What to do in Ottawa in winter as an international student

If you have read my previous blog post about my exchange in Ottawa in the winter, you know that there are a lot of things to do in Ottawa, even in the winter. Since this post was published, I've had time to discover the city a bit more, so I'd like to add to what I wrote previously because the city has so much more to offer. If you are an international student and you are interested in discovering the city of Ottawa and all it has to offer, this post is for you 😉

Cultural activities to do in Ottawa for international students  

The National Gallery of Canada  

The National Gallery of Canada is something that should interest you if you are interested in art. Located in the downtown core on Sussex Drive, it houses art collections of all genres. If you're an international student, wherever you're from, you've probably visited a museum before, but this museum is unlike any you have ever seen. Primary, because it's so huge, it's so big that it's easy to get lost in it. At least because it is so big, you can be sure you will not be disturbed the crowd to admire the works of art as is often the case in other museums. Secondly, because it houses a very large collection of extremely varied and important works of art, whether they art paintings, photographs, drawings, Canadian, African or European art. If you are an art connoisseur, you can see paintings by Picasso, Warhol, but also by Rodin and Monet. You can even see an impressive sound sculpture by Janet Cardiff, which simply looks like a cathedral within the museum itself. The museum also offers temporary exhibitions, always providing a good opportunity to visit. I therefore strongly recommend you to visit this museum.

Governor General's House and Rideau Hall

If you are more interested in Canadian history, you can visit the Governor General's House. In particular, you can take the free guided tour of the residence. This is an excellent opportunity to discover Canada's history. On a personal note, at the end of the visit I learned a lot about who the Governor is and what her role is, in fact before the visit I didn't even know that there was a Governor in Canada. You can also take a walk in the grounds of Rideau Hall, which is beautiful especially when it's snowy in winter.

Parliament and the Senate

Of course, one of the best ways to find out how the political system of the country works when you are an international student, is to visit the Parliament and the Senate, again free of charge. Both are right in the heart of downtown Ottawa.  

What about sports activities in Ottawa in winter?  

Improve your ice-skating skills  

Rest assured, if you're an avid sportsperson, there's more than just cultural activities in Ottawa. Can't you ice skate? Your stay in Ottawa will be a great opportunity to learn. In winter the Rideau Canal, which runs through downtown, freezes over and you can ice skate on it. The Rideau Canal is the largest skating rink in the world. If the Canal is closed, you can also ice skate on the ice rink in front of City Hall. I advise you to invest in ice skates to be able to go there whenever you want, because the access to the Canal is free, it is the renting of the skates that is paid for. In fact, you should know that the canal passes right next to the University of Ottawa, so you can go there directly after or between your classes.

A little fitness jog?  

If you're not too keen on ice skating, you can always run around the city centre. Indeed, I find that downtown Ottawa is very convenient and fun to jog in because the streets and sidewalks are wide enough and the city is not overlooked by buildings. Don't worry about the snow, because in Canada, unlike other countries where when it snows it's panicky, Canadians are used to it and the snow is cleared from the sidewalks, so it won't be an obstacle.

Ice hockey games  

I would also advise you to go to an ice hockey game. Ice hockey is Canada's national sport. I went to see one and the atmosphere was completely different from the soccer games I saw in Europe. Even if you don't particularly like ice hockey, I would advise you to go to at least one game, if only for the very North American atmosphere if you are European. The atmosphere is exactly like in American movies when the characters attend basketball games.

Where to eat in Ottawa as an international student with a limited budget?  

All this sport has made me hungry, haven't you? So you can legitimately wonder what good food there is in Ottawa when you're a student and you don't necessarily have a big budget. I suggest you take a walk around the Byward Market. There, it's full of small restaurants with a wide variety of cuisines, from American to Japanese. There really is something for all tastes and budgets.  

Where to shop in Ottawa?  

Rideau Centre and its shops  

For your shopping, I suggest you go to the Rideau Centre. You won't be able to miss it, it's located right in the downtown area and right next to the University of Ottawa. It's a very large and classic shopping mall with all the shops you know, nothing special, they're pretty much the same ones you know from Europe or the United States. Nevertheless, this center is very useful, you can find everything there. Do you need something? Just take a tour of the Rideau Centre and you'll find it.

Of course the city has much more to offer, I have selected here the main activities but I still have a lot to discover, especially its neighboring city, the quebequoise Gatineau and its huge parks. Now if you're still not convinced that there are activities to do in Ottawa in winter, here's a video that might just be the final word to convince you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz9vIalRpDU 

See you soon 😊,

Léa