Prince Edward Island

Fringed by grassy bluffs, flat pastures and miles of rust-red sand, Prince Edward Island presents a postcard-worthy picture of pastoral Canada. Every summer, thousands of tourists descend on the island to visit its beaches and seaside villages, many of which lie within the boundaries of Prince Edward Island National Park. Famed for its shellfish, lobsters and oysters, the island excels in farm-to-table dining, and it's a great place to experience modern Canadian cuisine at its finest.

But for many visitors, it's the adventures of a red-headed, straw-hatted little girl which will forever define PEI in their imaginations. Published in the early 1900s, Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables tales are as popular as ever. The astonishing thing is how little the island's landscape has changed since then: farmhouses, fields, creeks and dunes straight out of a children's storybook. Cycling the 435km-long Confederation Trail makes a fine way to explore.