FinePrint

FinePrint strikes a balance between sophistication and simplicity. Every customer feels like a VIP. It’s a fine dining experience at reasonable prices. Located in the historic Calgary Herald building on Stephen Avenue. 

Fonda Fora

Fonda Fora is inspired by the traditional mom-and-pop eateries of Mexico. Located in the Westley Hotel, it offers flavours of Mexican cuisine and innovative cocktails. Escape to the warmth of Mexico from downtown Calgary.

The Wilde on 27

Look way up at The Dorian Hotel and you’ll spot one of downtown’s coolest restaurant experiences. The Wilde on 27 features elegant food and cocktails, special Sunday brunches, and a spectacular view of downtown to boot! 

Untitled Champagne Lounge

Untitled Champagne Lounge is a premier late-night dining experience downtown. It mixes old-world elegance, with innovative cocktail culture. From the vast champagne and wine menu to the intimate atmosphere, Untitled makes for a night out that is sure to be unforgettable. 

Café Alchemist / Alchemist Bistro

What happens when engineers get into the coffee business? You get the delectable tastes of Café Alchemist! It offers a wide variety of specialty coffees, delicious breakfasts, and fine pastries. Café Alchemist has quickly become a favourite spot downtown. They also operate the Alchemist Bistro pop-up, a dynamic experience with innovative food!

Photo: Jesse Elliot

Photo: Kiani Evans

There are many events to attend downtown. While you’re likely familiar with Calgary Folk Music Festival and the Stampede, consider attending one of downtown’s lesser-known events.

Fiestaval Latino Festival welcomes food vendors, performers, and artisans the weekend after the Stampede. Arts Commons brings live theatre to life with Alberta Theatre Projects, Downstage, One Yellow Rabbit, Theatre Calgary, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. You can also experience theatre performances with companies like The GRAND, Lunchbox Theatre, and Vertigo Theatre.

Century Gardens Basketball Court

This basketball tri-court has only been open for a short time but is already making a big impact in the community! A great spot for both kids and adults to practice hoop skills in the heart of downtown.

Contemporary Calgary Free First Thursdays

Every month Contemporary Calgary hosts their Free First Thursdays. You can experience exhibits, events and sneak peeks at no cost! With live music and cocktails, Free First Thursdays make for a unique date night.

Alcove Centre for the Arts

Need an outlet to express your creative side? Step into Alcove’s recreational space where you are free to express your artistic side. Alcove Centre for the Arts is conveniently located along the LRT line. It hosts multiple events each month to connect the creative community.

Stroll Down the Bow River Pathway

The Bow River pathway is one of the longest pathway systems in the world and connects many parks. Updates to the Eau Claire Promenade mean Calgarians have even more to explore! We have widened pathways and added vegetation, adding more vibrancy in the area. You can walk, bike, and roll through our river valley!

Calgary’s Downtown is home to The Core Shopping Centre (CORE). It consists of TD Square, Holt Renfrew, and 160 other shops and services. Located on the fourth floor of CORE is the Devonian Gardens. They're a unique urban oasis that offers one hectare of botanical gardens, fountains, fish ponds, and a playground.

Outside CORE you’ll find Stephen Avenue Walk which forms part of 8^th Avenue South. Stephen Avenue is a bustling hive of activity all year round. It offers pedestrians, walking or wheeling, access to key attractions and facilities.

Simons

Located in The Core Shopping Centre, Simons is a curated shopping experience downtown. It is the only one of its kind in the city! This department store boasts the latest in both men's and women's fashion and chic home goods, a one-stop shop.

Fluevog

This Stephen Avenue staple sells the trendiest Canadian-made shoes for all occasions. Fluevog features a wide range of footwear options, from classy dress shoes to punk rock boots. It’s fashion for many different styles! Don’t forget to check out the Flueseum, detailing the history of footwear, and the underground gallery featuring neat art exhibitions!

Downtown Calgary Gift Card

Spend time in the heart of Calgary & shop local! The Downtown Calgary Gift Card can be used at participating businesses downtown, including retail, hospitality, and arts/culture.

Your downtown Calgary Gift Card can be purchased here: Downtown Gift Card | Calgary Downtown Association.

Photo: Kelly Hofer

Photo: Neil Zeller

Prince’s Island Park Calgary is spread over 20 hectares. It's an urban park on an island on the Bow River. It's named after Peter Anthony Prince, the founder of the Eau Claire Lumber Mill.  Prince's Island Park is home to great pathways, open spaces, and quiet getaways. It’s the perfect green oasis on the edge of downtown. It’s also home to the prestigious River Café and the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

Courthouse Park is a park right next to Calgary’s courthouse, in case you hadn't guessed. It's an open space of flower beds, grassy areas, and pathways. It’s a fantastic place to settle or grab a picnic lunch with coworkers during lunch hour.

Downtown is the focal point for public art in Calgary. It brings together history and modern art to highlight Calgary’s exciting art scene. ‘Women are Persons!’ in Olympic Plaza brings to life the history of Alberta’s Famous Five. On the opposite side of downtown is the Delta Garden. This brings Calgarians in and out of downtown towards the Peace Bridge and the Bow River. No matter what street you stroll down, you will stumble upon a piece of public art.

Olympic Plaza is a beautiful destination for residents and workers alike to enjoy during lunch hour. The Plaza was built in 1988 for the Olympic Winter Games and has the only refrigerated outdoor ice surface in the city.

Novus Textura

Novus Textura is a fun and playful art installation in downtown’s iconic Galleria Trees. Located outside Bankers Hall on Stephen Avenue, this eye-popping installation makes great use of already existing infrastructure. A great Instagram-able art piece.

BUMP Murals

The heart of our city is home to many spectacular BUMP murals. Downtown boasts Bird0, Astro, Neoma, and Billionaire murals among many others. Take a day to explore the core and find all the incredible works of art!

Driving and parking

Check out the newest feature on Calgary Parking's MyParking app.

The Local Deals feature in the app will connect you with exclusive local deals from businesses you know and love! The feature unlocks coupon codes that you can use at your favourite participating YYC businesses.

There are also several public parking lots in the area, and street parking is free on Sundays, holidays, and weekdays after 6 p.m.

Public transit

You can get downtown with Calgary’s Public Transit system. For more information on Calgary city buses or the CTrain, including schedules, maps, passes and fares, visit Calgary Transit.

Walking, biking, scootering

Calgary is home to an extensive network of bike lanes, pathways and cycle tracks. Many of these run through the downtown core, with access to downtown.

Once downtown, you can get to shops and restaurants by walking or wheeling. You can also rent a Bird or Neuron e-scooter. Make sure you download the app ahead of time and learn applicable laws, road rules, and City by-laws.

We encourage you to safely explore downtown and recommend you check ahead with restaurants and shops to make sure they're open and to learn what safety precautions they require. To find out more about downtown shops, services, and restaurants, visit Downtown Calgary.

Photo: Colin Way