2-day itinerary in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal, Byward Market and Museum of Nature

Self-guided tour of Parliament Hill

On our first day in Ottawa, we decided to explore the city by climbing Parliament Hill. As well as promising us a magnificent view of the city of Ottawa, the historic Rideau Canal and the Ottawa River, this hill is the emblem of Canada's capital. Historically, Parliament Hill represents the beginning of the city of Ottawa. During the construction of the Rideau Canal, which we will visit this afternoon, the first workers set up camp on this hill.

The city continued to flourish as legislative buildings were erected on the hill. Ottawa became Canada's capital in 1857.

Although it's entirely possible, we didn't want to use a tour guide to visit Ottawa. Instead, we chose to explore on our own and looked for resources to learn as much as we could about the city.

We went to the capital's information kiosk to pick up a map of Parliament Hill. The map is free and includes descriptions of the grounds and monuments on the Hill. The kiosk is located opposite Parliament Hill, at 90 Wellington Street. It is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. We drive up to Parliament Hill. There are no parking spaces on the Hill, but we park in the World Exchange Plaza underground car park. This is a pay car park at 45 rue O'Connor. The buildings on the hill cannot be visited on their own. However, it is very pleasant to visit the plateau from the outside. We spent about 1 hour admiring the view. We saw the Rideau Canal and the city of Ottawa on one side. On the other, the Ottawa River and the Quebec city of Gatineau. You can visit the buildings on the hill by booking your tickets on the Parliament of Canada website.

Brunch on the Rideau Canal

Our visit to Parliament Hill has whetted our appetites, so around noon we're off to the Rideau Canal for brunch with a view.

La Terrasse

The Terrace is one of the restaurants of the luxury hotel Fairmont Château Laurier. The hotel's terrace is located just above the Rideau Canal and offers a splendid view of the historic monument. The restaurant offers creative cocktails, tapas and platters to share. Please note that it is not recommended for everyone...

Rideau Canal and ByWard Museum

In the afternoon, we decided to take a stroll along the Rideau Canal. This is the oldest working canal in North America. It was built between 1826 and 1832 to secure the supply and communication routes between Montreal, Ottawa and the Great Lakes. The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a lovely walk where Ottawans cycle, walk their dogs and enjoy the warm summer days.

We spend 2 hours walking along the canal while digesting our meal.

The Bytown Museum

We decided to visit the Bytown Museum. This museum tells the story of the Rideau Canal and the creation of Ottawa, Canada's capital.

The Rideau Canal Museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students, and we spend about 1 hour exploring Canada's exceptional history.

ByWard Market: Canada's oldest market

We get up and take advantage of being in the historic centre of Ottawa to visit the ByWard Market. It's Ottawa's first market and Canada's oldest. In the 1800s, the ByWard Market was the place where workers building the Rideau Canal got their supplies. Today, the ByWard Market is a hip, multicultural neighbourhood. We wander past designer boutiques, fusion restaurants and art galleries all morning.

As luck would have it, we discovered the York Street Farmers' Market in the ByWard Market. It's a gathering of local produce, each more delicious than the last. The market takes place on Saturday mornings. We have a good coffee at the farmers' market and lunch at Chez Lucien, a restaurant that concocts burgers known throughout the capital. You can find all the shops in the ByWard Market in the directory on the market website.

Museum of Nature in Ottawa

To finish our itinerary, we're going to spend the afternoon at the Museum of Nature. To get to the museum, we decided to walk. It's a 30-minute walk from the ByWard Market. We enjoyed the walk through the heart of the city. We arrived at the Nature Museum and discovered its breathtaking collections. The Nature Museum's mission is to collect and preserve evidence, knowledge and inspiration from the world today. It is run by scientists and enthusiasts interested in botany, geology, palaeontology and zoology. The Nature Museum is open every day except Tuesday, from 9.30am to 4pm. Admission for adults costs $17. You can find all the information you need about the Museum of Nature on their website. We spend 2 hours at the nature museum and take the time to wander from gallery to gallery.

Dinner near the nature museum

After spending the afternoon at the Museum of Nature, we're off to dinner.

Fauna

Fauna is a rustic, elegant restaurant serving up beautiful, colourful dishes. All ingredients are sourced locally, around Ottawa.