halifax walking tour map

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Explore Halifax in a day: walking tour

Halifax is a lively coastal city in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia. From its delicious eats, historic buildings and magnificent waterfront, there is much to do in Halifax.

Halifax Public Gardens

Citadel with clock tower, historic properties, halifax waterfront, alexander keith’s, halifax seaport farmers’ market, canadian museum of immigration, stubborn goat beer garden, finish with dessert.

Bring your walking shoes and a camera, because you’re going to want to capture the beauty of this city on the Atlantic Ocean. Here is your guide to exploring this amazing city in a day. At the end of the post, you’ll find a map of all the places mentioned in a neat little walking guide.

Start your tour in Halifax’s public gardens. The 16-acre public space in the middle of downtown Halifax opened the same year Canada became a country in 1867 and still has a very Victorian feel.

There are hundreds of species of plants in the park, and it is a beautiful space to wander and enjoy. The gates open at 7am and remain open until 30 minutes before sunset.

Head up Citadel Hill to explore the historic military base. The Halifax Citadel National Historic Site is a step back in time. The Citadel looks down on the surrounding city, with 360-degree views of the surrounding harbour, making it the perfect defensive structure.

Today you can walk its garrisons and explore how the soldiers lived within its walls. You can watch the changing of the guard every hour and even talk ghost walks from July to October.

Try becoming a Highlander for a day, by suiting up and learning about the life of a soldier.

After leaving the Citadel, head down the hill toward the Halifax Town Clock, one of the most recognizable structures in the city. The clock dates back to 1803.

The Historic Properties near the Halifax harbour are some of the earliest buildings built in Halifax. These properties, now turned into shops and restaurants were the driving force in Halifax’s trade and commerce. These places also have a rich history of smuggling and privateering.

The crowned jewel of Halifax is the waterfront. Starting from the north end to the south, you’ll walk along the boardwalks, passing ships, restaurants, food vendors, fantastic sculptures and even Theodore Tugboat.

At the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, you’ll learn about Halifax’s role in the sinking of the Titanic and the disastrous ship collision of 1917.

Next head over for an afternoon brewery tour at Alexander Keith’s Brewery, which opened over 200 years ago. It’s a popular place to explore the rich history of Alexander Keith’s legacy. Sample the local fare and take a brewery tour inside the beautiful space.

After you filled your boots with beer, head down to the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market. It has been operating since 1750, making it one of the oldest farmers’ markets in Canada. Hosting both fresh fruits and vegetable, meats and cheeses along with many artisans.

Take a tour of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the landing place of many new immigrants from the 20s to 80s. Maybe you’ll find some of your family history here as well.

I didn’t realize until after I had come home, that my great-grandparents had come through Halifax’s ocean immigration port.

By now, you’ll probably want to enjoy a tasty meal with some good brews. From June to October, you can enjoy the delicious dishes at the Stubborn Goat Beer Garden. This waterfront property has some pretty darn good dishes with a perfect setting along. Try to get a bar spot to watch the ships go by.

While I’m not a fan of beer, Halifax does have some excellent ciders, like Bulwark and No Boats of Sunday, so why not try them here.

After you’ve had your fill, walk it off by heading to Sweet Hereafter, a cheesecakery. With dozens of flavours to taste, you’re going to want to take home a selection!

Sit, enjoy, and marvel at all you’ve seen during an incredible day in Halifax.

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Olivia Rutt

Olivia Rutt is the travel writer and photographer behind My Wandering Voyage, a travel website helping working millennials find time to travel. She shares insight in trip planning, travel inspiration and photography tips. Olivia hails from southern Ontario, Canada where she works in the media industry between travels. Follow Olivia on Instagram where she shares her travel photos, or catch up with her on Facebook or Twitter.

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Historic Halifax by Foot

• Explore the historic architecture of Halifax and the captivating waterfront with a knowledgeable guide
• Appreciate the Georgian-style City Hall and Province House, and Halifax's new Central Library, a blend of the old and new
• Enjoy the lively bustle of Halifax's rehabilitated waterfront, filled with intriguing shops, food spots, and boutiques
• Discover the city's diverse neighborhoods, from the Bohemian scene on Spring Garden Road to impressive Citadel Hill

Marvel at the extraordinary architecture of Halifax as you stroll through the beautifully restored historic properties on the waterfront. Halifax is the capital of the Canadian province Nova Scotia, and the largest Canadian city east of Montreal. It is an old, vibrant city with several universities and colleges combining to bring a youthful energy.

