Tales from VANCOUVER

One of the most culturally diverse destinations in Canada, this mega city has plenty to offer visitors year-round

- SHAISTHA KHAN

Vancouver is home to the third-largest film and television production industry in North America. It's the perfect place to gain bragging rights over celebrity sightings, or to visit the stunning locales featured in your favourite films. But there are plenty of other reasons to visit 'Hollywood North, too. The city is as much a treat for cinema lovers as those seeking an adrenaline rush or a moment of solitude amid Vancouver's undisturbed wilderness. Shoppers in search of unique items at independent boutiques and gastronomes on the lookout for local specialities and global cuisines will also feel right at home here.

FROM REEL TO REAL LIFE

Start your Vancouver sojourn in the heart of downtown at the Marine Building. With its Art Deco-style facade, the building sticks out like a sore thumb in the City of Glass. It's widely considered to be one of the finest pieces of architecture in the city, and one of the best examples of Art Deco anywhere.

Upon closer inspection, you'll find an intricate cornucopia of marine life-like seahorses, starfish, and seashells engraved into the terracotta. Swirl in through the revolving doors and you'll find the foyer - with its stainedglass windows, brass elevators, and cosy phone booths - to be a glorious remnant of the 1930s.

The building is the site of several Hollywood productions, including the 2005 and 2007 Fantastic Four films, though it goes by the name Baxter Building in the franchise.

Further southeast, make your way to what is arguably one of Vancouver's most iconic neighbourhoods, Gastown. This is the city's first town centre, named after Jack Deighton, an Englishman who set up shop (or shall we say a tavern) in 1867.

Over the years, the historic area has seen equal measures of gentrification and revitalisation, and is now a city centre with eateries, boutiques, galleries, and gift shops.