Ottawa itinerary: 1 to 7 days
Plans for one to seven days in Ottawa, day by day: Parliament Hill and the National Gallery of Canada first, then the National War Memorial, the ByWard Market and Rideau Hall, and the Canadian War Museum, the Central Experimental Farm and the Museum of Nature as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Ottawa in 1 day
Day 1
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Ottawa in 2 days
Day 1
Confederation Square
Triangular plaza at the centre of the capital, around the National War Memorial and near Parliament.
National War Memorial
Granite arch with bronze figures commemorating Canada's war dead, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
Rideau Canal
A 202-km historic canal and UNESCO site running through central Ottawa; walk or cycle its banks and see the locks beside Parliament Hill.
Day 2
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest markets, with produce stalls, restaurants, pubs and BeaverTails pastry stands.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest church and Catholic cathedral, with twin silver spires and a richly painted, star-studded blue vaulted interior.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Rideau Hall
The Governor General's official residence, with 32 hectares of grounds, gardens and free guided tours of the house.
Ottawa in 3 days
Day 1
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Canadian Museum of History
Canada's national history museum across the river in Gatineau, with a Grand Hall of totem poles and views back to Parliament Hill.
LeBreton Flats
Open riverside land west of downtown with the Canadian War Museum and a park used for summer festivals.
Day 2
Confederation Square
Triangular plaza at the centre of the capital, around the National War Memorial and near Parliament.
National War Memorial
Granite arch with bronze figures commemorating Canada's war dead, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
Rideau Canal
A 202-km historic canal and UNESCO site running through central Ottawa; walk or cycle its banks and see the locks beside Parliament Hill.
Beechwood Cemetery
Canada's National Cemetery, with landscaped grounds and graves of prime ministers, soldiers and notable Canadians.
Day 3
Central Experimental Farm
A working research farm inside the city with ornamental gardens, an arboretum and barns, free to walk.
Canada Agriculture Museum
Hands-on museum at the Experimental Farm with barns of cows, horses and pigs and food-science exhibits.
Dow's Lake
Small lake on the Rideau Canal with a pavilion, boat rentals in summer and skating in winter; tulips bloom nearby in May.
Billings Estate Museum
Ottawa's oldest wood-frame house (1829), a museum of a pioneer family with gardens and summer tea.
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest markets, with produce stalls, restaurants, pubs and BeaverTails pastry stands.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest church and Catholic cathedral, with twin silver spires and a richly painted, star-studded blue vaulted interior.
Ottawa in 4 days
Day 1
LeBreton Flats
Open riverside land west of downtown with the Canadian War Museum and a park used for summer festivals.
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
Rideau Canal
A 202-km historic canal and UNESCO site running through central Ottawa; walk or cycle its banks and see the locks beside Parliament Hill.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Day 2
Confederation Square
Triangular plaza at the centre of the capital, around the National War Memorial and near Parliament.
National War Memorial
Granite arch with bronze figures commemorating Canada's war dead, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest markets, with produce stalls, restaurants, pubs and BeaverTails pastry stands.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest church and Catholic cathedral, with twin silver spires and a richly painted, star-studded blue vaulted interior.
Canadian Museum of History
Canada's national history museum across the river in Gatineau, with a Grand Hall of totem poles and views back to Parliament Hill.
Day 3
Central Experimental Farm
A working research farm inside the city with ornamental gardens, an arboretum and barns, free to walk.
Canada Agriculture Museum
Hands-on museum at the Experimental Farm with barns of cows, horses and pigs and food-science exhibits.
Dow's Lake
Small lake on the Rideau Canal with a pavilion, boat rentals in summer and skating in winter; tulips bloom nearby in May.
Billings Estate Museum
Ottawa's oldest wood-frame house (1829), a museum of a pioneer family with gardens and summer tea.
Beechwood Cemetery
Canada's National Cemetery, with landscaped grounds and graves of prime ministers, soldiers and notable Canadians.
Day 4
Rideau Hall
The Governor General's official residence, with 32 hectares of grounds, gardens and free guided tours of the house.
Notre-Dame Cemetery
Large Catholic cemetery in Vanier with graves of notable Ottawans and Commonwealth war graves.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
National museum at Rockcliffe airfield with one of the world's best collections of aircraft.
Ottawa in 5 days
Day 1
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
Rideau Canal
A 202-km historic canal and UNESCO site running through central Ottawa; walk or cycle its banks and see the locks beside Parliament Hill.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Day 2
Confederation Square
Triangular plaza at the centre of the capital, around the National War Memorial and near Parliament.
