Recalling Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Winter Games, this handsome waterfront public space is the permanent home of the tripod-like Olympic Cauldron. The flame is lit for special occasions (you can pay to have it switched on if you like). The plaza offers great views of the mountain-backed Burrard Inlet, and you can follow the shoreline walking trail around the Convention Centre West Building for public artworks and historic plaques.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Vancouver attractions

1. Coal Harbour Seawall

0.07 MILES

An idyllic 2km waterfront stroll from Canada Place to Stanley Park, this is a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon. En route you'll pass the landmark…

2. Marine Building

0.13 MILES

Vancouver's most romantic old-school tower block, and also its best art-deco building, the elegant 22-story Marine Building is a tribute to the city's…

3. Canada Place

0.29 MILES

Vancouver's version of the Sydney Opera House – judging by the number of postcards it appears on – this iconic landmark is shaped like sails jutting into…

4. Offsite

0.32 MILES

The Vancouver Art Gallery's outdoor installation space next to the Shangri-La Hotel, the sometimes esoteric but always thought-provoking exhibits here are…

6. RBC Royal Bank

0.33 MILES

This main Vancouver branch of one of Canada's biggest bank chains has a huge hidden artwork on its 2nd floor. Head up the escalator just inside the…

7. Christ Church Cathedral

0.34 MILES

Completed in 1895 and designated as a cathedral in 1929, the city's most attractive Gothic-style church is nestled incongruously alongside looming glass…

8. Pendulum Gallery

0.37 MILES

A creative use for a cavernous bank building atrium, this gallery offers a varied roster of temporary exhibitions. It's mostly contemporary art and can…