An idyllic destination, discover fascinating sights and exceptional gastronomy with our luxury travel guide to Vancouver. A popular year-round vacation spot, Vancouver is one of Canada’s most beautiful cities, world-renowned for its nature and world-class culinary scene. From the top hotels to the finest dining, here’s our pick of the best places to sleep, dine and explore.

Discover this on: Majesty of the Rockies

Magnificent Vancouver 

@destination_vancouver

British Columbia’s largest city, Vancouver is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and cosmopolitan travelers’ alike. Framed by the Pacific Ocean and dramatic Coast Mountains, Vancouver is frequently lauded as one of the world’s most livable cities. Close to 19 miles (30 km) of uninterrupted waterfront path surround the city’s favorite neighborhoods, including the famous seawall around Stanley Park.

A truly spectacular way to enter the city is on the Rocky Mountaineer train. Vancouver is the final stop on the luxury train’s famous route through the majestic Canadian Rockies. Glass-domed carriages and first-class dining combine for spectacular mountain views and comfort. As you approach Vancouver you cross the downtown bridge to swap mountains landscapes for cosmopolitan life.

Read more: Why journeying through the Rocky Mountains will stay with you for a lifetime

Where to stay

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The DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection Hotel. Inspired by the grandness of nature and the allure of a cosmopolitan city, this sustainably designed hotel is located in the heart of the city. From sumptuous rooms to a rooftop urban park, it provides a comfortable and intriguing place to stay and explore Vancouver.

The DOUGLAS, an Autograph Collection®, stands as a legacy to the mighty fir, inspired by the grandness of nature. For thousands of years, Douglas firs lined the banks of False Creek, towering above what is now the thriving metropolis of Vancouver. The hotel’s design masterfully reconnects people and place, while seamlessly introducing nature into a chic urban environment.

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Guests can choose from a selection of eight world-class restaurants and lounges. In the evenings, sip a signature cocktail on the rooftop bar. A hip, vibrant and exclusive nightlife option perched above the city, this indoor/outdoor rooftop space makes for a coveted cocktail destination in Vancouver.

Related content: Step inside Peru’s blissful Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel

Where to dine

@destination_vancouver

Renowned for its world-class culinary scene, as you walk around Vancouver you can sense the local appreciation for fine dining. Streets lined with kitchens waft beautiful aromas. Seasonal local ingredients, distinctive wines, ethically harvested meats, and sustainable seafood prevail, with fresh produce coming in daily from the ocean.

Dining in Vancouver is a celebration of kitchens around the world. Dozens of ramen, Indian, and sushi restaurants dot this multicultural city, offering everything from fine dining to street food. In addition, more than 100 trucks have created a food truck scene that is unrivaled in Canada.

With so many places to choose from, here is our guide to Vancouver’s top three:

@thevictorvancouver

The Victor – An in-house restaurant of the Douglas Autograph Hotel, The Victor delights with contemporary dishes and coastal flavors. Here you can savor the seafood bounty of B.C, with fresh catch straight off the coast. A contemporary play on surf and turf, you can also indulge in a sumptuous selection of specialty steaks, and an elevated sushi and raw bar.

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Kissa Tanto – A Japanese-Italian fusion, the restaurant takes its name from kissas, ’60s Tokyo jazz bars. Chef Joël Watanabe, who himself is half Japanese and half Corsican-Italian and Quebecois, makes this concept his own. Stylish and sophisticated, expect pasta dishes like Tajarin (Piedmont-style egg noodles) dressed with butter, roasted mushrooms, and miso-cured egg yolk. As any guide to Vancouver will tell you, this is one of the foodie highlights of Chinatown.

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Salmon n’Bannock – The only Indigenous-owned and operated restaurant in Vancouver, Salmon n’Bannock is run by members of Canada’s First Nations. Revel in traditional and authentic Indigenous foods and flavors, passed down by elders.

Owner and founder Inez Cook has taken traditional ingredients and given them a modern twist. Enjoy pemmican, an important Indigenous food. Traditionally made with dried meat and berries, the dish has been revived into a delicious rich Pemmican Mouse. Made with smoked and dried bison mixed with sage-blueberries and cream cheese and paired with their perfectly toasted bannock.

Travel on the Majesty of the Rockies and join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Salmon n’Bannock. Meet with owner Inez and learn how the restaurant celebrates and educates about First Nations’ culture.

Read more: The story behind Vancouver’s only Indigenous restaurant, Salmon n’Bannock

What to see in Vancouver

Vancouver’s best attractions are informed by its history as much as its future, with futuristic museums nestled next to iconic districts and mountains as far as the eye can see.

Top sights in any guide to Vancouver include downtown’s Stanley Park, with its old-growth cedar forests surrounded by water views and sandy beaches, and the Granville Island Public Market. Other popular neighborhoods include the West End, Gastown, Yaletown, and Chinatown.

