Categories: Canada Travel

Things to See in Ottawa

Although many people wouldn’t think of Ottawa as an interesting place to travel to, it really has a great many things to see in Ottawa.

There are so many things to see in Ottawa. It is a city rich in architecture, museums, history, is full of Canadian culture and is home to many sporting activities. If you are interested in a vacation that is more than just sitting around on the beach, Ottawa is definitely a place to put on your list of experiences.

Ottawa is Canada’s capital city and is the fourth largest city in the country. The population is approximately 859,704 (from 2005 figures). It is located in the province of Ontario on the banks of the Ottawa River, 400 kilometres (250 miles) north-east of Toronto and 190 kilometres (120 miles) west of Montreal.

Ottawa is where the country’s federal government sits. Ottawa has a significant Francophone population and by city government policy, all municipal services are available in French and English.

Things to see in Ottawa

As said, some of the things to see in Ottawa are the large number of national museums, official residences, government buildings, memorials and heritage structures. Some of the museums/sites worth mentioning are: The Canadian War Museum, The National Gallery of Canada, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, The Canada Science and Technology Museum, The Canada Aviation Museum and The Royal Canadian Mint. All are informative, interesting and should appeal to every traveller.

One of the things to see in Ottawa is Parliament Hill on Canada Day, July 1^st, where many activities take place, including street parties, live music, performing and athletic shows, an air show performing aerial manoeuvres over Parliament Hill, the RCMP Musical Ride, and a major fireworks event. There are children’s activities from face painting and crafts to poster competitions, as well as cooking demonstrations, art shows and comedy reviews. It is a fun grand event that is well worth attending.

So even if you are not politically inclined there are many things to see in Ottawa.