The Rooms, home to our provincial museum, art gallery and archives, standing next to the striking twin clock towers of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist.

 As you explore the history of this place, shop at the many fine boutiques, shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs, and art galleries lining our streets. In the evening, sit back, relax, and enjoy live music or local theatre where actors will whisk you away to another place and time.