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St. John's — travel, stays & events guide
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St. John's city overview
St. John's is a city in Canada shaped by its region, population, local economy, landmarks, climate and civic history. This overview summarizes the city itself: where it sits, what defines it, which places anchor its identity and why it matters within the wider country.
City facts
Known forSignal Hill, George Street, Quidi Vidi, The Rooms
Population~111kcity context
RegionCanadaCanada
Time zoneAmerica/St_Johnslocal time
Founded1500historical origin
City history
When 1500 English reinforcements arrived in late 1697, they found rubble where the town and fortifications had stood.
The earliest record of the location appears as São João on a Portuguese map by Pedro Reinel in 1519.
John's in 1527, he found Norman, Breton and Portuguese ships in the harbour.
John's by Portuguese from the Azores took place in the early 16th century, and by 1540, French, Spanish and Portuguese ships crossed the Atlantic annually to fish the waters off the Avalon Peninsula.
On 5 August 1583, an English Sea Dog, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, claimed the area as England's first overseas colony under Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I.
With respect to the oldest surviving permanent English settlements in North America, it was preceded by Jamestown, Virginia (1607), the Cuper's Cove colony at Cupids in Newfoundland (1610), St.
The English government planned to expand these fortifications (Fort William) in around 1689, but construction did not begin until after the French admiral Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville captured and destroyed the town in the.
John's was destroyed by major fires in 1816, 1817, 1819, 1846 and 1892, when each time a large part of the city was destroyed.
There were two citywide fires in 1817 "known jointly as 'The Great Fire of 1817'".
The Knights of Columbus Hostel fire in December 1942 saw 99 military and civilian lives lost.
In the late 1700s, Fort Amherst and Fort Waldegrave were built to defend the harbour entrance. The oldest European settlement in Anglophone North America controversy There has been some controversy regarding which European settlement.
John's International Airport substituting for Lester's Field (now an urban and residential part of the city).
During the Second World War, the harbour supported Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy ships that were engaged in anti-submarine warfare.
It was the site of an American Army Air Force base, Fort Pepperrell, that was established as part of the "Lend-Lease" Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United Kingdom and United States.
Worth seeing
Signal Hill
Signal Hill is a practical St. John's planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
George Street
George Street is a practical St. John's planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Quidi Vidi
Quidi Vidi is a practical St. John's planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
The Rooms
The Rooms is a practical St. John's planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Cape Spear
Cape Spear is a practical St. John's planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Jellybean Row
Jellybean Row is a practical St. John's planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Stay overview
Compare St. John's before booking St. John's hotels. Start with the places you will repeat most, then check airport timing, parking, nightly price and event demand before choosing the final base.
Hotels & areas
Compare accommodation options in and around St. John's by area, not only by nightly price. A cheaper room can become expensive when airport transfers, parking, attraction routes, late arrivals or event-week demand add time and cost.
Compare stays in St. John's, CanadaFlights & airports
Main airport TBC arrival plan
- St. John's airport accessMain gateway TBC.
Compare airport access against hotel location, arrival time, rental car pickup, late flights and onward driving before choosing the first night base.
Rental cars
St. John's day-trip car use
Compare rental cars when airport arrival, day trips, parking, luggage, theme parks, coastal routes or nearby regions matter more than staying fully on transit.
Compare rental carsTravel tips
Best time to visit
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Transport notes
Choose a base around the trips you will repeat most: airport, station, old town, waterfront, venue district or day-trip route.
Crowds
Prices can jump around festivals, conventions, school holidays, cruise days, ski weeks, race weekends and large sports events.
Booking detail
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Upcoming events
No upcoming St. John's events in the shared event index yet.