Ottawa sights and landmarks guide

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When people think about Canada, there are few things that first come to their mind: hockey, maple juice, bilingual culture and endless wilderness. Even though Canada's capital Ottawa encompasses all the above mentioned attributes, it has much more to offer: a deep insight into Canada's history, some great outdoors and a good sample of Canadian lifestyle.

Ottawa Sights - Historical Landmarks and Museums

By far the most popular among Ottawa's sights is the Parliment Hill. Situated on the banks Ottawa River, this Gothic Revival style building is hosting three of Canada's most important institutions: the Senate, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament. During summer, tourists visiting Parilament Hill can take part in the Parliament Hill Sound and Light Show, a 30 minute movie about Canada's history.

Your historic tour of Ottawa can continue with Bytown Museum (a museum dedicated to Ottawa's early history), the Rideau Canal (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the historic building of Chateau Laurier hotel. Ottawa hosts plenty museums to choose from: the Museum of Civilization, the Canadian War Museum, the Science and Technology Museum, the Nature Museum, Bank of Canada Currency Museum, Canada Aviation Museum, and the list can continue. Ottawa sights list also includes Rideau Hall, the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen, which is open for visitors.

Ottawa Sights - Sports and Nature

Sport and outdoor lovers will definitely fall in love with Ottawa. The city has numerous parks and gardens, where people can relax, play sports or have a picnic: Jacques Cartier Park, Leamy Lake Ecological Park and Archeological Site, Rockliffe Park, Confederation Park, Garden of the Provinces. Gatineau Park, right in the middle of the city, is a 363 sq km recreational area, with endless trails, lakes, sports facilities and wonderful scenery. Ottawa is also proud of its 2 hockey teams, Ottawa Senators and Ottawa 67's, as well as the soccer team Ottawa Wizards.

Ottawa Sights - Cultural Attractions and Entertainment

Hosting award winning exhibitions, the National Gallery of Canada features an impressive collection of art, as well as some nice interior gardens and terraces overlooking the city. Other galleries include Foyer Gallery (artist run), Atrium Gallery (public gallery), and The Snow Goose Ltd (Inuit Art). Ottawa is also home to some less conventional attractions, such as the world’s longest skating rink, the Changing of the Guard at Parliament Hill, or the Royal Canadian Mint (where visitors can watch the entire process of money manufacturing).

Toronto, the biggest city in the capital of Ontario region, is not very far from Ottawa and is also home to very important cultural and historic sights (check out Toronto Sights and Toronto Travel Guide).