Day One
Begin the day on the lawn in front of the Peace Tower—the tallest point of the centre block of Canada’s Parliament buildings. The famous bells—some of which weigh several tons—chime on the quarter, half and full hour. During the Christmas season, Dominion Carilloneur Gordon Slater gives hourly concerts of holiday music on the bells. Tours of Parliament Hill are free, and are a wonderful way to get a quick lesson in Canadian parliamentary history. During peak tourism season, tours can get booked quickly, so plan to arrive well ahead of tour start times.

After touring through the House of Commons, the Senate, and the incredible view over the Ottawa River from behind the Parliament buildings, stroll down to the pathway that hugs the historic Rideau Canal. Colonel John By and a crew of hundreds of workers—many of whom lost their lives during the canal’s construction—dug the canal out of a mosquito-infested swamp, creating an access route through the Rideau River system all the way from Kingston to Ottawa. For a breezier trip down the canal, board one of the tour boats that dock just across from the National Arts Centre. Tours usually last just over an hour, and are a great way to see downtown Ottawa by water.
Lunch can be found at one of the many restaurants in the Byward Market, where you can sit down to a full-course meal, or grab a sandwich, falafel or slice of pizza from one of the food stalls in the historic Byward Market building, on William Street.

After lunch, it’s a short drive or bike-ride across the river to discover the history of the city of Gatineau. Visit a beautiful stone building in Aylmer, just minutes west of Hull. Located in what used to be the Law Courts, the new Centre culturel du Vieux-Aylmer offers a variety of shows in an intimate environment. There’s theatre, cabaret, and new music from artists both local and from around the world. Visitors can call ahead for a programming schedule.

When evening falls, reserve a spot for dinner at one of the many restaurants that offer cuisine of every description, some of which are located in historic landmarks and buildings from Gatineau’s industrial past. Indulge in some cool treats for dessert at a homemade ice cream or gelato stand.

Day Two
Get in the car and head north to discover life before the Europeans came to North America. Mawandoseg Kitigan Zibi is a living museum, where you’re invited to meet the Algonquin people, whose villages dotted the Outaouais land long before European contact in North America. Mawandoseg, which means meeting place in the Algonquin language, is a recreation of an Algonquin village on the Kitigan Zibi reserve, located an hour and a half north of Gatineau, near Maniwaki. During a tour through the site, members of the Algonquin community greet visitors and explain their way of life, from building a birchbark canoe to navigating the bush. Algonquin legends are presented by storytellers in a wigwam. There’s an outdoor kitchen and a handicraft store, all the crafts having been made on the reserve. Stay the day, and the night—overnight stays can be arranged.

Day Three
Start the morning in the Hull sector of Gatineau with coffee and a buttery croissant from a real patisserie. Then take the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train to Wakefield, and experience the true spirit of the Gatineau Hills as the 1907 vintage steam engine chugs its way up the historic route of the 19th-century loggers. Get to know the white rapids and churning turbines of the hydro dams, beautiful trees, and hills along the Gatineau River. Visit Wakefield’s local shops, which offer an array of goods, from keepsakes to original art. Stop for lunch at one of the village’s many restaurants. After lunch, take a walk across the famous covered bridge, then explore the cemetery, where former prime minister and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Lester B. Pearson is buried.

Watch the steam engine being turned 180 degrees on the only functioning manual turntable in North America—with the help of only four people—then board the train for the ride back to town.
Wander over to the Canadian Museum of Civilization and check the schedule for tonight’s IMAX feature films, then check out the nightclubs that are steps away from the museum, and are always hopping.