The vast province of Manitoba is a showcase for some of Canada's most austere, and beautiful, wilderness. Stretching north from central Canada's southern border to the deep blue of Hudson Bay, it's a place of endless tundra, icy and windswept in winter and flower-dotted in summer. It's a landscape best explored in remote Churchill, where polar bears roam the tundra and beluga whales swim in the icy swells. And, in winter, you might just see the Northern Lights dancing overhead.

To the south, in Manitoba's capital, Winnipeg, there's an excellent choice of museums and galleries to explore, not least the Manitoba Museum and Winnipeg Art Gallery. Discover the French quarter and enjoy city life with a ballet, opera or theatre performance in the evening, and head out to explore the city's burgeoning culinary scene. 

Elsewhere, you'll find relaxation on the white sandy beaches of Grand Beach Provincial Park and there's also a chance to try bird watching or windsurfing along Lake Winnipeg. Or, delve into the caves that provide shelter for bears and moose at Clearwater Lake Provincial Park.