Ottawa is one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. It is less than an hour’s drive from the American border. Ottawa enjoys the attributes of a major center for the visual and performing arts and its other big city attractions, but still it maintains the accessibility, atmosphere and charm of a smaller city. Access to spectacular park and wilderness areas situated within and around the city is easy.

There are so many things to see and to do for every traveler to Ottawa. The Canadian Tulip Festival to Winterlude to the Museum of Civilization, the city once considered the quintessential government town has recast itself, along with the neighboring, French-speaking Hull, Quebec as a vibrant, multicultural community.

Ottawa is home to plenty of the world’s cultures as it is home to numerous immigrants from around the world. The city is probably best known as the capital of nation but has become one of the fastest growing cities in North America owing to the booming high-tech business sector.

The main landmark is the 302ft high Peace Tower. The tower surmounts the imposing Parliament Buildings that stand in Gothic splendor at the junction of Ottawa, Rideau and Gastineau rivers. Ottawa is the city of pomp and pageantry with a harmonious blend of the French and English culture.

There is a network of waterways and canals that links it to the Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay. The historic Rideau Canal is used for boating in summer and for ice sculpting and skating in winter, by locals and visitors alike. Ottawa has many top class museums and galleries, and the National Arts Center that houses an opera company, theatres, studios and restaurants.