COBBLESTONES AND CELTIC PUBS, a Scottish lilt and the aroma of lobster on the boil—Halifax is a salty old sea town on Canada’s east coast that loves a frenetic pace only when it’s coming from a fiddle. On summer Sunday afternoons, music drifts from the red-roofed gazebo in the formal Victorian Public Gardens. At the star-shaped British fort, the Citadel, which has guarded the high ground since the 18th century, a cannon is still fired at noon, followed by a march of pipers and drummers. The capital of Nova Scotia (Latin for “New Scotland”) still wears its kilt and bagpipe traditions proudly.
Yet this is no frumpy town. Six universities with more than 30,000 students give the city of 360,000 a lively, bohemian character; the highly respected Nova Scotia College of Arts and Crafts attracts talented youth from across Canada. Along the hilly streets of the compact downtown, there’s a vibrant energy in the fair-trade coffee bars, funky secondhand bookstores, vegetarian cafés and wharf-side lobster shacks. It’s a city big enough for a rollicking nightlife, yet small enough to maintain a strong sense of community and great quality of life. Those who love the outdoors are close to hiking and kayaking, and just a short drive out of town takes you along a craggy coastline to tiny, postcard-perfect fishing hamlets like Peggy’s Cove.
BIG BLUE SEA
Halifax’s swashbuckling history includes tales of privateers—licensed pirates—who once stored their booty in waterfront brick warehouses. These were restored in the 1970s and renamed the Historic Properties. The area is now fi lled with shops, cafés and pubs, all with a view of one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Tall ships dock along the wharves, most famously the Bluenose II, a replica of the fishing schooner that won many racing trophies in the 1920s and 30s (it’s displayed on the Canadian dime). You can catch a harbor cruise on the Bluenose II if she’s in port, or sign on for a 90-minute sail aboard the 130-foot-tall ship, Silva. A ferry that leaves from here bound for nearby Dartmouth is the oldest continually operating saltwater passenger ferry service on the continent.
The sea has been both a blessing and a curse for Halifax—it was the nearest town to the Titanic when she went down off the Grand Banks in 1912; 150 of the 328 bodies recovered from the disaster were buried in Halifax graveyards. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic chronicles the Titanic experience; it also houses an exhibit dedicated to the Halifax Explosion of 1917, when a French ship loaded with explosives collided in the harbor with a Norwegian relief vessel. The resulting blast killed approximately 2,000 people and decimated the city’s north end.
ART AROUND TOWN
Art is everywhere in Halifax, even in the streets during the summer’s International Busker Festival. For more than two decades, street performers have come from around the world to do their break dancing, acrobatics, magic tricks and fire acts on the waterfront. (This year’s festival takes place August 8–17.)
With its mélange of French and English history, the province has a long tradition of folk art. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia displays a major collection of works by Maud Lewis, considered Canada’s Grandma Moses. Her Painted House, a 12-by-13-foot shack where she once lived and worked (and decorated every inch of wall space), was disassembled and rebuilt inside the museum.
A new generation of artists is on display at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Its Anna Leonowens Gallery offers 125 student and faculty exhibitions a year, while the college’s Seeds Gallery lets you view and purchase works by NSCAD students, ranging from avant-garde paintings to one-of-a-kind textiles. Also, on the days when cruise ships are in port, an arts-and-crafts market with dozens of vendors pops up at the Cruise Pavilion on Pier 22.
A PINT, A YARN, A MARKET
The Saturday-morning Halifax farmers’ market is one of North America’s oldest. Local produce is plentiful, but you can also sample Glenora single malts from nearby Cape Breton (North America’s only single-malt whiskey distillery) and nibble crêpes at Crêperie Mobile. If you’re considering a picnic, buy some organic cheeses from Ran-Cher Acres and artisanal breads from Mary’s Bread Basket, and top it off with stellar smoked salmon from Mike’s Fish Shop.
No maritime town would be complete without pubs, and Halifax claims more per capita than anywhere else in Canada. Many are clustered within the Historic Properties and are just a short crawl from one another. Two hot spots are the Split Crow and the Lower Deck, both popular with Haligonians. The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse on Prince Street pours a wicked Guinness and serves hearty pub grub, like a delicious fish cake of smoked mackerel and salmon. The province’s trademark brewery, Alexander Keith’s, on Lower Water Street, offers a touristy but informative 55-minute tour ($16) led by actors in 19th-century garb. You’ll end with a pint of Keith’s pale ale.
