Ottawa Overview
As Canada’s capital, Ottawa is the perfect place to experience some of the country’s best attractions, celebrations and flavours.
Famous national landmarks and historic sites greet visitors around every corner in Canada’s capital, and foremost among them is Parliament Hill. It’s the seat of Canada’s federal government and the setting for pomp and celebration including Canada Day (July 1) and the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony in the summer. Parliament offers free daily tours and elevator rides to the top of the soaring Peace Tower for a spectacular 360o view of the city.
The Rideau Canal, Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, winds through the heart of Ottawa, and is filled with pleasure boats, canoes and kayaks. In the winter, the Rideau Canal is transformed into the world’s largest ice-skating rink (7.8 km/4.8 miles in length)!
Surprisingly intimate with a very walkable downtown, Ottawa is an urban setting that’s relaxed, friendly and welcoming. The eclectic ByWard Market district just east of Parliament Hill is a visitor favourite: a farmers’ market and shopping district by day, with chic dining, outdoor cafés and lively clubs and pubs by night.
Ottawa’s culinary scene is alive with a community of chefs gaining national and international acclaim and opening innovative restaurants! The Savour Ottawa initiative encourages and promotes the use of locally grown and produced foods and their appearances on local menus.
The capital’s many waterways are ideal for kayaking, canoeing and boating, and the upper Ottawa River is one of the top 5 white-water rafting rivers in the world. Ottawa has more great golf courses within an easy drive of downtown than any other Canadian city.
In winter, Ottawa is a skier’s delight, with cross-country trails right in the heart of the city, and downhill skiing under an hour’s drive from downtown. Gatineau Park, just across the Ottawa River from downtown Ottawa, is a mecca for cross-country skiing enthusiasts, with over 200 kilometres (124 miles) of groomed trails and heated shelters.