Old Town Lunenburg

You might have spotted Lunenburg’s colourful wooden houses on a postcard before, but there’s more to this historic site than the picturesque scenery. Established in 1753 on the southwest coast of Nova Scotia, Old Town Lunenburg is the best surviving example of planned British colonial settlement in North America. The “model town” plan divided the land into lots using only straight streets—a distinguishing feature that has resulted in some extremely steep routes. (If you’re embarking on a walking tour, bring comfortable shoes and be prepared for a bit of a workout.) Of the 400 major structures in town, 70 per cent date back to the 18th- and 19th-centuries. Today, the seaside community is a bustling tourist attraction with restaurants, breweries and artisan shops, complete with a spectacular waterfront view.