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest markets, with produce stalls, restaurants, pubs and BeaverTails pastry stands.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest church and Catholic cathedral, with twin silver spires and a richly painted, star-studded blue vaulted interior.
Canadian Museum of History
Canada's national history museum across the river in Gatineau, with a Grand Hall of totem poles and views back to Parliament Hill.
Billings Estate Museum
Ottawa's oldest wood-frame house (1829), a museum of a pioneer family with gardens and summer tea.
Day 3
Centennial Flame
Gas-fed flame fountain at the entrance to Parliament Hill, lit in 1967 for Canada's centenary.
Rideau Falls
Twin waterfalls where the Rideau River drops into the Ottawa River, with a park beside Sussex Drive.
Rideau Hall
The Governor General's official residence, with 32 hectares of grounds, gardens and free guided tours of the house.
Notre-Dame Cemetery
Large Catholic cemetery in Vanier with graves of notable Ottawans and Commonwealth war graves.
Day 4
National War Memorial
Granite arch with bronze figures commemorating Canada's war dead, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Dow's Lake
Small lake on the Rideau Canal with a pavilion, boat rentals in summer and skating in winter; tulips bloom nearby in May.
Canada Agriculture Museum
Hands-on museum at the Experimental Farm with barns of cows, horses and pigs and food-science exhibits.
Central Experimental Farm
A working research farm inside the city with ornamental gardens, an arboretum and barns, free to walk.
Day 5
LeBreton Flats
Open riverside land west of downtown with the Canadian War Museum and a park used for summer festivals.
Canadian War Museum
Modern museum of Canada's military history with tanks, artworks and Regeneration Hall views to Parliament.
Beechwood Cemetery
Canada's National Cemetery, with landscaped grounds and graves of prime ministers, soldiers and notable Canadians.
Ottawa in 6 days
Day 1
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
Rideau Canal
A 202-km historic canal and UNESCO site running through central Ottawa; walk or cycle its banks and see the locks beside Parliament Hill.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Day 2
Confederation Square
Triangular plaza at the centre of the capital, around the National War Memorial and near Parliament.
Canadian Museum of History
Canada's national history museum across the river in Gatineau, with a Grand Hall of totem poles and views back to Parliament Hill.
Billings Estate Museum
Ottawa's oldest wood-frame house (1829), a museum of a pioneer family with gardens and summer tea.
Beechwood Cemetery
Canada's National Cemetery, with landscaped grounds and graves of prime ministers, soldiers and notable Canadians.
Day 3
Centennial Flame
Gas-fed flame fountain at the entrance to Parliament Hill, lit in 1967 for Canada's centenary.
Rideau Falls
Twin waterfalls where the Rideau River drops into the Ottawa River, with a park beside Sussex Drive.
Rideau Hall
The Governor General's official residence, with 32 hectares of grounds, gardens and free guided tours of the house.
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest markets, with produce stalls, restaurants, pubs and BeaverTails pastry stands.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest church and Catholic cathedral, with twin silver spires and a richly painted, star-studded blue vaulted interior.
Day 4
National War Memorial
Granite arch with bronze figures commemorating Canada's war dead, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Dow's Lake
Small lake on the Rideau Canal with a pavilion, boat rentals in summer and skating in winter; tulips bloom nearby in May.
Canada Agriculture Museum
Hands-on museum at the Experimental Farm with barns of cows, horses and pigs and food-science exhibits.
Central Experimental Farm
A working research farm inside the city with ornamental gardens, an arboretum and barns, free to walk.
Day 5
Canadian War Museum
Modern museum of Canada's military history with tanks, artworks and Regeneration Hall views to Parliament.
LeBreton Flats
Open riverside land west of downtown with the Canadian War Museum and a park used for summer festivals.
Day 6
Bank of Canada Museum
A free museum in the Bank of Canada's headquarters, with hands-on exhibits about money, the economy and the national currency collection.
Canadian Museum of Nature
National natural history museum in a castle-like building, with dinosaurs, a blue whale skeleton and minerals.
Notre-Dame Cemetery
Large Catholic cemetery in Vanier with graves of notable Ottawans and Commonwealth war graves.
Ottawa in 7 days
Day 1
Parliament Hill
Gothic Revival parliament buildings above the Ottawa River; watch the summer Changing of the Guard and take free tours of West Block.
