This 2-hour tour begins at the Victoria Public Market and includes stops at The Harmonious Gates of Interest, Fan Tan Alley, Market Square, Bastion Square, Trounce Alley, Government St., the Inner Harbour Causeway and Parliament Buildings. Depending on the day, there are between 6-8 tastings along the route as we discuss the history and quirks of beautiful Victoria, B.C. Tastings include a bread, olive oil, cheese, tapas, seafood, tea, chocolate, craft beer, and much more!
After meeting your guide at the Victoria Public Market, begin by tasting three local establishments within this historic building. Following this, you will learn about the historic sites of Chinatown including the Chinese Public School, the Harmonious Gates of Interest, and Fan Tan Alley. Victoria's Chinatown is the oldest in Canada and dates back to the early days of the Caribou Gold Rush in the 1860s, when Victoria was used as a staging point for miners heading north. There will be another tasting in Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in Canada, and a chance to see the areas where illegal opium was traded in a shadier time of Victoria's history.
From Chinatown the tour moves to Victoria's Olde Town where there will be tastings in Market Square. Vibrant Market Square is a three level shopping area with activities going on within its inner courtyard on a regular basis. From Market Square, the tour will head to the shopping area of Lower Johnson Street or "LoJo" as the locals call it. The colorfully painted Victorian era buildings are a flashback to the time when this part of the city was the Red Light District in the late 1800s. Continuing in Olde Town, the tour visits Trounce Alley and Bastion Square for two more tastings. These pedestrian-only areas have a lot of exciting stories, some which include ghosts, public executions and intrigue.
From here the tour will follow historic Government Street into the Inner Harbor where the two final tastings will take place. The beautiful Inner Harbor of Victoria is flanked by the Empress Hotel and Parliament Buildings, both designed by a Victorian legend, Francis Rattenbury. Stories of early exploration, Victoria's political importance, and the draw of the city as a modern tourism center will be discussed as we wrap up the tour at a local food favorite in the harbor.
RSS Feed