Welcome to Calgary – Alberta’s largest city and Canada’s fourth largest metropolitan area. Located on the Bow River, this striking Canadian city is just 80 kilometres east of the Canadian Rockies and a gateway to Banff and Jasper.

With a population of over 1 million people, Calgary is a dynamic urban centre and has a growing Irish community.

Calgary Weather

In summer the weather in Calgary is usually dry and sunny with temperatures reaching highs of 30 degrees. Short afternoon storms are common during the warmer months. Calgary enjoys the most sun per year of all Canada’s cities.

Winter can be extremely cold in Calgary where lows of -20 degrees are common between November and March.

Time in Calgary

Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Calgary Public Transport

Calgary Transit provides bus and train services to virtually anywhere in the city. The C-Train is free downtown – simply get on at any stop along 7 Ave. As long as you get off the train before leaving downtown, no fare is required.

By Bike

Calgary is bike- friendly with around 260 kilometres of on-street cycle ways.

Calgary Airport

Flights to Calgary will land at Calgary International Airport (YYC) which is 17kms from downtown Calgary. Shuttle buses leave for downtown every 30 minutes and tickets can be purchased in the arrivals hall. Taxis and car rental are also readily available when you arrive.

Accommodation in Calgary

Options for accommodation in Calgary are varied from high class hotels to cheap and cheerful hostels. For longer stays many new comers to Calgary with families settle in the suburbs to the Northwest and the Southwest with rents for a 3 bed house at $1500-5000 per month.

Singles or couples may prefer to be closer to downtown. A standard two bedroom apartment downtown costs between $1200-1800 per month.

Jobs in Calgary

Calgary is a great choice for anybody hoping to begin or continue a career in the construction, engineering, agriculture, high-tech or energy sectors. Check the Go4less online Jobs Board for Calgary jobs!

Irish Community in Calgary

Calgary’s Irish Cultural Society promotes Irish cultural activities while preserving the Irish language in Calgary. You can keep up the cupla focail as Gaeilge with Cursai Gaeilge on offer. They also organise family days and concerts during the summer months as well as live screenings of the All-Ireland Football/Hurling Championships.

You can enjoy The Gaelic Hour – a radio show that is dedicated to the Irish in Canada. It’s an eclectic mix of Irish programming including history, literature, music, cultural topics and much more. The Gaelic Hour has been broadcasting since September 2005 and it is a great way of staying in touch with Calgary’s Irish scene.

Calgary’s local GAA club – Calgary Chieftains GAA Club are always on the look-out for new members.

Tourism Calgary Information Centre

If you require further assistance on things to see and do in Calgary a trip to the Tourism Calgary Information Centre can help. Here you will be able to find maps of Calgary and its surrounding areas, brochures as well as general information on the city.

Visit their offices, which are located in the arrivals level of Calgary International Airport and at the base of the Calgary Tower in Downtown Calgary.

Calgary’s Must See Attractions

Dinosaur Provincial Park

The Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for being one of the richest dinosaur fossil locales in the entire world. It’s located just 2 and a half hours drive from Calgary.

There have been forty dinosaur species first discovered at this park with more than 500 species being removed and exhibited in some of the best museums in the world.

At the Visitors Centre you will be able to discover some amazing exhibits of the dinosaurs, fossils and the parks natural history.

Heritage Park Historical Village

When in Calgary, you definitely have to visit Calgary’s Heritage Park Historical Village. Located on 127 acres of parkland on Calgary’s south-western edge on the banks of the Glenmore Reservoir, this historical park is a great place to enjoy a family fun day out.

Due to its high number of exhibits, the Heritage Park Historical Village is known as Canada’s largest living history museum and is one of this city’s most visited attractions.

The park features a village, which was set up to replicate what it might have been like to live in Alberta in the 19th and early 20th Century. Visitors will enjoy being escorted through the historic village by guides dressed in costume of the time and you will also see horse drawn carriages and antique automobiles touring the grounds.

Calgary Tower

Don’t forget to visit Calgary Tower, the tallest 360degree viewing tower in the world at 191 metre from ground level and 1228 metres above sea level! It is located in Downtown Calgary and it is a very popular attraction with the many tourists who visit the city on a daily basis.

It cost $3,500,000 to build the Calgary Tower and it weighs a staggering 10,900 tonnes of which 60% of it is below ground. When it opened its doors to the public in 1968 it was Calgary’s tallest structure by far and held its title until 1984. It’s worth a visit to take in the incredible view of the city.

Glenbow Museum

Glenbow Museum is one of the largest museums in Western Canada located in the heart of Calgary’s Cultural District. This impressive museum possesses more than twenty galleries which showcases a fantastic collection of historical objects and art.

The Bow

The Bow building is the tallest office building in the city with 158,000-square-metres as well as being the tallest Canadian building outside of Toronto. It holds the headquarters of EnCana Corporation and Cenovus Energy, in downtown Calgary, Alberta.

Fort Calgary

Built in 1875, Fort Calgary is a fascinating historical site located just east of downtown Calgary. It was constructed due to a federal order which aimed to force out whiskey traders from the locality. The Fort is constructed out of pine and spruce logs, which were cut upstream and then transported to the site. Open year-round, the Fort offers fun, interactive exhibits, tours and school programs.

Nightlife in Calgary

There’s plenty to keep your nights alive in Calgary’s city centre. Sip champagne in Central 899 at Hotel Le Germain Calgary or dance the night away at Cowboys Nightclub. If you’re in the mood for a good laugh check out one of Calgary’s many live comedy venues like Laugh Shop Comedy Club.

Annual Festivals in Calgary

Here are some fun-filled festivals that you cannot miss.

• Calgary International Film Festival
• Calgary Folk Music Festival
• Calgary Fringe Festival
• Fiestaval
• Winefest
• Sunfest
• Sled Island Festival
• Calgary Comedy Festival