The brightly painted townhouses of Copenhagen’s 17th-century waterfront canal district are one of Denmark’s most recognisable scenes, but Canada has its own colourful seaside town full of fascinating maritime history, incredible seafood and a distillery that’s not to be missed.
As I walk the sloping streets of Lunenberg’s Old Town, I pass clapboard buildings painted every shade imaginable; from mustard yellow and seafoam green to salmon pink and scarlet red. Mounted heritage plaques touch on stories of the shipbuilders, merchants and seafaring families who once called these buildings home. Today, while some are still used as residences, many more have been meticulously preserved and repurposed into art galleries, restaurants, boutique inns, artisan stores, bookshops and tasting rooms.
The vibrant colours of the many heritage buildings rival those of Copenhagen’s renowned buildings. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The historic fishing town sits on Nova Scotia’s Atlantic coast and is one of North America’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, but few Australians make it far enough east to experience it. Luckily for me, I married a Nova Scotian, and I find myself returning again and again to this tiny town that’s only a 1.5-hour drive from Halifax on the South Shore. It’s here that I had my first taste of root beer, devoured the best lobster roll of my life, sailed on the legendary schooner Bluenose II, and spent hours weaving inside and out of its many shops and galleries. Importantly, it also has a great spot for coffee too. Here is why you need to visit – and everything you should experience when you get there.
Mounted heritage plaques detail past occupants and builders. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The heritage buildings have been meticulously restored over the years. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Find sculptures scattered around the waterfront. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
A nod to Lunenberg's seaport history.(Credit: Katie Carlin)
Discover the fascinating maritime history of the town as you walk the streets.(Credit: Katie Carlin)
The best lobster roll of my life paired with a root beer
Salt Shaker Deli and Inn also offers accommodation. (Credit: Getty Images)
It’s the blackboard scrawled in chalk declaring the Salt Shaker Deli and Inn’s lunch feature is a lobster roll with a bowl of chowder that first gets our attention. Seated inside beside the windows overlooking the Atlantic, a freshly baked homemade roll stuffed to overflowing with Nova Scotia lobster dressed in tarragon and mayonnaise with celery and greens arrives at our table. In my previous experience, I’ve found myself fishing for remnants of lobster drowning in an abundance of mayonnaise – but not at the Salt Shaker. Here, the lobster is the star.
Fresh Nova Scotia lobster is on the menu. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Salt Shaker Deli and Inn does not skimp on fresh lobster. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The pretty mint green building of Salt Shaker Deli and Inn. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Halifax’s own Propeller Brewing Company also makes an appearance on the menu and I’ve ordered a root beer to round out the experience. My only lament is that I can’t get this back home in Sydney.
A micro-distillery inside a former marine blacksmith’s shop
We stumble upon Ironworks Distillery by chance, sitting at the end of a street that we’re quickly losing interest in as shops and sights grow sparse; we find it. Spotting two barn doors flung open, we cross the street to realise it’s a tasting room. The micro-brewery takes its name from the 1893 heritage building it operates within; a blacksmith shop that once produced ironworks for the shipbuilding trade. Keep an eye out for the crooked chimney that, according to local superstitions of the time, prevented witches from entering the building. The still sits onsite, and we’re given a short backstory as we settle in for a tasting.
Ironworks Distillery is housed within an 1893 heritage marine blacksmith shop. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The crooked chimney inside the historic Ironworks Distillery building.(Credit: Katie Carlin)
The collection of spirits and liqueurs. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Founders Pierre Guevremont and Lynne MacKay are passionate about sourcing as many ingredients as possible from within Nova Scotia to make their spirits. From vodka made with Nova Scotia apples to gin featuring local juniper berries and even rosehips plucked from a hedge down the street. We taste the range and leave with bottles of Maple Rum (which tastes like Baileys but better), a liqueur quartet that features rhubarb, cranberry, raspberry and blueberry varieties and the Gin Noir – a gin infused with organic blackberries.
A sail onboard Canada’s most famous ship: the Bluenose II
Onboard Bluenose II, the historic replica of the original schooner. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
If you’ve ever held a Canadian 10-cent coin, you’ve seen the Bluenose. Come spring in the northern hemisphere, the Bluenose II, a replica of the legendary Canadian fishing and racing schooner originally built in Lunenberg in 1921, departs the waterfront for one-to two-hour sailings on limited days. On my second trip to Lunenberg, I pre-booked tickets for the whole family (they often sell out). Unfortunately, it was a very wet and windy sailing. But seeing the rows of Lunenberg’s vibrant 18th-century British colonial wooden architecture framing the harbour from the water – as well as sailing on a living piece of Canada’s maritime history – made it worth it. It really does give you a small taste of what life was like on the water.
For coffee that’s almost as good as Australia’s
My final tip for any fellow caffeine addicts: visit No. 9 Coffee Bar. Serving hot and cold espresso and delicious baked goods – there’s also art for sale on the walls and a secret garden out back. It’s the best coffee I found on the South Shore.
Lunenberg is one of the world’s most beautiful towns. (Credit: Getty Images/ ImagineGolf)
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Details
Getting there
Around a 1.5-hour drive (100 kilometres) southwest of Halifax via the scenic Lighthouse Route.
Best time to visit?
Late spring to autumn (May to October), with September and October offering warm days, fewer crowds and beautiful autumn light.
How long should you visit?
Allow a full day to explore the town, or stay overnight to experience the waterfront after the day-trippers leave.
Don’t miss
The historic buildings are full of artisan stores and galleries. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Shop the independent galleries, artisan studios, boutiques and craft stores housed inside beautifully restored heritage buildings.
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Katie Carlin is International Traveller's Head of Content and when she’s not travelling or behind her computer, she’s hosting a dinner party (likely cooking an Alison Roman recipe). She joined International Traveller in 2018 and is responsible for leading the editorial team across print, digital, social, email and native content. Her job is to make sure we create content that connects readers to incredible experiences in around the world. In addition to sharing her expertise on travel through industry speaking engagements, Katie appears on Today, A Current Affair and various radio segments. With a BA in Communications majoring in Journalism and a career that has spanned roles at Fairfax Media and Are Media writing for titles such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and various lifestyle brands, she brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her most impactful trip to date has been spotting polar bears and beluga whales in Arctic Canada.
Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.
The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.
1. Easy access to good food
Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.
In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.
In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.
Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.
At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.
While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.
It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.
2. Better sleep options
Sleep deeply with Novotel.
There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.
For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.
The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.
3. More ways to move
Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)
Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.
At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.
Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.
4. Better connections
Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.
One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.
Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.
A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.
Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.
All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.
