Ottawa

The capital city of Canada.

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada and it is the fourth largest city in Canada. Toronto, Montreal & Calgary are higher. It stands on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of southern Ontario. Ottawa city is the most educated in Canada, and the 2016 census reported a population of 934,243. Renowned for its bilingual culture, Ottawa is a city where English and French coexist harmoniously.

There is so much to see and do in Ottawa. You can discover Canada’s proud heritage at impressive national sites and famous landmarks, including the Rideau Canal (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Ottawa is home to The Canadian War Museum which houses over 3.75 million artifacts, The Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian Museum of History, Canadian Children's Museum, the Canadian Postal Museum and a 3D IMAX theatre.

There are so many world-famous events and festivals that take place in Ottawa. The major ones are Winterlude, the largest festival in Canada, and Canada Day celebrations, Bluesfest, Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, Ottawa International Jazz Festival, Fringe Festival and Folk Music Festival.

The Ottawa city is also home to the Canada Agriculture Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Billings Estate Museum, Bytown Museum, Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, Canadian Ski Museum, Currency Museum, and the Portrait Gallery of Canada.

The city is pedestrian-friendly, with an efficient public transit system (OC Transpo) and scenic bike paths.

Best Time to Visit

Ottawa is a year-round destination. Visit in:

• Spring (April-May) for the Tulip Festival.
• Summer (June-August) for warm weather and outdoor events.
• Winter (December-February) for skating on the Rideau Canal and Winterlude Festival.