I ranked Canada's 5 biggest cities after visiting them all this year — There's a clear winner

Calgary

I'm starting from the bottom because I need to rip off the Band-Aid.

Calgary may have been the most disappointing because my expectations were the highest. My few trips there in the past were brief (like, hardly-looked-around brief), while I knew all the other cities on this list pretty well. This time, I went with clear eyes and a full heart, ready for Calgary to win me over like it seems to for literally everyone I know who has ever moved there.

Yet here I am, about to rank OTTAWA over it (I know, I'm as shocked as you are).

The thing is, I didn't hate my visit, and I would actually go again. When it comes to cities in our country, I think we're pretty lucky. I've never been to one I genuinely didn't like, at least a little bit.

But compared to the other cities on this list? Calgary just fell short. Short enough that any back-of-my-mind ideas I had about moving there before we touched down had completely fizzled out by the time we left. Not even the taxes could sway me now.

The first culprit? The vibe — or lack thereof. I spent a couple of days roaming the city and still couldn't nail down a distinct feel for the place. Even the way people dressed made it seem like there was no cohesive sense of identity.

The city itself felt spread out, slightly random and not all that aesthetically pleasing. Bop-around days (traditionally some of the best days on a city trip) were disjointed and pretty lacklustre. We were in one of Canada's biggest cities, and by day two, we were genuinely scrambling to find things to do with our free time.

Every good coffee shop we found online seemed to be a 15-minute Uber away, and somehow none of them were in the same neighbourhood. Nothing felt particularly easy to stumble upon, which is half the fun of exploring a new city.

The Bow River was beautiful, but beyond our bike ride along it, I didn't find much natural beauty woven into the city itself. Maybe it was just the areas we happened to explore, but after three days there — and way too much money spent on Ubers carting us around — I feel like I saw a decent amount.

The upside? Obviously the mountains. We also went to Canmore during this visit, and having this gorgeous small town and the jaw-dropping beauty of the Rockies so close by is undoubtedly Calgary's biggest pro. That, and our dinner at Major Tom, which was, in fact, as good as everyone says.

But alas, I'm ranking the actual city here, not the picturesque mountain town an hour away — which I'd move to over Toronto or Vancouver any day, to be fair.

Ottawa

Believe it or not, I almost ranked Ottawa above Montreal.

If you had told me this a few months ago, I would have looked at you and recited all the reasons I left Ottawa as soon as I finished my degree at Carleton (it's boring — that's mostly what that list consists of — but it really is boring).

And yet, through a series of unfortunate flight events that left me stranded in Ottawa for an entire day, it won me over. Seeing the city with fresh (maybe even more mature?) eyes, I could actually imagine a life there. It's a big city but doesn't feel overwhelming like Toronto, which I love.

My evening walk along the canal with a dish of Marble Slab ice cream in hand? Blissful.

Bopping around is downright lovely here. During my short visit, memories of nearby Gatineau hikes, Parliament views, and actually really good food came flooding back. There's something very easy about Ottawa that I don't think I appreciated when I actually lived there.

So yes, it's still near the bottom of my list (because it is still Ottawa, after all), but this city doesn't get the credit it deserves. I've seen the light!

Montreal

As I said, I went back and forth between Ottawa and Montreal for this spot. That's mainly because I would rather live in Ottawa than Montreal, but the latter pulled through because it's so much better for a visit.

Montreal is just plain fun. Walking around is fun, eating out is fun, shopping is fun, and even just sitting in a park is fun. I say all of this despite my recent visit being during a heat wave — so that says a lot.

The city is beautiful, the people are friendly (I said what I said), and it really delivers on its whole "European vibes without the flight" thing.

The only reason it's not higher is because the idea of being here long-term feels somewhat isolating to me. I'm not sure exactly why, but after a while, I start to feel kind of stuck. A few days in, I get angsty and tired of going out and about, and find myself wanting more. More nature, more variation in scenery, more open air to breathe — just more.

On a quick visit, none of that matters. But longer than a few days? Not for me.

Toronto

This comes as another shock to me, because I notoriously talk sh*t about Toronto. I always did, and thought I always would. The thing is, though, people (me last year) love to diss the city without actually spending much time there.

I'd recall pushing my way through crowded downtown streets, feeling suffocated by the skyscrapers above, and say things like, "Why would anyone live here? And can they just say Toronto instead of the 6ix for f's sake?"

But I love the 6ix now! After spending more time actually exploring the neighbourhoods, the waterfront and the seriously unreal food scene, I've been converted.

Toronto has a lot going for it because it simply has a lot. It dominates in quantity, so while it might not all be quality, there's something for everyone — if you know where to look.

There's also a surprising amount of natural beauty for Canada's biggest city, with parks that I think rival any other major city and a lakefront that looks more like oceanfront (and that's coming from an East Coaster who now feels like she's betrayed her region).

Last but not least, Toronto has a vibe, despite what people (me last year) say. It's dynamic, with literally endless things to do, and has an energy that feels exciting and fresh.

Even though I'm putting it behind Vancouver in this ranking, Toronto one-ups it in one important way: People who live here actually seem to like their city. The locals I've met don't bash it; they love it and make that known. And if they don't? Well, they move to...

Vancouver

Some will say I'm biased because I lived in Vancouver for a year and Whistler for another, but don't forget Ottawa way back there!

There's a reason it seems like everyone moves to Vancouver. Even though the locals do, in fact, drone on about the rain and the rent, they stay for a reason (actually, many reasons, because it takes a lot to overlook those faults).

It's the best city in Canada. To visit, to live, to have a layover in (YVR is top-tier) — you name it.

First of all, it's got all that beauty that I don't even need to talk about because you already know (Beautiful British Columbia and all that). But unlike Calgary (sorry!), you have mountain towns and incredible nature a stone's throw away AND an amazing city.

The vibe is outdoorsy and cool in a way that means you don't feel like you have to dress up all the time (...Toronto). The food scene might be slightly behind Toronto, but there are still restaurants that have lived rent-free in my head for years. Downtown doesn't give me that suffocating feeling, and the seawall really is all it's cracked up to be.

Nature here isn't just at the city's doorstep; it's all around you, all the time.

Then you have cool neighbourhoods like Mount Pleasant and cute, beachy ones like Kits.

On my recent trip, I stayed in North Vancouver, which is its own smaller city but has lush forest trails that'll lead you to hidden waterfalls and jaw-dropping lookouts. That's all just 25 minutes from downtown, mind you.

I've also never felt aimless in Vancouver — actually, the opposite. The real stress on a trip here is figuring out how to fit it all in. Do I hike up Dog Mountain? Swim at Wreck Beach? Roam around the thrift shops on Main? Or maybe take the ferry over to Bowen Island for a little escape?

It's literally the best of every city, wrapped up into one (very expensive) package.