Ottawa: the capital on the frozen canal

Chosen as capital in 1857 by Queen Victoria specifically for its neutral position between Toronto and Montreal, Ottawa transforms its historic canal into the world's longest natural skating rink in winter.

The center around Parliament Hill can be comfortably explored on foot, with light rail useful for farther neighborhoods.

On Parliament Hill, the Centre Block, rebuilt after the fire of 1916, stands with its Peace Tower of 1927 above the Ottawa River.

Descending towards the centre, one walks through the ByWard Market, a public market active since 1826 and among the oldest in Canada, still full today of fruit stalls and local produce.

Nearby, the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site built between 1826 and 1832, freezes in winter, transforming into a skating rink almost eight kilometres long.

Towards evening, the National Gallery of Canada, at its entrance guarded by Louise Bourgeois's giant spider 'Maman', closes the day among the country's most important art collections.

The frozen canal becomes an actual skating pathway each winter: some residents even use it to commute to work, with beavertail pastry kiosks along the way.

The original Centre Block nearly burned down entirely in a single night in 1916: only Parliament's library, isolated by fireproof doors, survived the flames.