 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | |
42°F / 5°C
(Drizzle. Fog. Nippy.)
|
|
|
|
|
Once a sleepy government town, urban renewal and a drive to become a greater tourist destination have changed Ottawa considerably in the past decade. The city now has a vibrancy that makes it a world-class destination. No matter what your interests, Canada's national capital is bound to offer something that appeals to everyone.
Visual Arts
Ottawa's internationally renowned galleries and museums play host to Canada's finest collections, as well as some of the world's most impressive traveling exhibits. Second only to Parliament Hill as a daytime tourist attraction, the National Gallery of Canada offers free admission to its permanent collection, which includes the best of traditional and modern Canadian art and a respected selection of Renaissance and Impressionist pieces including works by Gustav Klimt, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet and Degas. Recent traveling exhibits that have made an appearance at the gallery include works by Van Gogh, Monet, and most recently, a retrospective of the works of Gustav Klimt.
The importance of art in the capital can be seen everywhere from museums like the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography and the Ottawa Art Gallery to over a dozen local galleries including the Carmel Art Gallery.
History
Notably, for a city barely two centuries old, Ottawa is obsessed with its own architectural and political history. From the Canadian War Museum to the Bytown Museum, which chronicles the building of the Rideau Canal and the early history of the city itself, the Ottawa story has been preserved, studied and presented. For history with a personal touch, take part in one of numerous walking tours, or grab a guidebook and go for a stroll on your own.
Children
Ottawa offers a host of attractions and activities for children, including the Canadian Children's Museum , located within the stunning Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull. The Canadian Museum of Nature, located at the south end of Metcalfe Street, is also a sure hit with the young ones.
Performing Arts
When it comes to the performing arts, the National Arts Centre operates as the city's epicentre, featuring world-class opera and dance performances, English and French theatre productions and several symphony concerts.
Quality theatre productions are presented on an ongoing basis by a number of smaller, local theatre companies such as Ottawa Little Theatre and the Great Canadian Theatre Company. Or opt for lighter fare with the capital’s own brand of humour at the Yuk Yuk's comedy club.
Nightlife
Ottawa has a lively nightlife that is divided between two locations: Elgin Street, where the popular dance clubs Griffin's, Maxwell's Bistro and The Bulldog Pub. While the Bulldog caters to a mainly twentysomething crowd, the clientele at Griffin’s and Maxwell’s is more the over 30 set. For the slighty older crowd there is always Hartwells located in the Westin hotel.
Places to both see and be seen in the Byward Market include the Celtic Pub, the Heart and Crown, which features live music every night and the Empire Grill with its popular martini bar. Blues lovers venturing in the Byward Market can check out the Rainbow Bistro. For the younger generation there is always On Tap on York Street whre they can dance the night away. But by far the best way to experience the "Market" by night is to simply explore and let your ears be your guide.
Visitors will find bars, nightclubs and restaurants throughout the city geared to the gay and lesbian community as well. Among them are the Lookout Bar and Bistro and the Rock Bottom Grill in the Byward Market. The city's Capital Xtra magazine’s the place to start a search for the LGBT scene.
Live Music
The live music possibilities in this cultural hotspot know no limits. The annual summer concert series on the lawn of the Governor General's residence at Rideau Hall features some of Canada's most talented musicians, while Barrymore's Music Hall, the largest of the city's many live music bars offers weekly live music acts of the rock and roll variety.
Fans of the blues normally head straight the Rainbow Bistro in the Byward Mmarket where live acts are featured every night.
Festivals and Events
Annual festivals draw crowds from around the city and the world. The most famous of the lot are the Canadian Tulip Festival, with its thousands of bulbs colouring the city in spring, and Winterlude, which transforms the Rideau Canal into the world's longest skating rink.
During the summer there is at least one major event every week, including the country's largest Canada Day celebration, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, an ever-expanding Bluesfest and the lesbian and gay Pride Week Festival. The celebratory season is rounded out with August's 112-year-old Central Canada Exhibition, which takes place smack dab in the middle of the city at Lansdowne Park.
Other festivals celebrating the region's ethnic and musical diversity include Italian Week. festivities along Preston Street in late July and the magnificent Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival in September.
Film
The film-going experience is particularly prized in Ottawa and fans of old-fashioned theatres and independent films will feel very at home here. In addition to the mainstream theatres sprinkled throughout Ottawa's many neighbourhoods, the Bytowne Theatre features international films, while the Glebe's old-fashioned Mayfair Theatre, plays classics as well as independent flicks. For those interested in the bigger picture, an IMAX theatre is located in the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull.
|
|
|
|
|
