By the sea - artists & fishermen in Victoria-by-the-Sea

Granted, I had not heard of Victoria-by-the-Sea before, even though I've been to Prince Edward Island many times. I was all the more surprised when we visited this pretty little seaside village on the south coast of the island province in eastern Canada this summer. There are no big signs, and also in our guide the place is mentioned rather casually. Therefore, we are not prepared for the galleries with their imaginative carvings, the maritime souvenirs and the cute cottage-style decors that I would so much like to decorate my apartment at home with. The lovingly tended houses of the place with their verandas invite you to spend a lazy afternoon with a good book in one of the rocking chairs or hammocks. For the more active visitors, boats dangling in the small harbor wait for sport anglers. And for photographers like me, this seaside resort offers so many motifs that we could spend days here without having discovered all the nooks and crannies with ever new insights into the overflowing imagination of the Victorica-by-the-Sea residents. Here, in every house, there seems to be someone whose creativity helps make the village by the sea, its houses, cafes, shops and gardens more beautiful.

By the sea The harbor of Victoria-by-the-Sea — The harbor of Victoria-by-the-Sea

Village idyll by the sea in Victoria-by-the-Sea

Maybe it's because you have to take your time to explore the galleries, restaurants, cafes and shops of the place, because at first glance we only see the small harbor, the fishing sheds and the squat lighthouse, which is pretty to look at, but not necessarily impressive. We park our car on a side street and set off on foot to explore the seaside village. As the wind over the Northumberland Strait picks up and clouds build up over us, threatening the next few hours and days, we grab our weather jackets and head down to the harbor buildings. Along the way, we see the red earth along the shoreline, for which Prince Edward Island is so famous. It is the reason why this island is so fertile. In the harbor basin there is a lobster boat, which today probably can not go out because of the rising waves to catch up with its cages. But Lobster is certainly here, as the Lobster Barn Pub Eatery promulgated proclaimed on their house wall. If you want, you can eat your fill at a Lobster Lunch or Lobster Dinner.

The Lobster Barn Pub Eatery is located in Victoria-by-the-Sea

The Anne of Green Gables straw hat must not be missed

Even if I never say no to a delicious lobster dinner, but this afternoon the neighboring shops lure us more with their pretty signs for their own "Cottage", the "Garden Shed" or the "Beach House". There are wooden lobster buoys like those used to be found on these shores, and not the brightly colored plastic buoys that now mark the places in the waters around Prince Edward Island where the lobster fishermen sink their cages. And there are old wooden chairs that have been restored with imagination and made into a real work of art with lots of color. Of course, as a concession to international visitors, the bright red braids and straw hat from Anne of Green Gables should not be missing. However, we are much more interested in the beautiful amber bowls or the metal jewelry in the colorful showcases.

At the end of the jetty, the now stormy wind whips the first drops of rain in the face, and the terrace of the Beachcombers restaurants by the sea, from which you have a great view of the Northumberland Strait and - with a clear view - on Nova Scotia, in the sunshine swept like empty. Anyone who has enjoyed his coffee here a few minutes before has now fled from the force of the wind. We, too, just let him blow our nose for a moment, because the drops that are falling from the sky are getting bigger and bigger. Since we have, as most of the time, no umbrella, which does not protect anything in these gusts anyway, we run from one store to the next and stalk us back to our car. The rest of Victoria-by-the-Sea we look at from the dry car.

Nice, is not it? This lovingly tended garden in Victoria-by-the-Sea at Prince Edward Island

The village by the sea is not big. Actually, it only consists of a crossroads, whose side roads are connected to each other by a road that leads around the village. But as we drive through the village, we find new signs in each street that invite you to art galleries, boutiques, a chocolate shop, or a dollhouse-style café. It is a pity that the rain is beating us down. Next time we take more time for this place. Maybe we even stay in one of the nice bed and breakfasts in the village. Because our flying visit to Victoria-by-the-Sea made us curious about the people in this village. And who knows what surprises are still waiting for us?

Travel Arrangements:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrival:

Book yours here Arrival by plane, bus or train*. Air Canada, Condor and Icelandair fly from Germany to various airports in eastern Canada.

Car Rentals:

Cheap car hire - book quickly and easily!

Hotels:

Hotels in Prince Edward Island * You can book through our partner booking.com.

Do you already know:

Source: own research on site. We would like to thank Tourism Prince Edward Island for inviting us to this journey by the sea. Our opinion remains our own.

By the sea - Victoria-by-the-Sea