Signal Hill and Cabot Tower

One of the most well-known locations in St. John's (Newfoundland) is Signal Hill and Cabot Tower.

On a clear day (which is not to be taken for granted in St. John's where fog can move in at anytime), the view is amazing.

We were fortunate to experience the Signal Hill views on a nice clear day on our first day in St. John's because it was really foggy when we returned after seeing other parts of Newfoundland. That said, the fog created a different and interesting perspective.

Cabot Tower is on the top of Signal Hill and has certain hours that it is open to the public.

The Parks Canada Directory of Federal Heritage Designations page on Cabot Tower states in its "Historical Value" section:

The Cabot Tower is one of the best examples illustrating the evolution of communications in Canada from the earliest aural and visual systems, through to the long-distance, wireless transmission of the human voice. The tower housed signalling functions until 1958, and is associated with Guglielmo Marconi who received the Nobel Prize in 1909 for physics and communication and who received the first trans-Atlantic transmission of the human voice at Signal Hill in 1920. It was built as a monument to John Cabot’s 1497 voyage to North America and to the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign.

There is a Visitor Centre that is part of the Signal Hill National Historic Site with its own dedicated parking lot on the way up to the Cabot Tower parking lot. The admission includes access to exhibits and viewing the film "The Hill" about the history of Signal Hill.

There are interesting views in many directions from the top of Signal Hill.

After experiencing Signal Hill's beauty and learning about its historical significance, it's easy to understand why it's so well known and so prominently featured in popular culture such as The Republic of Doyle.