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Culture & Heritage

Journey to one of North America’s first multi-cultural societies, where ancestry is treasured and our run roots deep. Discover the rich culture of our First People, the Mi’kmaq. Tap your toes at a ceilidh. Walk amongst relics of the old country and explore new-world Acadian traditions. Discover our industrious past and our innovative spirit in every community you visit.

  • Mi’kmaw Culture

    The Mi’kmaq have lived in this region since time immemorial and their culture continues to thrive, teach and enrich us. Discover rich stories and traditions that have been passed down over generations. Join a Mi’kmaw guide on a cultural journey that we know will be transformative.

  • Acadian Culture

    Spend hours in good company learning traditional rug hooking techniques. Join in a rousing fiddle-led jam session. Dine on fresh seafood in a quaint coastal fishing community. Engage in the Acadian joie de vivre (joy of life) through the Island’s many festivals, museums and events.

  • Gaelic Culture

    Step to rolling jigs played by furious fiddles and reeling bagpipes at a weekly ceilidh. Try your hand at a milling frolic. Take a lesson in Gaelic. Become part of our story and explore the Celtic Heart of North America.

  • National Historic Sites

    One small Island with big impact. Glimpse into the mind of a genius. Have a blast firing a 17th-century cannon. Stand on the same shores that launched the first transatlantic wireless message.

  • Museums & Heritage Sites

    Transport yourself to a bygone era of train travel. Experience mining life with a retired miner as your guide. Discover the history and innovation that built our Island; honour those who made it possible.

Locals Know

Illustrated map of Cape Breton Island

Easy to Find. Hard to Leave.

There are direct flights to Sydney from Toronto and Montreal and from other North American and European cities via those cities. If traveling by ground, the Trans-Canada Highway 104 leads to Cape Breton Island.

Getting Here and Around