Flights to Calgary

From YYC to the city and the mountains

Most visitors pick up a hire car at the airport, as the Rockies are the main draw and public transport into the mountains is limited. The Trans-Canada Highway heads west to Canmore and Banff in about 90 minutes. If you're spending a night in the city first, the 300 BRT bus runs to downtown and taxis take around 25 minutes. Calgary is seven hours behind the UK, so evening arrivals often stay near the airport.

Calgary's city sights

Riverside paths along the Bow River link Prince's Island Park, the red Peace Bridge and East Village, where the Central Library and the National Music Centre stand out for their architecture. The Calgary Tower has a glass-floored lookout over the city, and Heritage Park recreates frontier life in Alberta. Each July, the ten-day Calgary Stampede fills the city with rodeo events, chuckwagon races and free pancake breakfasts.

Banff, Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway

Banff National Park, created in 1885 as Canada's first national park, starts just past Canmore, and you'll need a Parks Canada pass to stop inside it. Lake Louise is about two hours from Calgary. Private cars can't drive up to Moraine Lake, so take the Parks Canada shuttle or a commercial tour. The Icefields Parkway continues north past glaciers towards Jasper.

When to book

Summer is the busiest time, with warm days around 23°C and the mountain lakes free of ice from about June. Winter is cold and dry, but warm chinook winds can lift temperatures suddenly, and the ski areas at Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are an easy drive away. Book early for Stampede week, when hotel prices rise sharply, and reserve mountain hotels well ahead for July and August.

Flying into Calgary and home from Vancouver? Call 020 7871 4545 for an open-jaw fare.