Summer is usually warm and sunny, and can get very hot in some areas. It’s a good time to visit historic cities and places of interest and to catch the many outdoor music and theatre events, from jazz to Shakespeare. In June Toronto hosts Caribana, a festival of ethnic music, dance and food. The Calgary Stampede in July is the place to see cowboys, rodeos, bull riding and chuck wagon races. In late summer Vancouver has the Symphony of Fire, four nights of spectacular fireworks set to music.

Canadians love the great outdoors and many families use the summer to go kayaking, hiking, and cycling. Every province has its “wilderness walks” and the newly opened Trans Canada Trail, the longest recreational trail in the world, links Newfoundland in the east with Nunavut in the north.

In winter you can take part in sports like downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, skating, ice hockey, snowboarding and curling. The Quebec City Winter Carnival, at the end of February, has parades, ice sculptures, snow slides, music and dance. Canadian towns and cities are well organised for low temperatures with indoor malls and many cultural attractions. Canadians like their creature comforts and this is reflected in the many excellent restaurants found across the country, from standard North American fare to world-class gourmet delights that reflect the multi-culturalism of the country. Fortunately, there’s plenty to do to work off all that good living.