Ottawa City Guide — Attractions, Food & Tips

Ottawa City GuideCanada's bilingual capital where world-class museums, Gothic Revival architecture, the iconic Rideau Canal, and a thriving food scene sit at the meeting point of English and French Canada.Key Facts

Country: Canada

Currency: CAD (Canadian Dollar)

Language: English / French

Time Zone: UTC-5 (EST)

Best Time to Visit: May–September

Top Places to Visit

Parliament Hill — Canada's stunning Gothic Revival parliament buildings on a dramatic bluff above the Ottawa River. Free guided tours, the Changing of the Guard, and the evening sound and light show.

Rideau Canal — A UNESCO World Heritage Site stretching 202 km. In summer, cycle or paddle alongside it. In winter, it transforms into the world's largest natural skating rink (7.8 km).

National Gallery of Canada — Canada's premier art museum in a stunning glass and granite building, housing the world's largest collection of Canadian art alongside European masterworks and contemporary pieces.

ByWard Market — One of Canada's oldest and largest public markets (since 1826), overflowing with local produce, artisan food, flowers, restaurants, pubs, and boutiques across four bustling blocks.

Canadian Museum of History — Canada's most visited museum, across the river in Gatineau, telling the story of Canada's peoples from Indigenous history through European settlement to modern nationhood.

Local Food

BeaverTails — A beloved Canadian pastry — hand-stretched fried dough shaped like a beaver's tail, topped with cinnamon sugar, Nutella, maple, or other sweet toppings. Born in Ottawa.

Poutine — Fries, cheese curds, and gravy — a Canadian classic that's everywhere in Ottawa. Smoke's Poutinerie and the ByWard Market chip trucks are local favourites.

Shawarma — Ottawa rivals Montreal for Canada's best shawarma, thanks to its large Lebanese community. Massive garlic-sauced wraps are a beloved late-night staple across the city.

Maple Everything — Ottawa embraces maple in all forms — maple fudge, maple cookies, maple taffy, and maple-glazed everything at the ByWard Market and Lanark County sugar shacks.

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