Stanley Park – Sited over a huge 1,000 acres, Stanley Park contains beaches, an aquarium, playgrounds, botanical gardens, a golf course and much more. It is famous for its Seawall, which makes a great rail for walking and biking.

One of the essential things to do in Vancouver, you can lose yourself in nature amongst ferns and centuries-old cedars on 40 miles of trails. Keep an eye out for beavers, raccoons, great blue herons, bald eagles, coyotes, and sometimes even whales. Take time to visit the First Nations Totem Poles. There are a number of beautiful totem poles in the park at two different locations.

Gastown – Vancouver’s most historic neighborhood dates back to 1867 and is named after “Gassy” Jack Deighton, a seaman from the UK. Here that you’ll find cobblestone walkways and stunning architecture that set the stage for some of Vancouver’s best shopping, restaurants and cafes.

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Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia – Located on the traditional territory of the Musqueam people, the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) features art by indigenous peoples from Canada and around the world. One of Canada’s largest teaching museums, MOA is home to hundreds of thousands of ethnographic objects, artifacts and works of art. This includes textiles, ceramics, massive totem poles, masks, and more. The iconic building was designed by renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson.

Pacific Arts Market – This nearly 2,500-square-foot gallery space features art, jewelry, and other handmade crafts from more than 40 artists from Vancouver and around British Columbia. Browse talented local artists and bring home a unique souvenir. You’ll find paintings, ceramics, jewelry, woodcarving, fiber arts, and products like handmade candles and teas. The colorful space is packed with art for every taste and budget. Artists change regularly, so it’s worth visiting again and again.

If our guide to Vancouver has inspired you to see the delights of this city for yourself, take a look at our Majesty of the Rockies luxury guided tour. Starting in Banff, over 9-Days you will traverse beautiful landscapes and enjoy exclusive experiences. Vancouver provides the grand finale to this majestic journey.

Seeking out the most expensive food in the world is a decadent way to travel. Fortunately, journeys with Luxury Gold can take you to far-flung corners of the globe where some of the most expensive food in the world originates, and sometimes, is found right on your plate. 

If you find yourself asking “What is the most expensive food in the world?” look no further. From wagyu beef to white truffles, here are some of our favorite foods and destinations to sample the world’s finest flavors and fare.  

The most expensive food in Italy  

You can find the expensive and sought-after white truffle in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. White truffles are harder to find compared to other truffles because they only grow near certain types of trees. But the discovery is well worth it for their powerful flavor and aroma. On our Ultimate Italy tour, you’ll embark on a foraging trip for these aromatic truffles guided by an expert truffle dog. 

Italy’s prized, and often high-priced, olive oil is yet another reason to live la dolce vita with us. In Umbria, sample specialties such as fresh truffle-infused cured meats and regional olive oils with the help of a local gourmand who’s eager to share the roots of Umbrian cuisine from the region’s lakes, deep forests and rich earth.  

Spain & Portugal 

Take your taste buds from the delicacies of Italy to the finest meats of Spain and Portugal. One of the most expensive foods in the world is Iberico ham, a type of cured meat from Spain and Portugal. The best quality Iberico ham comes from free-range Iberico pigs that eat a diet of acorns as they roam about oak forests in the final years of their lives. Some of the very best Iberico ham is labeled black label – look for pata negra in Spain or porco preto in Portugal. Explore Spain & Portugal in Style, or book a luxury trip to Spain with us, enjoying fine dining in restaurants such as Michelin-starred L’Antic Moli in search of this expensive meat.

Croatia 

To indulge in the bounty of the sea, journey to Croatia to savor one of the world’s most expensive and luxurious foods: oysters. In the quiet fishing village of Mali Ston, sample fresh, briny oysters just out of the water that thrive in this salt-rich channel.  

Japan by land…

Leave Europe behind and jet off to Japan with us to discover the country that boasts some of the most expensive food in the world. One of Japan’s most well-known and high-priced foods is the famed Kobe beef. This marbled, rich type of Wagyu beef comes from one type of cattle breed in the Hyogo Prefecture. The regulations around the authenticity of Kobe beef make it more difficult and expensive to find. So, why not seek it out on your travels?   

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Beyond beef, Japan has many of the world’s most expensive foods such as Hokkaido’s rare black watermelon, which needs several months and plenty of space to grow. This fancy fruit can only be purchased at auctions and can fetch around $6,000. Japan has also become known for producing the rare, and increasingly harder-to-find, Matsutake Mushroom. 

And sea… 

The waters of Japan also produce some of the world’s most expensive foods. You may be familiar with Fugu, the most dangerous dish on the planet. Strictly controlled by Japanese law, Fugu is lethal if not prepared correctly. Chefs must have years of training before they can prepare it. Japan’s Bluefin tuna is also among the most expensive seafood in the world. Its high cost is due to intense marbling and finely balanced flavors. 

