Cape Breton

Richmond, Cape Breton, Victoria and Inverness Counties

The jewel of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island is world renowned for its beauty. It’s home to the world’s largest saltwater lake and the famous scenic Cabot Drive. The island also offers world-class golf courses, fantastic sailing waters, skiing, fascinating historical sites, and is a major centre for Gaelic culture and Celtic music.

Long a popular second-home destination with the international market. Alexander Graham Bell had a summer estate near Baddeck, while Guglielmo Marconi sent the first official wireless message across the Atlantic to England from one of the three radio stations he established on the island.

For the second-home buyer in the province, Cape Breton offers great scenery and fantastic properties, which compensate for the longer distance one has to travel. There are internal flights between Halifax International Airport and Sydney regional airport, otherwise it’s roughly a 4.5-hour drive.

Sydney, the main city in Cape Breton (population 26,000+), sits at the edge of a large harbour, and is also a major cruise ship destination. Other smaller communites include Baddeck, the principal town on the shores of Bras d’Or Lake, Cheticamp (the centre of Acadian French heritage on the island), and the colourful village of Margaree Harbour with its two lighthouses.

Approximate distances:
Halifax to Port Hawkesbury – 171 miles / 275 km
Halifax to Baddeck – 222 miles / 357 km
Halifax to Sydney – 270 miles / 434 km

Regional highlights and attractions:

• Cape Breton Highlands National Park was rated the second top park in North American by National Geographic Traveler Magazine.
• National Historical Sites include the Fortress of Louisbourg, which is the largest historical site in North America, the Alexander Graham Bell centre in Baddeck, the Canso Islands and the Marconi visitor centre in Glace Bay. Learn more at www.pc.gc.ca.
• Wildlife – whales, seals, puffins and eagles abound in Cape Breton, with a number of operators offering tours and expeditions.
• At St Peter’s you can visit the 140-year-old canal and the MacIsaac Kiltmakers.
• The Glenora Distillery is Canada’s only single malt whisky distillery.

More interesting websites about the region:

• General visitors’ information website: www.cbisland.com
• Learn more about the community and facilities of Inverness at www.invernessco.com.
• The Celtic Music Interpretive Centre is the place for those wanting to learn about the Celtic musical heritage of the region.
• Tom Childs, Tradewinds Realty's "man in Cape Breton" travels thousands of kilometres throughout the island. Click here for his slide show tours of the region's magnificent scenery.