Attractions

Most of Ottawa's major sights are clustered downtown, so it's not difficult to walk from one to another. But if you prefer seeing the city by boat -- and the river, with the tableau of Parliament Hill above it, is surprisingly beautiful viewed this way -- check out cruise-tour options which use the local waterways as "highways."

From May to October, Paul's Boat Lines (tel. 613/225-6781 or 613/235-8409; www.paulsboatcruises.com) -- no relation -- offers two cruises. One begins from the marina in Gatineau (beside the Museum of Civilization) and proceeds along the Ottawa River, picking up additional passengers at the Ottawa Locks (located between Parliament Hill and The Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel) 30 minutes later, continuing past all the major sights. It runs three to four times daily and lasts about 1 1/2 hr. The other tour cruises the Rideau Canal, leaving from docks opposite the Arts Centre and proceeding down to the Experimental Farm and Carleton University and back; this tour operates five to seven times daily, and lasts about an hour and a quarter. The river trip costs C$18 (US$18/£9) for adults, C$16 (US$16/£8) for seniors and students, and C$9 (US$9/£4.50) for children age 5 to 15; discounts for families are available. The canal cruise costs C$16 (US$16/£8) for adults, C$14 (US$14/£7) for seniors and students, and C$9 (US$9/£4.50) for children.

An intriguing variation of this (that kids often love) is offered in an "amphi-bus" operated by Lady Dive (tel. 613/223-6211 or 613/524-2221; www.amphibus.com). A covered, boat-shaped red vehicle lumbers around the major land-based sights of town, then eases into the river and continues cruising past the key waterside attractions. Find the bus (er, amphi-bus) at the corner of Sparks and Elgin Streets. It leaves on the 1-hour tours daily from May to mid-November from around 10:30am to 9pm in summer, with fewer departures in spring and fall (always call ahead to be sure). Fares for the ride are steep, about C$28 (US$28/£14) for adults, C$25 (US$25/£13) for seniors and students, C$19 (US$19/£9.50) for children ages 6 to 12, and C$9.50 (US$9.50/£4.75) for children ages 1 to 5, not including tax. Lady Dive also operates trolley and double-decker bus tours of the capital.

The Top Attractions

Beyond the attractions described here, guided indoor tours of the Centre Block are offered on a daily schedule that varies throughout the year, while guided tours of the East Block are offered daily in July and August. Make reservations at the Info-Tent on Parliament Hill lawn behind the West Block. It's open from mid-May to Labour Day and distributes Discover the Hill, a free outdoor self-guiding booklet. Also check out the website www.parliamenthill.gc.ca to find out what's going on on "the Hill," and what sorts of tours are available.

Parliament Hill

With their steeply pitched copper roofs, dormers, and towers, the buildings of Canada's Parliament are quite impressive, especially on first sighting from the river or road. In 1860, Prince Edward (later Edward VII) laid the cornerstone for these structures, which were finished in time to host the inaugural session of the first Parliament of the (then brand-new) Dominion of Canada in 1867. Entering through the south gate off Wellington Street, you pass the Centennial Flame, lit by Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson on New Year's Eve 1966 to mark the passing of 100 years since that historic event. On September 14, 2001, more than 100,000 visitors gathered on this same broad lawn in a day of remembrance after the terrorist attacks against the United States 3 days earlier.

The Buildings -- Parliament is composed of three expansive structures -- the Centre Block, straight ahead, and the flanking West Block and East Block. They form the core of Canadian political life, containing as they do both the House of Commons and the Senate. Sessions of the House of Commons can be observed as the 295 elected members debate in the handsome green chamber with the tall stained-glass windows. Parliament is usually in recess from late June to early September (and occasionally also out of session the rest of the year, including the Easter and Christmas holidays). Otherwise, the House normally sits on Mondays from 11am to 6:30pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 6:30pm, Wednesdays from 2 to 8pm, and Fridays from 10am to 4pm. The 104 appointed members of the Senate sit in an opulent red chamber with murals depicting Canadians fighting in World War I.

The imposing 92m (302-ft.) campanile dominating the Centre Block's facade is the Peace Tower. It houses a 53-bell carillon, a huge clock, an observation deck, and the Memorial Chamber, commemorating Canada's war dead -- most notably the 66,650 who lost their lives in World War I. Stones from the deadliest battlefields are lodged in the chamber's walls and floors. Atop the tower is an 11m (36-ft.) bronze mast flying a Canadian flag. When Parliament is in session, this tower is lit. Going up the tower, most visitors notice something strange about the elevator: For the first 30m (98 ft.) of the journey it actually climbs at a 10-degree angle rather than straight up.

