Canada’s capital, on the river and the canal

Ottawa was chosen as capital in 1857, a compromise between the rival claims of Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Kingston, and it still has the feel of a city that grew around its parliament. The Gothic Revival buildings stand on a limestone cliff above the Ottawa River, which divides Ontario from Quebec. Across the water lies French-speaking Gatineau and the Canadian Museum of History, its Grand Hall lined with towering totem poles; the bridges between the two are an easy walk.

It is a city of strong seasons. Summers are warm and green, autumn turns the hills of Gatineau Park red and gold, and winters are long, cold and bright, with snow lying from December into March. Ottawa makes the most of the cold: Winterlude fills February with ice sculptures and outdoor events, and the Rideau Canal, opened in 1832 and listed by UNESCO, freezes into a skating rink through the heart of the city.

The food reflects two languages and a city of newcomers. Look for poutine, maple taffy rolled on snow in late winter, and the stalls and restaurants of the ByWard Market, laid out in the late 1820s and one of the oldest public markets in Canada. Ottawa is also known for shawarma, served in shops across the city, many opened by its Lebanese community. In May the Canadian Tulip Festival fills the parks, a tradition that began with bulbs sent by the Dutch royal family after the Second World War.