Downtown Vancouver is a compact area full of activity, day and night. Robson Square is a focal point, with a series of landscaped terraces, a congress centre and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

To the west lie the shops and restaurants of Robson Street, while to the southeast are the renovated warehouses of Yaletown, Vancouver's ‘Soho', with its trendy shops, galleries, bars and restaurants.

A view of the mountains to the north of the city can be had from Canada Place, which houses the city's convention centres and whose striking sail-like roof echoes its role as a cruise ship terminal.

East of here lies Gastown (the reconstructed old centre of Vancouver) and Chinatown, the largest in Canada and the third largest in North America, where a variety of ethnic eating places and shops can be found.

Beyond that, Commercial Drive offers a more alternative scene, interspersed with older Italian cafés.

Separating Downtown from Stanley Park is the West End, whose green and tranquil streets belie the fact that it has one of the highest population densities in North America. Denman Street typifies the lifestyle, with shops and cafés and a fantastic sunset view over English Bay.

False Creek and Granville Island separate Downtown from the rest of Vancouver to the south. The University of British Columbia is much further to the west, beyond the now-gentrified, former hippie district of Kitsilano.

Tourism Vancouver - TouristInfo Centre
Plaza Level, 200 Burrard Street
Tel: (604) 683 2000.
Website: www.tourismvancouver.com
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1800.

There are also tourist information centres in both terminals at the airport, at the cruise ship terminals, and at the Peace Arch border crossing (Highway 99). Information on travel throughout the province is available from Super, Natural British Columbia (tel: (604) 435 5622 or 1 800 435 5622; website: www.hellobc.com).

There are no sightseeing passes currently available. However, printable discount coupons are available online (website: www.vancouverattractions.com).