Canada, a wild northern frontier that has etched itself into the national psyche, where its distinct patchwork of people has created a country that is decidedly different from its southern neighbour. It's the sovereignty of Canada's indigenous, French and British traditions that gives the nation its complex three-dimensional character. Add to this a constant infusion of the US culture and a plethora of traditions brought by immigrants, and you have a thriving multicultural society.

Best time to visit

March to November - spring, summer and autumn.

Essential experiences

Gorging on a whopping big lobster supper on the delectable Prince Edward Island; checking out fog-bound Halifax, one of the world's largest natural harbours; chilling out in the old town of Montreal - the streets are filled with musicians, restaurants, groovy shops and a general atmosphere of bonhomie; spotting artic wildlife in Churchill; hiking in Auyuittuq National Park, a pristine wilderness of mountains, valleys, fjords and meadows.

In a few words Canada is

Moose and bears, the Rockies, smoked salmon, Bryan Adams, maple trees and Canadian Mounties.

Did you know?

Halifax was the base of rescue operations for the Titanic tragedy, and that the plains people, such as the Cree and the Blackfoot, were forced into the Europeans' world by the virtual extinction of the buffalo that once roamed the Canadian wilderness.