Travel to Ottawa

Travel to Ottawa

Ottawa is Canadas capital city and the fourth largest city in the country. Itis located in the southeastern region, within driving distance of both Montreal and Toronto.

For visitors, Ottawa has plenty of attractions to recommend, with a good selection of sightseeing highlights suitable for trips in the warmer seasons as well as winter sports perfect for those vacationing during the colder periods of the year. Ottawa is relatively small compared to many of the worlds capital cities; however, it is still very much on the map as one of Canadas most popular tourist destinations.

Transportation to Ottawa

Ottawa can be reached with relative ease via a number of different transportation options. However, the majority of holidaymakers choose to fly into Ottawa International Airport, which is located 10kms south of the city.

The airport is served by a number of ground transportation methods and also offers a comprehensive selection of passenger service and amenities including essential ATMs, bureaux de change and facilities for dining and shopping.

Land-based alternatives for reaching Ottawa include road routes from the USA and other Canadian cities, which visitors can choose to follow by private vehicle, Greyhound bus or by train.

Once you arrive in the city, youll find a comprehensive network of bus services provided by OC Transpo, which allows for getting around all of the main districts. Car hire companies at the airport and in the city itself provide rental service for those visitors who prefer to make their own way around. Taxis, meanwhile, are readily available and can be flagged down in the street, hired from stands or pre-booked by telephone.

What to see

Being a city with a fascinating history, its no surprise that Ottawa offers a great selection of sights based on historical, cultural and heritage-based themes. A trip to the city would not be complete without checking out the Parliament Buildings, while a visit to the National Art Gallery of Canada certainly needs to be placed high up on any agenda. The citys historic Rideau Canal plus countless museums also features on visitors lists of the most popular things to see in Ottawa.

Daytrips

Both Montreal and Toronto are within reasonable driving distance of Ottawa and present good opportunities for a day out, especially if you have a rental vehicle. On addition, organised trips can be booked with local travel agents to destinations such as Merrickville, Brockville, Gananoque, Tremblant, Kingston, Picton and Monteb.

Activities and leisure

As Ottawa receives plenty of snow during the winter season, it is well known as a significant winter holiday destination and offers some great skiing and snowboarding opportunities on well-groomed pistes, at well-developed snow resorts.

In the city meanwhile, the Rideau Canal freezes over and becomes the worlds longest ice skating rink, much to the delight of visitors and permanent residents alike. During the summer season, the canal is also available for boating. Opportunities forspectator sport in the city include watching ice hockey and soccer matches.

Safety issues

Ottawa is by and large a safe holiday destination and visitors neednt worry overly about threats to either their health or personal safety. Winter sports bring some element of danger however and visitors should be adequately trained before participating in any such activities. Holiday insurance is a sensible option, not only for winter sports enthusiasts, but for all travellers, as holidaying abroad always comes with some element of risk, albeit a diminished one in Ottawa.