Description:  Ottawa is the capital of Canada. So you will find the Parliament and some other government buildings around Parliament Hill. Since most of these buildings are built in the Victorian style, they offer pretty photo motifs and attract many tourists. Currently, the government buildings are being renovated and thus you may find huge construction sites everywhere. (Status end of 2021). These renovations will still take some time and so it is perhaps advisable to inquire about the latest status of the construction work before planning a visit.

Another attraction is located right next to the Parliament. The Rideau Canal Locks. The canal with its locks connects the Ottawa River and Ottawa with the city of Kingston and the Ontario Lake. Opened in 1832, the canal is 202km long and is the oldest man-made waterway in North America. In 2007 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our rating: We visited Ottawa in September 2002. Unfortunately, there was only time for a short look at the government district. We liked what we saw very much and we actually planned to come back and spend more time there. Unfortunately, this has not yet worked out.