Ottawa's Hidden History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Fancy exploring Ottawa at your own pace? This self-guided audio tour takes you back to the city's turbulent early days, when rioters and rogues ran the show. Ottawa's importance goes well beyond its Houses of Parliament and famous museums: before it became Canada's capital, it was a rough, lawless place out in the wilderness. This walk through old Bytown traces the settlement's evolution, from a small lumber town to Queen Victoria's chosen capital, and lifts the lid on Ottawa's little-known backstory. You'll wander down York Street to learn about the early years of the iconic Byward Market. The city's past comes alive in the serene Jeanne d'Arc Courtyard, where you'll hear about the religious and territorial divisions that fuelled the feuds among Bytown residents. On Sussex Drive, you'll see popular sites from a fresh angle and travel back to a time when rogues, rioters and disease made the streets unsafe.