From the time the Hudson's Bay Company settled here in the mid-1800s, the historic Old Town was the center of the city's bustling business in shipping, fur trading, and legal opium manufacturing. Market Square and the surrounding warehouses once brimmed with exports like tinned salmon, furs, and timber bound for England and the United States. Now part of the downtown core, this is still a terrific place to find British, Scottish, and Irish imports (a surprising number of these shops date back to the early 1900s), souvenirs of all sorts, and even outdoor equipment for modern-day adventurers. Just a block north on Fisgard Street is Chinatown. Founded in 1858, it's the oldest Chinatown in Canada.
The James Bay area on the southern shores of the Inner Harbour is a quiet, middle-class, residential community. As you walk through its tree-lined streets, you'll find many older private homes that have maintained their original Victorian flavor.
Beautiful residential communities such as Ross Bay and Oak Bay have a more modern West Coast appearance, with houses and apartments perched on hills overlooking the beaches amid lush, landscaped gardens. Private marinas in these areas are filled with perfectly maintained sailing craft.
