This square once held a jail, gallows and a brothel. Many of its scrubbed stone buildings are now restaurants, boutiques or offices. There's also a summer-long market here that's crammed with arts and crafts. It's on the old Fort Victoria site between Government and Wharf Sts.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Victoria attractions

1. Johnson St Bridge

0.2 MILES

Victoria’s much-loved bascule bridge across the Inner Harbour reopened in March 2018 with a handsome new streamlined structure replacing the steel-and…

2. Victoria Bug Zoo

0.21 MILES

It’s not big, nor are its resident critters (although some of them are alarmingly colossal by insect standards); however, this diminutive indoor ‘zoo’ is…

3. Miniature World

0.26 MILES

Tucked along the side of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, this huge collection of skillfully crafted models depicting important battles, historic towns and…

4. Robert Bateman Centre

0.35 MILES

Colonizing part of the Inner Harbour's landmark Steamship Terminal building, this gallery showcases the photo-realistic work of Canada's most celebrated…

5. Royal BC Museum

0.41 MILES

Arguably the finest museum in British Columbia and carrier of a ‘royal’ prefix since 1987, Victoria’s flagship sight mixes the cream of BC’s provincial…

6. Parliament Buildings

0.44 MILES

This dramatically handsome confection of turrets, domes and stained glass is British Columbia's working legislature and is also open to visitors. You can…

7. Christ Church Cathedral

0.49 MILES

This early-20th-century Gothic-revival cathedral is one of Victoria's most attractive buildings. The third Anglican cathedral to be built in the city, the…

8. Fisherman’s Wharf

0.68 MILES

A waterfront walk from the Inner Harbour (or, better yet, a short hop by mini-ferry) delivers you to this floating, boardwalk-linked clutch of houseboats,…