St. John's

North America's easternmost city, a colourful harbour town with sunrise at Signal Hill and Cape Spear, and icebergs drifting by and humpback whales in spring and summer.

St. John's is the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on the northeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula. It is the easternmost city in North America and one of the oldest English-speaking cities on the continent. The old town climbs the hillsides around a natural deep-water harbour in tiers of colourful wooden row houses. The harbour entrance is The Narrows, a gap between two hills, with Signal Hill and Cabot Tower on the north side facing Fort Amherst lighthouse across the water. The seasons matter a lot here: May–Jun is "Iceberg Alley" season, when icebergs from Greenland drift near the harbour; Jun–Aug brings the most humpback whales and puffins, temperatures of about 15–20°C and peak tourist season; autumn offers quiet trails and fine colours; from November to April it is cold, windy and snowy, and many sights close. Fog and wind are common year-round, so bring a windproof, waterproof jacket. Sightseeing falls into three areas: the walkable downtown (Water Street, George Street, Jellybean Row, The Rooms and the Basilica); the northeastern headlands (Signal Hill, Quidi Vidi and Cape Spear); and a day trip south along the "Irish Loop", taking in puffins and whales at Witless Bay, the La Manche suspension bridge, and the Colony of Avalon site and a lighthouse picnic at Ferryland. Getting there: St. John's International Airport has flights to Toronto, Halifax and Montreal, plus direct flights to Europe in summer. City buses have limited coverage, so rent a car for sights outside town. Plan on 3–4 days.

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