Ottawa Travel Guide
Travel guide to Ottawa, Canada with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Ottawa sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Ottawa Overview
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, located in the province of Ontario, which sits adjacent to the Great Lakes. Ottawa itself is on the south bank of the Ottawa River and is also where the Rideau River and Rideau canal end. Water plays a big part in the area, with an abundance of lakes and rivers all around.
The city itself has been called one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and this is a very fair comment. Ottawa has the most elegant architecture which has been combined with good use of open spaces and parks within the city to retain the feeling of airiness. In fact the streets themselves feel broad and welcoming, whilst the people of the city are some of the most welcoming and friendly to be found anywhere.
Situated where it is, Ottawa experiences dramatic winters, with regular snowfalls all through the season. This makes for a real change of feeling for the city, which creates a wonderful contrast with the warmer summer months. The winters are enjoyed here, and are an integral part of the areas culture now, with festivals taking place to make the most of the snow, bringing the population of the city together to celebrate their good fortune.
The combination of all these elements added to the local splendour that surrounds the city makes Ottawa a place that is hard to leave.
Top Ottawa Attractions
Parliament Hill is the city's best known location, being the home of the Parliament Buildings and a beautifully scenic area too. It is where the Centre Block can be found, within which is the iconic Peace Tower, a landmark of great national significance, built as it was at the end of the first world war.
Shopping in Ottawa
Ottawa has created a number of sub areas, where related shops and services are grouped together. ByWard Market is home to the Farmers Markets for example, enjoying a quaint, old fashioned feel to the area. Preston Street is the heart of Little Italy, so here Italian foods are found in abundance; while Sparks Street is the location for an open air mall, pedestrianised for a relaxed atmosphere there is also street entertainment here to further enhance the experience.
Ottawa Sporting Events
Ice Hockey is the primary professional team sport here, with the Ottawa Senators playing in the NHL. There are a number of minor league sides, competing in a range of sports, but the Senators are the biggest draw in the area. For those wishing to partake in sports themselves there is a wide choice of activities; curling and skating are popular in winter, while sailing, cycling and golf are more popular summer activities.
