DESTINATIONS CANADA |OTTAWA
TRIED &
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: National Gallery of Canada; Museum of History; ByWard Market PICTURES: Ottawa Tourism/Brendan Burden, Taylor Burk Photography
TESTED
Le Germain Hotel Ottawa
Close to ByWard Market and within an easy walk of the National Gallery and Parliament Hill, this hotel’s 115 rooms and suites are luxurious but understated, with oversized, monochrome prints of city scenes creating visual impact. Light-drenched restaurant Norca serves à la carte breakfasts and delicate, beautifully presented dishes at dinner that profile the best of Canadian
produce – think venison tartare and birch- cured scallops. Doubles start from £175.
germainhotels.com
most-visited, the Museum of History. Located just over the river in Gatineau, the curvaceous, flowing building designed by Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal is worth the trip alone. But don’t miss what’s inside: a well-explained whistle-stop tour through Canada’s human history. Treasures include a soaring forest of totem poles in the Grand Hall and a fascinating collection of artefacts, stories and a reconstructed traditional village in the First People’s Hall.
POLITICAL POWER Ottawa’s parliament buildings will look strangely familiar to British visitors. Built in the same Gothic Revival style as our Houses of Parliament, its Centre Block and Peace Tower – two metres taller than Big Ben’s tower – are currently shrouded in scaffolding and undergoing a major renovation that will last until 2032. It’s nevertheless worth a wander around the site, which has panoramic views over the Ottawa River. Guided tours of the Senate and Commons
are still available, but my highlight was the Immersive Experience, which has a small exhibition and atmospheric and informative multimedia show that guided me through the history of not only the building but also of Canada’s government, and showcased the spaces that will be redeveloped as part of the nation’s most expensive heritage project.
HISTORIC HEFT Clients can tick off seven of Canada’s nine national museums – including Nature, War, Science and Technology and Aviation and Space – while they’re in Ottawa, but shouldn’t miss the
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INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES Canada’s Indigenous communities aren’t a thing of the past. I encountered living First Nations culture at Mādahòkì Farm, on the city’s outskirts. After being welcomed with traditional dancing, I learnt not only about the significance of the performances, but also of the beautiful outfits, with feather headdresses and intricate beadwork, then met the equine members of the Mādahòkì team. Ojibwe spirit horses are critically endangered, and the farm’s two pregnant mares are part of a wider effort to preserve this ancient breed with its signature striped legs, small stature and furry ears and whiskers. Visitors can meet the horses, goats and bunnies, plus there’s a children’s play area and a scenic trail where you can learn about traditional medicine.
CREATIVE CENTRES For Canadian art, the vast National Gallery is the place to go. The imposing glass and granite structure has great views of Parliament Hill, and inside you’ll find Canadian landscapes from all provinces, particularly evident in the maple leaves
and mountains by the early 20th-century artists known as the Group of Seven that are on display. It’s also home to one of Canada’s strongest collections of Indigenous art. I loved graphic Coast Salish works, brightly coloured Métis paintings and an audio-visual work by Inuk artist Taqralik Partridge, evoking the sense of being surrounded by a herd of caribou. Guided tours lasting 45 minutes cost only £1.60 and really help identify the highlights for those short on time.
FOODIE FLAIR ByWard Market is Ottawa’s go-to for gourmets – a downtown hub with a farmer’s market surrounded by restaurants and bars. Here, clients can pick up anything from Canadian cheeses and maple syrup to seasonal treats such as fiddlehead ferns and pickled wild garlic. It’s also home to the original BeaverTails store, where the famous flattened pastries can be topped with classic cinnamon and sugar or something more unexpected – the more daring can even try the ones wrapped around a hotdog.
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Getting THERE
Air Canada flies three times a week from Heathrow to Ottawa during winter and four times
in summer (starting from March 28, 2026). Return fares for the seven-hour flight start from £540 in Economy, £1,580 in Premium Economy and £2,540 in Signature Class.
aircanada.com
travelweekly.co.uk
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