World City Guide

The city of Calgary stands at the point where the vast Canadian prairie meets the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Its young, glittering skyscrapers rise out of older suburban neighbourhoods and seem oddly superimposed on this breathtakingly diverse western landscape, as though dropped from the sky onto the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers. Accordingly, the land is never far from the minds of the people of Calgary. The oil that lies beneath it drives the city’s vibrant economy; the distant mountains attract legions of skiers and snowboarders during the chilly winters; and, during balmy summers, cattle roam the flat expanse of grassland, marking this out as cowboy country.

Before Calgary was settled by white Europeans, it was the domain of the Blackfoot natives, whose presence has been traced back 11,000 years. The first recorded European presence in the region around Calgary took place in 1787 and by 1860 settlers began arriving to hunt buffalo and sell illegal whisky. In response, Canada’s first Prime Minister sent a troop of Mounties to impose the law and make the prairie suitable for immigration. As a result of this, the sleepy little trading post of Fort Calgary was born (it was named by Colonel James Macleod after Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull, Scotland). The settlement did not experience much in the way of population growth until the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883 and it was not until 1894 that Calgary became a city.

However, 1914 was the year that Calgary experienced its most significant development: the discovery of oil in the Turner Valley, 35km (22 miles) southwest of the city. Overnight, Calgary became a boomtown, attracting settlers and investors and generating massive amounts of money. Additional oil discoveries throughout the century saw continued growth in the city that became the administrative centre for the Canadian oil industry.

As well as being the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, Calgary also grew into a tourist destination in its own right. Visitors flocked to take in the city’s burgeoning cowboy culture, expressed every year in the Calgary Stampede (held formally for the first time in 1912). The Rocky Mountains and, in particular, Banff National Park, attracted thousands more who were drawn by the park’s stunning alpine beauty and its famous hotel. As the popularity of winter leisure sports (such as downhill skiing and bobsleighing) increased, so did Calgary’s own popularity, all culminating in the city’s hosting of the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988.

Many have likened the Calgary of today to a Canadian Dallas, a comparison that is not without merit. Like Dallas, Calgary is a confident, often-brash cowboy town that grew wealthy on oil, where they play country and western music in noisy taverns and eat thick and juicy steaks in the restaurants. As an image, however, this captures only a small part of what the city and its people are actually like. Calgary is also a city of diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods, where its citizens relax in cafés, stroll the scenic streets or take in the opera, although they are just as likely to head off to the great outdoors. Its technology industries have grown immensely, diversifying the economy and making it less of a one-horse cowboy town and more of a 21st-century city.

Getting There By Air

Calgary International Airport (YYC)
Tel: (403) 735 1372.
Website: www.calgaryairport.com

Calgary International Airport is located 17km (10.5 miles) northeast of the city centre. The busiest airport in Alberta and the third busiest in Canada, Calgary International is the transport hub for southern Alberta. It handles over eight million passengers every year and features the largest civil aviation runway in Canada. It is served by some two dozen scheduled and charter airlines, providing service to over 80 Canadian and international destinations.

Major airlines: The national airline is Air Canada (tel: (403) 265 9555 or (888) 247 2262; website: www.aircanada.com), which operates regional services under the name Air Canada Jazz. The low-cost airline WestJet (tel: (403) 250 5839 or (800) 538 5696; website: www.westjet.com) operates flights between Calgary and other destinations mainly in western Canada. Zoom (tel: 0870 240 0055 in the UK or (866) 359 9666 in the US; website: www.flyzoom.com) operates between Calgary and a few cities in the UK (London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow). Other major carriers include Air Transat, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Canadian North, Continental Airlines, Delta, Lufthansa, Northwest and United Airlines.

Approximate flight times to Calgary: From London is 8 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 4 hours 50 minutes (plus transfer); from Los Angeles is 3 hours; from Toronto is 4 hours and from Sydney is 17 hours (plus transfer).

Airport facilities: These include duty-free shops, banks, ATMs, bureaux de change, baggage storage, mobile phone hire, an electronic hotel finder (French and English), an oxygen bar, medical clinic, post office, restaurant, food court, bars, visitor service centre and car hire from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty.

Business facilities: These include credit-card operated Internet and e-mail services. Some business facilities are also available in airline executive lounges.

Transport to the city: The Calgary Transit (tel: (403) 262 1000; website: www.calgarytransit.com) bus service (route 57) connects to the C-Train at Whitehorn station for the city centre. A variety of other shuttle services are also available. Airport Shuttle Express (tel: (403) 509 4799 or (888) 438 2992; website: www.airportshuttleexpress.com) and the Airporter, operated by Cardinal Coach Lines (tel: (403) 531 3909; website: www.cardinal-cal.com) both service the city centre. Brewster (tel: (403) 762 6700 or (800) 661 1152; website: www.brewster.ca) and Banff Airporter (tel: (403) 762 3330 or (888) 449 2901; website: www.banffairporter.com) both service Banff. Taxis are available at metered rates, with journeys taking about 20 minutes to Downtown.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

The Province of Alberta is covered by an extensive network of primary and secondary highways. Primary highways are multi-lane thoroughfares that may or may not be divided by a median. They are indicated by shields that denote the one- or two-digit highway number. The maximum speed on primary highways is 110kph (68mph). Single-lane secondary highways exist outside highly populated areas and have a maximum speed of 90kph (56mph). Traffic drives on the right. The minimum driving age in Alberta is 16 years. Proof of insurance is compulsory and foreign drivers must possess a licence from their country of origin. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. Seatbelts must be worn at all times.

