Cheap flights to Victoria
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Quick summary
Country
Canada
Continent
North America
Airport
YYJ
Currency
Canadian dollar
Time zone
UTC-8
Deals already spotted to Victoria
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Britain on the Pacific
Visiting Victoria, the capital of British Columbia
At the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and the southernmost major city in Western Canada. Named after Queen Victoria and built around a harbour, it is compact, walkable and unmistakably British in flavour, with heritage architecture, afternoon tea and gardens. It makes a calm counterpoint to Vancouver, with its mountains and big-city energy.
The Garden City
Its nickname comes from the gardens and parks that Canada's mildest climate allows to flourish. Victoria is also the driest spot on the British Columbia coast, because the Olympic Mountains across the water shield it from much of the rain.
Butchart Gardens
22 hectares of gardens born in an abandoned quarry
In Brentwood Bay, about 20 km north of downtown, Butchart Gardens began in 1904 when Jennie Butchart set out to transform the exhausted limestone quarry that supplied her husband's cement business. A National Historic Site of Canada since 2004, the property is still family-owned, covers 22 hectares and draws more than a million visitors a year.
One garden, many worlds
The Sunken Garden, the Japanese, Italian and Mediterranean gardens and the rose garden follow one another along the paths, with about a million plants set out each year and more than 50 gardeners at work.
Getting there
From downtown, bus 75 takes about 50 minutes (Wikivoyage EN); admission is charged and fares vary with the season, so check the official site before you go.
| When | What you see |
|---|---|
| March to October | Flowers in bloom across the gardens, at their best in spring and summer. |
| Holiday season | Christmas lights and decorations. |
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Inner Harbour
The heart of Victoria, on foot around the harbour
The Parliament Buildings
The Inner Harbour is easy to explore on foot, with ferries, floatplanes and water taxis coming and going. The Parliament Buildings, finished in 1897, stand above the water, and after dark about 3,000 lights outline the facade and rooftops.
The Fairmont Empress
Opened in 1908 beside the harbour, this historic hotel is known for its architecture and for its traditional afternoon tea, with a long list of loose-leaf teas.
The Royal BC Museum
Devoted to the natural and Indigenous history of the region, with totem poles on display and Thunderbird Park next door.
Beacon Hill Park
A large park in the middle of the city, about 20 minutes on foot from the Inner Harbour, with a 38.8 m totem pole raised in 1956.
Chinatown
The second oldest Chinatown in North America
Behind the Gate of Harmonious Interest, Victoria's Chinatown is the second oldest in North America after San Francisco's. Fan Tan Alley, one of its lanes, is promoted as the narrowest commercial street on the continent and is lined with tiny shops and galleries.
Museums and landmarks
Seven places to understand Victoria
Royal BC Museum
Devoted to the province's natural history and Indigenous peoples, it is easily worth half a day according to Wikivoyage EN. It stands near Beacon Hill Park (Wikipedia DE).
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
The city's art museum; it is closed on Mondays from mid-September to mid-May (Wikivoyage EN).
Craigdarroch Castle
A Victorian-style mansion built by coal magnate Robert Dunsmuir in the Rockland district (Wikipedia EN).
Maritime Museum of BC
Long housed in the former provincial courthouse in Bastion Square (Wikipedia DE); check its status and opening hours before you go.
Miniature World and Emily Carr House
Miniature World shows scenes in miniature; the birthplace of painter Emily Carr opens from May to September, Tuesday to Saturday (Wikivoyage EN).
Parliament Buildings and the Fairmont Empress
British Columbia's legislature, completed in 1897, and the Empress hotel, opened in 1908 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, dominate the Inner Harbour (Wikipedia EN).
Hatley Park
This national historic site has a castle and gardens; the gardens are open from 10 am to dusk, and the castle is visited only on guided tours that must be booked in advance (Wikivoyage EN).
Tea, cider and craft beer
A table between harbour and countryside
Afternoon tea
The city's signature culinary experience, at the Fairmont Empress or at Butchart Gardens, where it is served in the former Butchart family residence. Reservations are recommended.
Seafood and farm-to-table
Restaurants around the Inner Harbour lean on fresh seafood and local produce, and Fisherman's Wharf has floating houseboats and seafood to eat by the water.
Craft breweries and cider
Craft breweries and the Cowichan Valley wine country sit nearby, and the Saanich Peninsula has a cider house worth the short trip out of town.
Evenings
Victoria is a city for harbour walks rather than nightclubs: stroll the lit waterfront, then dine facing the water.
Other tables
The Abkhazi Gardens teahouse serves afternoon tea and light lunches (Wikivoyage EN). In Oak Bay, nicknamed the "Tweed Curtain", you find teahouses and British sweet shops (Wikipedia DE). Pub fish and chips is another classic (Wikivoyage EN).
Getting to Victoria
YYJ airport, ferries and distances
Victoria International
The airport is on the Saanich Peninsula, in North Saanich, about 22 km north of downtown according to Wikipedia EN (27 km according to Wikivoyage EN). Allow about 20 minutes by car outside traffic and up to 40 minutes at busy times. The Vancouver link is a flight of about 15 minutes; Air Canada and Porter serve Toronto, Alaska Airlines links Seattle, and Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa are served too, plus seasonal routes to Mexico (Wikipedia EN).
