Ottawa

Ottawa does not make obvious first impressions. It lacks Montreal’s electric bilingual energy and Toronto’s sheer scale, and it’s easy to underestimate a city that is often dismissed as a place where public servants go to work. Spend two days there and the dismissal reverses itself. The national museums are extraordinary and largely undervisited. Parliament Hill’s Gothic Revival architecture — the Peace Tower, the copper-roofed Centre Block, the library with its intricate fan-vaulted ceiling — is among the finest Gothic Revival work in North America. The Rideau Canal in winter becomes the world’s longest skating rink, 7.8 kilometres of frozen waterway linking the Parliament precinct to Dows Lake. And the ByWard Market neighbourhood has one of the most concentrated collections of good restaurants in any Canadian city this size.

The city sits at the confluence of the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau Rivers, with the National Capital Region straddling the Ontario-Quebec provincial border — which means Gatineau, directly across the Ottawa River, is technically a different province, and the drive across the Alexandra Bridge to the Canadian Museum of History involves crossing into Quebec. It’s a peculiarity that makes the capital region feel more complex and more interesting than a single city’s footprint would suggest.

Parliament Hill is currently in a period of significant renovation — the Centre Block, the building with the iconic Peace Tower clock, is closed until 2030 for restoration. The East and West Blocks remain open for guided tours. The Confederation Hall and the Senate chamber can be accessed. Free guided tours run daily and are worth booking in advance — the formal rooms inside give you a sense of how seriously Canada takes its parliamentary institutions, which is to say very seriously, in a way that is genuinely moving if you’re predisposed to Gothic grandeur and democratic symbolism.

Why Ottawa should be on your Canada itinerary

Ottawa is the most accessible concentration of Canadian history and national identity in the country. The museums alone — the Canadian Museum of History, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian War Museum, the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Bank of Canada Museum — are worth multiple days. Most are subsidised and affordable; several have free access during weekday evenings.

The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America, predating the Suez Canal by 40 years. In winter it becomes the Skateway — 7.8 kilometres of groomed ice with warming huts, skate rental stations, and BeaverTail pastry stands at regular intervals. It is one of the most distinctively Canadian winter experiences available anywhere, and Ottawa does it with an enthusiasm that turns what could be a cold-weather hardship into a genuine celebration.

For visitors arriving from Toronto or Montreal by VIA Rail, Ottawa sits perfectly between them — 4.5 hours from Toronto, 2 hours from Montreal. A two-night stop between the two cities adds significant depth to any eastern Canada itinerary without requiring backtracking.

What should you do in Ottawa?

Parliament Hill — The Gothic Revival complex on the limestone bluff above the Ottawa River. Free guided tours of the East and West Blocks run daily — book in advance at the Parliament visitor website. The Centre Block is under renovation until 2030 but the Senate chamber and reading rooms remain accessible. The Changing of the Guard ceremony on the front lawn runs daily at 10am from late June through August. The eternal flame at the main gates is flanked by provincial shields and burns year-round.

Rideau Canal — A 202-kilometre waterway from Ottawa to Kingston, designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. In winter, the 7.8 kilometres through the downtown core freeze into the Skateway — the world’s longest naturally frozen skating rink. The NCC maintains the ice, groomed and tested for safety daily, with warming huts and BeaverTail pastry stands throughout. Skate rental available at multiple locations ($12 CAD). Open approximately late January through late February.

Canadian Museum of History (Gatineau) — The most visited museum in Canada, across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec. The building itself — Douglas Cardinal’s curvilinear limestone structure designed to evoke Canadian landscape forms — is extraordinary. Inside, the Grand Hall contains the world’s largest indoor collection of totem poles; the Canadian History Hall tells 15,000 years of the country’s story. $20 CAD adult.

National Gallery of Canada — The Moshe Safdie-designed glass tower beside the Rideau Canal contains the country’s finest collection of Canadian and international art, including the best collection of Inuit art in the world. The reproduction of the Chapel from the Rideau Street Convent, dismantled and reassembled inside the gallery, is one of the architectural marvels of any museum in Canada. $20 CAD adult.

Canadian War Museum — The striking green-roofed building on LeBreton Flats holds Canada’s most comprehensive military history collection, from Indigenous warfare through to Afghanistan. The regeneration hall — a vaulted room where a single Leopard tank is bathed in light — is quietly devastating. $20 CAD adult. Free Thursday evenings.

