What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Ottawa, Canada.
Photo: Splash of Rain / Pexels
Ottawa is Canada's capital, a compact city built around government buildings, museums and the Rideau Canal. Visitors come for Parliament Hill, strong national museums like the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian War Museum, and the food stalls and bars of ByWard Market. It's an easy city to walk, with neighbourhoods like Centretown and The Glebe close to the centre. The best months to visit are May and September, when the weather is milder than Ottawa's hot summers or cold winters.
Plan on 3 days. That's enough time to see Parliament Hill, walk the Rideau Canal, visit two or three museums, and explore ByWard Market without rushing.
Downtown (Centretown)
The seat of Canada's federal government sits on a bluff above the Ottawa River, with Gothic Revival buildings and wide lawns. The Centre Block is closed for a long renovation, so free guided tours run in other parliamentary buildings instead. The grounds and riverside paths are open for walking.
Downtown to Glebe
This UNESCO World Heritage canal runs through the city centre, with locks next to Parliament Hill. In summer people walk, cycle or take boat trips along it. In winter part of it often becomes a skating route, though this depends on how cold the season is.
Lower Town
Canada's national art museum, in a glass-and-granite building with views of Parliament Hill. It has large collections of Canadian and Indigenous art as well as European works. Louise Bourgeois's giant spider sculpture, Maman, stands outside.
Lower Town
One of Canada's oldest public markets, with produce stalls, food shops, cafés and restaurants spread over several streets. It is a good place for a meal or a casual walk, and it stays lively in the evening.
Gatineau, Quebec
Across the river from Parliament Hill, this museum covers Canada's human history. The Grand Hall holds a large collection of totem poles from the Pacific Northwest. You can walk there over the Alexandra Bridge.
LeBreton Flats
A modern museum on Canada's military history, from early conflicts to recent peacekeeping. It has tanks, artillery and personal stories from soldiers and civilians. The building itself is designed to feel stark and reflective.
Centretown
Housed in a castle-like heritage building, this museum has fossil galleries, a blue whale skeleton, and halls on birds, minerals and Arctic life. It works well for families and on cold or rainy days.
Lower Town
Ottawa's oldest church and the seat of the city's Roman Catholic archbishop. Its twin silver spires are easy to spot. Inside, the blue vaulted ceiling with gold stars and the carved woodwork are the main features.
New Edinburgh
The official residence of the Governor General of Canada. Visitors can walk the landscaped grounds and see trees planted by visiting leaders, and guided tours of the house are offered.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4°C / -13°C | 11 days (76 mm) | 4.9 h/day | 2.0/10 |
| February | -2°C / -12°C | 12 days (74 mm) | 6.1 h/day | 2.1/10 |
| March | 3°C / -7°C | 12 days (76 mm) | 7.5 h/day | 2.6/10 |
| April | 11°C / 0°C | 13 days (105 mm) | 8.2 h/day | 4.0/10 |
| Best month: May | 20°C / 8°C | 11 days (91 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 7.8/10 |
| June | 24°C / 13°C | 13 days (115 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| July | 27°C / 17°C | 13 days (108 mm) | 12.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| August | 25°C / 17°C | 13 days (121 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| Best month: September | 22°C / 13°C | 9 days (76 mm) | 9.5 h/day | 8.1/10 |
| October | 14°C / 7°C | 12 days (104 mm) | 6.4 h/day | 5.3/10 |
| November | 6°C / 0°C | 12 days (76 mm) | 5.0 h/day | 1.9/10 |
| December | 0°C / -6°C | 13 days (88 mm) | 3.8 h/day | 1.4/10 |
Avoid. Highs of only -3.5°C, lows of -12.7°C and 11 rain days. With 4.9 sun hours, this is too cold and dark for most visitors.
Avoid. Highs of -2°C, lows of -12.1°C and 11.9 rain days. It stays harsh, and the score of 2.1 is one of the lowest.
Avoid. Highs reach 3.3°C, but lows are still -6.6°C, with 11.5 rain days. Winter lingers, so it scores just 2.6.
OK. Highs rise to 11.1°C, but nights sit near 0.4°C. There are 12.6 rain days and 105 mm of rain, so pack layers.
Best. Highs of 19.5°C, 11 rain days and 10.4 sun hours. With a score of 7.8, it is one of the top months to go.
Good. Warm highs of 23.7°C and 10.8 sun hours, but 12.9 rain days and 115 mm of rain. Expect some wet spells.
