Vancouver and Surrounding Area itinerary in 7 days

Canada is an adventurous, amazing and undiscovered destination. With its partly unspoilt nature, it attracts sports, trekking and hiking enthusiasts, offering outdoor activities for all tastes. Vancouver is not an overly popular destination, but one that holds pleasant surprises in store for those who choose to visit. It is a lively and fun city, convenient to explore either on foot, by public transport or by bicycle, and its surroundings offer unique and well-preserved natural spectacles.

If your one-week trip destination is the British Columbia city, here is the Vancouver and Surrounding Area in 7 Days itinerary.

For a convenient and comfortable stay in British Columbia, consider booking your accommodation near UBC Hospital. The location is perfect for exploring the city and its surrounding areas. To get the best deals on hotels near UBC Hospital, book here >>

Day 1: Stanley Park, Aquarium, West End

Your first day in Vancouver starts by exploring one of the city's landmarks, the famous Stanley Park (daily 9am-5pm; free). Vancouver's green lung covers 405 hectares and is larger than even New York's Central Park. The most fun way to visit it is with a Bike Tour: the park is huge, your guide will take you to the most interesting areas, including rainforest areas, forest trails, and of course includes bike rental. Alternatively, you can take the internal train or walk through the park, where you will find several scenic spots to stop, kiosks and other services.

Spend the whole morning touring the park, then have lunch at Stanley's Bar and Grill (average cost $25.00/€16.11). This way you can stay in the park, as your afternoon stop is the Vancouver Aquarium (daily 10am-5pm), the largest aquarium in Canada. An attraction that, if you are travelling as a family, the kids will definitely love!

End the day by exploring the area of the city that borders Stanley park, called the West End. This is one of the city's liveliest neighbourhoods, full of shops, clubs and restaurants. For dinner, we recommend Cactus Club Cafe English Bay, a restaurant directly overlooking English Bay beach (average cost $25.00/€16.11).

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 3.6 km

• Places visited: Stanley Park (free), Vancouver Aquarium ($38.00/€24.49), Vancouver West End (free)

• Daily expense: €75.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Stanley's Bar and Grill(Get directions), Dinner at Cactus Club Cafe English Bay(Get directions)

Day 2: Capilano Bridge, Coal Harbour

Photo by David J Laporte. The second day in Vancouver begins with a truly exciting experience, a visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (open from 9am). The park can be reached by the free shuttle bus from downtown

Take bus 246 again and get off at Eastbound W Georgia St @ Gilford St, you'll find yourself in the Coal Harbour district, where there's a marina and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Have lunch at TAPshack (average charge $20.00/€12.89).
After lunch take the 19 bus to Eastbound W Pender St @ Burrard St for another adventure, the one offered by FlyOver Canada (Mon-Thu 3pm-7pm, Fri-Sat 11am-7pm; from $23/€14.83). This is a realistic flight simulator that will take you flying over, albeit virtually, the most beautiful landscapes around the country.
After the experience, head to Canada Place, one of Vancouver's most distinctive buildings and a symbol of the city. Take the walk around the complex to see the surrounding mountains, a glimpse of Stanley Park, and hydroplane departures.

Before dinner, preferably at sunset, ride the glass lift that will take you at full speed to the top of the Vancouver Lookout (daily 9am-9pm or 10.30pm depending on season; from $17.50/€11.28), 169 metres up. You'll enjoy a magnificent 360-degree view of the city and its surroundings. Dinner at Steamworks Brewpub (average charge $23.00/€14.83).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 9.5 km

• Places visited: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park ($54.95/€35.05), Coal Harbour (free), FlyOver Canada (from $23.00/€14.83), Canada Place (free), Vancouver Lookout (from $17.50/€11.28)

• Daily expense: €100.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at TAPshack(Get directions), Dinner at Steamworks Brewpub(Get directions)

Day 3: Vancouver Art Gallery, Gastown, Chinatown

Photo by Kyle Lawrence. Day 3 begins with a visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery (daily 10am-5pm, Tue and Fri 12pm-8pm) where you can admire a collection of over 11,000 pieces of indigenous art.
A short walk takes you to Gastown, the city's oldest area full of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. It was founded by British sailor Gassy Jack Deighton, after whom it is named. Before lunch, head to the famous Steam Clock, the steam clock that makes distinctive sounds.