Rideau Canal
A 202-km historic canal and UNESCO site running through central Ottawa; walk or cycle its banks and see the locks beside Parliament Hill.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass gallery with Canadian and Indigenous art, the Group of Seven and Louise Bourgeois's giant spider Maman outside.
Day 2
Confederation Square
Triangular plaza at the centre of the capital, around the National War Memorial and near Parliament.
Billings Estate Museum
Ottawa's oldest wood-frame house (1829), a museum of a pioneer family with gardens and summer tea.
Beechwood Cemetery
Canada's National Cemetery, with landscaped grounds and graves of prime ministers, soldiers and notable Canadians.
Day 3
Centennial Flame
Gas-fed flame fountain at the entrance to Parliament Hill, lit in 1967 for Canada's centenary.
Rideau Falls
Twin waterfalls where the Rideau River drops into the Ottawa River, with a park beside Sussex Drive.
Rideau Hall
The Governor General's official residence, with 32 hectares of grounds, gardens and free guided tours of the house.
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest markets, with produce stalls, restaurants, pubs and BeaverTails pastry stands.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest church and Catholic cathedral, with twin silver spires and a richly painted, star-studded blue vaulted interior.
Day 4
National War Memorial
Granite arch with bronze figures commemorating Canada's war dead, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Dow's Lake
Small lake on the Rideau Canal with a pavilion, boat rentals in summer and skating in winter; tulips bloom nearby in May.
Canada Agriculture Museum
Hands-on museum at the Experimental Farm with barns of cows, horses and pigs and food-science exhibits.
Central Experimental Farm
A working research farm inside the city with ornamental gardens, an arboretum and barns, free to walk.
Day 5
Canadian War Museum
Modern museum of Canada's military history with tanks, artworks and Regeneration Hall views to Parliament.
LeBreton Flats
Open riverside land west of downtown with the Canadian War Museum and a park used for summer festivals.
Day 6
Bank of Canada Museum
A free museum in the Bank of Canada's headquarters, with hands-on exhibits about money, the economy and the national currency collection.
Canadian Museum of Nature
National natural history museum in a castle-like building, with dinosaurs, a blue whale skeleton and minerals.
Notre-Dame Cemetery
Large Catholic cemetery in Vanier with graves of notable Ottawans and Commonwealth war graves.
Day 7
Canadian Museum of History
Canada's national history museum across the river in Gatineau, with a Grand Hall of totem poles and views back to Parliament Hill.
Watch: Ottawa in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Ottawa
May to September is the best time to visit Ottawa, with warm weather and boat tours on the Rideau Canal. The Canadian Tulip Festival in May and Canada Day on 1 July bring crowds, and autumn colours peak in late September and early October. Winter is very cold and snowy, but the canal becomes a skating rink and Winterlude takes place in February.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Ottawa on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Ottawa on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Ottawa on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Ottawa with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Canada from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Ottawa with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Ottawa
- Parliament's Centre Block is closed for renovation until the 2030s; free guided tours visit the House of Commons in West Block and the Senate building; book online.
- The National Gallery of Canada is closed on Mondays; the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Aviation and Space Museum are closed on Tuesdays outside summer.
- Rideau Hall offers free guided tours in summer and on some weekends the rest of the year; the grounds are open daily.
- OC Transpo's O-Train Line 1 runs east-west through downtown (Parliament and Rideau stations); most central sights are walkable.
- In winter the Rideau Canal Skateway opens when ice allows (usually late January to February), and Winterlude festival runs in February.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bank of Canada Museum: Dmitri Lytov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Beechwood Cemetery: Ducio1234, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Billings Estate Museum: SimonP at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ByWard Market: Kilo-echo-lima-victor-india-november, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Canada Agriculture Museum: P199, Public domain
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Canadian Museum of History: Hayden Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
- Canadian Museum of Nature: RealGrouchy, Public domain
- Canadian War Museum: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Centennial Flame: D. Gordon E. Robertson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Central Experimental Farm: P199, CC BY 2.5
- Confederation Square: Skeezix1000, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dow's Lake: Original uploader was Lezumbalaberenjena at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- LeBreton Flats: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Gallery of Canada: – Wladyslaw [Disk.], CC BY-SA 3.0
- National War Memorial: Jcart1534, Public domain
- Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica: Hayden Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
- Notre-Dame Cemetery: The original uploader was SimonP at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Parliament Hill: Coolcaesar, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rideau Canal: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Rideau Falls: Thomas Burrowes, Public domain
- Rideau Hall: Concierge.2C, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
