Halifax, the capital region of Nova Scotia, is a lively and colourful combination of urban and rural living at its best. Governor Edward Cornwallis and 2500 settlers created Canada's first permanent British town here in 1749, on the scenic shores of the world's second largest natural harbour. The historic downtown waterfront areas of Halifax and Dartmouth are perfect for discovering on foot, while the other communities around the harbour are accessible by public transit or car. Beyond the harbour, the Regional Municipality stretches both south and west along the South Shore, and east through the coastal villages of the Eastern Shore and the pastoral landscape of the Musquodoboit Valley. Read on for individual exploration tours that will introduce you to the sights, sounds and places that make the Halifax Regional Municipality all you could want in a vacation.