Area Attractions

While your in Ottawa, don't miss out on the exciting BluesFest from July 9th-19th!

Description

Ottawa has been described as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. Less than an hour's drive from the American border, Ottawa enjoys the attributes of a major centre for the visual and performing arts, as well as other big city attractions. Yet, it still maintains the accessibility, atmosphere and charm of a smaller city, in addition to access to spectacular park and wilderness areas located within and around the city. Ottawa is home to 12 national museums devoted to Canadian art, nature, science and technology, aviation, war civilization and more. Also of interest are the Royal Canadian Mint and the Byward Market, which is constantly buzzing with people visiting the many restaurants, shops and pubs.

Transportation

Ottawa is easily accessible by road, train and flight. Ottawa also has a large international airport that provides numerous domestic and international flights daily. Most major international destinations connect through Toronto, and major US hubs such as Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. There is good access by train from major centers in Ontario and Quebec. The airport and train station are easily accessible by public transportation (www.octranspo.com) and taxis. OC Transpo provides an excellent network of buses with fast connections throughout the city.

Language

The language for the symposium is English. However, Ottawa is a bilingual (English-French) and multi-cultural city.

Weather

Ottawa 's weather in July is usually comfortable with temperatures ranging between 15 and 26 degrees Celsius. It is usually warm at this time of the year, so make sure to dress for the weather. Ottawa’s weather helps visitors get a true taste of Ontario: the surroundings of Ottawa are among the best places to observe nature in its entire splendor.

Ottawa Highlights

Ottawa , the capital of Canada, has a population of about 1 million people. It is in the central part of Canada at the junction of the Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau Rivers. The symposium location is very close to several sites of interest including the Canadian Parliament Building, Rideau Shopping Centre, National Arts Centre, National Art Gallery, the Rideau Canal, Sparks Street Mall, The Byward Market as well as several museums. All these sites are within easy walking distance from the symposium site. Additional information on Ottawa can be found at http://www.ottawakiosk.com or http://wikitravel.org/en/Ottawa.

Tourist Information

Several sites offer tourist information about Ottawa-region and Canada, including maps, accommodation lists and descriptions of sites of interest: