Underrated Canada: Incredible cities that should get more love

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Most people are familiar with Canada’s biggest cities: the exciting hustle and bustle of Toronto, the much raved-about food scene of Montréal, and the intense natural beauty of Calgary, Halifax and Vancouver. But Canada is also home to many smaller and equally beautiful cities, each with its own unique atmosphere and landscape. Although subjective, we've ranked what we believe are the country's most underrated.

Read on to see which city is our No.1...

13. Brandon, Manitoba

Known as the Wheat City, Brandon may be Manitoba's second most populous city, but it has a distinctly rural feel. It's a nature-lover’s dream too, with the area around the Assiniboine River full of peregrine falcons, beavers and various rare birds. The city also hosts a number of agricultural fairs every year.

13. Brandon, Manitoba

Brandon is also a hotspot for military buffs. The RCA Museum is Canada’s national artillery museum, housing more than 65,000 artefacts and many examples of artillery and military vehicles. The Brandon Municipal Airport is the home of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, which tells the tale of the Manitoba air bases that trained tens of thousands of World War II pilots.

12. Abbotsford, British Columbia

Situated in the heart of the Fraser Valley, just a little over an hour east of Vancouver, Abbotsford is a friendly city with rural verve. The Fraser River lends its picturesque views and also sets the scene for a large concentration of vegetable farms, orchards, wineries and other agricultural operations, many of which offer self-guided tours.

12. Abbotsford, British Columbia

Thanks to the bounty of the land, there are a number of farm-to-table restaurants, bakeries and breweries within the easy-to-navigate city. And while many Vancouverites see Abbotsford as not much more than a suburb, it has a lovely central area full of local shops.

The quaintness of its downtown has even made Abbotsford the setting for many Hallmark Channel films – it’s not uncommon to see various shops decked out for Christmas in the summer, for a movie shoot. In spring, it's known for its Tulip Festival too.

11. Medicine Hat, Alberta

Of all of the municipalities in Canada, this mid-sized city in southeastern Alberta is consistently recognised as the country’s sunniest. In addition to its big blue sky and reliable brightness, Medicine Hat has a storied history. The city’s abundant natural gas fields caused author Rudyard Kipling to quip that it had “all hell for a basement,” a quote that the community has heartily embraced. There’s even a popular local craft brewery called Hell's Basement in Kipling's honour.

11. Medicine Hat, Alberta

Medicine Hat has a surprising number of very good coffee shops, an admirable independent jazz festival, lush parklands and, in celebration of the local First Nations, the world’s tallest tipi. While agriculture remains a major economic driver, Medicine Hat once also had a bustling pottery industry. Find out more at the Medalta potteries factory, which now serves as a gallery and museum.

10. Kelowna, British Columbia

The Okanagan Valley is Canada’s answer to California wine country: a lush area dotted with idyllic vineyards, rustic tasting rooms and wine-centric restaurants. Kelowna, the biggest city in the Okanagan, is the headquarters of the rapidly growing British Columbia wine industry. Sitting right on Okanagan Lake, it's also a popular spot for water sports, biking and hiking.

10. Kelowna, British Columbia

The lake culture and temperate climate make Kelowna a popular spot in summer. While it’s a bit quieter in the winter, many of the wineries are open year-round and the city is also in close proximity to Big White, Canada’s largest completely ski-in, ski-out resort.

9. Edmonton, Alberta

Even though Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, it's often overshadowed by the larger city of Calgary, about a three-hour drive to the south. With a thriving culture scene and a pretty river valley, Edmonton is nicknamed Canada’s Festival City for good reason. It plays host to an excellent folk music festival, an ice-carving festival that is astonishingly well attended even in the dead of winter, and many other seasonal celebrations.

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9. Edmonton, Alberta

Edmonton is famous for West Edmonton Mall, which was once the world’s largest mall and currently includes an on-site hotel, amusement park and water park, in addition to a vast variety of shops. For something more refined, there's the Art Gallery of Alberta – an architectural marvel that features both modern and historical art.

Edmonton’s restaurants are also some of the best in Canada, with a great community of young and creative chefs.

8. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Known affectionately as the Paris of the Prairies, Saskatoon is a small city that punches well above its weight. From the glistening South Saskatchewan River that snakes through the centre of the city to historical brick buildings and a grassroots community feel, Saskatoon offers a combination of warm hospitality and hipster cool.

Situated in a province covered in yellow wheat fields, Saskatoon feels like an oasis in a sea of grain.

8. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

All of the surrounding agriculture makes Saskatoon a foodie haven: local restaurateurs have run wild with creative restaurants, breweries, bakeries and distilleries. The rejuvenated downtown Riversdale District, one of Saskatoon’s oldest neighbourhoods, has become the place to be in Saskatoon, and there's a fresh new crop of shops, restaurants and bars setting the area abuzz. 

