One of Canada's top places to visit in 2026 is this small BC city with enchanting streets

It's a ferry ride from Vancouver.✨

Person standing by the water in a city. Right: A city street.

A small city in BC on Vancouver Island.

Editor

If you're already making your 2026 bucket list, then add this dreamy waterfront city set on a B.C. island to it. A visit here will whisk you away to Europe, with its enchanting cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and real-life castles.

We asked our readers to dish on what Canadian destinations people should visit in 2026, and stunning destinations got shout-outs. Among them was Victoria, the lively hub on Vancouver Island with picturesque streets, a great food scene, local boutiques, and endless adventure all around.

Victoria is the perfect gateway to Vancouver Island, a place full of breathtaking nature. You can explore everything from thick rainforests with moss-covered ground to long beaches with velvety sand.

It's balanced out with the bustling streets of Victoria, though, a city that has a somewhat quaint feel to it. Strolling around, you'll pass by colourful streets, filled with cozy local boutiques.

The city was also named by readers as one of the "most underrated" foodie destinations in Canada, so get ready to eat good on your visit.

After exploring downtown, you can head out to Colwood, where you'll find Hatley Castle.

There you can roam around the stunning gardens and take in the fairytale-like scene of the castle.

You can keep the dreamy vibes going by visiting Buchart Gardens, where you can roam the 55 acres of manicured beauty.

From Victoria, you can also take BC Ferries to the tiny islands nearby, like Salt Spring Island.

You can also take a road trip to famous destinations like Tofino or explore hidden gems like Qualicum Beach.

2026 is coming, so get planning your trip to Victoria.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

  • Editor

    Morgan Leet (she/her) is an Editor for Narcity Media Group. After graduating from Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, she jumped into fulfilling her dream as a journalist, merging her passion for travelling with writing. She got her start working in the print media world on Canada’s East Coast, then joined Narcity with a move to B.C., leading the launch of West Coast coverage. Her focus now is managing a large group of freelance writers, bringing human-forward and opinion content to the site.

Here's everything you need to know about what's open and closed in Toronto on Good Friday

Quite a few grocery stores are open to shoppers on the stat holiday. 👀

Canadian banks & public pensions have poured over $35B into ICE contractors

"It's important for Canadians to know that their money ... is being used to invest and attempt to profit from the violence that is happening in the United States right now."

Mark Carney just condemned Israel's 'illegal' invasion of Lebanon and called for a ceasefire

"It's an illegal invasion. It's a violation of their territorial sovereignty."

Pierre Poilievre is pushing to cancel the planned Toronto–Quebec City high-speed rail

"This $90 billion Liberal boondoggle does not make sense and it does not make dollars."

Mark Carney is denying claims he's considering proroguing Parliament if he gets a majority

Three upcoming by-elections could grant the Liberals a majority government.