May
10
2010
Niagara On The Lake, Niagara, ON
Author: RockyThe idyllic 18th-century Niagara-on-the-Lake has been called Canada’s prettiest little town. It is home to some of North America’s finest wineries, a sampling of great hotels, fine restaurants that specialise in local cuisine, eclectic shopping and the Shaw Festival.
Blossoming flowers colour the neat and orderly downtown. Beautiful stone heritage buildings have been restored to their original splendor. Old-fashioned street lights illuminate the horse-drawn carriages that parade up and down Queen Street.
Though its famous name has left it linked with one of the Seven Natural Wonders of North America, the mood and pace of the charming town has little in common with the city of Niagara Falls.
And Niagara-on-the-Lake’s beauty is more substance than superficiality. The Niagara Peninsula is recognized internationally as an outstanding wine-producing locale, with a unique mesoclimate similar to that of the great wine producing regions of the world. This rich agricultural area is more southerly than Bordeaux, and the two Great Lakes, Ontario and Erie, moderate temperatures, ensuring the cool springs and long autumns that are ideal for growing grapes.
Just over an hour’s drive from Toronto and a half-hour from Buffalo, N.Y., the peninsula is home to more than 40 wineries. No longer are they simply purveyors of excellent wines, the wineries have done an outstanding job of tapping into tourism, offering visitors the complete wine country experience. Open year-round, they welcome guests with tours, tastings, special events and the opportunity to experience regional cuisine in their on-site restaurants.
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