Ottawa

Every city has its shining season. Springtime in Paris, fall in New York. For Ottawa it’s winter, the colder the better. This charming destination, which was made into the capital in 1857, is often overlooked for the bigger and more glamorous Montreal and Toronto; it comes magically alive during the three-weekend-long festival from Friday 1 to February 17 called Winterlude.

During this time, a winding, frozen five-mile stretch of the Rideau Canal (the 125-mile-long canal, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, connects Lake Ontario and the Ottawa River) is the record holder for the world’s largest ice-skating rink; it’s slated to open this season on February 10. Even locals take advantage of the season and skate the canal to get around town. For rentals, visit Capital Skates (53 Elgin St near National Arts Centre, 613-232-8049).

Tourists can take their ice in the form of an igloo-building preview on Saturday 2, or marvel at the works of the world’s top carvers, who adorn the city’s civic squares and parks with intricate statues of fruits and vegetables, mermaids, horses and edifices that resemble the Kremlin.

Start your morning with the trademark doughy pastry (sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon and lemon) at the eponymously named Beavertails (69 George St at William St, Byward Market; 613-241-1230) and pair it with a dose of coffee from Second Cup (399 Elgin St at Frank St, 613-236-8939), Canada’s equally ubiquitous version of Starbucks. Head to Parliament Hill (111 Wellington St between Bank and Elgin Sts; 613-992-4793, parl.gc.ca), where the vibe surrounding Canada’s daunting neo-Gothic federal buildings is refreshingly chill. You can also visit the top of the 300-foot Peace Tower, or stand in front of the Eternal Flame, a monument symbolizing Canada’s unity.

Nearby, you’ll find the lavish limestone hotel Fairmont Château Laurier (1 Rideau St at MacKenzie Ave, 613-241-1414. From $239), which was commissioned in 1912 by the railway baron Charles Melville Hays, who perished on the Titanic the same year. Shirley Temple, Marlene Deitrich and Nelson Mandela have all stayed there—and some locals insist that Hays’s ghost is still around too. While there, stop by Zoe’s Lounge, located inside the hotel, for traditional afternoon English tea and sandwiches, and you can mix with African diplomats and gaggles of young girls and their grand-mères. For a less storied stay, check into Arc the Hotel (140 Slater St between O’Connor and Metcalfe Sts, 800-699-2516. From $195), a modern boutique hotel that sports a “mood booth” in the lobby’s bar that constantly changes light.

For the full experience, walk across the Ottawa River (roughly half the length of the Brooklyn Bridge) to Gatineau, Quebec, where the Quebecois are sticklers when it comes to preserving their culture. All those politically correct bilingual road signs in Ottawa are definitely not scattered about here. Even the stop signs proudly read arrêt.

One of Gatineau’s greatest treasures is the mammoth and curvy Canadian Museum of Civilization (100 Laurier St at Allumettiere Blvd, 819-776-7000), which explores Canada’s 20,000 years of human history. Make sure to check out the towering collection of native totem poles on the ground level.

Afterward, take a short walk to Café Aux Quatre Jeudis (44 Rue Leval at Rue Robert-Wright, Gatineau; 819-771-9557), a watering hole that nicely captures the distinctly French sensibility of the capital region with a wide selection of Quebecois beers, like the house special, St. Ambroise pale ale. Take in the aroma of Du Maurier cigarettes and Canadian beer, which permeates the interior (despite a smoking ban, it lingers on the establishment’s fabrics).

Back across the river in Byward Market—four-square blocks of trendy shops, maple syrup stalls, 120 spots to eat and drink, and a terrific truffle shop—a DJ warms the crowd at one of Ottawa’s more stylish scenes, E18hteen (18 York St, 613-244-1188). Here you’ll find a posh spin on modern French cuisine and an award-winning wine list. The seared Quebec foie gras on toasted brioche with Quebec maple syrup makes for a delicious starter.

For an authentic only-in-Ottawa taste there’s Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro (108 Murray St, 613-562-3683), where chef-owners Phoebe and Warren Sutherland serve food based on native hunting and gathering traditions: Every meal begins with popcorn, and seasonal menu offerings include elk, rabbit, caribou and quail. Try the perfectly grilled tatonka (buffalo).

The fastest way to get a feel for the people—and to stay on top of the Ottawa Senators (hockey games are televised in nearly every establishment)—is to slip into one of the capital’s many Irish, English or Scottish pubs such as the Heart and Crown (67 Clarence St at Parent Ave, Byward Market; 613-562-0674). Order a a glass of Alexander Keith’s India pale ale and stomp to Celtic bands and singers from the East Coast (that is, Canada’s Maritime coast—think Nova Scotia). Another popular stop is Chez Lucien (137 Murray St at Dalhousie St, 613-241-3533), which serves great burgers and has a free jukebox, filled with an eclectic mix of songs from artists like Neil Young, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash and old-school French-Canadian folk crooner Félix Leclerc.

Call it a night after visiting Maroush International Shawarma (380 Elgin St at Gladstone Ave, 613-563-4550); the Lebanese purveyor, who calls himself “Shawarma Nutsy,” sees himself as Ottawa’s version of the Soup Nazi. Women get special service—Maroush likes to jump over the counter, and women who dance, uh, grind with him might get their meal for free. Men, however, are on their own: He’s prone to barking, “No shawarma for you!”

THE TAB
Two nights, two people

Flight $600
Rental car (with gas) $190
Hotel $400
Meals $250

TOTAL $1,380

Travel time 4hrs

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