Getting There -- St. John's is located 127km (79 miles) from the ferry at Argentia, 874km (543 miles) from Port aux Basques. St. John's International Airport (tel. 709/758-8500) receives flights from Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, and even internationally. The airport is 6.5km (4 miles) from downtown; taxis from the airport to downtown hotels cost approximately C$15 (US$12), C$2 (US$1.60) for each additional traveler.

Visitor Information -- The city's tourist information office (tel. 709/576-8106), located at 35 New Gower St., is open year-round: from 9am to 5pm in summer, weekdays from 9am to 4:30pm in the off season.

Getting Around -- Metrobus serves much of the city. Fares are C$2 (US$1.60) for a single trip. Route information is available at the visitor information center or by calling tel. 709/570-2034.

Taxis are plentiful around St. John's, and charge an initial fee of C$3 (US$2.40) plus about C$2 (US$1.60) each additional mile. One of the larger and more dependable outfits in the city is Bugden's Taxi (tel. 709/726-4400). You can tour the city by taxi for about C$30 (US$24) per hour.

Orientation -- St. John's is built on the side of a steep hill, and the downtown is oriented along three streets -- Harbour, Water, and Duckworth -- that run parallel to the water's edge. These are relatively level, each following the hill's contours, one above the other. Cross streets that link these run the gamut from moderately challenging inclines to clutch-smoking vertical. Duckworth and Water Streets contain the bulk of the downtown's shops and restaurants.

Outside of downtown, St. John's is an amalgam of confusing roads that run at peculiar angles to one another and that suddenly change names as if on a whim. You can try to navigate with a map, but it's just as easy to keep an eye on a landmark -- like Signal Hill -- and head your car in the general direction you want to go. The city's small enough that you'll never get too lost and you'll eventually end up on the main ring road, which goes by various names, including Columbus Drive, Confederation Parkway, and Prince Philip Drive.

Special Events -- The annual Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival began in 1976. The 3-day festival is held during the first weekend in early August, and includes performers from all over the province, who gather to play at Bannerman Park in downtown St. John's. (Bring a lawn chair.) Even after all these years tickets are still very affordable (it costs just C$10/US$8) for an afternoon or evening slate of performers, C$40 (US$32) for a weekend pass. Contact the festival office (tel. 709/576-8508) for more information.