Ontario bezienswaardigheden

The Rideau Canal is a signature Ottawa landmark, dividing the city’s downtown into eastern and western segments. Opened in 1832, it’s the oldest still operational canal system in North America.

In winter, the 8 km (5-mile) stretch of canal running through the center of Ottawa transforms into the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world’s longest skating rink. In summer, joggers, sightseers and cyclers promenade along the canal’s banks. One of the best ways to experience life on the canal is aboard a scenic canal cruise.

Canada’s oldest market, operating since 1826, the ByWard Market is one of the most entertaining attractions in Ottawa.

Come here year-round, rain or shine to get a taste for Ottawa’s food culture and lively city ambiance.

There are more than 260 fresh produce, arts and crafts stands to browse, and 500 businesses operating within the market. Choose from 88 restaurants, two dozen nightlife venues, and scores of shops and boutiques. You’ll also find the National Gallery of Canada nearby.

Canada’s premier art collection is housed in the National Gallery of Canada, a strikingly modern building of glass and pink granite overlooking the Ottawa River.

The collection focuses on Canadian and European works, both classical and contemporary. The chronological display of art in the Canadian galleries is especially illuminating, providing a cultural overview of Canada’s history in paintings. You’ll also find photography exhibits, Asian collections and the art of indigenous and Aboriginal Canadians in the Inuit Gallery. The gallery also prides itself on the quality and energy of its ongoing contemporary collection.

Confederation Square is a triangular plaza wedged between Wellington Street and Elgin Street right in front of Parliament Hill. It is a planned urban space that was, together with the National War Memorial, officially completed around 1939. The big granite memorial sits at the very center of the square and was originally a tribute to the Canadians who fought in World War One, but has since become more of a symbol of all Canadians serving the country in times of war. Bronze soldiers, including infantry, nurses, dispatch riders and many more regiments and corps portray “The Response” under the big granite arch, the heroic sacrifices made by Canada. They are watched over by two figures representing peace and freedom mounted on the top of the arch. Located at Confederation Square and right in front of the National War Memorial is also the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a second monument that holds the remains of an unidentified soldier fallen during the First World War in France.

Na een grondige renovatie door de in Toronto geboren architect Frank Gehry, is de Art Gallery of Ontario heropend in een hypermodern gebouw, dat een uitmuntende balans heeft van kunst en architectuur en waar goed gebruik wordt gemaakt van daglicht.

De Art Gallery of Ontario heeft meer dan 79.000 werken en een grote fotocollectie. Hoogtepunten zijn zeldzame religieuze beelden uit Québec, houtsnijwerk van oorspronkelijke bewoners en Eskimo’s, en Canadese topstukken van Emily Carr en de Group of Seven. Ook Europese kunst is goed vertegenwoordigd met werken van Thomas Gainsborough, Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso en René Magritte.

De Gallery heeft ook een grote collectie hedendaagse kunst in verschillende vormen, zoals beelden, projecties, schilderijen en kunstvormen in 3D. Een breed aanbod van tentoonstellingen maakt de belevenis in de Gallery compleet.

Literally the “House on a Hill,” Casa Loma - a mock medieval castle with Elizabethan-style chimneys, Rhineland turrets, secret passageways, and an underground tunnel - towers above midtown Toronto on a cliff. A walk through the sumptuous interior of this eccentric 98-room mansion is a trip back in time.

Inside, you can wander through the majestic Great Hall, marveling at its 59 foot (18 meter) high hammer-beam ceiling, while in the Oak Room the stately paneling took three years for artisans to create. Elegant bronze doors open up into the Conservatory, which is lit by an Italian chandelier with electrical bunches of grapes. Rugs feature the same patterns as those at Windsor castle. The original kitchen had ovens big enough to cook an ox, and secret panels and tunnels abound. The stables were used by the Canadian government for secret WWII research into anti-U-boat technology.

Rideau Hall is the residence of the Governor General of Canada, and because of the country’s status as a member of the Commonwealth, is also where the monarch stays when visiting Ottawa. Rideau Hall was built in 1838 by the lumber baron Thomas MacKay and eventually became the official residence for the Canadian head of state in 1867. Most of the 175 rooms in the federal heritage building are used for state business, formal ceremonies and functions, with only a small space being dedicated to living quarters.

The grounds are just as historical as the stately mansion and represent Canada’s character and cultural diversity to the core. During the summer months the hourly changing of guard ceremony can be observed at the main gate. A characteristically colorful totem pole with a thunderbird gracing the top and a fisherman holding a salmon stands in the garden as a gift from the Kwakwaka´wakw people in the Pacific Northwest.