New Zealand  

From rich waters to bountiful earth, venture to The Land of the Long White Cloud for Manuka Honey. This sweet substance native to New Zealand comes from the Manuka Bush and is known for its healing properties. The honey’s antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits can cost around $500 per kilogram when purchasing the highest grade. Even if you’re unable to sample this sweet nectar, our New Zealand itineraries offer plenty of rich, nature-focused experiences to write home about. 

Madagascar 

For an extravagant sweet finish, we take you to Madagascar for another of the most expensive foods in the world: vanilla. This island off mainland Africa produces vanilla pods that can fetch up to $600 per pound. The high price is partly due to the intensive labor required. On the single day that vanilla blooms the pollination must be done by hand. Journey to Africa with us to discover more tastes and treasures. If you’re able to procure this prized vanilla, just imagine what pastries you could whip up! 

Whether you’re in search of Australia’s fine wine or farm-fresh, authentic fare in Ireland, there’s a Luxury Gold journey for every palate. 

What is Kobe beef? You may have seen it on the menu of your favorite restaurant, or perhaps even tried it. If you’re planning your next adventure, you may have the opportunity to try Kobe’s finest on our Majestic Japan journey. Let’s take a look at the mystery and myths behind this luxury meat and how it has become a sought-after feature of fine dining. 

Related content: A journey of a lifetime: unearthing Majestic Japan, with Luxury Gold

Kobe Beef, defined 

Kobe beef is an exceptionally marbled, rich type of Wagyu beef from a particular type of cattle breed born and raised in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan. Cows that produce Kobe beef are from the Tajima cattle strain of the Japanese Black breed. How is Kobe beef raised? To qualify, the cattle must be between the ages of 28 to 60 months, as well as born, raised and slaughtered in Hyogo Prefecture.  

Kobe beef must also have a Meat Quality Score between four and five. Other specific requirements include the pure lineage of the Tajima cow, weight requirements and the “Japanese Chrysanthemum” seal officially certifying it. Because of these guidelines, only 3,000–5,000 head of cattle meet these restrictions each year. 

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Look, taste and texture 

Now that we know just how unique this beef is, let’s get to the good stuff: the taste. Kobe beef’s distinctive marbling is what makes it so desirable. In fact, it always has a Beef Marbling Score (BMS) of 6 or more. The high marbling also means that Kobe beef is fatty, similar to purebred Angus. This fatty marbling creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is enhanced when you thinly slice it to prepare Japanese dishes such as shabu shabu. 

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Wagyu beef  

You may have heard the term “Wagyu” associated with Kobe. Wagyu means “Japanese beef.” (“Wa” refers to something Japanese while “gyu” means beef). The classification of Wagyu beef includes only four breeds of purebred cattle including Kuroge (Japanese Black), Akage (Japanese Brown), Nihon Tankaku (Japanese Shorthorn), and Mukaku (Japanese Polled). This classification was established in 1944. Wagyu, like Kobe, is also a highly marbled and tender beef. 

Kobe beef vs Wagyu beef       

“What is the difference between Kobe and Wagyu?” you might be wondering. Among the four cattle breeds of Wagyu beef, Taijima cows — that we learned earlier produce Kobe beef — are a type of Japanese Black cattle. So, all Kobe beef comes from Wagyu cattle, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe. As a comparison, the Kobe beef classification is a little like the classification for Champagne among sparkling wine. Champagne is a type of sparkling wine. But only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France can be classified as Champagne. 

Wagyu beef look, taste and texture   

Similar to the specific type of beef from Kobe, Wagyu is also rich, tender and fatty. People often describe it as having a smooth or buttery flavor. Because the fat coats your tongue on the first bite or two, the flavor diminishes as you eat more. That’s why Wagyu beef usually comes in small portions, often of three to four ounces. 

American Kobe beef 

Now that we looked at the difference between Kobe and Wagyu, you maybe be wondering what that fatty, succulent cut was that you had in the United States labeled “American Kobe,” “domestic Wagyu,” or “Kobe-style.” If you guessed that these aren’t pure Kobe, you’re probably correct. Cows outside of Japan aren’t regulated the way Japanese Wagyu is, so it’s rare to find authentic Kobe products outside of Japan. Even though some Wagyu cattle breeds have been brought to the United States and produce the same rich flavor, it is rare that it is pure Kobe or sometimes even Wagyu. Several restaurants have been called out for labeling beef from Kobe on their menus when it was in fact simply Wagyu. 

Myths about Kobe

When speaking of the highly prized beef, some say that the cows are massaged to help redistribute the fat. Some farmers do massage their cows, but it is usually to warm their muscles during a cold winter. Some use massage to relieve stress for cows who do not roam free. But because the Wagyu — and thus Kobe breed – of cows are a working breed, they typically roam freely. 

Destination Japan 

Should you find your mouth watering for this rich, marbled meat, or simply want to explore the country that produces it, we invite you to join us on our Majestic Japan journey. Not only will you enjoy a range of fine Japanese cuisine, but sample some of the nation’s other famed specialty, sake.    

What authentic cuisine do you want to try in Japan?