GRAND TourS
Get to know Winnipeg on tours that showcase historical trivia , hidden art , and local flavour .
BY SHEL ZOLKEWICH
HISTORY LIVES ON Vibrant and varied walking tours in the city ’ s historic Exchange District put visitors smack in the middle of Winnipeg ’ s past . Five different themed tours offer flights of fancy for all tastes . Stroll the very sidewalk where Brad Pitt hit his mark while filming The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford or step onto the stage where the Marx Brothers once had the audience in stitches . History buffs can explore the legacies of women like pioneer Annie McDermot and suffragette Nellie McClung , or discover less savory stories that shed light on the dark history of this once wicked city , which had its fair share of brothels and clandestine boozy joints .
THE SECRETS WITHIN The Manitoba Legislative Building is riddled with mythological symbols , touches of the occult , and architectural mysteries , and the charismatic Dr . Frank Albo has spent years uncovering them . His Hermetic Code Tour provides the answers – and perhaps more questions . See hieroglyphic inscriptions etched into the limestone walls , Freemasonic symbols around every corner and a star laid into the floor , and try to unravel the messages that have stayed secret for nearly a century .
A STREETCAR NAMED WINNIPEG Relive the grand old days of the city aboard one of the Winnipeg Trolley Company ’ s former streetcars , which now ride on wheels instead of rails . On the Heart of a Nation City Tour , passengers get a sweeping overview of this Prairie town , complete with trivia tidbits and comical commentary from clever tour guides . See where the world-famous The Guess Who got their start , learn about Winnipeg ’ s surprising connection to James Bond and marvel at the heritage architecture of the Exchange District National Historic Site .
TIPPLE TOUR Winnipeg Tasting Tours shows off the spirited side of city tours with a choice of beer , wine or cocktails . A nearly five hour hop between the city ’ s deliciously diverse breweries includes generous sudsy samples and plenty of snacks along the route . Liquor aficionados can go behind the scenes at the province ’ s first grain to bottle distillery – with a cocktail in hand , of course – before heading to a hip lounge or , for oenophiles , indulge in an evening of deluxe wine pairing during a progressive five-course meal that spans three restaurants .
6 where . ca JULY / AUGUST 2018