Discover the historic and modern sites that make Halifax an amazing city. Your guide will share their knowledge of the historical, cultural, political, and military significance of Halifax's landmarks. You'll hear of the tragedies and triumphs that have shaped the character of Haligonians over the centuries and learn why the city is said to be one of the best places to live in Canada.

View the Georgian-style City Hall and Province House which houses the legislature set among modern marvels. City Hall, a sandstone structure built between 1887 and 1890, is exuberantly adorned with all the usual Victorian architectural trifles: prominent clock tower, dormers, pediments, arched windows, pilasters, Corinthian columns.

Halifax is a city with a rich and fascinating history containing historic architecture. Some landmarks reflect its culture, while others its political past, like the House of Assembly. See many Victorian influences, which reflect the city's British heritage. The Mi'kmaq spent the summers here hunting and fishing, and after the city's founding in 1749, sailors would haunt the rough & tumble taverns known as grog shops. Halifax was a key player in many armed conflicts including the War of 1812.

Halifax's rehabilitated waterfront is most inviting and on sunny summer afternoons bustles with tourists enjoying the harbor and business professionals sneaking ice-cream cones. The waterfront walkway is studded with other small diversions, intriguing shops, takeout food emporia, and minor monuments. The waterfront's shopping core is in and around the 3-block Historic Properties, near the Marriott. These buildings of wood and stone are Canada's oldest surviving warehouses and were once the heart of the city's shipping industry. Today, their historic architecture provides ballast for the somewhat precious boutiques and restaurants they now house instead.

Another lively neighborhood runs along Spring Garden Road between the Public Gardens and the library. Here you'll find intriguing boutiques, bars, and restaurants along these 6 blocks, set amid a Bohemian street scene.

Start on the waterfront and make your way to Spring Garden Road where Victorian settings meet award-winning modern architecture with Halifax's new Central Library. At the top of Spring Garden Road is the Halifax Public Garden - the oldest Victorian-style gardens in Canada. From the Public Gardens make your way up Citadel Hill, the major landmark of the city. A stone fortress looming over downtown from a grassy height where a view from atop will give you an impressive overall picture of the surroundings. From Citadel Hill make your way downhill passing the Old Town Clock, City Hall through the Grand Parade, past Province House to the Harbor-front and the end location of the tour.

Churches, Gardens & Graveyards Smartphone Audio Walking Tour $8.99 | Nova Scotia

Listen to a tour guide through your smartphone  as you discover Halifax's incredible churches, beautiful gardens & historic graveyards!

You'll not only  see & hear about churches, gardens and graveyards, but a number of statues, monuments, buildings & people that call (or have called) Halifax home!

Highlights from the 5km tour  include Victoria Park, the lost grave of William Condon, the Boer War Memorial Fountain, the Old Town Cl ock, St. Mary's Basilica & more!

Live GPS map shows where you are and where to go next. As you get close, tour guide commentary will automatically play! 

Keep the professional tour guide experience , ditch the crowded tour groups, tight schedules and high prices.

Listen to examples from the tour!

Don't just see Halifax's beauty, hear what it has to say!

The tour also comes with a fun location based trivia game. After the commentary plays, look at your device and tap your guess at the answer. 

24 Narrated Points of Interest | 5.5 kms | Approximately 1.5 - 2.5 hours | Stop anywhere

Churches, Gardens & Graveyards

Average Customer Rating

4.5/5 -> 6 Total Reviews

May 30, 2023

​ Good. Nice but there's no smooth transition between the destinations. You have to have your phone open all the time.

No comments.

Jun 14, 2023

Exercise + history = awesome way to spend an afternoon, Great walking tour of Halifax, especially if you like history. The narration was informative and entertaining and it was nice to go at your own pace without a crowd.

Mar 17, 2023

​ This tour was easy to use and navigate. The information was fantastic and very informative. I loved that I could go at my own pace and spend extra time when I wanted to, no worries about a group leaving without me.

How it Works

Hands free + audio , automatically plays, audio tours play based, on gps location, fun trivia questions, add to the fun, easy navigation with, live gps maps, professional tour guides, family friendly, no data used on tour , no signal required.

Points of Interest

Live gps map + audio automatically plays.

Camp Hill Cemetary

The Museum of Natural History

South Commons

North Commons

Halifax Armoury

The Halifax Citadel

Old Town Clock

The Grand Parade

Halifax War Memorial

Halifax City Hall

Memorial to the Fallen Sculpture

St. Paul's Anglican Church

St. Mary's Basilica

The Old Burying Ground

The Victoria Jubilee Fountain

Fort Massey Military Cemetery

Holy Cross Cemetary

The Lost Grave of William Condon

Victoria Park

The Oland Memorial Fountain

Cathedral Church of All Saints

Sir Walter Scott Monument

Robert Burns

The Gateway to Halifax Public Gardens

The Design of a Victorian Garden

The Bandstand & Horticultural Hall

Griffin's Pond

The Boer War Memorial Fountain

Halifax Free Walking Tours

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Halifax Free Walking Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Free Walking Sightseeing Tours in Halifax, Canada

Guided sightseeing tours.

