ByWard Market, Ottawa

ByWard Market, Ottawa (must see)

ByWard Market is Ottawa鈥檚 lively heart and soul, a place where history, culture, and just about everything edible meet in a perfect downtown mashup. Founded back in 1826 by Lt-Col. John By (yes, the same guy who masterminded the Rideau Canal), this market started as a practical spot where horse-drawn wagons unloaded fresh goods. Fun fact: Colonel By made sure the streets were wide enough for those wagons, so no one got stuck, a detail that still shapes the area today.

Fast forward almost two centuries, ByWard Market has transformed into a buzzing hotspot that attracts locals and tourists in droves. With over 260 stalls run by farmers and artisans, plus more than 500 businesses, this place is a shopper鈥檚 and foodie鈥檚 paradise. From fresh produce and handmade crafts to chic boutiques and lively bars, there鈥檚 something for everyone. And yes, street performers add that extra dash of flair 鈥� you might catch a magician, a musician, or even a juggler while wandering through.

Did you know ByWard was once a blue-collar neighborhood filled with hardworking lumbermen and canal workers? Today, it鈥檚 the city鈥檚 go-to place for nightclubs, gourmet restaurants, and yes, some seriously Instagrammable spots.

If you鈥檙e visiting, don鈥檛 miss the chance to try Ottawa鈥檚 iconic beaver tails (fried dough pastries topped with all kinds of sweet goodies). Be warned: they鈥檙e dangerously delicious and perfect for indulging your sweet tooth.

Tip: Aim for weekday mornings if you want to explore without bumping elbows, but if you love the buzz, summer weekends are where the real action happens.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: ByWard Market
Sight Location: Ottawa, Canada (See walking tours in Ottawa)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Ottawa, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Ottawa

Creating your own self-guided walk in Ottawa is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour

Perched on the banks of the Ottawa River, the Canadian capital has story that began long before Parliament鈥檚 iconic Gothic towers pierced the skyline. For thousands of years, this land was home to the Algonquin Anishinaabe people, whose traditional territory stretched along the river鈥檚 length. The word 鈥淥ttawa鈥� itself comes from adawe, meaning 鈥渢o trade,鈥� a nod to the waterway鈥檚... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Statues and Sculptures Walk

As a cultural city, Ottawa abounds in monuments and statues of various sorts. In fact, there are so many of them that the locals, accustomed to their presence, jokingly claim they hardly notice them at all. Still, these artistic creations serve as visual storytellers, sharing tales of courage, peacekeeping, and commemoration.

The Maman Statue, a prominent sculpture located outside the National... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles

Ottawa's Historical Churches Walking Tour

The city of Ottawa has a number of notable religious sites fit to spark interest in both ardent believers and those keen on ecclesiastical architecture. With most of the churches located in the downtown area or nearby, one can visit these locations without trouble.

The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, a splendid Gothic Revival masterpiece, is a centerpiece of Ottawa's spiritual landscape.... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

The architecture of Ottawa 鈥� formalistic and functional, for the most part 鈥� is marked by the city's role as the national capital of Canada. As such, it represents a mix of styles, varying considerably based on the era of construction of any particular object, and reflects the nation's heritage and political significance.

Centermost among these structures is the Parliament... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

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