Good. The warmest month, with highs of 26.7°C and 12.1 sun hours. It is also wet, with 13.3 rain days.
Good. Highs of 25.2°C, but it is the wettest month, with 121 mm of rain over 12.8 rain days. Scores 7.4.
Best. The top score, 8.1. Highs of 21.9°C and the fewest rain days, 9.3. This is the easiest month for a visit.
OK. Highs drop to 14.3°C and sun falls to 6.4 hours. There are 12.4 rain days, so bring a rain jacket.
Avoid. Highs of 6.2°C, lows of -0.3°C and 11.8 rain days. Only 5 sun hours make it grey and cold.
Avoid. The lowest score, 1.4. Highs of 0.2°C, 12.6 rain days and just 3.8 sun hours, the darkest month.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Canada →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers
This old market district sits just east of Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal, with food stalls, restaurants and bars on its streets. You can walk to most major sights and museums from here. It gets loud late at night, especially at weekends, so light sleepers should ask for a quiet room.
Good for first-timers, business travellers, walkers
Centretown is the central grid south of Parliament Hill, with offices, shops and the Bank Street and Elgin Street strips. It puts you close to the canal, the government buildings and many restaurants. Some blocks feel quiet and office-like in the evenings and at weekends.
Good for families, couples, quiet stays
The Glebe is a leafy residential area south of Centretown, beside the Rideau Canal, with independent shops and cafés along Bank Street. It feels calm and local, and Lansdowne Park hosts events and a farmers' market. It is a longer walk or a bus ride to Parliament Hill and the ByWard Market.
Good for students, budget travellers, quiet streets
Sandy Hill lies east of the ByWard Market, around the University of Ottawa, with older houses and tree-lined streets. It is close to the centre but calmer than the Market. Choice of places to stay is more limited, and the area can feel busy with students during term.
Good for repeat visitors, food and coffee fans
Hintonburg is west of downtown, along Wellington Street West, with small restaurants, breweries, galleries and cafés. It feels like a lived-in neighbourhood, and it is near the Ottawa River pathways. You will need transit or a bike to reach the main downtown sights.
Good for families, outdoor lovers, shoppers
Westboro is further west, with shops along Richmond Road and easy access to the Ottawa River and its beaches and paths. It is relaxed and residential, good for a slower stay. It is the furthest option here from Parliament Hill, so expect a bus or light rail ride for sightseeing.
Flat, stretched fried dough shaped like a beaver's tail, topped with cinnamon sugar or other sweet toppings. The brand began in the Ottawa area. Locals eat them at the ByWard Market or beside the Rideau Canal skateway in winter.
Ottawa is known for its many Lebanese shawarma shops, serving grilled meat in pita with strong garlic sauce and pickled turnips. It is a common late-night meal and a cheap lunch across the city.
Fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy, a dish from neighbouring Quebec. It is easy to find in Ottawa and across the river in Gatineau, often at chip stands, pubs and diners.
Hot maple syrup is poured onto clean snow and rolled onto a stick as it hardens. Locals eat it at winter festivals and at sugar shacks outside the city in early spring.
Syrup, maple butter and maple candy come from sugar bushes in the farmland around Ottawa. Look for them at the ByWard Market and local farmers' markets.
Yes, August scores 7.4 out of 10 and counts as a good month. Days average a high of 25.2°C with a low of 16.7°C. It's also one of the wettest months, with 121 mm of rain spread over about 13 days, so pack for occasional showers.
September and May are rated the best months, scoring 8.1 and 7.8 out of 10. September brings warm days averaging 21.9°C highs with less rain than summer, around 76 mm over 9.3 days. May offers 19.5°C highs with 10.4 hours of sunshine and fewer crowds than summer.
Yes, January is cold, with an average high of only -3.5°C and a low of -12.7°C. It still gets 11 rain or precipitation days and just 4.9 hours of sun a day, making it one of the lowest-scoring months at 2 out of 10.
Two to three days cover the main sights. Parliament Hill takes 2–3 hours, the National Gallery of Canada needs 2–4 hours, and ByWard Market or the Rideau Canal each take 1–3 hours. Add a half day if you plan to cross into Gatineau for the Canadian Museum of History.
Winter months score low: January and February both sit around 2 out of 10, and December scores 1.4. Highs stay below freezing, from 0.2°C in December down to -3.5°C in January, with lows reaching -12.7°C. These months suit travellers who want snow and canal skating rather than mild weather.
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