Book guided sightseeing tours and activities in Halifax.

Explore Halifax in Canada with one of our free walking tours . Click on a marker on the map to get started and view details about the tour. Below is an overview of the sightseeing tours. One tour is available in Halifax, Canada.

Self-guided Tour #1

• Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame
• Halifax Town Clock
• Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
• Halifax Citadel
• Halifax Central Common

Why Visit Sights? Self-guided sightseeing tours are a free and safe alternative to bus tours. You can explore Halifax at your own pace, any time! Do something good for your health by walking.

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Know of more Indigenous art on campus?

Do you know of an Indigenous art piece on campus that's not listed in the tour? Email [email protected]  

Explore Indigenous art at Dalhousie with this self‑guided walking tour

Tanis Trainor - June 4, 2024

Art is everywhere — from paintings and sculptures to dance and music, in clothing, perfumes, and cuisine. It defines and shapes our sense of place, in architecture, green spaces, furniture, and decorations.  

At Dalhousie, you don’t need to go far to find all of the above.

To celebrate National Indigenous History Month — a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis — this self-guided walking tour will guide you around some of the campus buildings and spaces that pay tribute to Indigenous artists, ceremonies, and stories. 

Starting at the Henry Hicks Building .

The garden also features two commissioned benches by Jim and Cheryl Walsh, installed at Dalhousie's 2023 Mawio'mi. 

Learn more:  Indigenous pollinator garden honours community figure while adding natural appeal to Dal campus

On Dal News: Sacred Teachings showcased in new public art on Killam Library

On Dal News: Influential Mi’kmaw historian honoured with special Dal‑commissioned portrait On Dal News:  Friends, family and community gather to honour the late Elder Daniel Paul

On Dal News:  Alan Syliboy exhibition offers 50‑year retrospective on one of the region's defining artists

Other pieces found in the lobby and second floor atrium of the Weldon Law include:

• North American Indian Prison Camp II by G. Littlechild
• Plamu (bê-ka-mu) – Salmon by Mark Sark (1963-2019)
• Matjoqtellgn (mat-chohk-te-ll-gên) – Arrow by Mark Sark (1963-2019)
• Untitled by Tayla Paul

On Dal News:  Indigenous artwork illustrates diversity

On Dal News:  Renewed Dentistry student lounge reflects a new focus on inclusion

*Not publicly accessible; a stop for students, faculty and staff in the Faculty of Dentistry.

On Dal News: On Truro campus, vibrant new murals serve as a simple act of reconciliation

Read more: New Student Learning Commons a unique addition to Dal Ag Campus

On Dal News: Landscape art installation at Dal shines a light on Mi'kmaw lunar cycle

In the master plan

The vision for Dalhousie's physical spaces is layed out in Dalhousie's Master Plan documents , and encourages creating and identifying opportunities for art.

On the Truro campus, art is often tied to the development of the Landscape Architecture program through garden walls, sculpture, kinetic sculpture, and environmental art through plant and tree species.

"It would be wonderful to get more pieces around campus. Art is integral to creating a climate of belonging," says Sherida Hassanali, assistant dean for equitiy, diversity, inclusion and accessibly in the Faculty of Engineering.

Collections on campus

The Dalhousie Art Gallery’s permanent collection contains over 1,400 works including contemporary and historical paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography, mixed media works, and artifacts. These pieces are displayed through exhibitions at the gallery, across campus, or in the vault. 

The loans on campus program exists as a way to place pieces in offices, meeting rooms, and public spaces such as libraries, learning commons, study spaces, and foyers. 

“One of the reasons I got into curatorial practice was to support the work of artists from diverse communities and to recognize the importance of regional makers,” says Pamela Edmonds, director and curator of the Dal Art Gallery.

"Over the next five years, it's a priority for me to add both Indigenous and African Nova Scotian pieces to our permanent collection." 

Reach out directly  with questions about sourcing or commissioning a piece.  

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Please note that comments that appear on the site are not the opinion of Dal News or Dalhousie University but only of the comment writer. The editors reserve the right to post, or not to post comments, edit or not edit, at their discretion.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 4R2 1-902-494-2211

Agricultural Campus Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada  B2N 5E3 1-902-893-6600

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