Cheap Flights to Ottawa

Ottawa climate

Ottawa has a vast range of temperatures between summer and winter, and is subject to unpredictable weather conditions. Winters are generally snowy and icy. Temperatures in winter can drop as low as -25 degrees Celsius at night, but averages are misleading because days can be much warmer. Ice storms can occur. Summer weather in Ottawa is warm and humid, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees fairly often, sometimes as early as April and as late as October. Summers are usually short, though, and spring and autumn are unpredictable, with early or late snowfalls possible or even unseasonal heat waves.

Getting around Ottawa

The easiest way to get around Ottawa is by foot. Most of the city’s attractions are close to each other. If you don’t feel like a walk, you can hop on the O-Train, a light rail transit system covering eight kilometres. The buses are an excellent option, since there are many routes and the buses move quickly through traffic in dedicated bus lanes. Taxis are cheap and accessible, and you can also take summer boats on the Rideau Canal.

Ottawa insider information

• The annual Canadian Tulip Festival is the largest of its kind in the world, and takes place every May through Ottawa and Gatineau. The festival dates back to 1945, when Queen Juliana of the Netherlands gave a gift of 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada. Today, the festival showcases tulips throughout the city, with more than three million tulips on display for ten days in May.
• Canada Day, on July 1, is celebrated best in the country’s capital. Major events take place throughout the city, but the focus of the entertainments are (understandably) on Parliament Hill. Hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to celebrate with concerts, street displays and fireworks in the evening.
• Parliament Hill is the first spot most tourists visit. Don’t miss the sound and light show which runs on summer evenings. Half an hour long, the film about Canada is projected onto the Parliament Buildings accompanied by fantastic lighting effects. The show is free and no booking or tickets are required.
• The Byward Market, east of downtown, is a huge neighbourhood, characterized by its open air market stalls. Fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and art are all on sale in the stalls, while the surrounding shops have become increasingly boutique in recent years. Visit during the day for some shopping or browsing, or at night time for some of Ottawa’s best restaurants, bars and clubs.
• For open air pursuits, the Rideau Canal is one of the best spots. Boat trips are available, for views of the city by water. These can usually be arranged at your hotel or at the canal. The banks of the river are popular routes for joggers and cyclists. Best of all, when the canal freezes over in the winter, it is transformed into a huge outdoor skating rink.