Bytown Museum, Ottawa

Advantages: Historical, lots to see, cheap
Disadvantages: Transport links

.... It is a 19th century cathedral. It was free to enter and is well worth visiting. The inside is very richly decorated and reminded me of Sainte Chapelle in Paris, with its blue ceiling. There are literally hundreds of statues in the church. The cathedral is easily located by its twin spires and is at the end of the Bytown Market. I really thought that the interior of the cathedral was spectacular. CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM: This place really impressed me. Apart from the fact that it is a little way from downtown (not good when you've been walking all day!) it is absolutely fantastic. We went because it was free from 4-9 on Thursdays and probably would not have bothered if this hadn't been the case but we would have missed out. The Museum was well signposted from downtown and it took about 25 minutes to walk there. The museum costs $6... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Plenty to see in a fairly small area
Disadvantages: B****y cold in winter - fuzzy knickers required

...activity, because the buses have their own motorway system called Transitways until they get to downtown where they mingle with the rest of the traffic, none of which by UK standards seems particularly dense. A "transfer" ticket valid for two hours costs the same as a single fare, so there's no excuse not to ask for one. (costs approx. £1). THINGS TO DO IN OTTAWA The Museum of Civilisation, which is in fact in neighbouring Hull has an amazing collection of native American artefacts (totem poles et al) and tells the story of the colonisation of Canada from marauding Vikings to the present day through a series of full scale mock-ups of fishing villages, ships interiors, old railway stations etc. In the same building is the Post Office Museum. I’m not great lover of art galleries and the like, and this museum fulfilled my need to rubber... Read review

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Advantages: location: 2 hours from Montreal, o hour from American border, international flights
Disadvantages: can't think of any

...There is something to do all year-round in this clean, truly beautiful city. National Museums abound in the Nation's Capital. The National Arts Centre, smaller theaters, large festivals of all kinds attract locals and tourists alike. One can enjoy boating on the Ottawa River or on the Rideau Canal. There are miles of hiking and cycling trails, even river rafting. In winter, the Rideau Canal is transformed into the longest skating rink in the world. About half of its population speaks both French and English. Many excellent restaurants catering to all tastes are found in this increasingly multi-ethnic city.... Read review

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