Victoria itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Victoria, day by day: the British Columbia Parliament Buildings, the Royal BC Museum, Thunderbird Park, The Empress and the Inner Harbour Causeway first, then Market Square, Chinatown and Christ Church Cathedral, and the Butchart Gardens, Fisherman's Wharf, Ogden Point and Beacon Hill Park as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Victoria in 1 day
Day 1
British Columbia Parliament Buildings
Domed 1890s seat of the province's legislature on the Inner Harbour, with free tours and outlines lit up at night.
Royal British Columbia Museum
The province's museum of natural and human history, with First Nations collections, a woolly mammoth and an IMAX theatre.
Thunderbird Park
Small park beside the Royal BC Museum with tall totem poles carved by First Nations artists and a traditional big house.
The Empress
Grand château-style railway hotel of 1908 facing the Inner Harbour, famous for its afternoon tea.
Inner Harbour Causeway
Waterfront walkway below The Empress and the Parliament Buildings, with street performers, harbour views and boats coming and going.
Market Square, Victoria
Restored 19th-century buildings around a courtyard next to Chinatown, now filled with independent shops and cafes.
Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley
Canada's oldest Chinatown, entered through the Gate of Harmonious Interest, with Fan Tan Alley, the country's narrowest street.
Christ Church Cathedral
Gothic Revival Anglican cathedral on a hill above downtown, near the Royal BC Museum and Beacon Hill Park.
Victoria in 2 days
Day 1
Butchart Gardens
Celebrated floral gardens in a former limestone quarry in Brentwood Bay, with the Sunken Garden, a Japanese garden and a rose garden.
British Columbia Parliament Buildings
Domed 1890s seat of the province's legislature on the Inner Harbour, with free tours and outlines lit up at night.
Royal British Columbia Museum
The province's museum of natural and human history, with First Nations collections, a woolly mammoth and an IMAX theatre.
Thunderbird Park
Small park beside the Royal BC Museum with tall totem poles carved by First Nations artists and a traditional big house.
The Empress
Grand château-style railway hotel of 1908 facing the Inner Harbour, famous for its afternoon tea.
Inner Harbour Causeway
Waterfront walkway below The Empress and the Parliament Buildings, with street performers, harbour views and boats coming and going.
Day 2
Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley
Canada's oldest Chinatown, entered through the Gate of Harmonious Interest, with Fan Tan Alley, the country's narrowest street.
Market Square, Victoria
Restored 19th-century buildings around a courtyard next to Chinatown, now filled with independent shops and cafes.
Fisherman's Wharf
Working marina west of the Inner Harbour with colourful float homes, fish and chip stands and a harbour ferry stop.
Ogden Point
Cruise ship terminal at the harbour mouth with a long breakwater walk to a lighthouse and views over the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Beacon Hill Park
Large seaside park south of downtown with gardens, ponds, a tall totem pole and views across the strait to the Olympic Mountains.
Christ Church Cathedral
Gothic Revival Anglican cathedral on a hill above downtown, near the Royal BC Museum and Beacon Hill Park.
Watch: Victoria
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Victoria
June to September is the driest and sunniest time, and the busiest, with cruise ships calling and the gardens in full bloom. Spring brings early blossoms, as Victoria has one of Canada's mildest climates. Winters are mild but rainy, and Butchart Gardens is lit up for the Christmas season in December.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Victoria on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Victoria on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Victoria on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Canada from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Victoria
- Free guided tours of the Parliament Buildings run most of the year; the buildings are lit with thousands of lights after dark.
- Butchart Gardens is about 20 km north of downtown in Brentwood Bay; go by car, tour or public bus and allow at least half a day.
- Afternoon tea at The Empress is popular and needs a reservation, often days ahead in summer.
- Downtown, the Inner Harbour, Chinatown and Beacon Hill Park are close together and easy to walk; Fisherman's Wharf and Ogden Point are a short walk west, or a ride on the small harbour ferries.
- Bring layers even in summer: sea breezes off the Strait of Juan de Fuca keep the waterfront cool, especially at Ogden Point.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Beacon Hill Park: Michael Schneider from Sargans, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0
- British Columbia Parliament Buildings: Ryan Bushby ( HighInBC ), CC BY 2.5
- Butchart Gardens: w4nn3s, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley: Wpcpey, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Christ Church Cathedral: unknown author, CC BY 2.5
- Inner Harbour Causeway: Robthepiper, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Market Square, Victoria: joe goldberg from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ogden Point: Gordon Leggett, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Royal British Columbia Museum: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Empress: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thunderbird Park: HighInBC Attribute to Ryan Bushby, CC BY-SA 2.5
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
