Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Seattle

Cosmopolitan Vancouver, British Columbia, a natural harbour at the most southern part of Canada on the Atlantic, near the Coast Mountains, is the capital of the verdant British Columbia, characterized as the most livable city for 2014. It spreads along a peninsula and is divided in 3 zones: Downtown commercial and financial district, including the historic area of Gastown, Stanley Park, with 1,000 acres of forests, gardens, lakes and lawns and vibrant Chinatown), Westside Vancouver (which includes Kitsilano and South Vancouver) and East Vancouver, with the Punjabi Market. Enjoy one of the mildest climates in Canada, pass a day strolling in the amazing Butchart Gardens near Victoria or do some winetasting at the province's wine country Okanagan Valley. Last but not least, follow in the footsteps of the millions of visitors who have crossed Capilano Suspension Bridge since 1889, the biggest suspending pedestrian bridge which connects the two sides of Capilano bridge, in North Vancouver.

Ketchikan, the Salmon Capital of the World, clutches the shores of the Tongass Narrows, with many shops and houses, which are built on stilts, right out over the water. The main attractions are Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Native Village. Of the popular activities is the flightseeing trip to Misty Fjords National Monument, home of the indigenous Tlingit Indians and the largest totem collection in the world. In the land of the legends, you can watch totem pole carvers and get an idea of their rich culture.

Juneau is the capital city of Alaska, one of America’s most beautiful capital. There’s also a wealth of cultural attractions, including museums (Juneau-Douglas City Museum), historical sites (the house of Alaska's Pioneer Judge, James Wickersham, built in 1898 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places), art galleries, events, festivals and plenty of local shopping. Visitors can also experience incredible outdoor activities, like
glacier flightseeing, whale watching, fishing and kayaking amidst the stunning Alaskan landscape. Don't miss a photo with Patsy Ann, a Bull Terrier, born i 1929 stone deaf (from birth), but she somehow "heard" the whistles of approaching ships -long before they came into sight- and headed at a fast trot for the wharf, to welcome them. Hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit Juneau from cruise ships are encouraged to "greet her and touch her and in leaving, carry with them the blessings of friendship through their life's journey".

During the gold rush period, in 1898, Skagway was the gate to Klondike and it was known as the harshest city in the world, boasting more than 80 saloons. By the end of the 19th century it had become the largest city in Alaska. Today, the small Gold Rush town of Skagway is the favorite stop on an Alaskan cruise. Ride the antique White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway, step into the historic Red Onion Saloon (1897) or peruse the restored buildings and wooden boardwalks of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

Seattle is a coastal seaport city, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of North America and the northernmost city and the fastest-growing major city in the United States. The city lies on several hills and has over 2.242 ha of parkland. Among its highlights, visit Pike Place Market, its downtown public market which has been in business since 1907, Space Needle, the vertical icon of the city looks like a spaceship on stilts and gives a great view of the city from the top, the Olympic Sculpture Park, an outdoor sculpture garden. which spreads over 9 acres of a seaside bluff north of downtown, transformed from an industrial backwater into the home of artwork, Seattle Art Museum and Seattle’s Chinatown, which is almost as old as the city, emerging in the 1880s. Take a long walk at downtown waterfront, a broad sidewalk along the harborfront with shops, eateries (fish and chips is always a favorite) and wooden piers, make a stop at Seattle Aquarium and take a ride on Seattle Great Wheel, a 175- foot tall Ferris wheel, which offers magnificent views.