What to do in Ottawa

Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is also the fourth largest city in the country. Ottawa, which is the cultural and intellectual center of Canada, contains many museums, galleries, universities and art centers. The city, which was founded in the valley of the same name on the banks of the Ottawa River, is located on the provincial border of Québec and at the southeast end of the province of Ontario. Two official languages, English and French, are used together in the city.

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In Ottawa, a city famous for its museums and parks, it is possible to have satisfying experiences about history, art and nature. Attracting people of all ages and walks of life with their colorful and lively atmospheres, Ottawa museums, innovative Canadian artworks mixed with British, French and local arts, and lush green wildlife parks with magnificent views help to breathe the magical atmosphere of the city, while promising an amazing travel experience.

Ottawa Travel Guide

In the city of Ottawa, which has a different beauty in every season, the winter season is quite harsh. However, with its winter festivals and cotton snow, the city easily attracts ice skating enthusiasts and snow lovers. Ottawa, with its fascinating historical heritage, wide green areas surrounding the city and the bohemian atmosphere of European cities, stands out as one of the most remarkable cities in Canada. Today, the capital is a modern social center that winks at Quebec's Gatineau Hills between the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers and the Rideau Canal, which has been listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Parliament Hill is preferred as the first stop of the Ottawa tour. This building, which is the administrative seat of the Canadian federal government, is also the constant address of celebrations and various ceremonies throughout the year. The building, which suffered a great fire in 1916, took this name because of its location overlooking the Ottawa River. The illuminated New Year's Eve show held at the end of December is worth seeing. The handover ceremony of the soldiers, known as "Changing the Guard", can be watched in front of Parliament Hill, the parliament building. It is known that the ceremony, which is held every morning at 10:00 on summer days, is a very satisfying show visually and musically.

Gatineau Park is among the places of interest as a 361 square kilometer wildlife area. The bike-friendly park is a great event space, with hundreds of routes through forests and lakes. A small trip to this piece of nature, which is very suitable for sports such as camping, hiking, climbing and swimming, is the easiest way to get away from the city.

Historical waterway, Rideau Canal is another place to visit. This canal, which freezes in winter and turns into the largest ice rink in the world, is known as the heart of Ottawa. 202 kilometers south to Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River, this channel connects many more lakes and rivers.

What to eat in Ottawa?

It is possible to come across many restaurants serving ethnic delicacies from all over the world in the city. International cuisines are also easily accessible. French, Italian, Chinese dishes and of course seafood are among the things that can be tasted easily and in abundance. The Byward Market district is a center that hosts all kinds of restaurants. The city's famous Chinese restaurants are located in the area between Somerset Boulevard and Bronson Avenue and on Preston Street. There are many Italian restaurants between Carling Boulevard and Albert Street.

Ottawa cuisine includes many Canadian and locally grown ingredients. Locally made cheeses, salmon, maple syrup, Saskatoon blackberries, a type of blackberry native to Canada, fiddleheads, a type of fern unique to the region, reindeer meat, bison meat, and oysters are among the ingredients often used in meals. The lumberjack breakfast, a famous city-specific breakfast, consists of an omelet with three eggs, salami and sausage and numerous mini pancakes served on the side.

Another famous local dish is called "Jigg's Dinner". This meal; It consists of salted steak, sautéed zucchini and paprika and a side of mashed peas. Another famous dish of Ottawa is known as roast beef. This dish consists of fried pieces of dough with holes in the middle, called Yorkshire pudding.

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