CANADA OTTAWA DESTINATIONS A


scarlet-moustachioed Charlie Chaplin is debating


with a towering Mountie where they should watch the fireworks. It could only mean one thing – I was in the nation’s capital, Ottawa, to celebrate Canada Day along with nearly 40,000 creatively costumed Canadians. The action is centred on


several high-spirited shows on Parliament Hill, featuring everything from local electro pop to Inuit throat singers. I edge closer to Charlie and the Mountie just as they conclude that the best view for the evening’s fireworks would be Major’s Hill Park, where the Ottawa River meets the Rideau


Canal. So I bin my guidebook and decide to follow the locals for my remaining days in Ottawa.


◗ SEE IT LIKE A LOCAL Ottawa’s grand architecture, neo-Gothic spires and inspiring modern museums make for a multitude of dramatic views. If you’re lucky enough to stay in the fairytale turrets of the Fairmont Château Laurier, you’ve got the best view in town over Parliament Hill and the Unesco- listed Ottawa Locks. But local folk frequent Copper Spirits & Sights, the rooftop bar at the Andaz Ottawa Byward Market. It’s the highest patio in the city and the perfect venue to


White-water rafting on the Ottawa River is a thrilling way to explore the city, racing through rapids


sip cocktails while watching the sunset over the capital’s copper- topped domes. Tucked away on the Rideau Canal, Tavern on the Hill offers less lofty but equally exquisite views across the Ottawa River, Notre-Dame Basilica and the


National Gallery of Canada. Or grab a gourmet hotdog at sister business Tavern on the Falls while the Rideau Falls roar away below. If you want to bypass the bagpipes and bearskin hats of the main tourist spots, urban white- water rafting on the Ottawa River offers a different perspective. It’s a thrilling way to explore the city, racing through rapids and getting your feet thoroughly wet. Rafting makes a refreshing change from tourist boat tours, and the trip ends with extraordinary views of the Canadian War Museum that wouldn’t be possible from land. Try Ottawa City Rafting or


family-run Owl Rafting for longer excursions.


23 August 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 45


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72