The capital of Newfoundland is easily explored on foot. Most of the sights are within a short distance of each other moving east along Water Street. Approaching by sea offers the best view of the harbor, in particular the steep cliff-lined passage on the east side where pastel-colored old houses cling to the rocks.

At the west end of Water Street stands Murray Premises. Built in 1846, these rambling brick and timberframe buildings are the last remaining examples of the large mercantile and fish-processing premises that were common on the St. John’s waterfront. Murray Premises once bustled with the work of shipping cod to world markets. It narrowly escaped destruction in a huge fire that engulfed the city in 1892, and the buildings mark the western boundary of the fire’s devastation. Now a Provincial Historic Site, the restored buildings are home to a boutique, hotel, offices, and a fine seafood restaurant, hung with photographs that recall the busy town of the 1900s.

A major new landmark, The Rooms is a modern facility housing three provincial institutions: the Provincial Archives; the Museum of Newfoundland, which charts the province’s history over the past 9,000 years; and the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, which showcases the work of local, national, and international artists.

Tracing the edge of St. John’s waterfront, Water Street is the oldest public thoroughfare in North America, dating to the late 1500s when trading first started in the town. Once a brawling wharfside lane of gin mills and brothels, Water Street and Duckworth Street now offer an array of gift shops, art galleries, and some of Newfoundland’s top restaurants. Harbour Drive, along the waterfront, is a great place to stroll, while George Street is the hub of the city’s nightlife.

The East End is one of St. John’s most architecturally rich neighborhoods, with narrow, cobblestone streets and elegant homes. Commissariat House, now a provincial museum, was built in 1836 and was once the home of 19th-century British officials. Nearby Government House, built during the 1820s, is the official residence of the province’s Lieutenant Governor.

The colorful houses clinging to sheer cliffs at the entrance to the Harbour are known as the Battery. With the look and feel of a 19th-century fishing village, this is one of St. John’s most photographed sites. The community is named for the military fortifications built here over centuries to defend the harbor. Local residents used the battery’s guns in 1763 to fight off Dutch pirate ships.

This lofty rise of land presents spectacular views of the open Atlantic, the harbor entrance, and the historic splendor of the city of St. John’s.

The building of Cabot Tower at the top of Signal Hill began in 1897 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Cabot’s arrival. On summer weekends, soldiers in period dress perform 19th-century marching drills, with firing muskets and cannon. It was here that another Italian, Guglielmo Marconi, received the first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901.

On the other side of Signal Hill, the weathered buildings of ancient Quidi Vidi Village nestle around a small harbor. Visitors can browse through the eclectic collection of antiques for sale at Mallard Cottage, dating back to the 1750s. Above the village, the Quidi Vidi Battery was a fortified gun emplacement built in 1762 to defend the entrance of Quidi Vidi Harbour. Today, the site is a reconstruction of the small barracks that soldiers lived in. Guides in period military dress are on hand to relate tales of their lives and hardships.

Visitors are sometimes startled to see moose roaming free in St. John’s, but it happens often in this 1,400-ha (3,460-acre) nature park, 4 km (2 miles) from the town center. The park is also home to the ponds and gardens of the local Botanical Gardens. The only Fluvarium in North America is based here too, featuring nine underwater windows that look onto the natural activity of a rushing freshwater trout stream.

Ten km (6 miles) southeast of town, Cape Spear marks the most easterly point in North America. Set atop seaside cliffs, the majestic Cape Spear Lighthouse has long been a symbol of Newfoundland’s independence. Two lighthouses sit here. The original, built in 1836 and the oldest in Newfoundland, stands beside a graceful, modern, automated lighthouse, added in 1955.