Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia proves cagey to characterize. It generally feels more
cultured than wild . . . but then you stumble upon those blustery,
boggy uplands at Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which seem a
good home for druids and trolls. It's a province full of rolling hills
and cultivated farms, especially near the Northumberland Straits on
the northern shore . . . but then you find the vibrant, edgy, and
lively arts and entertainment scene in Halifax, a city that has more
intriguing street life than many cities three times its size. It's a
place that earns its name -- Nova Scotia is Latin for "New
Scotland" -- with Highland games and kilts and a touch of a
brogue here and there . . . but then suddenly you're amid the enclaves
of rich Acadian culture along the coast between Digby and Yarmouth.
The place resists characterization at every turn.
-Frommers
Halifax
Halifax's unusually pleasing harbor side setting, now home to a city
of some 115,000 (about three times as many in the greater metro area),
first attracted Europeans in 1749, when Col. Edward Cornwallis
established a military outpost here. (The site was named after George
Montagu Dunk, second earl of Halifax. Residents tend to agree that it
was a great stroke of luck that the city avoided the name Dunk, Nova
Scotia.) -Frommer's
Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest municipality in
Atlantic Canada, lies on a peninsula alongside one of the world's
largest deep water harbors. The rolling hills of this city rise up
from the harbor and the historic central district to the upper
ramparts of the Halifax Citadel, a star-shaped fortress that offers
visitors splendid views of the city and waterfront. While in Halifax
be sure to take in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which promises
an impressive collection of authentic shipwreck artifacts, and Pier
21, a national historic site that proudly showcases Canada's immigrant
heritage. Many of the downtown attractions are within walking distance
of each other, making this sophisticated urban centre the perfect spot
for a walking tour. While in Halifax, most visitors also take the
short drive to nearby Peggy's Cove to see the moving Swissair Flight
111 Memorial and the resident lighthouse, which is believed to be the
world's most photographed lighthouse.
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse
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