A 1916 fire destroyed the original Centre Block; only the Library at the rear was saved. A glorious 16-sided dome, supported outside by flying buttresses and paneled inside with Canadian white pine, features a marble statue of the young Queen Victoria and splendid carvings -- gorgons, crests, masks, and hundreds of rosettes. The West Block, containing parliamentary offices, is closed to the public, but the East Block can be visited; it houses the offices of prime ministers, governors-general, and the Privy Council. Four historic rooms are on view: the original governor-general's office, restored to the period of Lord Dufferin (1872-78); the offices of Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Georges-Etienne Cartier (the principal Fathers of Confederation); and the Privy Council Chamber, with its anteroom.

The grounds around the Centre Block are dotted with statues honoring such prominent figures as Queen Victoria, Sir Georges-Etienne Cartier, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Behind the building is a promenade with sweeping views of the river. Here, too, is the old Centre Block's bell, which crashed to the ground shortly after tolling midnight on the eve of the 1916 fire. At the bottom of the cliff behind Parliament (accessible from the entrance locks on the Rideau Canal), a pleasant path leads along the Ottawa River.

Changing of the Guard -- From late June to late August, a colorful half-hour ceremony is held each morning on the Parliament Hill lawn, weather permitting. Two historic regiments -- the Governor-General's Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards -- compose the Ceremonial Guard. The parade of 125 soldiers in busbies and scarlet jackets assembles at Cartier Square Drill Hall (by the canal at Laurier Ave.) at 9:30am, then marches up Elgin Street to reach the hill at 10am. On arrival on the hill, the Ceremonial Guard splits, one division of the old guard positioned on the west side of the Parliament Hill lawn and two divisions of the new guard, or "duties," on the east side. Inspection of dress and weapons follows. The colors are then marched before the troops and saluted, the guards presenting arms. Throughout, sergeant-majors bellow unintelligible commands that prompt the synchronized stomp and clatter of boots and weapons. Finally, the outgoing guard commander gives the key to the guard room to the incoming commander, signifying the end of the process. The relieved unit marches back down Wellington Street to the beat of their drums and to the skirl of bagpipes.

Sound & Light Show -- For years Canada's history has unfolded in a dazzling free half-hour display of sound and light against the dramatic backdrop of the Parliament buildings. From early July to early September, weather permitting, two performances are given each night, the early one in English, the later in French. There's bleacher seating for the free show. For details, contact the National Capital Commission at tel. 800/465-1867 or 613/239-5000, or visit www.canadascapital.gc.ca. The commission also maintains an information kiosk at 90 Wellington St., across from Parliament Hill.

You Say Reed-O, I Say Re-Dough . . .

The main canal, shopping center, and waterfalls in Ottawa are all called Rideau. So is the province's main hiking trail. So who was this heroic, mysterious Rideau whose name has spread so far and wide? Some mustachioed horseback rider in black, who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor? Er, not quite. The name means "curtains" in French," and the explorer Samuel de Champlain first seems to have used the word to name the Rideau Falls that plunge around Green Island right in the heart of the capital city. Hmmm. Come to think of it, they do look like curtains. Now for the hard part: how do you say that? There's some debate, but one thing's for sure: don't ever say "Ride-O". That's not how you say it. French speakers (e.g., those with an 819 area code), tend to say "Re-DOUGH," treading lightly on the first syllable, which is more correct. Anglo speakers, on the other hand, tend to stress the first syllable a bit more, like "REED-oh." It's all good.

Bombs Away

If you make the pilgrimage to the Cheshire Cat, don't miss one of the odder sights in Ontario nearby: the Diefenbunker, just north of Carp center at 3911 Carp Rd. (tel. 613/839-0007; www.diefenbunker.ca). Now designated as "Canada's Cold War museum," it's a four-story underground H-bomb shelter that was built during the earliest, most tension-filled days of confrontation between East and West. Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker -- a true character, who's worth a book in and of himself -- ordered it built in secret between 1959 and 1961; the eerie, echoey labyrinth here was supposed to provide emergency shelter to key Canadian political and military figures, as well as the nation's gold reserves, in the unfortunate event of a nuclear attack. In 2006, the museum added two spectacular new permanent exhibitions: one very graphically archives the terrible physical toll (on structures and people) of nuclear weapons; the other is an exhibition about peacekeeping and peacekeepers around the world. There's perhaps no other museum so chilling on North American soil.

It's open year-round; tours are given at 2pm weekdays, and at 11am, 1pm, and 2pm weekends, and reservations are required. Admission is C$14 (US$14/£7) for adults, C$13 (US$13/£6.50) for seniors and students, and C$6 (US$6/£3) for children ages 6 to 17; families pay C$35 (US$35/£18). A sweater is recommended: Things can get pretty chilly underground when you're fighting a cold war.