Pubs are also the place to experience Halifax’s music—tunes with a Celtic tilt from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and musically blessed Newfoundland. For listings, check the alternative weekly The Coast (thecoast.ca). Pogue Fado on Barrington Street is a prime spot for local music, while Marquee on Gottingen Street books everything from rock to ska to country. And don’t panic if you hear cries of “sociable!” It’s just Haligonian for “cheers!”
STAY
RCI®-affiliated resorts in Nova Scotia include:
WHITE POINT VACATION CLUB,
White Point
For more information, visit RCI.com or call
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476
OTHER NON-RCI-AFFILIATED HOTELS:
Halliburton House Inn
Three old townhouses were linked to
create this 29-room boutique hotel. The
grand suite has a private patio; room 113,
a fireplace and skylight. 5184 Morris St.;
902-420-0658; halliburton.ns.ca;
doubles from $148, including breakfast
Westin Nova Scotian
This classic 1930 Canadian National
Railway hotel has hosted Queen
Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. 1181
Hollis St.; 902-421-1000; westin.ns.ca;
doubles from $185
Prince George Hotel
A business-oriented hotel, centrally
located near the Citadel, that serves
an excellent Sunday breakfast buffet.
1725 Market St.; 800-565-1567;
princegeorgehotel.com; doubles from $247
EAT
Press Gang
An oyster bar with a dining room serving
local Digby scallops and Atlantic salmon
amidst the fireplaces, exposed beams
and stone walls of a 1759 building.
5218 Prince St.; 902-423-8816;
dinner for two, $87*
Economy Shoe Shop
A lounge-like cafe and bar divided into
four character-rich sections—Shoe,
Backstage, Diamond and Belgium, based
on décor. Locals come here to share a
round of tapas, including the trademark
lobster flambé. 1663 Argyle St.;
902-423-7463
Bish World Cuisine
This contemporary waterfront restaurant
serves comfort food like chicken breast
with pancetta, and mac and cheese
made with brie. 1475 Lower Water St.;
902-425-7993; dinner for two, $87
Salty’s
A casual, end-of-pier eatery that’s all
about simple seafood: lobster with
sweet-potato fries, chowder, mussels
steamed in white wine. Pick a spot under
an umbrella. 1869 Upper Water St.;
902-423-6818; dinner for two, $53
Seven Wine Bar & Restaurant
Chic with sleek dark wood and leather.
Stop at the lounge for small dishes and
30 wines by the glass, or go upstairs for
fine dining with an emphasis on Maritime
and Québecois regional ingredients.
1579 Grafton St.; 902-444-4777; dinner
for two, $108
*Prices cover a three-course meal for two, not including drinks, tax or tip.
SHOP
Agricola Street
The place for the best-priced antiques
and reproductions. McLellan Antiques &
Restorations sells bureaus, cupboards,
commodes and restored early pine pieces.
2738 Agricola St.; 902-455-4545
Finer Things Antiques & Curios
Antiques and collectibles from 15 dealers
throughout the province. Look for nautical
items like ship’s wheels and compasses.
2797 Agricola St.; 902-456-1412;
finerthingsantiques.com /index.html
Peepshow Girly Boutique
This women’s clothing store stocks 30
Canadian labels. 1717 Barrington St;
902-404-3886
M Home
Three floors of eclectic, clean-lined home
furnishings and colorful accessories by
owner Mark Martin and other Canadian
designers. 1471 Birmingham St.;
902-429-4333
TO DO
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
1675 Lower Water St., 902-424-7490;
museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/index.html
Halifax Farmers’ Market
halifaxfarmersmarket.com
Halifax International Busker Festival
buskers.ca
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
1723 Hollis St.; 902-424-7542;
artgalleryofnovascotia.ca
Anna Leonowens Gallery
5163 Duke St.; 902-494 8223;
nscad.ns.ca
For more information, go to halifaxinfo.com
and experiencehalifax.com.