Canada has been named Lonely Planet's destination of the year for 2017.
Colombia and Finland were rated second and third respectively in Lonely Planet's "Best in Travel 2017" guide, hitting bookstores Tuesday.
Reasons cited to visit Canada were next year's "elongated birthday party," with the country celebrating 150 years since Confederation, and a weak Canadian dollar pushing down prices, giving visitors "plenty of pocket money to spend on Canada's exciting fusion food and mysteriously underrated wine."
"Bolstered by the wave of positivity unleashed by its energetic new leader Justin Trudeau, and with dynamic cities that dominate global livability indices and a reputation for inclusiveness and impeccable politeness, the world's second-largest country will usher in its sesquicentennial in 2017 in rollicking good health," the guide says.
Canadian highlights given by Lonely Planet include Quebec City's old-world European feel; the amalgamation of French and English flavours in arty, edgy-cool Montreal; the famous multiculturalism in Toronto; hiking and spotting big fauna in Banff National Park; and the excellent Asian-fusion food, winter and summer sports, and an anthropological museum replete with myth-invoking indigenous art in Vancouver.
On Canada Day, the guide tells visitors to "expect 2017's parades, ceremonies and parties to be particularly memorable."
When it comes to global cities to visit, the French city of Bordeaux was first, followed by Cape Town, South Africa and Los Angeles.
Lonely Planet says the top three regions to visit in 2017 are Choquequirao, Peru; Taranaki, New Zealand; and Azores, Portugal.
The Canadian Press
