Wind whipped and buffeted dramatically by the Atlantic, Nova Scotia is a province of bright green fields and beautiful cliffs. Its long peninsula is connected to New Brunswick by a thin strip of land and just offshore is Cape Breton Island. Halifax is the capital but if you’re looking for the serenity and dramatic views this place is known for, then the best places to stay in Nova Scotia are much more rural. Our recommendation is to choose a quintessential log cabin, complete with roaring fires, for that real back to nature feel.
The name, which you might have guessed is Latin for ‘New Scotland’, gives you a hint about the culture here as well as the landscape. Typically friendly and resourceful, the population enjoy brief summers, spectacular springs and autumns and long, beautiful white winters, making this a real year round destination.
Nova Scotia is small by Canadian standards and fairly densely populated. If you’re looking for a bit of adventure you might want to travel the whole length of it, from Yarmouth in the southwest to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which is one of the most spectacular national parks on Canada’s Atlantic coast in the northeast.
Halifax is a major port and a great place to come to delve into the history of Nova Scotia. It’s where you’ll find the Citadel Hill National Historic Site, a huge fort built in the 18th century on top of Halifax’s central hill, the fascinating Canadian Museum of Immigration and a great Maritime Museum.
Nova Scotia also has an exceptional collection of great lighthouses and light stations, some seriously good destination wineries and breweries and some extremely rugged trails running through the interior and all along the spectacular coastline.
Our pick of the best places to stay in Nova Scotia include a gorgeous lodge which allows you to enjoy this stunning province in the lap of luxury, charming character-filled B&Bs and a handful of traditional inns.