The fastest-growing city in Canada, Vancouver is also the most modern, the most diverse in population (a large percentage of its residents are Asian), and arguably the most fascinating in its touristic appeal: from remarkable museums to superb ethnic restaurants in all price ranges, to outstanding parks and natural sights, to locally-managed shops and stores, its lures attract a huge influx of visitors each year. Nearby, Victoria is a British-themed city of older attractions, yet just as appealing.

Joanne Sasvari is a Vancouver-based independent writer who covers food, drink, travel and other lifestyles topics for a variety of publications. She is the editor of Flavours, a quarterly magazine about food and drink across Western Canada, and contributes regularly to The Vancouver Sun, Canadian Living, Destination British Columbia and others. Certified by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), she has a special interest in spirits and cocktails, and since 2006 has been The Vancouver Sun’s In Good Spirits columnist. She is also the past president of the Travel Media Association of Canada as well as the former Travel editor at the National Post and is the author of the culinary travel book Paprika: A Spicy Memoir from Hungary.