The cosmopolitan city of Calgary is one of the main gateways in to western Canada, providing access to the spectacular Rocky Mountains to the north-west, the expansive, flat plains of the Badlands to the east and beautiful Waterton Lakes National Park to the south. The city itself once thrived from the oil industry but now prospers on a more diverse range of business interests such as energy, financial services, transport logistics, film and television. Bisected by the Bow River the downtown area can seem on first glance like a bit of a muddle of busy one-way streets and high-rise buildings, but Calgary is a city that rewards those who scratch a little under the surface and if you ask around for the most interesting restaurant, funkiest bar, quirkiest gallery, or best bagel shop any local will be able to offers a few ideas. The city is perhaps most famous for its magnificent annual festival – the Calgary Stampede – held every July and offering ten days of classic cowboy entertainment. Attracting over one million visitors a year this is one of Canada’s most popular events – booking early is highly recommended!