Ottawa Destination Planner's Guide DPG English 2017 | Page 14

introduction

ottawa — canaDa ’ s caPital

The city ’ s heart includes Parliament , majestic monuments , museums , food and fun . You can take a leisurely stroll through the Capital ’ s most significant attractions , landmarks , and sights — while other key destinations are only a short drive away . Art , history , innovation , architecture , and beauty — this 48 hour itinerary will take you to all the must-see sights in Canada ’ s Capital . This is your essential guide to Ottawa .
photo : james peltzer
Day one
10 a . m . — Ottawa is the capital of Canada and Parliament Hill is the heart of Ottawa , the perfect place to begin your tour . Known locally as ‘ The Hill ’, Canada ’ s seat of government is located inside the grand , neo-Gothic building . Learn about its history , function , and art on a guided tour , and take an optional elevator ride up to the observation deck of the Peace Tower — a perch that gives visitors a bird ’ s-eye view of the city . Save some time for a stroll around The Hill , making sure to gaze upwards at the fantastic stonework that includes gargoyles , grotesques , and friezes , as well as more than a dozen statues around the grounds . They include many of Canada ’ s prime ministers , and monuments such as The Famous Five , a bronze depiction of those who fought to have women declared as persons in 1929 !
11 a . m . — Kitty-corner to Parliament Hill is Confederation Square , which is dominated by the National War Memorial , a granite and bronze depiction of a procession of soldiers frozen in their march through an arch from war to peacetime . At the base of this memorial is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier , which holds the remains of an unidentified Canadian solider who died at Vimy Ridge — a key battle in which Canadians particularly distinguished themselves in France during the First World War .
NatioNal war memorial
NortherN lights oN parliameNt hill
bywarD market District
11:30 a . m . — Adjacent to the memorial is the Rideau Canal . It ’ s difficult to imagine what Ottawa would look like without this UNESCO World Heritage site . In its absence , this area of the province would likely be a defunct logging town cradling the confluence of the Ottawa , Rideau , and Gatineau rivers . Against all odds , this 202-kilometre ( 125 mile ) engineering marvel , which snakes its way through the core of the city , was completed in 1832 by Colonel John By and has since become a magnet for boaters , kayakers , canoeists , boat cruises , and especially ice skaters in the winter who delight in gliding upon the surface of the world ’ s largest skating rink . Watercraft and skates are available for rent , when in-season , from a pavilion on Dow ’ s Lake . Alongside the descending locks of the canal is a 19th century stone building that ’ s home to the Bytown Museum , which , through its historical artifacts and artworks , retells the history of Bytown , the original name of
Ottawa . Opposite the museum is the majestic Fairmont Château Laurier . Built in 1912 , it is one of several castle-like hotels built across Canada and once linked by the Grand Trunk Railway . It ’ s architecture and archival photographs throughout the lobby give visitors a sense of what Ottawa looked like in the early 20th century . Return in the afternoon for tea in the hotel ’ s glassed-in lounge , Zoé ’ s Lounge .
Noon — Around the corner from the Chateau Laurier is the ByWard Market district , a pedestrian-friendly market area , ringed by restaurants , shops , and outdoor vendors year-round , and centered around the historic ByWard Market Square building where you ’ ll find an array of artisan wares along with a smorgasbord of international cuisine on offer . Enjoy the throngs or wander to Jeanne d ’ Arc courtyard to escape the bustle — a quiet place to eat some takeout , although it does have a dancing bear sculpture !
14 Destination Planner ’ s Guide 2017 www . ottawatourism . ca