Eat at Deacon's Corner (average charge $18.00/€11.61).
In the afternoon, head to another quaint Vancouver neighbourhood, Chinatown. It is the third largest Chinatown in North America, a colourful area full of open-air markets, artisan workshops, exotic cuisines, restaurants and shops. After finding the perfect souvenir, look for the Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (summer daily 9:30am-7pm, winter hours may vary, visit official website) and take your time to stroll around, linger on a bench and don't miss the scents and colours of this oasis of the Orient.

Dine at Taishoken Ramen (average cost $20.00/€12.89) and devote the rest of the evening to exploring Chinatown, not forgetting to pass under the Vancouver Chinatown Millennium Gate.

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 3.9 km

• Places visited: Vancouver Art Gallery ($24.00/€15.47), Gastown and Steam Clock (free), Chinatown (free), Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden ($16.00/€10.32), Vancouver Chinatown Millennium Gate (free)

• Daily expense: €50.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Deacon's Corner(Get directions), Dinner at Taishoken Ramen(Get directions)

Day 4: Grouse Mountain

Day four will be devoted entirely to discovering Grouse Mountain (access from $29.50/€19.02 for the whole day), a mountain resort a stone's throw from downtown. To get there, you can take bus 236 (from Downtown to the cable car park), but we recommend the tour with transport included, which includes admission to Grouse Mountain and its attractions, admission to the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Capilano Fish Hatchery. The Skyride, or cable car ride to the top of the mountain (daily 9am-7pm), is included in the tour.

In addition to admiring the beautiful view, both from the cable car and from the summit, there are plenty of activities to do here. In winter you can devote the whole day to winter sports: there are 33 ski and snowboard slopes, 15 night runs and 4 ski lifts, an ice skating rink. In summer you can go on wilderness trails accompanied by local rangers, visiting the resident grizzly bears at Grouse Mountain (including the famous Grouse Grind, the trail that climbs 2.9 km up the mountain). Have lunch at Lupins Café, one of the area's restaurants (average charge $20.00/€12.89).

After visiting the area's shops, buying a souvenir and taking the cable car back down to the valley, take the bus back to Downtown, and dine at Five Guys, with an average expenditure of $20/€12.89.

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 14 km

• Places visited: Grouse Mountain (from $29.50/€19.02), Downtown (free)

• Daily expenses: €60.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Lupins Café(Get directions), Dinner at Five Guys(Get directions)

Day 5: Granville Island, Whale Watching Tour

Start the day by reaching one of Vancouver's must-see areas, namely Granville Island. This is a small peninsula dominated by a large public market (daily 9am-4pm; admission free), where you can find all kinds of food products. At the market, fun improvisation shows are also staged spontaneously for everyone to participate in. If you have time left before lunch, join an inflatable boat tour, which departs from Granville Island and lets you see the city from a different perspective.

Once you return from your excursion, head to the Yaletown neighbourhood, which is full of places to dine or have a drink with friends, where you can enjoy a wonderful stroll along the waterfront. Here you can dine at The Flying Pig, one of the best loalies in the whole area (average cost $50.00/€31.90).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 2.2 km

• Places visited: Granville Island and Granville Public Market (free), half-day whale watching tour (€119.00) or alternatively Science World ($27.62/€17.84), Yaletown (free)

• Daily expense: €165.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Bridges Restaurant(Get directions), Dinner at The Flying Pig(Get directions)

Day 6: Excursion to Victoria

About 114 km south of Vancouver, Victoria is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest (it is the capital of British Columbia) and is the perfect day trip destination. You can get there by a combination of means (bus + ferry), but the best and most comfortable option is the tour including transport from Vancouver. Start your discovery of the city by visiting the British Columbia Parliament Buildings (Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm, free). Between travelling and visiting the building, it will be lunchtime, for which we recommend Jonathan's Restaurant (average charge $30.00/€19.35).