7. Winnipeg, Manitoba

Winnipeg is Manitoba’s biggest city and the capital of the province, but it’s still a vastly underrated Canadian city. The city’s spirit is like none other in Canada. It’s far enough from both the big-city bluster of Toronto and the laid-back lifestyle of the west coast that it's been able to develop a distinct identity. The city has also earned its share of the national spotlight due to the architectural wonder and cultural significance of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (pictured).

7. Winnipeg, Manitoba

The area around The Forks at the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers is a hive of activity, including a great food hall. Other popular attractions include the Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature spa and the historical Exchange District, which is home to a number of trendy restaurants and shops. 

6. Kingston, Ontario

As the home of Queen’s University, Kingston is one of the most historical cities in Canada, due to its location at the starting point of the St. Lawrence River. The city’s origins date back to the 1670s – a very long run by North American standards. Today the city’s signature limestone buildings provide a setting for a vibrant academic and artistic community, rife with restaurants and bars.

6. Kingston, Ontario

History is a key part of Kingston’s draw. Attractions like Fort Henry National Historic Site, Wolfe Island and the Bellevue House National Historic Site, all paint a portrait of Canada’s past. The city is also close to the Thousand Islands, a group of well over 1,000 tiny islands that include many outdoor recreation opportunities and one of Canada’s oldest national parks.

5. Hamilton, Ontario

Even though it’s traditionally been more of an industrial city, and the home of Canada’s largest steel manufacturers, Hamilton has become a less expensive home base for many Torontonians. As a result, the city is now an appealing place to visit, with a vibrant culture – it's celebrated for its public art programme, with more than 35 sculptures and murals scattered around the city. 

5. Hamilton, Ontario

Hamilton’s love of art extends to its museums, with the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the McMaster Museum of Art housing thousands of European and Canadian artworks. The city also has a strong sporting tradition. It’s where you’ll find the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who play in the Canadian Football League.

4. Québec City, Québec

Montréal may be the flashiest city in the province of Québec, but Québec City is probably the most beautiful. It has a distinctively European flair with its cobblestone streets and old stone buildings. Visitors often remark they don't even feel like they're in Canada. With 400 years of history behind it, Québec City is considered the birthplace of French culture in North America. 

4. Québec City, Québec

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Québec is the area’s most popular draw but there’s a lot more to Québec City. There's North America’s only ice hotel, the nearby Montmorency Falls, the Museum of Civilization and much more. Québec also has one of Canada’s strongest culinary scenes and the province's eponymous city doesn't disappoint, with plenty of traditional fare to be sampled in its many restaurants and bars.

3. Whitehorse, Yukon

Probably the prettiest city in Canada’s north, Whitehorse still retains the spirit of its Gold Rush roots. The main street is a collection of colourful wooden façades, and there's plenty of green space (or white space, depending on the time of year) too. Whitehorse has a strong artistic community and a growing food scene, but perhaps most importantly, it’s a gateway to Yukon's largely untouched natural wonders. 

3. Whitehorse, Yukon

Due to the fluctuations in daylight hours between summer and winter, plus the extreme winter cold, activities vary wildly from season to season. In summer, there’s plenty of hiking, boating, fishing and wildlife tours. In winter, catch the mind-blowing colours of the aurora borealis.

2. Fredericton, New Brunswick

New Brunswick may just be Canada’s most underrated province. Its capital, Fredericton, is relatively small and uber-friendly and it's also the heart of New Brunswick’s artistic community. Here, you’ll find the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and the annual Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival.

2. Fredericton, New Brunswick

Like all of Canada’s Maritimes, there’s also some stunning scenery to be found in Fredericton. The city is bisected by the St. John River which is popular with boaters. There’s also downhill skiing at nearby Crabbe Mountain and opportunities for outdoor adventures at Mactaquac Provincial Park, about a 30-minute drive away. 

1. Victoria, British Columbia

Our No.1 underrated Canadian city goes to Victoria in British Columbia. Typically eclipsed by Vancouver – which lies across the Strait of Georgia, about three hours to the north – BC’s capital has a lot going for it. For starters, its location at the southern tip of Vancouver Island makes it a great base for outdoor adventures, from whale watching and kayaking to hiking (Mount Douglas is a favoured spot).

Back in the city proper, the Inner Harbour (pictured) is a great place for people watching.

1. Victoria, British Columbia

There's plenty for lovers of history and architecture too. The blue-dome-crowned British Columbia Parliament Buildings rise from landscaped grounds, and The Royal BC Museum delves into First Nations culture and the fur trade. It's also a city of festivals: they range from a winter film event to the Highland Games & Celtic festival, the longest continuously running highland games in North America.

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