The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) (tel: (403) 240 5300; website: www.ama.ab.ca) provides emergency road service, as well as a variety of other automobile-related services, including a 24-hour road report (tel: (403) 246 5853). The AMA is affiliated with both the Canadian Automobile Association and the American Automobile Association, for breakdown service in the rest of Canada and the United States.

Emergency breakdown service:
AMA (403) 246 0606
CAA/AAA (800) 222 4357

Routes to the city: The Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) becomes 16th Avenue as it passes through Calgary to the north of the city centre, running east–west. It connects with Banff, Kamloops and Vancouver to the west and Medicine Hat and Regina to the east. Highway 2 runs through the city centre, where it becomes Macleod Trail, connecting with Lethbridge to the south and Edmonton to the north.

Driving times to Calgary: From Banff – 1 hour; Edmonton – 3 hours; Regina – 7 hours 45 minutes; Vancouver – 11 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: Greyhound Canada (tel: (403) 265 9111 or (800) 661 8747; website: www.greyhound.com) links Calgary with all major destinations in western Canada, as well as many in the western United States (such as Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City). The Greyhound Bus Terminal, 850 16th Street SW, is the hub for most intercity coach services, both national and international. Facilities include a restaurant, bathrooms, storage lockers and a games room.

Red Arrow Motor Coach (tel: (403) 531 0350 or (800) 232 1958; website: www.redarrow.pwt.ca) operates executive-style coach services to Red Deer, Edmonton and Fort McMurray. The service includes executive seats, snacks and refreshments, laptop plug-ins, mobile phones, newspapers, and on-board movies. Coaches depart from the Fording Coal Building, 205 Ninth Avenue SE, and the Quality Airport Inn, 4804 Edmonton Trail NE (pre-paid reservation required).

Getting There By Rail

Canada’s national rail service provider is VIA Rail (tel: (888) 842 7245; website: www.viarail.com), however, the nearest station to Calgary lies 299km (186 miles) to the north, in Edmonton. Edmonton’s rail station, located at 12360 121st Street, has free parking (long and short term), although this is not recommended. The only direct passenger service to Calgary is offered by the privately run Rocky Mountaineer (tel: (403) 294 9298 or (877) 460 3200; website: www.rockymountaineer.com), which terminates Downtown, near the Calgary Tower (reservations are required).

Rail services: VIA’s transcontinental trains arrive at Edmonton from western cities, such as Vancouver (journey time – 23 hours) and Kamloops (journey time – 13 hours 25 minutes). Services originating in Toronto (journey time – 47 hours 10 minutes) pass through Winnipeg (journey time – 15 hours 15 minutes) and Saskatoon (journey time – 5 hours 35 minutes) on the journey west. The Rocky Mountaineer service is aimed at tourists, with the journey from Vancouver broken by an overnight stop in Kamloops, so that the entire rail journey through the scenic Rockies is in daylight. The thrice-weekly service runs from mid-April to mid-October.

Transport to the city: Edmonton is connected to Calgary by Highway 2 and frequent coach services are available (see Getting There By Road).

Getting Around

Public Transport
Although Calgary does not have a subway, its combination of bus services, integrated with a light rail system (known as the C-train), provides effective transportation within the city centre. The service is punctual, clean and cheap. Calgary Transit (tel: (403) 262 1000; website: www.calgarytransit.com) operates both the buses and the C-train.

The C-train comprises two lines, known as routes 201 and 202. The 201 line runs from Somerset Bridlewood in the south to Dalhouse (extended to Cowfoot by 2008) in the northwest. The 202 line runs from Whitehorn in the northeast (extended to McKnight/Westwinds by 2007) and ends at Tenth Street at the western end of Downtown. The stretch where both lines overlap along Seventh Avenue is a fare-free zone. The C-train arrives every five minutes or so during rush hour and every 15 minutes at other times; it operates Monday-Saturday 0500-0045 and Sunday 0600-0010 (24 hours during Calgary Stampede).

Buses operate daily 0500-2400 (some main routes until 0100) throughout the city, its suburbs and to the airport.

Tickets for buses can be purchased upon boarding (exact change only), while travellers on the C-train must purchase a ticket from the vending machines, located at all C-train stations. Transfers (valid for 90 minutes) are available for switching between C-train and buses. Day passes are available.

