Calgary

Prairie energy meets Rocky Mountain views

Calgary stands out as a city shaped by wide open spaces and mountain views. The Bow River runs through its center, offering walking paths and parks where locals gather. Nearby Rocky Mountain parks provide trails for hiking and climbing, drawing outdoor lovers year-round. Calgary’s downtown features modern buildings alongside historic sites like Fort Calgary. The city celebrates festivals that reflect its multicultural roots, from music to food events. Its economy thrives on energy industries while maintaining a reputation for friendly neighborhoods and accessible nature.

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City in Canada

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.2

General Safety:	8
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	9

Read details

5/5

English is universally spoken, and French is also official. Many locals speak additional languages, and tourist information is widely available in English. Communication is easy for international visitors.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Calgary Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

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This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

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Strong in western culture and outdoor access. Visit lively festivals, explore modern museums, enjoy city parks and take easy trips to nearby Rocky Mountain hiking.

Place score

7.2

Best at:

Spotless

Snow

Cycling

Van travel

Walkable

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🐕 8

With dogs

🌈 8

LGBTQ+

Canada – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	120 V, 60 Hz Plug: Type A , Type B Type A: Type B: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Canadian Dollar (CAD) £1 ≈ CA$1.87
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted, especially in urban areas. Most businesses accept credit and debit cards, and mobile payment options like Apple Pay are popular. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is customary in Canada, with a typical tip of 10-20% in restaurants. Tipping is also expected in taxis and for hotel staff, usually 1-2 CAD for bellhops and housekeepers.
Public drinking:	Public drinking laws vary by province, but it's often allowed in designated areas such as festivals or certain parks.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public spaces and in most outdoor spaces in urban areas. Some provinces have stricter laws than others.

Canada Day (July)	The country celebrates with fireworks and festivals. Expect crowded tourist spots and high demand for accommodations.
Thanksgiving (October)	A major family holiday with many businesses closed, especially in rural areas.
Christmas (December)	Festive markets and winter activities are popular, but expect higher accommodation prices and busy cities.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 911 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Lyft, Bolt
Other:	Canada is vast, so be prepared for long distances between cities and varying weather conditions depending on the region.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Calgary, Canada

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Sep

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	June - Aug.
Shoulder season:	Jan. - Feb., Sep., Dec.
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Calgary Stampede runs ten days in early July: rodeo, parades, hotels fully booked far ahead

Banff and Lake Louise ski season early December to April; hiking and lakes best July to September

Mountain passes and Icefields Parkway can close briefly in winter storms, October to May

Don't miss

🤠 Experience the Calgary Stampede rodeo and festival
🌆 Enjoy panoramic city views from Calgary Tower observation deck
🏡 Explore Heritage Park Historical Village’s pioneer exhibits
🦁 Visit the Calgary Zoo and discover diverse wildlife
🌳 Relax and picnic at scenic Prince's Island Park
🌉 Walk the futuristic Peace Bridge over the Bow River

You've been here?

Why travel to Calgary?

Calgary is famous for the Calgary Stampede, a 10-day summer celebration of rodeo, music and cowboy culture that takes over the city. But there’s plenty to do year-round: explore the historic Heritage Park, enjoy panoramic views from the Calgary Tower or wander the trendy shops and cafés of Inglewood and Stephen Avenue. The city is a gateway to the Rockies – Banff and Canmore are just a short drive away. Winters can be cold and windy, but the city’s Chinook winds can bring sudden warm spells. Calgary is clean, friendly and easy to get around, but prices can be high, especially during big events and the weather can change quickly – so pack layers.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Calgary Zoo
2 Glenbow Museum
3 Calgary Tower
4 Heritage Park
5 Studio Bell
6 Spruce Meadows
7 Peace Bridge

