Surrounded by water and steep mountains, this host city of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games is a city of beauty and grand views. The gleaming towers of the waterfront are never more stunning than from across the harbour in Stanley Park, the city’s vast acreage of public gardens, woodlands, trails and beaches. From there, the sleek urban environment commingles with outdoor recreation, the passion of Vancouverites who take to kayaks, sailboats, skis and hiking boots every chance they get. For more worldly delights, wander through Yaletown, once the city’s warehouse district until urban pioneers began reshaping the area 20 years ago into a neighbourhood now rich in such industries as fashion, high tech and design, along with abundant art galleries, boutiques, performance spaces, pubs, clubs and restaurants. The city’s rich international diversity—including people of British, Scots-Irish, Japanese, Chinese and Korean heritage—is on full display when strolling along Stanley Park’s famous seawall, giving Vancouver a contagious spirit of openness and fun.