Maritime Provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador in two weeks

St. John's is the lively capital of Newfoundland, one of the oldest cities in North America, facing a sheltered natural harbour at Canada's eastern edge. The city wins over visitors with its distinctive brightly coloured wooden houses, nicknamed "Jellybean Row", which climb the hills overlooking the Atlantic. The historic harbour, the lively pubs of George Street and the warm hospitality of its people make it a place of unique character. Signal Hill, with its tower, dominates the city and offers spectacular ocean views, while Cape Spear, the easternmost point of the continent, is ideal for admiring the dawn and spotting passing whales and icebergs. Maritime tradition and Celtic music animate local life. Colourful, authentic and lashed by ocean winds, St. John's is a fascinating gateway to Atlantic Canada.

Twillingate is a picturesque Newfoundland fishing village, set on an archipelago of islets linked by bridges along the island's northeastern coast, nicknamed the iceberg capital of the world. In spring and summer, the majestic mountains of ice broken off from Greenland's glaciers parade along this stretch of coast, offering an unforgettable natural spectacle along the famous Iceberg Alley. Its colourful houses, lighthouses and ocean-beaten cliffs compose scenes of rare beauty, while the waters allow numerous whale sightings. The village preserves an authentic seafaring soul, with museums, seafood restaurants and living traditions. Between icebergs, whales and lighthouses, Twillingate embodies the rugged, poetic magic of Newfoundland.

Rocky Harbour is a charming Newfoundland fishing village, set in the heart of the spectacular Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its extraordinary geological landscapes. Its colourful houses gather along the coast, an ideal base for exploring a park of fjords set among the mountains, ancient uplifted ocean floors and rust-coloured rocky tablelands that bear witness to the Earth's history. Cruises along the Western Brook Pond fjord, enclosed by sheer walls, offer unforgettable thrills. The offshore waters allow whale and iceberg sightings. A lighthouse and trails complete the charm of the place. Between fjords, geology and a seafaring village, Rocky Harbour embodies the wild grandeur of Newfoundland.

St. Anthony is a remote town at the northern tip of Newfoundland, facing the ocean at a point of extraordinary historical and natural value. Nearby lies the site of L'Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Vikings founded the first known European settlement in the Americas a thousand years ago, today an evocative open-air museum with reconstructed sod huts. The offshore waters, along the famous Iceberg Alley, offer in spring the spectacle of majestic drifting ice mountains and, in summer, numerous whales. The town preserves an authentic seafaring soul. Between Vikings, icebergs and whales, St. Anthony embodies the epic and wild charm of northern Newfoundland.

Cow Head is a small and picturesque Newfoundland fishing village, set on a peninsula of the west coast within the spectacular Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Immersed in extraordinary geological scenes, among fjords, beaches and rocky tablelands, it is a quiet base for exploring the park's wonders. Its houses gather along the ocean-beaten coast, where fishing sets the rhythm of daily life and sunsets over the sea offer emotion. The offshore waters allow whale sightings and, in spring, passing icebergs. A lighthouse and coastal trails complete the charm of the place. Between grand nature, sea and an authentic seafaring soul, Cow Head embodies the wild beauty of Newfoundland.

Gander is a Newfoundland town that entered history through its airport, once a crucial intercontinental stopover and made famous worldwide when, after the attacks of 11 September 2001, it welcomed thousands of passengers from diverted flights, offering them hospitality so remarkable it inspired a famous musical. Set in the wooded heart of the island, it is a convenient base for exploring Newfoundland's wilderness, among forests, lakes and salmon-rich rivers. The North Atlantic Aviation Museum tells its glorious aviation past. The surroundings invite fishing, hiking and wildlife watching. Between history, legendary hospitality and nature, Gander embodies the great heart of Newfoundland.