Visitors to Calgary will discover a city with community at its heart, that’s brimming with indie restaurants, cool shops and markets. It’s also surrounded by natural beauty. Annette Christie, who was born and raised in the city, is your guide

There’s definitely a lot to love about Calgary. For a start, it was ranked the world’s fourth most livable city by the Economist last year. Nestled near the Rocky Mountains, it has natural beauty to spare, from lush forests to rolling farm fields – plus a growing collection of publicly displayed art and innovative architecture within the downtown core. There’s a great NHL team – the Calgary Flames – and every July the city hosts a 10-day party called the Calgary Stampede, as well as an outstanding folk music festival.

Calgary embodies a rare blend of frontier roots, urban modernity, and has more community spirit than I’ve ever seen. There’s a lot to love here, so what did it take for me to truly appreciate this city?