From the terminal to downtown
Bus 88 links the airport to McTavish Exchange in 4 to 6 minutes; from there routes 70 or 72 reach downtown in roughly 35 to 60 minutes depending on the route (Wikivoyage EN). Taxis and rental cars are also available.
Ferries and floatplanes
BC Ferries sails from Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay in 1 hour 35 minutes. Black Ball Ferry Line crosses to Port Angeles (United States) in about 90 minutes, and the Victoria Clipper reaches Seattle in about 3 hours. Harbour Air links the Inner Harbour to Vancouver by floatplane in about 35 minutes, and Helijet by helicopter in about 35 minutes too (Wikivoyage EN).
| Landmark | Distance or indicative time |
|---|---|
| Airport to downtown | about 22 to 27 km depending on the source; about 20 minutes by car |
| Victoria to Butchart Gardens by bus | about 50 minutes (route 75) |
| Victoria to Sidney | about half an hour's drive north |
| Victoria to Sooke | about 55 km, along the Galloping Goose trail |
| Victoria to Duncan by bus | about 1 hour 15 minutes (route 66) |
| Victoria to Vancouver | about 100 km as the crow flies (Wikipedia ES), 1 hour 35 minutes by ferry |
Getting around
Getting around Victoria
The Inner Harbour and the heart of downtown are walkable, and BC Transit runs the bus network, including double-decker buses (Wikivoyage EN). A flat fare of a few dollars applies; check the official site for the current price.
By bike
The Galloping Goose, a former 55 km railway between downtown and Sooke, and the Lochside Trail to Swartz Bay make the city a cycling playground; shops rent bikes by the day (Wikivoyage EN, Wikipedia FR).
Leaving the city
Buses 75 (Butchart Gardens), 61 (Sooke, at rush hours) and 66 (Duncan) serve the surroundings; a rental car is more flexible.
Climate
Victoria's climate, season by season
Spring (March to May)
Gardens bloom early; days warm up, with some rain still around.
Summer (June to August)
Cool and pleasant: highs of about 21 °C and lows of 12 °C in July, 16 hours of daylight and long evenings. The Butchart Gardens season.
Autumn (September and October)
The weather turns, rain returns little by little and hotel prices ease; windstorms are possible.
Winter (November to February)
Mild: highs of about 8 °C and lows of 4 °C in January, with most of the year's rain and infrequent snow. The Butchart Gardens light up in December.
Victoria has a temperate Mediterranean climate with oceanic influence (Köppen Csb) and about 2,190 hours of sunshine a year (Wikipedia EN). It gets about half of Vancouver's rain, from 600 to more than 800 mm a year depending on the station (Wikipedia EN and FR). The best window is May to September for gardens and walks, and winter suits quiet stays.
Budget
Budget and length of stay
Victoria is mid-range to pricey for Canada, especially in summer when downtown accommodation fills up. The main paid sights, such as the Royal BC Museum, Craigdarroch Castle or the Butchart Gardens, cost roughly 20 to 40 Canadian dollars per adult each according to Wikivoyage EN; check fares before you go. The currency is the Canadian dollar.
How many days?
Two days cover the Inner Harbour, the museums and an afternoon tea; add half a day for the Butchart Gardens and another for Sooke or Sidney.
In pictures
Victoria in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Victoria
Which airport serves Victoria and how do I get downtown?
Victoria Airport (YYJ), about 22 to 27 km north of downtown depending on the source, roughly 20 minutes by car. Bus 88 then routes 70 or 72 reach downtown; you can also come from Vancouver by BC Ferries or floatplane.
When should you visit the Butchart Gardens?
The best blooms run from April to August. In December the gardens host Christmas lights. Bus 75 takes about 50 minutes from downtown.
What can you see in Victoria in one day?
The Inner Harbour on foot with the Parliament Buildings and the Royal BC Museum, an afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, historic Chinatown, then an evening walk along the lit harbour. The Butchart Gardens deserve another half day.
Which museums should I visit in Victoria?
The Royal BC Museum, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Craigdarroch Castle, Miniature World and Emily Carr House; check the status of the Maritime Museum of BC before you go.
What is the weather like in Victoria and when should I go?
The climate is the mildest in Canada: highs of about 8 °C in January and 21 °C in July. The best window is May to September for gardens and walks.
What should I eat and drink in Victoria?
Afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress or Abkhazi Gardens, seafood and fish and chips facing the harbour, beer from Phillips Brewing or Spinnakers, and cider from Sea Cider.
How do I get around Victoria?
On foot downtown, by BC Transit bus, by bike on the Galloping Goose, or by rental car for the surroundings.
Victoria or Vancouver?
They combine well thanks to the ferry (1 hour 35 minutes) or the floatplane (about 35 minutes). Vancouver offers nature and mountains, Victoria gardens, colonial architecture and afternoon tea.
Is Victoria an expensive destination?
It is mid-range to pricey for Canada, especially in summer. The main sights cost roughly 20 to 40 Canadian dollars per adult; check fares before you go.
How much does a flight to Victoria usually cost?
The price mainly depends on your departure city, the period and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real price examples already detected by SniperAir for this destination.
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