Summer night at Parliament Hill. Credit: Jun Chang.
City of Ottawa
Ottawa, the capital of Canada, this picturesque and dynamic city is situated on the eastern border of Ontario, just across the Ottawa River from Gatineau, Quebec. It’s a place where you’ll hear English and French spoken in the streets; where you can discover Canada’s proud heritage at impressive national sites and famous landmarks, including the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city is easily accessible by plane, and nearly equidistant between Toronto (a 4.5 hour drive to the west) and Montreal (a 2 hour drive to the east), making Ottawa a convenient meeting place for local and international attendees.
Ottawa Attractions
The Parliament of Canada dominates downtown Ottawa, with its Gothic-revival spires rising high from Parliament Hill and overlooking the Ottawa River. During the summer it includes a changing of the guard ceremony, so you can get a taste of London without crossing the Atlantic. You can tour the Parliament buildings year-round.
Ottawa is cosmopolitan and steeped in culture, with museums, galleries, performing arts and festivals. Its world-class museums and galleries display stunning national collections and special exhibitions from Canada and around the world. Canada's National Gallery, the National War Memorial, the Supreme Court of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mint are within walking distance from the City centre. The Canadian Museum of History, across the river in Hull, Quebec, is not to be missed. And don't miss the spectacular views of Parliament Hill from this vantage across the river. Other museums to check out are the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, all within walking distance from downtown core.
There are numerous performance centers throughout the city for drama and music; the most established is the National Arts Centre, which offers both French and English theatre, dance, and a variety of festivals and special events. Visit their website ( http://www.nac-cna.ca) to see an events calendar or to buy tickets.
This city is a uniquely beautiful place: an urban centre, but it still has the charm of a small town. On the edge of nature, you can enjoy the great outdoors — just outside your hotel room, and nearby in the surrounding country side. Ottawa is known for being both welcoming and walkable.
Ottawa is also a city that enjoys the finer things in life, with a culinary community that’s earning wide acclaim, unique boutiques and shopping districts, a lively local music and art scene, and always exciting nightlife. Explore the distinctive local neighbourhoods, including the historic ByWard Market: by day this area boasts a bustling farmers’ market and chic shops, by night it hums with activity at the restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs.
Weather in Ottawa
Ottawa has a humid, semi-continental climate with four distinct seasons. There is significant snowfall in the winter, as well as many sunny days.
While average summer temperatures in Ottawa are around 20 degrees Celsius, they can soar to 32 degrees and above. In September, average day time temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius, while at night it can dip into 10 degrees.
Ottawa, the capital of Canada, this picturesque and dynamic city is situated on the eastern border of Ontario, just across the Ottawa River from Gatineau, Quebec. It’s a place where you’ll hear English and French spoken in the streets; where you can discover Canada’s proud heritage at impressive national sites and famous landmarks, including the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city is easily accessible by plane, and nearly equidistant between Toronto (a 4.5 hour drive to the west) and Montreal (a 2 hour drive to the east), making Ottawa a convenient meeting place for local and international attendees.
Ottawa Attractions
The Parliament of Canada dominates downtown Ottawa, with its Gothic-revival spires rising high from Parliament Hill and overlooking the Ottawa River. During the summer it includes a changing of the guard ceremony, so you can get a taste of London without crossing the Atlantic. You can tour the Parliament buildings year-round.
Ottawa is cosmopolitan and steeped in culture, with museums, galleries, performing arts and festivals. Its world-class museums and galleries display stunning national collections and special exhibitions from Canada and around the world. Canada's National Gallery, the National War Memorial, the Supreme Court of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mint are within walking distance from the City centre. The Canadian Museum of History, across the river in Hull, Quebec, is not to be missed. And don't miss the spectacular views of Parliament Hill from this vantage across the river. Other museums to check out are the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, all within walking distance from downtown core.
There are numerous performance centers throughout the city for drama and music; the most established is the National Arts Centre, which offers both French and English theatre, dance, and a variety of festivals and special events. Visit their website ( http://www.nac-cna.ca) to see an events calendar or to buy tickets.
This city is a uniquely beautiful place: an urban centre, but it still has the charm of a small town. On the edge of nature, you can enjoy the great outdoors — just outside your hotel room, and nearby in the surrounding country side. Ottawa is known for being both welcoming and walkable.
Ottawa is also a city that enjoys the finer things in life, with a culinary community that’s earning wide acclaim, unique boutiques and shopping districts, a lively local music and art scene, and always exciting nightlife. Explore the distinctive local neighbourhoods, including the historic ByWard Market: by day this area boasts a bustling farmers’ market and chic shops, by night it hums with activity at the restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs.
Weather in Ottawa
Ottawa has a humid, semi-continental climate with four distinct seasons. There is significant snowfall in the winter, as well as many sunny days.
While average summer temperatures in Ottawa are around 20 degrees Celsius, they can soar to 32 degrees and above. In September, average day time temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius, while at night it can dip into 10 degrees.
Ottawa's autumn. Credit: Jun Chang.
