Last updated on December 18, 2023.

About a 4 ½ hour drive from Toronto, I decided to make a stop in Ottawa on my way to Montréal. It was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting to see a boring, planned capital city but instead found it to be a nice place with a lively atmosphere.

 

National War Memorial

After parking the car, I walked towards Parliament Hill. On the way, I stopped at the National War Memorial, which includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I was able to watch a small Changing of the Guard ceremony.

National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
National War Memorial
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
National War Memorial

My main goal for the day was to take a tour of Parliament. I came on a particularly busy day, so I had to wait 2 ½ hours before my scheduled tour was to begin. While waiting for the tour, I had enough time to explore the rest of Ottawa. I started by wandering back down the hill to the Rideau Canal and examining the locks.

 

Nepean Point

I finished at the canal and walked to Nepean Point. From the Samuel de Champlain statue, I was able to see the entire area – Parliament Hill, Lower Town, the Alexandra Bridge, and across the river to Gatineau in Québec.

Nepean Point in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Nepean Point
Samuel de Champlain statue at Nepean Point in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Samuel de Champlain statue
Parliament Hill from Nepean Point in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Parliament Hill from Nepean Point
Alexandra Bridge and Gatineau from Nepean Point in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Alexandra Bridge and Gatineau from Nepean Point

 

National Gallery of Canada

Next, I walked to Lower Town past the National Gallery of Canada. It’s open daily from late May through early September and closed Mondays the rest of the year. Adult admission is CAD$20 (as of April 2023). I was short on time so I couldn’t visit.

National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
National Gallery of Canada

 

Royal Canadian Mint

Down the street is the Royal Canadian Mint. The mint gives 45 minute tours for CAD$12 (as of April 2023) daily except Mondays. Again, I would have visited if I had more time.

Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Royal Canadian Mint

 

Notre-Dame

Across the street from the National Gallery is the Notre-Dame Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame), a beautiful Catholic church built between 1841 and 1865. It was built on the site of the original wooden church, St. Jacques, built in 1832. The current church is the oldest and largest in Ottawa.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Inside the Notre-Dame Cathedral
Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Inside the Notre-Dame Cathedral

 

Reconciliation: The Peacekeeping Monument

Across the street from the church is a monument called Reconciliation: The Peacekeeping Monument. It was erected in 1992 to commemorate the role of Canadians in worldwide peacekeeping missions and to honor all Canadian soldiers.

Reconciliation: The Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Reconciliation: The Peacekeeping Monument

 

More Buildings

It was getting close to tour time at Parliament, so I started to make my way back to Parliament Hill. I walked past the gigantic US Embassy, which opened in 1999, and the castle-like Connaught Building, which serves as the Canada Revenue Agency. It was built in 1915 as a Customs Examining Warehouse of Canada Customs (now Canada Border Services Agency). After I reached Parliament Hill, I had a quick coffee and then went on a tour of Centre Block and then a tour of the Peace Tower.

US Embassy in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
US Embassy
Connaught Building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Connaught Building

 

ByWard Market

With the tours out of the way, I headed back across the canal to have dinner in the lively ByWard Market area. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. The restaurant I chose, MAMBO Nuevo Latino, is now permanently closed (which is a good thing – terrible service and mediocre food).

ByWard Market in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
ByWard Market
ByWard Market in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
ByWard Market

 

Conclusion

Overall, I had a great day in Ottawa and I enjoyed it very much. I would love to come back to visit the museums, spend some time across the river in Gatineau and visit the Canadian Museum of History, and hopefully catch a hockey game.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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