St. John’s is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The city traces its history to 1497, when Italian explorer John Cabot first landed on the shores of what is now Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John’s is the oldest European settlement in Canada and one of the oldest overall in North America.

St. John’s quickly became a large commercial trading post for the Basques, French, Spanish, Portuguese and English engaged in the fishery along the western side of the North Atlantic. Due to its importance in the fishery trade of the region, St. John’s was often targeted by various European countries. The city’s earliest recorded battle dates back to 1555. Today, St. John’s remains as the main financial and commercial center for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Activities: As a city that is over 500 years old, St. John’s features history around every corner. From Signal Hill, that served as a watchtower over St. John’s Harbour, to homes and churches that have stood for centuries, this place is made up of cultural and historical wonders for you to explore.

Cape Spear, only 20 minutes from St. John’s, is the most easterly point of North America. Perched on its rugged cliff sits the Cape Spear Lighthouse—the oldest surviving lighthouse in the province, an iconic symbol of Newfoundland and Labrador’s marine history.

Newfoundland is affectionately known as the “Rock” because of its rugged beauty. If you can afford a couple extra days it is well worth it so as to be able to travel the countryside to see Newfoundland’s unique landscape.

For those that can come to St. John’s a couple days early and are interested we are planning a scenic bus trip on Sept. 28.

For general inquiries about this site, please contact Larry DeLong at larry_delong@ucg.ca.