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Alberta’s biggest city, Calgary is the capital of Canada’s wild, wild west.

Located at the meeting point between the country’s pancake flat prairies and its rugged Rocky Mountains, the city is unabashedly energetic and determined. Calgary is both a modern metropolis decorated with tall glass structures and hub of lively traditions. They city’s most famous tradition, the Calgary Stampede, is the ultimate showcase of its rural cowboy roots.

Beyond the city you’ll find some of Canada’s most irresistible nature spots. The Rockies lure visitors to the turquoise glacial lakes of Banff National Park as well as the area’s exhilarating ski slopes. With sights like these, a road trip is a must.

Picture a modern city surrounded by some of the most amazing sceneries that Canada has to offer- that’s Calgary. While visiting, make sure you always carry an extra jumper even during summer as the weather in Calgary can get cold fast and viceversa.

Things to do

First things first. For a better geographical understanding of the city, you should explore Calgary form above by visiting Calgary Tower. The tower is Calgary’s highest viewing platform and not only you will enjoy a majestic view but you can also dine at the Tower’s rotating restaurant.

Next on your list of stops should be Calgary’s city center. This vibrant downtown of a young city brings together world cuisine restaurants, art galleries, shops and hip venues and bars. Stretch your legs by walking down on Stephan Avenue, Calgarians’ favourite fashion spot. You will be able to  chose from local fashion brands to the most known ones.

After 20 minute beautiful walk, you’ll cross Bow River to go for lunch in another buzzing area of Calgary, The Kensington Village. If you like colourful vintage shops, tasty street food and trendy record stores, that’s definitely the place for you. Make sure you stop to taste at least one of the 72 ice cream flavours available at Amato Gelato.

Calgary also has a lot of interesting museums from which we mostly recommend The Glenbow Museum, a must-see for historic enthusiasts. The art and historical collections will offer you a more complete view and a better understanding of Alberta and West Canada’s heritage. The museum’s collections contains a perfect merge between the past and the present of West Canada, showcasing elements from military, ethnology, photography, modern art and many others.

Apart of Glenbow, you should also visit the Military Museum, where if you’re lucky you can find old veterans to answer your questions about how they experienced the war.

Exploring

If you want maximum flexibility, we recommend to rent a car. Only a 20 minute drive away from the city, you can visit the Heritage Park Historical Village- a place emanating an energy you'll want to be a part of. We invite you to jump on steam train and take a short journey back to the Wild West of the late 1800s. This place hosts more than 1000 historical materials from Western Canada. It even has a bakery, a post office and a few local stores.

Since you’re already renting a car, you must go to Johnston Canyon. The hike has many options which make it suitable for everybody. You will be fascinated by the dreamy scenery and you will never feel alone as the hike attracts thousands of tourists every year. If you get hungry at the end of the hike, there is a restaurant just next to the car park. Since you’re in the area, don’t miss Yoho National Park which is renowned for its picturesque lakes and waterfalls.

And if you get to love Alberta, jump in the car and go further to the province’s capital, Edmonton which is another great city surrounded by natural beauty.