Atlantic Canada

Comprised of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Maritime Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, Canada’s Atlantic provinces speak of jagged coastlines, ancient settlements and barely explored wilderness.

Many travellers focus on Nova Scotia, where the provincial capital Halifax makes an excellent base from which to explore the coastline, discovering sandy beaches, pretty towns and some of the freshest lobster in the world along the way. Drive far enough and you’ll reach Cape Breton Island, home to one of the most spectacular coastal drives on the planet, the 184-mile Cabot Trail. To the west is Prince Edward Island, which despite being Canada’s smallest province boasts a wealth of attractions, including the sandy beaches of its eponymous national park and the farmhouse immortalised in Anne of Green Gables. Head further west still and your arrive at New Brunswick, where the food-rich waters of the Bay of Fundy support a multitude of whale and seabird species.

To the north, Newfoundland & Labrador’s historic charms are considerable yet astonishingly the province rarely seems crowded, even among the restaurants and bars of St John’s. Particularly enchanting are isolated outposts like the old port of Twillingate and unforgettable Fogo Island, both of which attract icebergs by the score from April to June. The province is also home to some of Canada’s highest mountains, jaw-dropping national parks, a spectacular shoreline and a forested hinterland teeming with wildlife.