Taxis
A great number of private despatch companies operate in Calgary. Taxis can be hailed in the city centre at any time. They can also be ordered by telephone from companies such as Yellow Cab (tel: (403) 974 1111) and Checker Cabs (tel: (403) 299 9999).

An initial charge applies and the price rises according to the time and distance travelled. A short trip within the city centre should not cost more than C$15. Drivers are commonly tipped around 10-15% of the fare.

Driving in the City
Traffic is heaviest during rush hour (0700-0930 and 1630-1900), particularly on the highways connecting the suburbs with the city centre. Calgary is laid out on an easy-to-follow grid system, although the way the city is divided into quadrants, such as Southwest (SW), may be a bit confusing at first. In the city centre, the Bow River divides north from south, while Centre Street separates east and west. Major streets and avenues are named according to number, with avenues running east-west and streets running north-south.

Street parking is available, although rare in the city centre during the day. Parking in one of the plentiful private lots is more reliable, with prices generally around C$3 per hour, with a daily maximum of C$11-14 and evening flat rates of C$3-6. The Calgary Parking Authority (website: www.calgaryparking.com) has details on locations, operating hours and rates.

Car Hire
Most major North American and international car hire firms operate within Calgary. Drivers must be 21 years or older and those under 25 may have to pay a surcharge with certain firms. European licence holders do not need an International Driving Permit, however, this is often not the case for drivers with licences from other parts of the world. Insurance is essential and is available from the car hire firm.

The most central locations accepting international reservations are Avis, 211 Sixth Avenue SW (tel: (403) 269 6166; website: www.avis.com), Budget, 140 Sixth Avenue SE (tel: (403) 226 1550; website: www.budgetcanada.com), Hertz, 117 Fifth Avenue SE (tel: (403) 221 1676; website: www.hertz.com), National Car Rental, 114 Fifth Avenue SE (tel: (403) 263 6386; website: www.nationalcar.com), Rent-a-Wreck, 113 42nd Avenue (tel: (403) 287 9703; website: www.rent-a-wreck.ca) and Thrifty, 123 Fifth Avenue SE (tel: (403) 262 4400; website: www.thrifty.com).

Caravan & RV Hire
A motorhome or campervan is a superb way to see the Rocky Mountains at a leisurely pace. Nearly a dozen companies rent RVs (recreational vehicles), most offering one-way rentals to destinations such as Vancouver.

A typical example is Alldrive Canada, 1908 Tenth Avenue SW (tel: (403) 245 2935 or (888) 736 8787; website: www.alldrive.com), which has anything from a compact campervan to a luxury motorhome sleeping six. Other companies can be found on Tourism Calgary’s website (www.tourismcalgary.com/travel/transportation.html).

Bicycle & Rollerblade Hire
Bicycle or rollerblade hire can be arranged through Sports Rent, 4424 16th Avenue NW (tel: (403) 292 0077; website: www.sportsrent.ca).

Business

Business Etiquette
Situated just to the east of the Rocky Mountains, Calgary’s business etiquette falls somewhere between the legendary laid-back attitude of the west coast and the well-known conservatism of the east. Calgarians are immensely friendly, hardworking and punctual. Both men and women dress ‘business conservative’ in the office, while formal dress is expected at business meetings. During the Calgary Stampede, however, many of the city’s business professionals express their civic pride by dressing in cowboy hats, boots, jeans, etc.

The working day typically begins as early as 0800 and ends at 1700. During formal introductions it is common to shake hands and address individuals by their surnames. On a day-to-day basis, however, both superiors and co-workers are normally addressed on a first-name basis. Most entertainment takes place in bars and restaurants and it is unusual for a business visitor to be invited into someone’s home. Gift giving is uncommon in business situations, although a token gift is acceptable after a project or deal has been completed (but not before). Although Canada is officially bilingual, English is almost always the language of business in Calgary.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
No matter how tall Calgary’s mirrored-glass skyscrapers are built or how dense the modern city centre becomes, the snow-capped, jagged Rocky Mountains in the distance always seem to steal Calgary’s thunder. Situated at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers, Calgary strikes the visitor as a place of natural beauty with the mountains to the west and rolling fields of wheat to the east.

Calgary’s most identifiable man-made attraction is the Calgary Tower, a space-age sightseeing structure built in 1968 and located at the heart of the city centre. Across the street is the Glenbow Museum, three floors of galleries celebrating the Canadian West, including an excellent exhibition on Native Canadians. A short distance northwest, Eau Claire Market is a refreshing mall with cafés, bars, an IMAX theatre and craft market. Connecting these attractions, as well as shops, offices and entertainment venues, is a series of enclosed elevated walkways (known as plus-15s, for their height of 4.5m (15ft) above street level) which shelter Calgarians from the worst of the winter chill and provide one of the city’s most unique features. Also linked to the system are the Devonian Gardens, where 20,000 plants grace indoor garden that is one hectare (2.5 acres) on the fourth floor of the TD Square complex.

