Cruises from Charlottetown

The Canadian city of Charlottetown serves as the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island. Located in the southern part of the island, it is roughly V-shaped and has the Yorke and Hillsborough rivers running alongside it. The town’s harbour opens onto the Northumberland Strait.

Incorporated in 1885, the city already had a rich history behind it. In the colonial survey of 1764, it was selected as the site for the county seat of Queens County and the following year was designated as the colonial capital of St. John`s Island. The town was named after Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who was a consort of King George III. The present day Charlottetown has been expanded by a municipal amalgamation, merging the city with Sherwood, Parkdale, Winsloe, West Royalty and East Royalty.

The centrality of the town in the province makes it an important transportation hub. The Trans-Canada Highway links with Riverside Drive, the Hillsborough River Bridge and the North River Causeway. There is an efficient, scheduled bus service, which runs throughout the city. Charlottetown Airport is the province’s sole airport and serves a quarter of a million passengers every year.

Amongst the most popular tourist attractions are the provincial legislature at the Province House, where the Charlottetown Conference was hosted, the Founders Hall and a refurbished railway maintenance building that offers visitors an interactive trip through history to recount Canada’s development as a nation. The Confederation Centre of the Arts displays over 15,000 works of historic and contemporary art. This splendid building also houses several theatres, a restaurant, library and a gift shop. If you happen to visit the centre during summer, you may get to see Canada’s longest running theatrical presentation, Anne of Green Gables.

For those who like the serenity of rural life, a visit to the Orwell Corner Historic Village, which is east of Charlottetown, would definitely be worthwhile. You’ll get to experience an agricultural community of the 19th century and there are special events being held all year round. At another nearby attraction, the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead, you can enjoy pastimes such as bird watching, botany or nature walks. Among the churches of repute are St. Paul`s Anglican, which was constructed in red sandstone and St. Peter`s Anglican Cathedral, which contains the brilliantly designed All Souls` Chapel. Visitors can also visit some of the best residences on the Prince Edward Islands, which are mostly located in Beaconsville. Charlottetown also has some fine restaurants offering Asian, Mediterranean and Indian style dishes.

Other activities are taking a seal-watching tour boat, an air tour of the city and of course, shopping. The two primary shopping centres are the Confederation Court Mall and the Charlottetown Mall. Getting around the city is easy too, as the taxi fares are quite inexpensive.

All in all, Charlottetown has a unique charm. This city boasts numerous modern and Victorian commercial buildings, government and cultural centres and a plethora of pocket parks that make it one of the favourite tourist destinations in Canada.