CA
Ottawa
Canada’s bilingual capital, with Gothic parliament buildings, national museums and a UNESCO canal
Canada’s bilingual capital, with Gothic parliament buildings, national museums and a UNESCO canal
A 202km canal from 1832 linking Ottawa to Kingston, with locks next to Parliament Hill. In cold winters a 7.8km stretch becomes the Rideau Canal Skateway; opening depends on the ice.
Photo: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
One of Canada’s oldest markets, a district of stalls, shops, restaurants and bars a few minutes’ walk from Parliament.
Try a BeaverTails pastry.
Photo: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
A glass-and-granite gallery by Moshe Safdie with major Canadian and Indigenous art. Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider, Maman, stands outside.
Photo: Maksim Sokolov, CC BY-SA 4.0
Across the river in Gatineau, Canada’s most visited museum has a great hall of First Nations totem poles and views back to Parliament Hill.
Photo: Bob Linsdell, CC BY 3.0
Try BeaverTails (fried dough pastries), poutine, and Quebec and Ontario cheeses and craft beer.
The ByWard Market, Wellington Street West and Little Italy have the best range of restaurants.
Ottawa International Airport (YOW) is about 20 minutes from downtown by taxi or bus. The O-Train light rail runs through downtown. VIA Rail trains link Ottawa with Montreal and Toronto.
Most visa-exempt visitors flying to Canada, including EU, UK and Australian citizens, need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which costs CAN$7 online. US citizens need only a valid passport. Some nationalities need a visitor visa instead. Check current rules before you travel.
Ottawa is cheaper than Toronto. Some national museums have free hours. Canada uses the Canadian dollar (CAN$). Prices are usually shown without sales tax, which is added at the till, and tipping of 15–20% is expected in restaurants.
Parliament, museums and the canal.
Visit Parliament Hill (tours are in the West Block while the Centre Block is renovated), walk the canal locks and explore the ByWard Market.
See the National Gallery, then cross to Gatineau for the Canadian Museum of History.
🛂 Entry rules: Canada eTA
Visa-exempt visitors flying to or through a Canadian airport, including UK, EU, Australian and Japanese citizens, need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). It costs CA$7, is usually approved within minutes and lasts five years or until your passport expires.
You don’t need one if you arrive by land or sea, and US citizens and US green-card holders are exempt. Apply only on the Government of Canada website.
Official information: Government of Canada: apply for an eTA · Reviewed September 2026
Sales tax is added at the till, and restaurants expect a 15–20% tip.
The Centre Block is closed for a long renovation; free tours run in other buildings.
Check the Skateway’s status online; it opens only when the ice is thick enough.
Signs are in English and French; both languages are widely spoken.
Quick answers for planning time in Ottawa.
Most visa-exempt visitors arriving by air need an eTA (CAN$7, applied for online). US citizens do not need one; some other nationalities need a visa.
Yes, free guided tours run, but the Centre Block is closed for a renovation lasting many years.
Yes, it was listed in 2007.
Ottawa’s winter festival takes place over three weekends in February.
About two hours by car or train.
English is the main language, but in Quebec French dominates; a translation app helps with menus and signs.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Canada travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.