Attractions

Victoria's top draws are its waterfront -- the beautiful view created by the Fairmont Empress and the Provincial Legislature buildings on the edge of the Inner Harbour -- and its historic Old Town. Two must-see attractions are the Butchart Gardens, about a 20-minute drive from downtown, and the Royal B.C. Museum on the Inner Harbour.

So attractive is this small capital city, though, that folks sometimes forget what a beautiful and wild part of the world it's set in. If you have time, step out of town and see some nature: Sail out to see killer whales, beachcomb for crabs, kayak along the ocean shorelines, or hike into the hills for fabulous views and scenery.

Cemeteries

Ross Bay Cemetery, 1495 Fairfield St. at Dallas Road, has to be one of the finest locations in all creation to spend eternity. Luminaries interred here include the first governor of the island, James Douglas; frontier judge Matthew Begbie; and West Coast painter Emily Carr. An Historic Guide to Ross Bay Cemetery, available in Munro's Books as well as other bookstores, gives details on people buried here and directions to grave sites.

Pioneer Square, on the corner of Meares and Quadra streets beside Christ Church, is one of British Columbia's oldest cemeteries. Hudson's Bay Company fur traders, ship captains, sailors, fishermen, and crew members from British Royal Navy vessels lie beneath the worn sandstone markers.

Contact the Old Cemeteries Society (tel. 250/598-8870; www.oldcem.bc.ca) for more information on tours of both of these graveyards.