When to go

Obviously Canada's climate is varied and changeable, but it's a safe generalization to say that the areas near the coast or the Great Lakes have milder winters and cooler summers than the interior. July and August are reliably warm throughout the country, even in the far north, making these the hottest but also the busiest months to visit. November to March , by contrast, is an ordeal of sub-zero temperatures almost everywhere except on the west coast, though winter days in many areas are clear and dry, and all large Canadian towns are geared to the challenge of cold conditions, with covered walkways and indoor malls protecting their inhabitants from the worst of the weather.

More specifically, the Maritimes and eastern Canada have four distinct seasons: chill, snowy winters; short, mild springs; warm summers (which are shorter and colder in northern and inland regions); and long crisp autumns. Summer is the key season in the resorts, though late September and October, particularly in New Brunswick, are also popular for the autumn colours. Coasts year-round can be blanketed in mist or fog.

In Ontario and QuA©bec the seasons are also marked and the extremes intense, with cold, damp and grey winters in southern Ontario (drier and colder in QuA©bec) and a long temperate spring from about April to June. Summers can be hot, but often uncomfortably humid, with the cities often empty of locals but full of visitors. The long autumn can be the best time to visit, with equable temperatures and few crowds.

The central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta experience the country's wildest climatic extremes, suffering the longest, harshest winters, but also some of the finest, clearest summers, punctuated by fierce thunderstorms. Winter skiing brings a lot of people to the Rockies , but summer is still the busiest time, especially in the mountains, where July and August offer the best walking weather and the least chance of rain, though this often falls in heavy downpours, the mirror of winter's raging blizzards.

The southwestern parts of British Columbia enjoy some of Canada's best weather: the extremes are less marked and the overall temperatures generally milder than elsewhere. Much of the province, though, bears the brunt of Pacific depressions, so this is one of the country's damper regions - visiting between late spring and early autumn offers the best chance of missing the rain.

Across the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut winters are bitterly cold, with temperatures rarely above freezing for months on end, though precipitation year-round is among the country's lowest. Summers, by contrast, are short but surprisingly warm, and spring - though late - can produce outstanding displays of wild flowers across the tundra.

Other useful information for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections):