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Ottawa

Canada travel guide

What to see in Ottawa

The capital, with its Gothic Revival parliament and a canal you can skate on in winter.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 5 must-see places
  • Best time: from March to November
  • Typical food: Butter tarts
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Arctic.gnome assumed (based on copyright cl · CC BY 2.5

Ottawa highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Parliament Hill

    Gothic Revival buildings above the river.

  2. Rideau Canal

    In winter, the world’s largest skating rink (when it freezes).

  3. Canadian Museum of History

    The history of Canada.

  4. ByWard Market

    A market and restaurants.

  5. National Gallery

    With Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider.

Day trips from Ottawa

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Ottawa

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Ottawa are from March to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings
  • from December to February

    Bitterly cold winter

    Across most of the country, winter is long, with snow and temperatures well below zero.

    What to do: Ski season in Whistler and Banff; for lakes and hiking, June to September.

Typical food of Ottawa

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Ottawa from your kitchen).

Butter tarts
Photo: Alex Lozupone · CC BY-SA 4.0

Butter tarts

The tarts of Ontario, Ottawa’s province: shortcrust pastry filled with butter, brown sugar, syrup and egg, with a runny centre. Sometimes they have raisins or walnuts.

  • Serves 12
  • 50 min

Ingredients

  • Shortcrust pastry for 12 tarts
  • 80 g melted butter
  • 180 g brown sugar
  • 100 ml maple or corn syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 of vinegar
  • Raisins or walnuts (optional)

How to make it at home

  1. Line a muffin tin with circles of pastry.
  2. Mix the butter, sugar, syrup, egg, vanilla and vinegar without overbeating.
  3. Put a few raisins or walnuts in each tart if you like them.
  4. Fill them two-thirds full.
  5. Bake at 200 °C for about 15 minutes: the filling should bubble and stay slightly runny in the centre.

The trick: Raisins or no raisins: the great Canadian debate.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: the food hall. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Canada guide.

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa

What to see in Ottawa?

Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal, Canadian Museum of History, ByWard Market and National Gallery.

What to see in Ottawa in one day?

Don’t miss Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal, Canadian Museum of History, ByWard Market and National Gallery. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Ottawa?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Ottawa are from March to November.

What day trips can you take from Ottawa?

Ottawa.

What is the typical food of Ottawa?

Butter tarts. The tarts of Ontario, Ottawa’s province: shortcrust pastry filled with butter, brown sugar, syrup and egg, with a runny centre. Sometimes they have raisins or walnuts.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.