Canada's quiet capital

Don't we all know those destinations that first appeal to the head and only later to the heart? Like Ottawa, the capital of this huge country called Canada. The discreet charm of the capital only becomes apparent at second glance - and perhaps that is precisely what makes it interesting.

Vancouver on the Pacific coast and Halifax on the Atlantic coast are around 6,000 km apart. Geneva and St. Moritz, on the other hand, are separated by about one twentieth of this distance, at least as the crow flies. And although there are also mountains in Switzerland, there are significantly fewer blizzards, bears and prairies. It is therefore not easy to compare what it is like to travel by train in the two countries.

 

However, travelers from Europe may be surprised at how good and frequent the train connections are, at least within the more densely populated Canadian east. Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec City are well connected by rail and can be reached regularly within a few hours.

 

Our curiosity piqued, we arrive eagerly at Union Station in Toronto, ready to depart for the Canadian capital Ottawa. The first thing we learn: train travel in Canada is more regulated than European travelers are used to. As at the airport, there is a check-in process, luggage is weighed and critically assessed, and the boarding process begins when the Viarail train staff announce it.

 

Once on the train, we are impressed by the comfort of the fairly new vehicles - the seats are wide, there are tables everywhere and plenty of power sockets. However, there is not much room for heavy luggage, hence the meticulous size and weight checks.

 

The journey initially runs close to the shores of Lake Ontario and offers wonderful views of the expanse of this huge lake, which would fit Lake Constance about 35 times over. The train stops a few times, the coffee car passes by again and again, and finally the journey moves inland before reaching its destination of Ottawa after around five hours.

 

A touch of Westminster: Parliament construction site

And now we are at a bit of a loss. Ottawa has a population of around one million, is the capital of a very large country and is surprisingly quiet. Ottawa puts its visitors in a “far-away state of mind”. At least at first.

Because in the evening, the capital takes on a different tone. There is something of a nightlife scene around the central Byward Market, music blares from bars, pubs and restaurants and the streets are lined with low-slung Hyundais and motorcycles that are a touch too loud. The social challenges that we already noticed in Toronto are also very visible in Ottawa.

 

Perhaps Ottawa is more complex than first impressions suggest. The next morning is bright and sunny, just right for an extended walk through the city. Starting with the cathedral, we take a long walk past the National Gallery, look down onto the Rideau Canal and across to the province of Québec to the city of Gatineau. We would also like to visit the parliament building, but it is currently under major construction. So we take a walk around the outside before ending the tour in the pedestrian zone called Sparks Street.

 

The more we spend time in Ottawa, the more we get that slight Wild West feeling again that we already felt on arrival. The Canadian capital eradiates something detached, a feeling like being wrapped in cotton, a subdued atmosphere.

 

parks Street, the oldest pedestrian zone in Canada, is visibly calm

But Ottawa does remain in the memory of its guests, perhaps because it is very authentic in its own way, because overtourism is not an issue and because the people we meet behave in a pleasantly calm way. And we also experience two highlights here: one of them has a political touch. Although the building cannot be visited while the parliament is being renovated, there is an exhibition and multimedia show that deals with the history of the building, the parliament itself and the guidelines for the renovation. This exhibition is free of charge - and very well staged. Tickets for the roughly one-hour visit must be booked online in advance.

 

The other highlight of Ottawa is the National Gallery. Even from the outside, this art museum is impossible to miss - the striking steel, glass and concrete building is reminiscent of the nearby parliament buildings. But the real attraction lies inside the gallery. In addition to exciting exhibitions, it offers a very extensive collection of Canadian art, including works by the indigenous population - well worth seeing and informatively curated.

Top stop: Canada's National Gallery

In retrospect, our short stop in Ottawa needn't have been any longer, but the capital is definitely worth a weekend or a short detour, especially for those interested in art and/or politics.

We are now getting ready to unpack our French skills on the rest of our trip - more on this follows soon!

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Good to know

Ottawa can be reached via its airport, although the only regular direct flight to Europe is to Paris. On the other hand, there are many frequent connections to other Canadian cities and the USA.

On the other hand, the rail network between the major cities in eastern Canada is very well developed and the Viarail trains are comfortable - we were very impressed. Road trips by car or camper are of course always an option in Canada.

Downtown Ottawa is easy to explore on foot, although it should be noted that the area of the entire city is technically very large - in terms of area, Ottawa is comparable to the Saarland in Germany or the Swiss canton of Ticino. It is therefore advisable to stay in the city center or to allow a little more time for transfers.

There is a wide choice of accommodation, although the hotels in the city center didn't seem particularly appealing, at least from the outside. We opted for a bed & breakfast on the edge of the city center, the Century House, and felt very comfortable there. The owner is friendly and the breakfast is a little highlight. The Byward Market is about a ten-minute walk away.

Of Ottawa's restaurants, we remember one in particular - the “Pure Kitchen” with its many delicious vegetarian dishes, fresh juices and relaxed vibes.

As described above, the “Immersive Experience”, which explains the work of the Canadian Parliament and the history of the building, is well worth a visit. Tickets are free and can be booked here.

If you have at least a few hours to spare, you should not miss the National Gallery of Canada. Admission is free on Thursdays and 20 CAD on other days (as of October 2024).