Blue sky city

Slow your hurry to the Rockies and check out one of the sunniest and friendliest spots in Canada.

DOWNTOWN CALGARY RISES sharply out of the western Canadian prairies, a striking cluster of glass and steel fingers stopping 100km short of the Rocky Mountains. This “gateway to the Rockies” city is indeed temptingly close to that spectacular range. However, visitors who hurry towards the foothills are missing a remarkable metropolitan environment that celebrates its vast green spaces alongside architecture and art, and boasts a river more lovely than any inner-city waterway has a right to be. In summer, the Bow River is dotted with kayakers, inner-tube riders, swimmers and the trout-hunting anglers who cast their lines into the turquoise playground that flows past high-rises and cycleways. This former Winter Olympics host is the sunniest city in Canada, averaging 333 sunshine days a year – and it does summer remarkably well. July brings the 10-day party that is the Calgary Stampede, alongside a torrent of 5outdoor events.

A remarkable metropolitan environment that celebrates its vast green spaces.

COWTOWN CULTURE
Cowboys and ice hockey, with lashings of oil and gas money. While there is still truth in these cultural identifiers from Calgary’s recent past, any city that’s willing to spend more than $290 million on a public library is making a statement about its aspirations. And what a library this is, with its hexagonstudded facade and spiral cedar ceiling inspired by those celebrated foothills. Next door, Studio Bell national music centre is another modern architectural marvel, though this one incorporates the historic King Eddy Hotel and pays homage to an astounding number of internationally renowned Canadian-born artists. Set aside a few hours to engage in hands-on musical play and commune with Leonard, Joni and Neil.

GO GREEN
From downtown, cross a bridge to take in the annual folk festival on tree-fringed Prince’s Island. The island is also home to River Cafe, a beloved dining spot that dishes up excellent local and regional cuisine amidst fly fishing memorabilia and rustic stonework. This is the place to try sustainably caught Arctic char and miso eggplant or a citrussy sea buckthorn tart. From here, North America’s most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network extends in either direction. We’re talking more than 1000km of trails and more than 8500ha of parkland and natural areas around the city, populated by a multitude of critters. Keep an eye out for white-tailed and mule deer, beavers and muskrats, porcupines and black squirrels as well as bobcats, coyotes and even moose.

TASTE AND SEE
Look out for the many artfully restored, repurposed historic buildings downtown, especially the brick and sandstone beauties in the Stephen Avenue area. And, at last count, Calgary flaunted at least 1300 mosaics, murals, sculptures, LED-animated f igures and other forms of public art. One mural, which stretches 95m up the side of a building, is billed as the world’s tallest. Even the recently added riverside flood mitigation barriers are handsome, interspersed with lavender and striking landscaping features. Rent an e-bike to sample it all at speed. Otherwise, join a street art tour or a “taste the city” walking food tour. Then, meet the famously affable locals – Calgary has a “world’s friendliest city” gong – at one of the 40-plus microbreweries.