2 days in Ottawa

Day by day

1. Day 1: Parliament Hill and Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks

   Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks, National War Memorial and Confederation Square and Rideau Canal Skateway, then ByWard Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Parliament Hill

      The Centre Block and its Peace Tower are closed for a renovation expected to last well into the 2030s, so the House of Commons sits in the restored West Block and the Senate in the former railway station nearby, both open for free guided tours. The lawn hosts the Changing of the Guard in summer.

   2. Late morning

      Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks

      Its downtown end is a flight of eight hand-operated locks between Parliament Hill and the Château Laurier. In summer, paths along both banks suit walking and cycling, and boat tours run from the locks.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: BeaverTails

      The George Street stand in the ByWard Market and kiosks along the Rideau Canal Skateway in winter.

   4. Afternoon

      National War Memorial and Confederation Square

      Ceremonial sentries guard the memorial in summer, and it is the focus of national Remembrance Day ceremonies on 11 November.

   5. Late afternoon

      Rideau Canal Skateway

      Locals use it to skate to work. Mild winters have shortened or prevented the season in recent years.

   6. Evening

      ByWard Market

      Come in the morning for the outdoor vendors, and return in the evening for patios and bars.

2. Day 2: National Gallery of Canada and Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica

   National Gallery of Canada, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, Major's Hill Park and Royal Canadian Mint, then ByWard Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Gallery of Canada

      Inside is the reconstructed 19th-century Rideau Street Chapel, and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman stands outside.

   2. Late morning

      Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica

      Ottawa's oldest surviving church, completed in the 19th century, has twin silver spires visible across Lowertown and a vaulted ceiling painted deep blue with gold stars above carved wooden galleries and stained glass.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Shawarma

      Dozens of shawarma shops across the city, especially on Bank Street, Elgin Street and in the suburbs.

   4. Afternoon

      Major's Hill Park

      It is a main site for festivals, Canada Day crowds and tulip beds in May.

   5. Late afternoon

      Royal Canadian Mint

      Guided tours look down on the production floor, and the boutique sells commemorative coins.

   6. Evening

      ByWard Market

      The densest cluster of pubs, cocktail bars and clubs, with summer patios.

Before you go

• Parliament Hill: Free tour tickets are limited; reserve online or collect them early in the day in summer.
• Royal Canadian Mint: Tours are small and fill up in summer; reserve ahead online.

If it rains

• Swap in Canadian Museum of History (Old Hull, Gatineau): Walk across the Alexandra Bridge from the National Gallery; the view of Parliament from the bridge is one of the city's best.
• Swap in Canadian War Museum (LeBreton Flats): Allow time for the First World War gallery, which is the most powerful section, and the LeBreton Gallery of large vehicles.
• Swap in Canadian Museum of Nature (Centretown): Children love the live-animal gallery and the dinosaur hall; go there first before the school groups.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 9–16 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Parliament Hill, the ByWard Market, the National Gallery, the canal locks and Confederation Square are all close together; the Museum of History is a 20-minute walk across the Alexandra Bridge.

More or fewer days

• One day in Ottawa
• 3 days in Ottawa

Questions travellers ask