Skip to content
  • HOME
  • THE DREAMER
    • CONTACT
  • DISCLOSURES
  • HOME
  • custom-logo
  • THE DREAMER
    • CONTACT
  • DISCLOSURES
Adventures

Parliament Hill // Ottawa

March 16, 2017March 16, 2017 Crystal // Dreams, etc. 22 comments
Parliament Hill // Ottawa

All I needed to read is that Parliament Hill is a gothic-style building to know that it would be one of my first stops in Ottawa. Parliament Hill was about a fifteen-minute walk from my hostel, so I grabbed a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and made my way over. If you’d like to walk as much as possible, make sure you book accommodations that are within walking distance of Parliament Hill. Some of the museums will be a little far, but everything that I wanted to see in my two days in Ottawa were within walking distance.

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

As I walked through the gates I wondered if it was actually okay to walk on the grounds. The answer: yes it is! As I learned the next day, the grounds of Parliament Hill are open for people to eat lunch, play games… There’s even a group that meets to do yoga when the weather is nice. There are some restrictions when it comes to protesting–but protests are allowed too. (And I saw protests each day I was there.)

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

I loved the Centennial Flame, which represents the unity of Canada from sea to sea. The shields that surround the flame are the shields of all the provinces and territories. The flame is lit all the time, except for twice a year when it’s turned off for a week for cleaning.

I took a quick look around the grounds, then went across the street to get a ticket for the tour. The guided tours of Parliament Hill are fantastic and they’re free! Tickets for the tours are handed out across the street at 90 Wellington St. Tickets are first come, first serve.

[Tweet “Get your ticket for one of the FREE guided tours of Parliament Hill in Ottawa! #ottawa”]

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

I was able to get a ticket for the next tour so I made my way back to Parliament Hill to get in the security line. I thought it would take awhile to get through, but it was very efficient and before long I was in the building, ready to start my tour. I went on a day that parliament was in session, so there were times we were asked to be quiet as we walked through the halls and we weren’t able to see as much as you can if you go on a day when they’re not in session.

Guided tours aren’t always my favorite thing to do, but I knew I wanted to get into the building and our tour guide made it so much fun! She loves mysteries, so she pointed out the “mysteries” of Parliament Hill and it was such a cool and interactive way to see the building.

Here are some photos that I took during our tour.

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

The building was stunning and I just stood there snapping photos whenever we stopped for the tour guide to talk or wait for another tour group to pass. Look at the library!

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

I loved the all the little details! In the photos below you can see little faces on the walls. I believe our tour guide said they’re supposed to represent vikings, but one of the faces has glasses. It turns out, some of the people working on the building used their faces as inspiration!

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

I always think it’s neat to see where a government conducts business.

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

After the tour was over our tour guide told us what we else we could do and see in Parliament Hill. I wanted to go up to the Peace Tower, which was named in honor of the Canadians who sacrificed their lives during WWI. You take an elevator to get up and, even though it was a rainy day, I still enjoyed the view! As a rain-lover, I totally think the rain added to the photo.

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

A tour of Parliament Hill is so worthwhile! The tour guides provide so much information about the history of the building (like the fire in 1916), as well as information about the government and how it works. If you have a chance, you might want to go soon! There’s a renovation project scheduled to start in 2018 that could close down the building for awhile. It’s one of the reasons my mom and I are headed back to Ottawa in 2017!

[Tweet “Visit Parliament Hill in Ottawa to see the beautiful gothic-style architecture! #travelblogger #ottawa”]

[Tweet “Go on a guided tour of Parliament Hill in Ottawa to learn about the history and the government!”]

Have you ever been to Parliament Hill in Ottawa? Is it something you’d be interested to see?

Follow

Visit "the Hill" and see the gothic-style Parliament building, warm up by the Centennial Flame and go up to the Peace Tower when you visit Ottawa! // dreams-etc.com

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

Post navigation

First Impressions // Ottawa
5 Ways to Lower Stress Before a Vacation

22 comments

  1. Miranda @ My Restless Soul says:
    March 16, 2017 at 10:36 am

    Oh my goodness…that library!!!! It’s a dream.

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 1:09 pm

      It is! I didn’t want to leave. šŸ™‚

      Reply
  2. Sharon Wu says:
    March 16, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    despite the rain, this place looks divine! loving all your photos too. thanks for sharing your adventure! xo, sharon

    http://www.stylelullaby.com/fashion/jackson-wayne-everyday-spring-tote/

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 1:09 pm

      It really is! So beautiful… and the rain really added to it, even if it got tiring to walk around in after awhile. šŸ™‚ I’m glad you enjoyed the photos!

      Reply
  3. Greta Hollar says:
    March 17, 2017 at 12:24 am

    What a gorgeous place! Love all the archetecture!

    Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 1:08 pm

      All of the architecture in Ottawa was so gorgeous! It was so much fun to walk around the city.

      Reply
  4. hal says:
    March 17, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    Love your pics – the library is especially stunning!

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 1:05 pm

      Thanks Hal! That library is so gorgeous!

      Reply
  5. Robin says:
    March 18, 2017 at 11:08 am

    What an absolutely stunning building – it’s essentially a piece of England in Canada! So cool!

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      It is! I went on a walking tour and he talked about the different European influences you’ll see in Ottawa and why it is that you see those influences. It was really cool!