From the Legislature Terminal take bus 75 to Keating Cross Rd at West Saanich, where you'll find the famous Butchart Gardens (daily 9am-3pm or 9pm depending on the season). This is a huge flower garden of no less than 22 hectares that is home to an endless array of flowers, plants and trees from all over the world. Also nearby are the Victoria Butterfly Gardens (Sep-Thu daily 10am-3pm, Jul-Aug 10am-4pm), a small tropical jungle where butterflies of all shapes and sizes live.

Stay in Victoria for dinner, we recommend Sassy's Family Restaurant (average charge $20.00/€12.89) then catch the bus and ferry back to Vancouver.

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 229 km / 6 h by car + ferry (including ride from

• Places visited: British Columbia Parliament Buildings (free), Butchart Gardens (from $22.65/€14.61), Victoria Butterfly Gardens ($16.50/€10.64)

• Daily Expenditure: €80.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Jonathan's Restaurant(Get directions), Dinner at Sassy's Family Restaurant(Get directions)

Day 7: Excursion to Fort Langley

Photo by Blake Handley. From Downtown Vancouver take the SkyTrain Expo Line to Surrey Central Station, from here take bus 502 to the small town of Fort Langley, a Canadian and British Columbia historic site. Start your visit with a stop at the fort that gives the town its name, Fort Langley (daily 10am-5pm). Partly reconstructed, in summer and on weekends throughout the year there are costumed period figures and demonstrations of ancient crafts. Before lunch, take a stroll through the town centre, past quaint shops.

Have lunch at Trading Post Eatery (average cost $30.00/€19.35).
In the afternoon visit the Langley Centennial Museum (Mon-Fri 11am-3pm) with its collection of artefacts, archival documents and historical material relating to Langley and the surrounding area. Devote the rest of the afternoon to Langley's Fort to Fort Trail, which runs 8km along the Fraser River to Derby Reach Regional Park. It's an easy, looped trail that can be completed on foot in about 2½ hours.

If you want to stay here for dinner, we recommend Fort Pub & Grill (average cost $25.00/€16.11).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 94.6 km / 1 h 25 min by car including drive from

• Places visited: Fort Langley (free), Fort Langley Fort ($7.90/€5.10), Langley Centennial Museum ($12/€7.74), Langley's Fort to Fort Trail (free)

• Daily expense: €90.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Trading Post Eatery(Get directions), Dinner at Fort Pub & Grill(Get directions)

How much does a week in Vancouver cost

NB: The costs expressed in the table above are per person.

North America is certainly not a cheap destination and Canada can be quite expensive. The secret to saving money is to plan your trip carefully, making a few stops and booking all activities in advance.

The expenses that will have the biggest impact on your budget are travel outside the city, where a car is often necessary, and the cost of hiring equipment if you choose to practice winter sports. On the other hand, there is no shortage of offers for accommodation and food, the hostels and cheap accommodation are clean and well organised and you can find solutions for all budgets!

• Cheap flights: from €520.00 - see offers

• Where to stay: Hotels and B&Bs from €50.00 per room - see offers

• Total cost of a week, including flights: from €1,335.00 per person

Before you go: useful tips

• When to visit Vancouver: in spring, from March to May, or in autumn, from September to November, for the mild climate. For winter sports - find out more

• Getting there: the city is served by Vancouver International Airport, about 13 km south of the city on Sea Island. It can be reached by SkyTrain's Canada Line (26 min, from $10.25/€6.55) - learn more

• Where to stay: Downtown if you want to stay downtown, neighbourhoods like Coal Harbour and Gastown are a good compromise between proximity to major attractions, safety and cheap prices

• Getting around: if you're staying in the city, public transport is recommended, as it's extensive and cheap (with the Compass Card you get discounts on fares, the cost varies between $2.10/€1.35 and $4.20/€2.71) - find out more

• Local currency: Canadian dollar ($ or CAD) / Exchange rate: €1.00 = $1.55

• Time zone: GMT-8 (-8h compared to Italy)

• Entry requirements: passport with residual validity of at least 6 months, ETA(Electronic Travel Authorization, $7.00/€4.50) to be applied for online at the Canadian government website before departure