Signal Hill and Cabot Tower

One of the most prominent features in downtown St. John’s is Cabot Tower which looms high over the city atop Signal Hill.

Signal Hill is a favorite spot in the city for both locals and visitors.  One can find the road that leads to the top of this hill in the eastern part of downtown near the harbourfront.  The road leading upwards is windy and steep but some people still brave it during their daily walk or run.  At the top, there is a large parking lot that allows vehicles to either park facing the ocean or facing the city.  The view towards the ocean includes a view of Cape Spear and Fort Amherst.  On clear days, whales can be seen frolicking offshore and in the spring, massive icebergs make their way across the bay and sometimes, even into the narrows of St. John’s Harbour.  The view of the city is spectacular during the day and even more spectacular at night and one can see almost the entire city of St. John’s on clear nights.

Cabot Tower is located at the far end of the parking lot and is open to visitors during peak season.  The tower was built to commemorate the work Marconi did during his time in the city and visitors can learn about the famed inventors work both in Newfoundland and abroad.  A gift shop is located on the first floor and there is an observatory deck at the top of the tower.

The Signal Hill trail is one of the most popular trails in the city and begins on top of Signal Hill … or at the bottom, depending on where you start.  The trail snakes around the hill and along the harbor and into the Quidi Vidi Battery, which is a quaint neighborhood with colorful houses perched on the side of the cliffs that line The Narrows.

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Andrea MacEachern is a freelance travel writer and amateur photographer living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca