If you’re coming to Calgary, Canada and want to see the main sights of the city center then you are going to love this self-guided walking tour. I used to live in downtown Calgary (locals call this area The Beltline) and this is the exact walking route that I followed when I showed visitors around the city.
This downtown Calgary walking route includes everything from indoor gardens to world-class architecture to unique shops and cafes. They’re laid out in a big loop, starting and ending at C-Train stations for easy public transportation connections around the city.
As a bonus, everything on this self-guided walking tour of Calgary is completely free. You will only need money to take the train to or from the city center, or to buy any food or drink along the way.
At the end of this guide you’ll also find a link to a Google Map where I’ve saved all of the locations on this tour, so that you can follow along on your phone as you’re walking. Now let’s start exploring!
Before You Begin
I have done this exact self-guided walking tour of Calgary many times when showing the city to visiting guests. To write this specific guide I did the entire route again in late March 2025.
When I stepped off the C-Train at the starting point (below) my Fitbit was showing that I’d already taken 1,200 steps as of 10:38 am. At the end of this guide I’ll show you the same statistics from the ending point, so you can get a sense of the time and steps required to complete this walking tour.
Speaking generally, you’ll want to allocate either a morning or afternoon to this tour. I also recommend wearing a pair of comfortable walking shoes (you’ll see why at the end!).
#1 – Starting Point: 6th Street C-Train Station
We are going to start at the 6th Street West station, where trains from both the northwest and the southwest arrive. If you’re coming from the east side of the city, you could choose between either the 4th Street West station or the 7th Street west station; they’re just a block or two away.
From the 6th Street West station you will walk ahead to the intersection (5th Street) and turn right. Walk one full block and you will find yourself at 8th Avenue SW, a pedestrian walking zone called Stephen Avenue.
For more information about buying a C-Train ticket using the Calgary Transit app, check out my guide here.
#2 – Stephen Avenue / 8th Avenue SW
Walking along Stephen Avenue you’ll notice a stark contrast between old and new. On your left there are large, modern shopping malls, while on your right you will find historic sandstone buildings from Calgary’s first European settlers.
Overhead, you can’t miss the towering white sculptures which represent trees. Due to Calgary’s dry climate and unforgiving soil, it is difficult to grow real trees here. So, the architects of the Bankers’ Hall shopping center and office tower had these installed in front of their building.
After you cross 3rd Street SW, enter the shopping center on your left (I usually enter through the Indigo bookstore) and head up to the top floor to find the next stop on your Calgary walking tour.
#3 – The Devonian Gardens
Calgary’s soil might be inhospitable to trees, but its shopping centers are more than hospitable to gardens! Here, at the Devonian Gardens, a one-hectare indoor garden is home to more than 500 trees, 50 types of plants, a koi pond and a living wall.
During the cold winter months this is a popular spot for parents to bring their children for some warm indoor play time, but it’s also popular year-round with students from the University of Calgary who are looking for a unique indoor study space, couples taking their wedding and engagement photos (permit required) and visitors looking for something free to see in Calgary.
There are free public bathrooms and water fountains inside the Devonian Gardens.
#4 – Lammle’s Western Wear
Every summer Calgary hosts the Calgary Stampede, which is said to be “The World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo”. More than $10 million in prizes is awarded to cowboys and cowgirls from nearby ranches (and beyond) who come to show off their skills in bull riding, barrel racing, and other events. The Stampede also attracts world-class entertainment and novelty food vendors, and features a midway with fairground rides.
Cowboys and cowgirls have to buy their clothing somewhere, and Lammle’s is the store of choice for the farmers and ranchers who live in Western Alberta. The company has been in operation for more than 40 years and has stores across the city, but their location on 8th Avenue is my favorite.
Lammle’s is the perfect place to pick up a pair of boots or a cowboy hat to commemorate your own visit to Calgary. High-quality Western wear that can withstand a bull ride isn’t cheap, but they also have inexpensive options for people just heading to the Stampede or souvenir shopping.
Stepping out of Lammle’s, walk up to the 1st Street SW intersection, turn right and walk one block to the Edison Building on 9th Avenue SW.
Coffee Break – MobSquad
If you’re doing this self-guided Calgary walking tour on a weekday, you’re in luck! From Monday to Friday you can step inside The Edison building (shown above) and ride the elevator to the 21st floor. There, you’ll find MobSquad, a very cute, almost-secret cafe with panoramic views of the city. For the price of a coffee or tea you can get views that are almost as good as the Calgary Tower, for a fraction of the price!
#5 – The Calgary Tower
From the Edison Building you can easily see your next stop: The Calgary Tower. Built in 1967, this tower gives you views all the way to the Rocky Mountains (if the weather is good) and is home to a popular revolving restaurant. If you’re interested in going up the tower you can read my review of what to expect, but on today’s walking tour we’re not going to ascend.
Once you’ve checked out the tower head back to 8th Avenue (the pedestrian street) and follow it east towards City Hall (the big blue building).
#6 – City Hall
Calgary’s City Hall isn’t really a tourist attraction on its own, although it is architecturally interesting and it has some statues and sculptures in the plaza in front of the building.
Beside the current city hall building you’ll also find Calgary’s previous city hall, a historic building made from local sandstone. In the 1800s there were quarries just west of the city center, and the Canada Pacific Railway trains were used to move the stone into downtown to build City Hall and the shops along 8th Avenue.
Between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm on weekdays you can walk through the (modern) City Hall building to your next stop, the Central Library. Inside City Hall there is some local art and a display of memorabilia from Calgary’s sister cities. However, if it’s the weekend or the evening, you’ll need to walk around the building instead.
#7 – The Central Library
As you emerge from the opposite side of the new City Hall you’ll be greeted by one of the most-loved buildings in Calgary: the new Central Library. Designed by an American-Norwegian architecture firm, the library features five floors of public spaces built around a glass-topped atrium.
When I’m showing visitors around Calgary we like to take the elevator to the top floor and then walk back down via the wooden staircases. Along the way we loop around the exterior glass walls to take in the views of the city center, occasionally we stop for a coffee from the on-site coffee shop, and if we’re with kids then we let them marvel at the bobbing bird statues outside.
When you’re ready to leave the library, walk back through City Hall to 8th Avenue and follow it to Centre Street. Turn right onto Centre Street and walk two blocks (north, towards the river).
There are free public bathrooms and water fountains inside the Central Library.
#8 – Wonderland Sculpture
This is the first of two iconic Calgary landmarks created by a Spanish designer that you’ll see on this self-guided walking tour!
Standing 12 meters (40 feet) tall, this sculpture of a young girl’s head is from the Spanish artist Jaume Plensa (who also has a similar piece at the port in Antibes, France). It’s said that it is intended to represent the dreams of the young people who flock to Calgary for a better future, and certainly there is lots to think about whether you’re viewing the work from across the street or right inside its wire frame.
The building behind the sculpture, The Bow, is the second-tallest skyscraper in the city and home to many different oil and gas companies. It was designed by Norman Foster and built in 2010. You can go inside (there are some restaurants, shops and services) but the upper levels are not open to the public.
Continue walking down Centre Street towards the river to reach your next destination.
#9 – Calgary Chinatown
Welcome to Calgary’s Chinatown. It might lack the regal entrance gates of its counterparts in Victoria and Vancouver, but it still has its own history and charm.
Chinatown in its current location dates back to the early 1900s, when Chinese immigrants who came to Canada either seeking gold or to construct the Canadian Pacific Railway were looking to establish permanent homes. Facing discrimination in established communities, they created their own residential and business district on Centre Street, near the Bow River.
To learn more about the history of Chinatown, you can visit the free museum inside the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre. It is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm at 197 1st Street SW.
If you don’t have time for a museum visit, you can still stroll through Chinatown and check out the architecture, shops and restaurants celebrating Asian culture. You could also grab a bubble tea or taiyaki (fish-shaped waffle) to bring across the river to the next stop.
To get there, follow the pedestrian path that starts going up the Centre Street bridge, but don’t go across the water! Turn left and take the ramp down to reach the riverfront park.
#10 – The Bow River Pathways
I need to preface this section by saying that I took these photos in the last week of March, which is notoriously unattractive in Calgary. The snow is melting, the grass hasn’t yet had a chance to turn green, and we’re a few weeks away from the leaves growing back on the trees. If you walk along the river from May to September you’ll see beautiful hues of green, and even into the early autumn the golden leaves make for a much prettier scene!
You’ve now reached the Bow River, one of the two rivers that flows from the Rocky Mountains, through Calgary, all the way across the Canadian prairies to Hudson’s Bay (the body of water, not the store!). The Bow River is frozen in the winter, but in the summer months its gentle current makes for excellent rafting (and even some surfing!). Look in the water for Canada geese, ducks and even the occasional beaver!
Follow the river pathway west (towards the Rocky Mountains) for a few minutes, until you see the green bridge shown below. Cross the bridge to the island and you’ll be at your second-last stop.
#11 – Prince’s Island Park
You’ve now arrived at Prince’s Island Park, one of the most popular parks in the city. There is no vehicle traffic on the island, making its paved walking paths especially tranquil, and its green spaces particularly well-suited to children looking to run around and have some fun.
As you walk through the park you’ll see countless squirrels, different species of birds, a sculpture garden, flower gardens (in season, of course!), an outdoor skating rink (in the winter) and a bandstand that hosts festivals and concerts in the summer.
There are three bridges on this side of the island. You arrived via the first bridge – keep following the waterfront trails past the next bridge, to the third, and cross back towards the city center. You should be able to see your next stop just down the river.
There is a free public toilet underneath the River Cafe on Prince’s Island Park.
#12 – Peace Bridge
Calgary spent about $25 million to construct the Peace Bridge, which has since become one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Peace Bridge spans 130 meters (430 feet) across the Bow River, and is open to pedestrians, cyclists and skateboarders.
When it first opened in 2012, the sides of the Peace Bridge were lined with glass, not railings. However, repeated acts of vandalism cost the city millions more in repair costs, and eventually the design had to be reconfigured to something that could withstand, or deter, vandals. Personally, I like the openness of the metal railings – what do you think?
As you’re crossing the Peace Bridge feel free to step into the center to snap a photo, but be aware that the sides are for pedestrians and the center is for cyclists, so you have to be aware of who is coming up behind you.
At the opposite side of the bridge, turn left and walk one block to the intersection of 9th Street NW and Memorial Drive, where there is a pedestrian crossing. Push the button and wait for the traffic to stop, then cross the street. Straight ahead you should be able to see a Safeway supermarket – that is right beside the ending point of this self-guided walking tour of Calgary!
#13 – Ending Point: Sunnyside C-Train Station
Your walking tour will end at the Sunnyside C-Train station in the trendy Kensington neighborhood of Calgary. From here, you can catch the C-Train back to the city center, or you can visit one of the nearby restaurants and cafes if it’s time for breakfast for lunch:
- PB & J – There are lots of fun sandwiches here, in both sweet and savory flavors. Definitely a good option with kids – I recommend the S’Mores sandwich with added banana slices!
- Higher Ground – This local coffee shop is popular with university students and serves some light all-day breakfast dishes.
- Hexagon Board Game Cafe – Need to rest your feet? Stop, have a drink (they have local beers on tap!) and play some board games here.
- Pulcinella – Among the best authentic Neapolitan-style pizzerias in the city.
- Vero Bistro Moderne – For something a little fancier, this restaurant does a fun family-style dinner (for the whole table only) featuring French and Italian flavors.
Before You Go
Remember that step count from the start of our walk? We started at 10:38 with 1,200 steps on the counter, and we ended at 2:15 with 15,000 steps. That means the walking tour took about three and a half hours and covered 13,800 steps. According to Google Maps, that’s about eight kilometers, or five miles.
A caveat of my timing on this tour is that I did stop for a coffee at MobSquad (see above) and I also spent about half an hour shopping in the mall where the Devonian Gardens were located. Cutting those out would have made my total walking time just under three hours, but it wouldn’t have had much impact on the distance or number of steps.
Oh, and as promised, I’ve plotted all the stops on a Google Map so that you can save this Calgary walking tour to your phone. You’ll start at the green marker and end at the red marker, making a big loop of the city center in the process.
I also have a guide to where to stay in Calgary and a guide for visiting nearby Cochrane.
Planning a trip to Calgary? Pin this post for later!
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