To the east of Downtown, St George’s Island stands in the Bow River and is home to Calgary’s most popular tourist attraction, the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park. Northwest of Calgary’s Downtown, the city’s conservative façade is broken by the more alternative Kensington neighbourhood – a place where interest shifts to trendy bars and restaurants, health-food stores, cafés and bookshops. The stretch of 17th Avenue SW to the west of Fourth Street is also a popular destination for shopping and dining.

Tourist Information
Tourism Calgary – Main Visitor Centre
Stephen Avenue Walk, 220 Eighth Avenue SW (inside the Riley & McCormick Western Store)
Tel: (403) 263 8510 or (800) 661 1678. Fax: (403) 262 3809.
E-mail: destination@visitor.calgary.ab.ca
Website: www.tourismcalgary.com
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.

Other visitor centres are located at the Eau Claire Market (1000-1700) and Calgary International Airport’s departures level (0600-2400 summer; 0600-2300 winter) and arrivals level (1000-2200).

Passes
Discount coupons are available in the VIV (Very Important Visitor) Pass, which is distributed free of charge at tourist information centres and at the Calgary Tower all year round.

Key Attractions

Calgary Tower
At 190m (626ft), the Calgary Tower, opened in 1968, is not as tall as much of the promotional literature would have visitors believe. Nevertheless, this attraction, standing among the gleaming skyscrapers of the city centre, is a must-see. The Observation Terrace offers a bird’s-eye view of the city and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains to the west. A snack bar, cocktail bar and revolving restaurant, the Panorama Dining Room, provide a more relaxed environment in which to take in the view.

101 Ninth Avenue SW
Tel: (403) 266 7171.
Website: www.calgarytower.com
Admission charge.

Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum alone makes a trip to Calgary worthwhile. Built during the oil-rich 1960s, the museum spared few expenses, its three floors housing an excellent collection celebrating the Canadian West. The permanent collection follows the development of the west through Canadian indigenous art, early-European depictions of native Canadian peoples, native crafts, fur trade exhibits and much more. A permanent gallery, Nitsitapiisinnii: Our Way of Life, showcases the traditions and history of the Blackfoot people in their own words.

130 Ninth Avenue SE
Tel: (403) 268 4100.
Website: www.glenbow.org
Admission charge.

Calgary Stampede
Each July, for 10 days, Calgary hosts one of the grandest celebrations of cowboy culture in the world. Over a quarter of a million visitors, most of them in cowboy hats and boots, descend on the city for a week and a half of chuckwagon races, rodeos (the roughest in North America), parades, square dancing and free pancake breakfasts. By night, there is music, cabarets, dancing, fireworks and a lively bar scene. The main venue for the Calgary Stampede is Stampede Park (where visitors find an amusement park, concert halls, bars, restaurants and a range of stalls), although the festive atmosphere infects the entire city.

Stampede Park
1410 Olympic Way SE
Tel: (403) 261 0101 or (800) 661 1260.
Website: www.calgarystampede.com
Admission charge.

Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden & Prehistoric Park
Scenic St George’s Island is home to an attraction that houses more than 1,000 animals – the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park. One of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, the zoo was founded in 1920. Its 300 different species are left in their natural environments as much as possible, such as in the ‘Canadian Wilds’ exhibit where close encounters with cougars, grizzlies and Rocky Mountain goats are possible. The more exotic ‘Destination Africa’ section opened in 2003. The Botanical Garden, including a butterfly garden and a rainforest garden, is spread out throughout the zoo, while the Prehistoric Park features 19 life-size dinosaur models.

1300 Zoo Road NE
Tel: (403) 232 9300 or (800) 588 9993.
Website: www.calgaryzoo.ab.ca
Admission charge.

Fort Calgary Historic Park
Fort Calgary dates from 1875, when the Canadian government dispatched a troop of North-West Mounted Police to cross the Bow River and build a fort. Although the Mounties’ occupation of the fort ended in 1914, the fort is once again seeing life as local volunteers reconstruct it using period tools. An interpretive centre outlines Calgary’s development via artefacts, audiovisual displays and guided walks along the river. The site also includes the Deane House Historic Site & Restaurant, a historic building that now houses a restaurant (open year-round).

750 Ninth Avenue SE
Tel: (403) 290 1875.
Website: www.fortcalgary.com
Admission charge.

Calgary Science Centre
The Calgary Science Centre offers a variety of attractions and exhibitions that celebrate science. The Discovery Hall features a constantly changing menu of multimedia interactive exhibits, covering topics such as nature, the atmosphere, the universe and physics. The Discovery Dome was North America’s first multimedia theatre and features Alberta’s largest indoor screen.

701 11th Street SW
Tel: (403) 268 8300.
Website: www.calgaryscience.ca
Admission charge.

