Sitting at the confluence of Ottawa River and Rideau River, Ottawa is not only the political center of Canada but also home to the Rideau Canal, a 125-mile waterway connecting the capital all the way south to Lake Ontario. Led by British military engineer Colonel John By, its construction was originally intended as a defense … Continue reading Ottawa: From humble beginnings to center stage
When architect Eugène-Etienne Taché designed the Parliament Building of Québec, he was looking to highlight the history of Québec. He did so not only by embellishing the building’s façade with important figures from the region’s past, but also by engraving the following words at the main entrance: Je me souviens. Literally translated into “I remember” … Continue reading Québec: Je me souviens
Atop the high cliff of Cape Diamond sits La Citadelle, a fortress originally built by the British between 1820 and 1850 to protect Québec from a potential American invasion. The attack never happened, yet La Citadelle has remained an active Canadian military installation to this day. The adjoining Plains of Abraham, on the other hand, witnessed the … Continue reading La Citadelle: A reminder for peace
Québec is a city built on steep hills. Staircases abound in connecting the Upper Town with the Lower Town, each exuding its unique charm. Frontenac Stairs (French: L’Escalier Frontenac), one of the most frequented, starts right by the Frontenac Kiosk at the Dufferin Terrace and leads you down the hill to Côte de la Montagne. … Continue reading Petit-Champlain: Life in an old world charm
It is an omnipresent landmark in Québec—you find it on postcards, in souvenirs, or simply when you look above the hills from any corner in the city. Perched atop the prominent Cape Diamond (French: Cap Diamant) overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the Château Frontenac is a quintessential element of the Québécois skyline. A UNESCO World … Continue reading The Château Frontenac: Ambitions, grandeur, and prestige
Start your hike at the top of Peel Street. The trail from this point is all the way ascending until you reach a semicircular plaza, also known as Kondiaronk Belvedere. Here, you will find the city of Montréal beneath your feet, with the St. Lawrence River in the backdrop. The bustling metropolis now looks within reach, yet … Continue reading Mount Royal: The mountain, the summit, and the name
Nestled in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood of Montréal, Saint-Louis Square is an urban park just a block from the bustling Rue Sherbrooke. The park itself does not take up a lot of real estate. Nor does it feature complex setups: it is a rectangle with greenery space which, when adorned with the colorful Victorian row … Continue reading Saint-Louis Square: A soothing color palette
A few blocks from the bustling downtown area sits Old Montréal (French: Vieux-Montréal), a historic neighborhood lined with cobblestone streets and buildings dating back to the 17th century. This is one of the oldest European settlements in North America, and where the city of Montréal started its humble beginning as Fort Ville-Marie in 1642 before … Continue reading Old Montréal: Where history leaves its imprints
Sitting on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the Old Port of Montréal (French: Vieux-Port de Montréal) used to be the hub for fur trade and grain export, liaising the inland with the seaward at its peak. Since the port activities moved east in 1976, however, the Old Port is no longer an active … Continue reading Old Port of Montréal: A crucial liaison
