5 Reasons to Visit Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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As Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, Ontario is a dynamic showcase steeped in culture. Welcoming and walkable, this urban city is on the edge of nature. Impressive famous landmarks, world-class museums and galleries will have you ready for a taste of its widely acclaimed culinary community.
Source: Ottawa Tourism
1. THE SHOPPING
In Canada’s capital, big brands and local shops alike are at your fingertips. Whether you’re looking for affordable or luxury items in shopping centres, deals at the outlets, or local fashion, housewares and special souvenirs in boutiques, you’ll get your retail therapy in Ottawa.
Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre in Ottawa, Ontario
A short distance from Downtown Ottawa, Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre is an enclosed shopping mall boasting sunlit walkways and features hundreds of stores and national retailers.
2. THE ART
Ottawa is often seen as the city of museums. Canada's most-visited museum, Canadian Museum of History, presents the events, people and objects that have shaped the nation. This architectural gem is located directly across the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill. Marvel at the world's largest indoor collection of totem poles in the Grand Hall and learn about the traditions and achievements of Canada's Indigenous nations in the First Peoples Hall.
Art is everywhere in Ottawa. Just west of downtown Ottawa, Little Italy’s proud Italian heritage is evident along Preston Street or “Corso Italia.” A highway underpass along the street features mural walls painted by Ottawa-born Karole Marois.
Immediately south of Parliament Hill, Centretown—is a diverse neighborhood rich with street art. Notably, it is home to Ottawa’s Village, the heart of the city’s LGBTQ community.
3. THE COCKTAILS & CUISINE
Coconut Lagoon is inspired by the incredible Kerala cuisine found on India’s Southwest Coast—a slender sliver of India’s Malabar Coast, which is rich in seafood, coconuts, and the world’s finest spices. The ever-changing dinner menu showcases innovative Indian dishes, using seasonal ingredients from local producers. For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying the Blue Ocean—concocted with Vodka, Cointreau and Blue Curacao.
Coconut Lagoon in Ottawa, Ontario
Using only the freshest ingredients, award-winning chef, Joe Thottungal and his team present a chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings and an indulgent ala carte menu. Favorite dishes at Coconut Lagoon include Duck with Mariposa Duck Biryani slow baked in Kiama rice, quail egg and pineapple raita, Halibut spiked with kudumpali in a tangy coconut curry sauce, Chili Seared Sea Scallops on a mango coconut sauce spiked with mustard, Lamb with tellicherry pepper grilled lamb chops marinated in kerala spices, beet pachadi, as well as Crabcakes with avocado salsa and tamarind drizzle.
Take the time to indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy one of many decadent desserts such as Coconut Mousse with fresh mango, berries, mint and pistachios, as well as a Candied Coconut Tart with fruit coulis. Hungry yet?
4. THE GARDENS
Centered around Commissioners Park, the Canadian Tulip Festival celebrates the return of spring by showcasing over a million tulips across Canada’s capital region, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe. Conveniently located between major attractions, the city’s historic grounds, experimental landscapes and rooftop gardens are a treat for the eyes and the soul.
How did Ottawa become tulip heaven? Canadian troops played a large role in liberating the Netherlands in 1945 during World War II. As a gesture of thanks and friendship, the Dutch government has given Ottawa a gift of tulip bulbs every year since 1945.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE
As one of Canada’s most iconic sites, Parliament Hill is a must-see when visiting Ottawa. Built in 1859, the historic, neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings stand tall on a hill overlooking the majestic Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa. Gothic Revival has been used as the unifying style of all three structures, though the Centre Block is a more modern Gothic Revival, while the older East and West Blocks are of a Victorian High Gothic.
Source: Ottawa Tourism
The outdoor area is the quadrangle, formed by the arrangement of the parliament and departmental buildings on the site, and laid out in a formal garden fashion. Changing of the Guard takes place on Parliament Hill every morning from late June through late August—providing a colorful spectacle of pomp, pageantry and music.
WHERE TO STAY IN OTTAWA, ONTARIO
As one of Canada's most recognized landmarks, Fairmont Château Laurier has been hosting guests for more than a century. Offering an experience few can rival in an unparalleled setting, Experience the grandest of feelings when you choose to stay at Ottawa's castle. Located in the downtown core, with ByWard Market on one side and the Rideau Canal locking the other, Fairmont Château Laurier has been revitalized to offer you even more luxurious accommodations in a historic chateau.