Calaway Park
Calaway Park is western Canada’s largest amusement park. The park has 27 rides, including the Corkscrew rollercoaster, the Mountain Scrambler and the Rocky Mountain Rail, as well as the popular Shoot the Chutes and Ocean Motion rides. There are also live musical and stage shows performed daily.

245033 Range Road 33 (off Highway 1, 10km/6 miles west of city limits)
Tel: (403) 240 3822.
Website: www.calawaypark.com
Admission charge.

Bow Valley Ranch
The Bow Valley Ranch was built in 1896 by Roger Hull, a Calgarian who made his fortune supplying beef to railway crews as they pushed west into British Columbia. In 1973, the building and its sprawling grounds were bought by the Alberta government. The grounds became Fish Creek Provincial Park, the largest urban park in North America, popular for walking and swimming during the summer and for cross-country skiing in the winter. The ranch house was slowly restored and converted into a restaurant, The Ranch Restaurant, with full period effects, such as wall coverings, historic furniture and full restoration of the stately veranda. Visitors can sample authentic western Canadian food such as caribou or buffalo.

Fish Creek Provincial Park
Bow Bottom Trail SE
Tel: (403) 297 5293 or 225 3939 (restaurant).
Free admission.

Further Distractions

Canada Olympic Park
The Canada Olympic Park harks back to Calgary’s shining moment as the host of the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988. Visitors inclined toward participating in sports are able to use the facilities to practise skiing and snowboarding, or try out luge and bobsleigh rides. The ski jump towering over the park is the highest point in Calgary. From May to September, visitors can fly down the ‘Road Rocket’ bobsleigh track at 95kph (60mph) (no experience is required) or take to the 25km (16 miles) of mountain-biking trails. Other attractions include the Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum, which offers interactive video displays and bobsleigh and ski jump simulators.

88 Canada Olympic Road SW
Tel: (403) 247 5452.
Website: www.canadaolympicpark.ca
Admission charge.

Heritage Park
This 22-hectare (66-acre) historical village and theme park feeds visitors’ fascination with the ‘Wild West’ by recreating life in the Canadian West before 1914. This working museum comprises more than 150 restored buildings, each functioning as part of a specific type of community (such as a native village, a fur-trading post or a homestead) with characters in authentic heritage costume. Visitors can also ride aboard a steam locomotive or the SS Moyie, an early sternwheeler. In summer, a free pancake breakfast (0900-1000) is included in the entry fee.

1900 Heritage Drive SW
Tel: (403) 268 8500.
Website: www.heritagepark.ca
Admission charge.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Walking tours of the city centre are offered by several operators, including Creative Journeys (tel: (403) 272 5653; website: www.creativejourneys.com) and Hammerhead Scenic Tours (tel: (403) 590 6930; website: www.hammerheadtours.com).

Bus Tours
Brewster Tours (tel: (403) 762 6700; website: www.brewster.ca) operates bus tours of the city centre. The tours last three-hour tour, with daily departures from specified local hotels. Brewster also run full-day excursions to Banff and the Columbia Ice Fields.

Other Tours
Lone Wolf Tours (tel: (403) 246 9586; website: www.lonewolftours.ca) provides group and individual mini-van tours costing C$65-89 in southern Alberta and the Canadian Rockies, taking in wildlife such as deer, elk and (occasionally) bears.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump: A 90-minute drive south of Calgary along Highway 2, this strange-sounding UNESCO World Heritage Site commemorates the Blackfoot Natives’ ingenious manner of hunting buffalo. Over a period of 6,000-10,000 years, Blackfoot hunters would herd wild buffalo over a large cliff, where they fell to their deaths by the hundreds. They were subsequently butchered for their meat and hides. The attraction takes its name from the story of a 19th-century Blackfoot who met his end by watching the jump from the base of the cliff, directly under the falling animals. An interpretive centre (tel: (403) 553 2731; website: www.head-smashed-in.com) is open daily 0900-1800 in summer and 1000-1700 in winter and is located within the cliff itself. The centre explores the history and culture of the jump and admission is charged. There is no public transportation, however, excursions are available from Calgary (see Tours of the City).

For a full-day excursion, visitors can also include a stop at Waterton Lakes National Park or any of the attractions along the ‘Cowboy Trail’ (website: www.thecowboytrail.com) in their itinerary.

For a Whole Day

Banff National Park: Located two hours west of Calgary, Banff National Park (tel: (403) 762 1550; website: http://parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/banff) is both Canada’s first and most popular national park. Created by the Canadian government in 1885 in recognition of the area’s natural beauty and wildlife, it offers a spectacular array of alpine beauty and backcountry walks. The park has 6,641 sq kilometres (2,564 sq miles) of mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, glaciers and hot springs, and is home to wolves, mountain goats, eagles and grizzly bears, along with the notorious (and sometimes dangerous) elk. As with all national parks in Canada, an entry fee is payable – camping permits cost extra.