      Reply
  6. Caitlin says:
    March 19, 2017 at 11:43 pm

    Love your photos! I want to go now šŸ™‚

    Caitlin, Beauty & Colour

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed them. I definitely recommend Ottawa if you get a chance! It was so beautiful and so much fun.

      Reply
  7. Leslie Nichole says:
    March 20, 2017 at 9:58 am

    Amazing! whoa, what a gorgeous place to visit. I love the Gothic feel, I am going to pin this to see if I can talk the boyfriend into traveling eventually.

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      It was so much fun! I definitely recommend visiting Ottawa if you get a chance. I haven’t seen it talked about much, but it was such a fun city to tour. Thanks for pinning!

      Reply
  8. Aarika Chilson says:
    March 20, 2017 at 2:29 pm

    That building is gorgeous! I love learning about and visiting historic buildings featuring extraordinary architecture. Thanks for sharing this new travel venue with us. Love it!

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 12:55 pm

      Yes! It’s so much fun to tour and learn the history of a building and just see how it was put together. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!

      Reply
  9. Jewels Rhode says:
    March 20, 2017 at 9:12 pm

    I love gothic style buildings! The inside is stunning, I would love to have a library like that in my house. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 12:55 pm

      Gothic style buildings are so beautiful! I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. That library… I didn’t want to leave! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  10. Lindsay @ The Flynnigans says:
    March 21, 2017 at 9:51 am

    Isn’t Ottawa beautiful? Particularly Parliament Hill and all the gothic-inspired buildings. I had only visited Ottawa for the first time last year and I was amazed I hadn’t made it there sooner. The weather was pretty identical to your day – very rainy and drab.

    Reply
    1. Crystal @ Dreams, etc. says:
      March 21, 2017 at 12:53 pm

      It is! I loved it! Someone mentioned once that Ottawa isn’t really a place you hear people talk about (in terms of wanting to visit), but more people should! It was so much fun and there’s so much to see. šŸ™‚ So funny that you had lots of rain too! It sounds like a pretty rainy city… I’m actually planning a return trip soon (with my mom) and it looks like we can expect rain when we’ll be there too. I thought the rain was actually really pretty, although it does get tiring to walk around in rain for awhile and these pictures of Parliament Hill would have been so pretty and so much easier to edit (and add text) if skies had been blue! šŸ™‚

      Reply
      1. Lindsay @ The Flynnigans says:
        March 21, 2017 at 1:46 pm

        I actually didn’t get too many pictures the weekend we were there because of the rain and just a few here and there. I’d actually love to go back and explore when we have more time. We were there for a weekend but really only had an afternoon for Ottawa. The rest of the time there was spent just outside of Ottawa for a target shooting competition and man I’ll never forget that. We got so cold and wet that weekend, we were so miserable.
        Hopefully on your next trip up, the weather gods will cooperate for you. If not, I’m sure you’ll make the most of it. šŸ™‚

        Reply
  11. Autumn @ Stay gold Autumn says:
    March 23, 2017 at 9:10 am

    Wow, that is absolutely gorgeous!! I love the architecture, the library, and just how beautiful everything is. I’ve never been to Canada, but I’d really like to visit. I really hope we can visit someday and these pictures definitely help that desire!

    Reply

Share Your Thoughts! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

If only we always remembered to be in touch with o If only we always remembered to be in touch with our loved ones regularly; to tell them that we love them.

This thought has been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve been in touch with one of my best friends almost daily. They’ve been navigating a scary situation.

But that’s what everyone says, isn’t it? Reach out to those you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t let a lot of time pass.

We all know that. We think about it sometimes. We hear about it when others are in crisis. We’re thankful that we aren’t the ones in crisis and we can remember this lesson through someone else.

But eventually we get caught up in life. Our daily ā€œI love you’sā€ are reserved for those we live with and sometimes we forget to text someone back… or it takes a few days to do so.

This week as I wondered why we don’t remember this more often I realized it’s probably a good thing. It’s a good thing that we can live life without worrying that tragedy is right around the corner. That would be an exhausting way to live.

It’s also good that we can get little reminders, sometimes not from our own life. So from someone who spent one week numb, another week weepy, and this week sad, remember to send your friends a text. Tell them you love them.
I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. šŸ’™
Hello, friends! šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. ā€œThe water looks cold,ā€ I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. šŸ˜‚)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
See More Follow on Instagram

RECENT POSTS

  • Saying Goodbye to Crystal the Writer
  • The Day the Sorcerers Visited Baby Jesus
  • Thoughts on Hope
  • Christmas Playlist // 2022
  • Life Under Construction

CATEGORIES

  • Adventures (52)
  • Beauty (16)
  • Books (147)
  • Creativity (57)
  • Entertainment (18)
  • Life (224)
  • Uncategorized (539)
  • Wellness (8)

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

Follow
  • Book Review Policy
  • BOOKS
  • Contact
  • DISCLOSURES
  • Insta Links
  • Seint Links
  • THE DREAMER
Copyright © 2023 | All Rights Reserved | Ā© 2023. All text and photos belong to Crystal Brutlag, unless otherwise stated. Theme designed by Little Theme Shop: https://littlethemeshop.com

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Dreams, etc. // Minneapolis Lifestyle Blog
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.