By Rebecca Scott

While often renowned in Britain as just the United States’ colder sibling, Canada is a nation with a plethora of beautiful landscapes and its own unique culture. When the opportunity suddenly presented itself during summer 2019 to visit, then, I hardly found myself drafting up a pros and cons list; North America has much more to offer than just the U.S., and I was ecstatic to see the sights that the great white north had in store.

I’d always held a passive interest in visiting Canada; it was one of those places I assumed I’d find myself at some point down the line, but wasn’t wildly and desperately planning an itinerary, or refreshing Skyscanner until my fingers hurt. The plan took off when my best friend and I were in the U.S. working at a summer camp together, and she casually mentioned that she’d also been wanting to go to Canada for a while. Cogs began to turn as we realised we were on the same page, and within the hour we had booked flights to Toronto and Vancouver for three weeks’ later. Wonders never cease.

The minute our contracts at the summer camp finished up in the middle of August, we were northward bound. Flying out from LaGuardia and landing in Toronto International little over an hour later, we stepped off the plane and (after a surprisingly short wait at immigration and customs) found ourselves basking in the Canadian sunlight. We were only staying in the city for 23 hours - never change, bizarre Air Canada layovers - but managed to pack in an inordinate amount of exploring. From sitting by the glistening lakeshore and under trees in the botanical gardens, to staring up at the city hall and flipping through second-hand vinyls in record shops in the gentrified Cabbagetown, there were far too many sight-seeing options to fit in our brief itinerary. But Toronto is one of those cities that makes you feel like you belong the second you step foot there - especially being from Glasgow myself, when it clouded over and began raining mid-afternoon and painted the metropolis a monochrome grey. Home sweet home.

After our whistle-stop tour of Canada’s largest city, we jumped on another plane and headed out west. I had no preconceptions of what Vancouver would be like before going; I’m pretty sure I’d never even seen a photo of the city until I was flicking through spreads of the in-flight magazine 35,000 feet above the Rockies. I’m actually glad I went into this excursion so clueless, though, for when we arrived in the city I was genuinely frozen in my tracks by the beauty of the North Shore’s mountains. It was easily one of the most stunning views I’ve ever stumbled across.

We stayed in Vancouver for around a week, filling our days with walks around the Pacific Spirit park, hikes up Grouse Mountain and meanders along the Lynn Canyon trail. Vancouver is a wonderful city to check out if you’re an outdoorsy soul, with stunning views from the North Shore peaks and a seemingly unlimited amount of trails to lose yourself in.

Another category in which Vancouver excels is in its nightlife; having spent two months living and working in the U.S. where the minimum drinking age is 21, to hop north of the border and be able to go out to bars and clubs as a 19 year old was a significant (but appreciated) change. We stayed in a hostel in the quirky Davie Village region of downtown, home to even quirkier bars and the friendliest employees and patrons you’ll ever meet. To be able to kick your feet up with an ice cold G&T after a long day of hiking in the late summer sun was a welcome respite

Akin to St Andrews, Vancouver is situated right at the coast and is home to stretches of stunning sandy beaches, perfect for bonfires and enjoying the sunsets - and a dip in the ocean, if you’re so aquatically inclined.

There was so much to love in both Toronto and Vancouver, and I’m assuming even more further north into the heart of the country. Now that I've had a taste of Canada, I’m desperate to go back and explore the interior, see the Rockies from the ground and not via a plane window, and find out more about the culture outside of the main metro areas. I long for my return (when permitted), and encourage anyone and everyone to see all that Canada has to offer.

ST.ART does not own the rights of any images used in this article.