The town of Canmore (tel: (403) 678 1295; website: www.tourismcanmore.com), situated at the entrance to the park, is a cosy alpine village offering restaurants, craft shops and art galleries. The town is also home to the Canmore Nordic Centre, originally used during the XV Winter Olympics. Further west from Canmore is the town of Banff itself, a friendly and picturesque village housing bars, restaurants, shops and the most famous man-made addition to the area, the luxurious Banff Springs Hotel, completed in 1888.

Yet further west is Lake Louise. A popular ski area in the winter, Lake Louise offers superb alpine views in the summer months. Although it is possible to reach Banff by coach from Calgary’s Downtown and from Calgary Airport, a car is recommended as it allows visitors to explore the park as they choose. More information is available from the Banff/Lake Louise Tourism Bureau (tel: (403) 762 8421; website: www.banfflakelouise.com).

Alberta Badlands: About 140km (87 miles) east of Calgary lie the Alberta Badlands (a moon-like landscape of hills and flats peppered with hardy brush and scrubby grass) situated in the middle of a seemingly endless green prairie. Formed by the waters of the last Ice Age, the Badlands are fascinating in their own right but what makes the area unmissable is the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (tel: (403) 823 7707 or (888) 440 4240; website: www.tyrrellmuseum.com). With over 50 full-size dinosaur skeletons (many of which were dug up out of the Badlands), the museum boasts the world’s largest collection. Transportation by car is recommended via Highway 9 and 72 – the museum is 6km (4 miles) northwest of Drumheller. Further information is available from Canadian Badlands Tourism (tel: (403) 823 8100; website: www.canadianbadlands.com).

Sport

Shopping

As a shopping destination, Calgary offers visitors the opportunity to buy something that captures the flavour of the city and country (like maple syrup or a leather belt from a country market) along with sophisticated boutique products that one would expect to find in any major international city.

The main shopping district is in Downtown Calgary (notably along Stephen Avenue Walk), a pedestrian walkway lined with historic buildings that house shops, galleries and restaurants. Nearby, a number of shopping malls, including TD Square, the Calgary Eaton Centre and Penny Lane Mall, are all linked by plus-15s to create a five-block super-complex offering over 400 stores. The range includes retail chains, department stores and speciality boutiques.

The city centre’s best-known retail asset, however, is the Eau Claire Market, Second Street at Second Avenue SW (website: www.eauclairemarket.com), with an interior that houses restaurants and a small fresh-food market, around which are lined a variety of speciality shops and kiosks.

More upmarket shopping can be found at Uptown 17th Avenue, with fashion boutiques, antique stores and Mount Royal Village (website: www.mountroyalvillage.ca) – one of the city’s more high-end malls. The Chinook Centre (website: www.chinookcentre.com), south of Downtown at the intersection of Macleod Trail and Glenmore Trail, has over 200 shops, an entertainment wing and claims to have the largest food court in Canada.

Shopaholics should consider the three-hour drive north to Edmonton, where the huge West Edmonton Mall (website: www.westedmontonmall.com) contains over 800 shops, a water park, theme park, ice rink and hotels.

For cowboy boots and Western gear, there are Riley & McCormick stores at 220 Stephen Avenue Walk, in the Eau Claire Market and at the airport (website: www.realcowboys.com). Other unique gifts with a local flavour can be found at The Mounted Police Store, 200 Barclay Parade SW, and at Cottage Craft, 6503 Elbow Drive SW, which has a good selection of Inuit and native art.

One thing that makes Calgary a compelling destination for shoppers is the fact that the Province of Alberta charges no provincial sales tax, resulting in better shopping value than in other Canadian provinces. Nevertheless, a federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7% is charged but can be redeemed by non-residents for purchases and short-term accommodation totalling over C$200 (minimum C$50 per individual receipt). The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (tel: (902) 432 5608 or (800) 668 4748; website: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/visitors) should be contacted for further information and forms. Private companies such as International Tax Refund Services (tel: (403) 948 4005; website: www.itrs.com) charge a fee for providing this service. Stores are open seven days a week, normally 1000-1800, although often as late as 2200 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (especially at suburban shopping malls). Sunday shopping hours are 1100/1200-1700.

Culture

Critics often characterise Calgary as an oil-driven cowboy town, inferior to Edmonton (its provincial rival) in matters of high culture such as theatre or literature. But cowboy culture is culture nonetheless and in Calgary its roots run deep. The Calgary Stampede dates back as far as 1912 and the event continues to attract thousand of visitors to this most emphatic celebration of all things cowboy. So Western is the flavour of Calgary that the city and its surroundings have also been used in the filming of numerous Western movies, including Dustin Hoffman’s Little Big Man (1970) and Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992). Having said that, Calgary also offers a great deal in the way of highbrow culture as well. It has over 10 professional theatre companies, staging shows that range from the traditional to the experimental. Both the Alberta Ballet Company and the Calgary Opera find their home at the newly renovated Southern Jubilee Auditorium, 1415 14th Avenue NW (tel: (403) 297 8000; website: www.jubileeauditorium.com). The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts, 205 Eighth Avenue SE (tel: (403) 294 7455; website: www.epcorcentre.org) – a modern arts complex (built in 1985) with five performance spaces at the heart of Calgary’s cultural district. The complex is also home to Theatre Calgary, as well as a variety of cultural festivals and competitions.

