Best things to do in Ottawa

Ottawa's Essential Landmarks

Ottawa’s historic core is defined by Parliament Hill’s Gothic Revival architecture and the UNESCO-listed Rideau Canal, North America’s oldest continuously operated slackwater canal system. The ByWard Market remains the city’s primary public market and entertainment district, while the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum document national heritage and military service. Nearby, the 19th-century Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica stands as the city's oldest church. These sites, along with scenic vantage points like Nepean Point and Major’s Hill Park, represent Canada’s political and cultural foundations.