Cape Breton is One of the World's Great Islands

Travel & Leisure World’s Best Awards are out and for the second year in a row, Cape Breton Island has was ranked the # 1 Island in Continental US & Canada! We also ranked # 3 in the world, moving up from 10th place 2008! This is a tremendous honour and an obvious recognition of the incredible experiences we have to offer. Read more at:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2009

To gain an appreciation for the Island’s history, visit the Cape Breton Miners’ Museum or one of our four National Historic Sites, including the Fortress of Louisbourg, the largest historical reconstruction in North America. Music is the glue that holds the Cape Breton community together, and to experience our traditional Celtic music live is an exciting and very authentic experience. Cape Breton is also a first rate golf destination, offering a varied mix of beautiful courses that challenge players of all levels, including the #1 public golf course in Canada, the Highlands Links. And then there’s the Cabot Trail, considered to be one of the world’s most scenic drives. It provides a breathtaking tour of some of the Island’s most charming communities and is an experience not to be missed.

Cape Breton Island’s history has been shaped by the sea and the fishery. The earliest European visitors and settlers were drawn here because of the ocean’s rich bounty. The native inhabitants of the Island, however, are the Mi’kmaq, who still call Cape Breton home. The first European settlers were the French, followed by waves of Scottish and Irish immigrants. These were followed in the early 1900s by immigrants from Italy, Poland, Hungary, Lebanon, the Ukraine and from other European countries, making Cape Breton a rich and multi-cultural island.  The Port of Sydney was originally established as a garrison town in the late 1700s and the Clipper yachts will be docking in the heart of the city’s downtown and historic district, at the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion.

Sydney’s strategic location on the eastern seaboard of North America makes it a popular port for both the cargo and cruise industry. Imported goods arriving by ship can reach more than one-third of the entire North American population within one-day’s drive from Sydney. As a cruise ship port of call, Sydney welcomed over 50 vessels and more than 76,000 passengers last year. Clipper crews will no doubt be impressed by our new cruise ship docking facility, home to the “Big Fiddle,” the world’s largest fiddle weighing more than 10 tons and measuring 55’ high. It is a testament to the Island’s strong Celtic roots.
 
Cape Breton Island is also home to a salt-water ‘inland sea’ known as the Bras d’Or Lakes. The Lakes have two natural channels and a canal that connects them to the Atlantic Ocean. The Lakes provide excellent winds for sailing and they are a popular destination for fishing, boating, and other recreational activities.

Without a doubt, a favourite regional dish is Atlantic lobster. It is not only delicious, it is highly versatile. Served hot or cold, on its own or in a thermador, chowder or bisque, Atlantic lobster is a local delicacy enjoyed by seafood connoisseurs around the world. Harvesting lobster along the rugged Atlantic coast is steeped in tradition and aside from some advances in boat and gear technology, little has changed in the past 150 years. When the Clipper race arrives in Cape Breton in June 2010, it will be the middle of our lobster season and crew members and visitors alike should have no difficulty finding fresh Atlantic lobster on the menu of many local restaurants.  

In terms of local beers and spirits, Nova Scotia is noted for a variety of good quality beers and Cape Breton Island is home to the only single malt whisky distillery in North America. Visitors and crews may choose to sample Glen Breton Rare, an aromatic whisky with a light to medium-bodied flavour. It continues to garner critical acclaim from single malt fanciers for its rich character and complexity.

The Round the World Yacht Race is probably the biggest global sporting event that we will host in Cape Breton this year, but the area is no stranger to international events. In addition to various national and regional sporting events, Cape Breton Island plays host to the annual Celtic Colours International Festival, the largest celebration of Celtic culture and music in North America. For nine days every October, the Festival presents dozens of concerts in venues all over the Island, as well as an extensive lineup of workshops and a visual art series of exhibitions. Over the years, performers have travelled from the United Kingdom, Brittany, Spain, Denmark, Germany and Cuba, as well as the US and Canada. They are joined by the finest of Cape Breton musicians, singers, dancers and storytellers in a unique Celtic celebration set against the backdrop of Cape Breton’s magnificent fall foliage.