Tickets for most cultural attractions can be purchased through Ticketmaster Canada (tel: (403) 777 0000; website: www.ticketmaster.ca). Events listings can be found in the Friday edition of the Calgary Herald (website: www.calgaryherald.com), in WHERE Calgary magazine (website: www.wherecalgary.com) and in the free FFWD Weekly (website: www.ffwdweekly.com) and Straight (website: www.calgarystraight.com).

Music: The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (tel: (403) 571 0270; website: www.cpo-live.com) (offering classical music, popular symphonic music and a children’s programme) performs at the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts (see above). Between September and April, classical music concerts are held at noon at the Central Library, 616 Macleod Trail SE (tel: (403) 260 2780), while in summer, outdoor concerts take place at noon in Olympic Plaza, Eighth Avenue and MacLeod Trail SE. The Calgary Opera (tel: (403) 262 7286; website: www.calgaryopera.com) performs at the Southern Jubilee Auditorium (see above).

Theatre: The Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts (see above) plays an equally important role in theatre. It is home to Theatre Calgary (tel: (403) 294 7447; website: www.theatrecalgary.com), which offers musical, comic and serious theatre every season, and Alberta Theatre Projects (tel: (403) 294 7402; website: www.atplive.com), which offers a programme geared more towards experimental and Canadian works. The Calgary Young People’s Theatre, 204 16th Avenue NW (tel: (403) 230 2664; website: www.cypt.ca) caters for children. Theatre in a more informal setting is offered by Lunchbox Theatre (tel: (403) 265 4292; website: www.lunchboxtheatre.com), a theatre company begun in 1975, which performs short plays for the lunchtime business crowd at Bow Valley Square, 205 Fifth Avenue SW, and claims to be the longest-running lunchtime theatre company in the world.

Dance: The Alberta Ballet Company (tel: (403) 245 4549/4222 for box office; website: www.albertaballet.com) offers both contemporary and classical ballet and performs at the Southern Jubilee Auditorium (see above).

Film: Mainstream cinemas in Calgary are dominated by two companies: Cineplex Odeon (website: www.loewscineplex.com/canada) and Famous Players (website: www.famousplayers.ca), with locations scattered throughout the city. The most central of the mainstream cinemas is the Cineplex-Odeon Eau Claire Market Cinemas, 200 Barclay Parade SW (tel: (403) 263 3166). Arthouse and foreign films can be seen at the Uptown Stage and Screen, 612 Eighth Avenue SW (tel: (403) 265 0120; website: www.theuptown.com) and at the Plaza Theatre, 1113 Kensington Road NW (tel: (403) 283 2222; website: www.theplaza.ca). Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are sold only at the box office, normally on the day of the performance. Listings for all the cinemas can be easily accessed online (website: www.calgarymovies.com).

Calgary has recently been favoured as a movie location. Andrea and Antonio Frazzi’s Almost America (2001) was filmed in these parts, as was Anthrax (2001) and Viva Las Nowhere (2000), in which Daniel Stern and James Caan take on the country music business.

Literary Notes: Although Calgary has been the setting for numerous Hollywood films, its depiction in literature is not quite as rich. Nevertheless, much of the history and texture of Calgary and prairie life can be appreciated through various books. Perhaps the best of these is Hammond Innes’ Campbell’s Kingdom (1952), a little-known book by a popular writer that chronicles the intertwined dramas of love and oil-drilling in the Rocky Mountains. Margaret Laurence, one of the most highly regarded and influential of Canadian writers, grew up in the prairie province of Manitoba and much of her work is set in the country’s vast prairie – usually centred around the lives of women. Her most famous book, The Stone Angel (1964), is a story told by an elderly woman recounting her youth in a prairie town and is resonant with themes that dominate life in the west of the country. Another well-known Canadian book chronicling the days of the Wild West is The Englishman’s Boy (1998), by an author rapidly gaining prestige in the Canadian writing world, Guy Vanderhaeghe, who won Canada’s Governor General’s Award for this novel.

Nightlife

Calgary’s nightlife is better than what one would expect of a cowboy and oil town in the middle of the Canadian prairie. Locals are friendly, festive and always ready to put away a big Alberta steak or a few drinks, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. However, during the Stampede, Calgary transforms into a true party city.

The city is best explored through its various neighbourhoods. Downtown is a fine place for a drink during the day or early evening and the partying continues at bars and clubs dotted throughout the area. If you want your action more concentrated, stick to areas like Kensington (known for its streets lined with a diverse range of cafés, bars, restaurants and clubs) or 17th Avenue SW (west of Fourth Street), a quieter setting where the pubs have more character and the restaurants veer more towards the ethnic.