Waar vroeger de grootste opslag van Toronto te vinden was, zijn nu appartementen, kantoren, horeca en winkels. Queen's Quay Terminal was sinds de bouw in 1926 in gebruik als opslag voor verpakte en droge goederen, speciale koelopslag, internationale import en gebonden goederen zoals thee en tabak. Het terrein van bijna 100.000 m2 had een eigen spoornet en daardoor was het een populaire plek voor zowel import als export. In 1983 begon de renovatie naar een multifunctioneel gebied, dat nog steeds als een van de succesvolste gebiedsvernieuwingen ter wereld wordt beschouwd. Hiervoor ontving het zelfs een aantal prijzen. Daarbij is de geschiedenis van het gebied goed bewaard gebleven, zodat moderne commerciële gebouwen en huisvesting toch die kenmerkende art-decostijl hebben.

Greektown, also known as The Danforth, has a European sensibility, with its sprawling restaurant and cafe patios, cluster of markets and heavy street traffic. However, over the years, you’ll find it’s just as easy to get Sushi or Indian food among the Greek tavernas.

The Danforth has two identities - north of the Danforth is the concentration of traditional Greek and Italian families; south of the Danforth are more modern Canadian families and a hippie demographic. This is also reflected in the geography of the street: from Chester to the east end of the Danforth there is more of a concentration of Greek Restaurants; the centre of the Danforth, at Chester, is known as The Carrot Common, home to one of the oldest Vegetarian markets, The Big Carrot; west on the Danforth are a plethora of cafes, yoga studios and a mix of restaurants and classic pubs like the Auld Spot, Allens and Dora Keoghs.

Een van de mooiste attracties naast de watervallen is het Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory, waar meer dan 2.000 kleurrijke tropische vlinders van meer dan 50 verschillende soorten te zien zijn. De vlinders dwarrelen vrij rond tussen exotische bloemen en groen. Soms landen ze zelfs op een van de vele bezoekers die langs lopen.

Veel daglicht zorgt voor een open en heldere omgeving in het Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory, waarvan het klimaat nauwkeurig geregeld wordt. Paden op verschillende niveaus lopen door het regenwoud, langs een klein meertje en een waterval. De vlinders zitten vaak stil, zodat je mooie foto’s van ze kunt maken. Er is ook een vlinderkweekafdeling, waar je vlinders uit hun cocons kunt zien komen. Enkele keren per dag kunnen de jonge vlinders door een raam naar buiten.

Het Niagara Butterfly Conservatory doet ook dienst als een broeikas voor de Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.

Ottawa is blessed with a number of great museums, but one of them really stands out: the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. From the moment you walk in and see the old Snowbird plane dramatically suspended in midair, you realize why this place is called one of the most interesting museums in the world. Over 130 aircrafts present a comprehensive history of Canada’s aeronautical achievements, ranging from an old Silver Dart, the first airplane to fly in Canada, to the Canadarm, a robotic arm that made Canada a partner in the International Space Shuttle Program. Basically, the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum is a gigantic hangar filled to the brim with planes hanging from the ceiling and parked on the ground, but there are some interactive elements as well. A full-motion Redbird flight simulator normally used to train pilots lets you control an aircraft first hand and makes you realize that flying isn’t as easy as it looks.

Ottawa’s Roman Catholic Notre Dame Basilica is the largest and oldest church in the city, dating back to 1839.

The building has a somewhat austere exterior, but the interior is rich in color and detail. Built in Gothic style, the building is topped with a pair of slender spires and features large stained-glass windows. Inside, the long central nave is lined with pointed Gothic arches topped with terraced galleries. The nave runs to the semi-circular sanctuary with its blue painted ceiling, ribbed vaults and carved altars. Pop in to admire the sculptures and painted detail, or take a guided tour. Church services are held in both French and English.

Often touted as one of Ontario’s most beautiful towns, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a great destination for anyone wanting a slow-paced, scenic and agriculturally-rich Canadian experience. Wine touring is a popular activity, as Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to over 25 wineries, most of which are open for tours and tastings. Visit everything from small boutique wineries to large estates, with each facility having its own distinct personality -- although all benefit from the area’s proximity to Lake Ontario and the Niagara River.

There are also a number of performance spaces, great for getting to know local culture, including the Shaw Festival Theatre, Court House Theatre and Royal George Theatre. There are also a number of art galleries, like the Angie Strauss Gallery, which showcases beautiful impressionist paintings, and the Romance Collection Gallery, where you can see works by local artists Trisha Romance and Tanya Jean Peterson.