ByWard Market — Ottawa’s oldest neighbourhood, in continuous operation since 1826. The market building has fresh produce, cheese vendors, maple products, and Ottawa’s classic BeaverTails pastry stalls. The surrounding blocks have some of the best restaurant density in the city. Saturday mornings are busiest — arrive early for the farmers market on the west side of the building.

Gatineau Park — 361 square kilometres of Precambrian Shield wilderness 15 minutes from Parliament Hill, across the river in Quebec. 165 km of hiking trails in summer, cross-country skiing in winter, swimming at Meech Lake and Lac Philippe in summer. The Champlain Lookout provides the best panoramic views over the Ottawa Valley. Free to hike; $15 CAD day-use fee for beach areas.

Where should you eat in Ottawa?

• Beckta Dining & Wine — The finest restaurant in Ottawa, with Canadian ingredients, an outstanding wine program, and a historic house setting. $55–90 CAD per person. Reserve well ahead.
• Play Food & Wine — Creative small plates with an excellent wine list in the Glebe. One of the most interesting kitchens in the city. $30–55 CAD.
• Fauna — Nose-to-tail seasonal Canadian cooking in ByWard Market. The charcuterie and game dishes are exceptional. $35–60 CAD.
• Zak’s Diner (ByWard Market) — The Ottawa classic for late-night poutine, all-day breakfast, and diner comfort food. Open 24 hours. $12–20 CAD.
• Murray Street Kitchen — Charcuterie, craft cocktails, and seasonal Ontario ingredients in a small ByWard Market room. $28–45 CAD.
• BeaverTails (Rideau Canal) — The original stand at the Rideau Canal Skateway. Fried dough pastry with cinnamon sugar, maple butter, or Nutella. $6–10 CAD. Mandatory.

Where should you stay in Ottawa?

Fairmont Chateau Laurier ($280–600 CAD/night) — Ottawa’s landmark hotel, built in 1912 in the same Gothic Revival style as the Parliament Buildings, connected by tunnel to the Rideau Canal locks. The pool is spectacular. The location — between ByWard Market and Parliament Hill — is unmatched. Book a parliamentary view room.

Arc the Hotel ($150–280 CAD/night) — Ottawa’s best boutique hotel in the central Elgin Street neighbourhood, with stylishly designed rooms, an excellent bar, and walking distance to everything. The best mid-range choice in the city.

Hotel Indigo Ottawa ($170–300 CAD/night) — A well-executed boutique property near the National Arts Centre with good rooms, complimentary bikes for the canal path, and a solid restaurant.

HI Ottawa Jail Hostel ($35–70 CAD/night) — A genuinely unique option — a converted 1862 jail where the cells become dormitory rooms and the solitary confinement cell is used for special events. One block from ByWard Market. Surprisingly well-reviewed.

When is the best time to visit Ottawa?

June through September — Summer is Ottawa’s most comfortable and visitor-friendly season. Parliament Hill’s outdoor Changing of the Guard ceremony runs daily. Gatineau Park beaches are open. ByWard Market is at peak produce season. July 1 Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill are among the country’s most significant — free concerts, fireworks, and the Prime Minister addressing the crowd on the Hill lawn.

February (Winterlude) — The three-weekend February festival celebrates the Rideau Canal skating season with ice sculpture competitions, snow slides, outdoor concerts, and canal skating. Accommodation books out early. Dress for -15 to -25°C and the experience delivers something genuinely unlike any other winter festival in North America.

October — Fall colours in Gatineau Park are extraordinary, particularly along the Champlain Parkway. The Rideau Valley turns red and gold; the museum season continues without summer crowds. One of the most underrated times to visit.

December — The Capital Illuminations light display runs along the Parliament precinct and Confederation Boulevard. The Christmas Market in the ByWard area is good. Cold but not February cold — manageable with a good coat.

Ottawa sits precisely between Toronto and Montreal on the VIA Rail corridor, making it the natural middle stop on an eastern Canada triangle. Two nights in Ottawa, two in Montreal, two in Quebec City, then back — this is the best standard eastern Canada itinerary. See the full Canada destinations guide for eastern Canada planning.