Alcohol can legally be served in Alberta until 0200 and the minimum drinking age is 18 years. Dress at most bars and clubs is casual, although more upmarket establishments may refuse entry to those wearing ripped jeans or trainers, for example. Admission to bars is free, unless a band is playing. Pints of beer and mixed drinks usually cost around C$4 or C$5. Pick up a free FFWD Weekly (website: www.ffwdweekly.com) or Straight (website: www.calgarystraight.com) for information on club nights and gigs.

Bars: The Barley Mill Eatery and Pub, beside Eau Claire Market at 201 Barclay Parade SW, is a lively bar offering a multitude of draught beers and whiskies, with a great patio in the summer. Nearby, The Garage Billiards and Sports, 200 Barclay Parade SW, has 17 pool tables, rock music and a grill menu. For a straightforward pub, you could do worse than The Ship & Anchor, 534 17th Avenue SW, with occasional jam sessions and gigs. The Wildwood Grill & Brewing Company, 2417 Fourth Street SW, is a brewery offering its own ales, lagers and seasonal beers, as well as ‘Rocky Mountain’ cuisine. Another bar worth checking out is Aussie Rules, on 1002 37th Street SW. For a hip martini bar, try Ming, 520 17th Avenue SW.

Casinos: Casino Calgary, 1420 Meridian Road NE (tel: (403) 248 9467; website: www.casinoabs.com), is the largest casino operating within Calgary. This fully licensed gaming lounge is open from 0930-0300 and offers table games, slot machines, a poker room and horseracing. The minimum age is 18 years, ID is required but there is no dress code.

Clubs: Nightlife in Calgary is more suited towards bars, pubs and live music than clubs. Those looking for a nightclub, however, will not be disappointed (unless they are under 21 – the minimum age for some). Spin Nightclub, 6120 Third Street SW (website: www.clubspin.ca) contains three different clubs under one roof, while The Mynt Ultralounge, 516C Ninth Avenue SW (website: www.mynt.ca) is a happening spot where two dancefloors play everything from disco to house until 0300: it was awarded the ‘best new bar in Canada’ award by En Route Magazine. Also worth a mention are Bungalow, 524 17th Avenue SW and Tantra Nightclub and Lounge, 355 10th Avenue SW (website: www.tantranightclub.ca).

Live Music: Not surprisingly, Calgary is a great location to take in country and western music. Free dancing lessons are on offer at Ranchman’s, 9615 MacLeod Trail South, a famous and always packed honky-tonk bar. Likewise, you’re sure to meet a cowboy or girl at the enormous and ever-popular Cowboy’s Dance Hall, 826 Fifth Street SW. N'awlins Bar and Grill, 550 11th Avenue SW, is a New Orleans-themed restaurant and bar, offering a Louisiana atmosphere and genuine Cajun cuisine (like gumbo, jambalaya and alligator meat). Beat Niq Jazz & Social Club, 811 First Street SW (website: www.beatniq.com) is the best spot for jazz, while Booker’s BBQ Grill and Crab Shack, 316 Third Street SE, has live blues at the weekend.

City Statistics

Location: Alberta, Canada.
Country dialling code: 1.
Time zone: GMT - 7 (GMT - 6 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz; American-style (flat) two-pin and grounded three-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: - 9.6°C (15°F).
Average July temp: 16.4°C (61.5°F).
Annual rainfall: 300mm (11.8 inches).
Annual snowfall: 135cm (53.1 inches).

Special Events

International Sled Dog Classic, Jan/Feb, Canmore (website: www.canemoresleddograces.ca)
Calgary Winterfest, arts, culture and sporting events, Feb, various venues (website: www.calgarywinterfest.com)
Calgary International Children’s Festival, late May, Olympic Plaza and Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts (website: www.calgarychildfest.org)
International Native Arts Festival, Jun, various venues
Calgary International Jazz Festival, late Jun, various venues (website: www.jazzfestivalcalgary.ca)
Calgary Stampede, rodeos, chuckwagon races, cowboy celebrations and parade, Jul, Stampede Park and throughout city (website: www.calgarystampede.com)
Banff Arts Festival, music, art, dance and aboriginal art, Jul-Aug, Banff (website: www.banffcentre.ca)
Calgary International Film Festival, late Sep-Oct, various venues (website: www.calgaryfilm.com)
Wordfest: Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival, mid-Oct, The Banff Centre and various Calgary venues (website: www.wordfest.com)
Banff Mountain Book Festival/Banff Mountain Film Festival, early Nov, Banff (website: www.banffcentre.ca)

Plus: Two major quadrennial music events, the Calgary International Organ Festival (website: www.triumphent.com), which takes place in August (2006, 2010 etc), and the Honens International Piano Competition (website: www.honens.com), which will be held next in 2007, take place at the Epcor.

Cost of Living

1 American Dollar (US$1) = £0.57; C$1.16; A$1.31; ¬0.83
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005