🎡Places for activities

1 Granary Road
2 Calgary Stampede
3 Calaway Park
4 Canada Olympic Park

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Prince's Island Park
2 Bowness Park
3 Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and Nature Centre
4 Confederation Park
5 Elbow River
6 Weaselhead Flats
7 Glenmore Reservoir
8 Nose Hill Park
9 Fish Creek Provincial Park
10 Bow River

🛍️Shopping

1 Calgary Farmers' Market
2 Eau Claire Market
3 Chinook Centre
4 17th Avenue Framing
5 CrossIron Mills
6 Southcentre Mall

🎈Events

Calgary Stampede
Calgary Folk Music Festival
Sled Island Music & Arts Festival
GlobalFest (fireworks)
Calgary International Film Festival
Lilac Festival
Beakerhead Science Festival
Calgary Pride
Big Winter Classic
YYC Hot Chocolate Fest

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Pack layers – Chinook winds can flip temperatures fast.
Use the CTrain downtown free-fare zone; it’s easiest for quick central hopping.
If visiting in July, book hotels early – Calgary Stampede crowds spike prices citywide.
Stroll the Bow River pathway around Prince’s Island Park at golden hour for skyline views and calm.

How to travel to Calgary

Calgary International Airport (YYC) offers direct flights across North America and overseas. The airport is about 20 minutes from downtown by car, taxi or shuttle. Intercity buses and trains connect Calgary to Banff, Canmore, Edmonton and other Alberta destinations. Driving is straightforward and car rentals are popular for exploring the Rockies.

Access summary

From Calgary Int’l Airport (YYC): city bus or taxi, about 20–30 minutes.
From Vancouver: frequent direct flights, roughly 1.5 hours in the air.
From Toronto: multiple daily direct flights, usually around 3.5–4 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Calgary

Calgary has a range of accommodation, from luxury downtown hotels and boutique stays in Inglewood to budget-friendly motels and family suites. Book early for the Stampede or major festivals. Most hotels are downtown or near the airport, with easy access to transit and sights.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Hotel 11, MOD A Sonesta Collection

9.1

Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Calgary Downtown

8.3

Divya Sutra Plaza and Conference Centre Calgary Airport

7.6

Wingate by Wyndham Calgary Airport

9.0

Acclaim Hotel Calgary Airport

8.8

Carriage House Hotel & Conference Centre

9.1

Holiday Inn Calgary Airport By IHG

8.7

Fairmont Palliser

8.9

Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre Calgary Airport

8.2

Comfort Inn & Suites Airport North

8.6

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Calgary

Downtown Calgary is walkable, with pedestrian-friendly areas like Stephen Avenue and RiverWalk. The CTrain light rail is free in the downtown core and connects to suburbs and major sights. Buses are frequent and cycling is popular on extensive city paths. Taxis and rideshares are widely available. Parking can be expensive downtown, especially during big events.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-9 %

Daily expenses in Calgary are around 9% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-10 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to CAD) is 10% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£60	£145	£319
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£23	£72	£102
🍝 Food per day	£29	£65	£191
🚕 Transportation per day	£8	£8	£26

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£25
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£12.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£8.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£10
☕ Cappuccino	£3.20
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4.70

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.20
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£14
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.75

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£10.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£70
🤧 Cold medication	£7
💇 Basic haircut	£18

Safety information overview

General safety

Calgary is very safe, with low violent crime. Standard urban precautions apply — keep an eye on valuables in busy areas and avoid poorly lit parks at night. Winter sidewalks can be icy — walk carefully.

Health & Medical

Medical care is excellent, with modern hospitals and clinics throughout the city. Pharmacies are easy to find. Winter cold and dry air can be tough on skin — bring moisturizer and dress warmly.

Accessibility

Most attractions, hotels and public transport are accessible, but some older buildings and icy sidewalks in winter can pose challenges. The city is flat and easy to navigate, with good facilities for visitors with mobility needs.

Tap water

Tap water is safe, clean and widely available. Public fountains are found in parks and along the river. Stay hydrated, especially at higher altitudes and in dry weather.