Victoria City Highlights: from the Harbour to Chinatown

(24 reviews)

Victoria, BC audio tour: Victoria City Highlights: from the Harbour to Chinatown

This is a 1.4mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Victoria, BC

Canada

$11.99

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About the Tour

Victoria is a city that’s known by many names: ”most romantic,” ”most charming,” “the city of gardens” – and, even, ”Canada’s most haunted city”. Millions of tourists visit each year and for good reason: Victoria has rich history, striking architecture, diverse people with interesting stories, and fabulous eateries and pubs. On this walking tour, we’ll travel from the city’s hub, the inner harbor, and wind our way through downtown Victoria to end up in Chinatown.

On this tour, you’ll explore:

Carvings made by First Nations People, the Lekwugen people known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations
Victoria’s origins as a Hudson’s Bay trading post
The building where the hanging judge, Mathew Baillie Begbie, gave his sentences
The city’s first “strip mall” which was owned by slumlord Alfred Waddington
Former drug dens in Chinatown’s notoriously narrow alleyways

This tour puts a spotlight on the people who influenced and shaped our city, and takes you past a wide variety of beautiful buildings. Along the way, I’ll share lots of fun facts, stories and, of course, some fantastic shops, pubs and eateries too. This is a well-rounded tour for first-time visitors or even people who simply want to learn more about the charming city of Victoria, British Columbia.

Tour Producer

Michele Davis

2 tours

Hi there,

My hometown is Charming Victoria, British Columbia on the West Coast of Canada. I love my city so much that I became a private tour guide. I'm known as That Girl in Victoria. Promoting the city and local shops.

Discovering Voice Map is so exciting, allowing me to share what I love about my city with even more people. I love to travel and am looking forward to taking other Voice Map tours around the world.

Preview Location

Location 2

BC Legislative Buildings

Victoria is the Capital city of British Columbia, and all provincial government work is done here. You can wander anywhere around the grounds and even right up to the building front while I tell you a bit about our most famous building.

This side of the building, as impre... Victoria is the Capital city of British Columbia, and all provincial government work is done here. You can wander anywhere around the grounds and even right up to the building front while I tell you a bit about our most famous building.

This side of the building, as impressive as it is, is actually the back. The official entrance is opposite this side and is equally impressive. The grand entrance you see here is only used as a Ceremonial Entrance when the Queen's representative, the Lieutenant Governor of BC delivers the throne speech or grants Royal Assent. It's also used to greet special dignitaries such as the Royal Family, Heads of States, or Indigenous Chiefs.

Its unusual style has been called “Romanesque or Free Classical." Probably the most recognizable feature is the 33 copper domes which are highlighted with twinkling lights every evening. There are over 3,500 light bulbs. Currently, the bulbs that are used today have such high efficiency that when the entire building is lit, the energy it uses is equivalent to running two hairdryers.

Do you see the golden statue on the largest dome? That is Captain George Vancouver, coated in real gold and he's a pretty important fella. He was the first to circumnavigate all the islands around this coast and designated this inner harbour as the safest way to access the Northwest. You'll hear a little later in the tour how important this was in making Victoria as an important port of entry.

Now, I can't talk about this building without talking about its architect, Francis Rattenbury. In 1894 the newly formed BC government announced an open competition, for all architects to submit drawings for the new legislative building.

Francis had just arrived from England only a few weeks prior to this announcement. With a freshly stamped degree in Architecture, he submitted his drawings under an anonymous name and happened to win the bid. Can you imagine the surprise and concern these politicians must have felt in learning that their chosen architect was only 25 years old, and this was to be his first project!

But as you can see, he did a fine job and Francis went on to design, build, and collaborate on many important buildings throughout our city and the province, including the famous Empress Hotel which we'll visit soon.

By the way, you can visit the interior of the building with guided and self-guided tours - check the website for more details.

Now let's continue. With your back to the legislative building make your way to the corner on your right where the cenotaph is. It's the monument with the Soldier on top. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Victoria’s Inner Harbour
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Thunderbird Park
Fairmont Empress
Royal BC Museum
Market Square
Victoria’s Chinatown National Historic Site
Fan Tan Alley
Victoria Cenotaph

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Unnamed Road, Victoria, BC V8V 2L8, Canada
Total distance

2km
Final location
500 Fisgard St, Victoria, BC V8W 1R4, Canada
Distance back to start location

985.29m

Directions to Starting Point

This tour begins at our most prominent building, the Legislative building. It's the most iconic building, the one with all the copper domes on top. Our starting point will be at the impressive statue of Queen Victoria to whom our city is named. You will find it at the inner harbor right along Bellville Street.

Street parking will only give you 1.5 hours so I recommend a parkade instead. The nearest parking lot to the start is behind the Legislative building on the corner of Kingston Street and Menzies Street. There is one on Yates street (1/2 way through the tour). at 575 Yates street. Or if you want to park at the end of the tour, the nearest one is at 538 Fisgard Street right in Chinatown. Or a parkade at 645 Fisgard street near the Chinese school.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

The following shops and eateries are mentioned during the tour
SHOPS:
Merchant Quarters General Store, Rogers Chocolate Shop, Artina's, Murchie's Tea, Munro's books, Old Morris Tobacconist
EATERIES:
Empress Afternoon Tea
Bard and Banker Pub
Irish Times Pub
Garricks Head Pub

Restaurants not mentioned in the tour but highly recommended:
10 Acres, offering the very best farm-to-table/table-to-farm concept in the city. Located at 611 Courtney street (near the Empress Hotel).
Wind Cries Mary, offering small plate sharing. Located at 45 Bastion Square.

Il Terrazzo, a longstanding favorite with locals and tourists alike. Located at 555 Johnson Street (Wadding Alley)- call ahead for reservations.
There are so many others, Victoria has an incredible food scene, you almost can't go wrong with any restaurant in the city.
Pendray House afternoon Tea
Abkhazi Gardens Tea

Best time of day

This tour is suitable year-round, however, during the high season from April to May you'll find more vendors and street activity and all the glorious flower baskets. It is best to finish this tour not later than 7:00 pm as Fan Tan Alley - one of the major attractions on this tour closes its gates at that time. Also, note that many shops will close at 5:00 so if you want to get some shopping in during your tour best to start early. The tour time of 90 minutes is without stops.

Precautions

There are designated bike lanes throughout the city. Please take extra precautions when crossing roads and watch for the cyclists.
BC Sales tax is 12% on purchases - 5% on food.
Fan Tan Alley closes its gates at 7:00 pm every evening. It is at the end of the tour so plan accordingly.

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