Check out our 05-day itinerary for Canada. See all the tips and information about the best destinations to visit in this country. A 05-day stay is ideal if you want to get to know some of the largest and most famous Canadian cities, such as Toronto and Ottawa. So, check out our 05-day itinerary for the country.
Toronto: three days
Toronto is the biggest city in Canada. It sits on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes. The city boasts numerous tourist spots, fantastic restaurants, boutiques and vibrant nightlife. Whatever length of stay you have, there is always something to engage in.
One tip is to buy the Toronto CityPASS to save on tickets. It gives you entry to five of Toronto’s main tourist attractions and costs 43% less than what you would spend if you were to buy the tickets separately. It’s great because not only are the tickets much cheaper, but you also avoid waiting in line at the ticket offices for the attractions. Below, we’ll list three attractions that you can’t miss on your first day in Toronto:
1) Visit the CN Tower in Toronto
The CN Tower is the biggest symbol of Toronto and cannot be left out of your travel itinerary. At over 553 meters, this attraction allows visitors to have a fantastic view of the city of Toronto. In addition to being a tourist attraction, it is important to note that it is the most important communications antenna (radio and television channels) in all of Canada. To give you an idea of the importance of the CN Tower , it receives over a million tourists every year, a number that has been increasing since its beginning in 1975.
2) Visit Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
Have you ever imagined visiting an aquatic complex with more than 5 million liters, 13 thousand living beings and 450 species? If your answer was yes, you can’t miss visiting Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto . There you will find giant tanks, which give the impression of taking a real deep dive. The place is incredible, a unique and very informative experience, which you can’t miss on your travel itinerary in Toronto.
3) End the day at the Rogers Centre
This area of Toronto, where the above attractions are located, is known as the Entertainment District. This is because it has several leisure and entertainment options to enjoy at night. And, if you go in the summer, be sure to check out the schedule at the Rogers Centre . Canadians are passionate about baseball and the Rogers Centre is the most famous stadium in Toronto, home to the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club. Games take place from April to October (approximately the first week) and a game at the stadium is sensational.
Day 2 in Toronto
We set aside the second day in Toronto for some tourist attractions and also for shopping (since you’ll have more time there and it’s one of the best cities with shopping centers, there’s nothing like taking advantage of it!). The highlights below are very close and you can do everything on foot.
1) Stroll through the Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum , known in Toronto as the ROM, is one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. The site has a history in the city since 1914, undergoing several expansions and renovations. There, you will find a very rich collection, surrounded by objects ranging from Ancient Greece to the history of Japan, as well as European furniture, animals and even a dinosaur exhibit. The complex also has a section on biodiversity, which is one of the most interactive and educational at the Royal Ontario Museum.
2) Walk around Queen’s Park and surroundings
After visiting the museum, explore Queen’s Park and its surrounding attractions. Among them, we highlight one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, the Ontario’s Legislative Building – where you can take a free tour – and the University of Toronto, a dream of many students who are going to college. In the same area, be sure to check out Bloor St, especially where it meets Yonge St, which is a very cool (and very expensive) spot for shopping.
3) Discover Yonge-Dundas Square
Day 3 in Toronto
You can reserve your third day in Toronto to visit the beautiful Casa Loma in the morning and then say goodbye to the city and head to Ottawa. The journey between these two cities takes about 4.5 hours by car, but be aware that the journey is much shorter (about 50 minutes) by plane.
1) Visit the charming Casa Loma
Want to visit a castle in Toronto? Yes, you should know that in this famous Canadian tourist destination you will also find one of the most beautiful castles in the world! Built by Henry Pellatt, a very wealthy Canadian in the financial sector in the 20th century, this castle was completed in 1914. After ten years of living in this house, its owner died and Casa Loma became a hotel and then a nightclub, until it was abandoned. Today, this is considered one of the most incredible tourist attractions in Montreal and cannot be left out of your travel itinerary there.
Ottawa: two days
Canada’s quaint capital is full of tourist sites that are very significant to the nation’s past. Being near Toronto, it is convenient to travel to by car. With two days, you can visit some of its top sites, including Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the National Gallery of Canada, and Major’s Hill Park. Since it is compact, you don’t require much more time.
1) Start at Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill should be the first attraction on your list of things to do in Ottawa, as it is where the Canadian Parliament is located. Comprising three Gothic-style buildings located on a hill, the Parliament is open to tourists and admission is free. You can visit it on your own or take a guided tour (in English or French), where you can see the internal structure of the building, as well as learn more about how the Senate works and the history of Canada.
2) A walk along the Rideau Canal
Near Parliament is the Rideau Canal , one of the first places in Ottawa to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The canal is huge and is 202 km long, connecting the cities of Ottawa and Kingston. The part that borders Ottawa has boardwalks, benches, green areas and parks, providing a stroll with a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
Day 2 in Ottawa
To end your stay in Ottawa, we have selected some tourist attractions, such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, the National Gallery of Canada and Major’s Hill Park, which are very close to each other.
1) Visit the National Gallery of Canada
Another highlight in Ottawa is the National Gallery of Canada . If you’re staying longer in the city, it’s definitely worth a visit, as it’s the largest art gallery in the country, with a collection of over 25,000 works and also the largest collection of Tom Thompson and the Group of 7. The attraction draws attention from afar, due to its modern, glass-enclosed architecture, as well as the sculpture of a giant spider at its entrance, a copper work by Louise Bourgeois that’s over 9 m tall.
2) Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral
Notre-Dame Cathedral, Ottawa’s largest and oldest church, is a must-have tourist stop in Ottawa. Its interior is stunning, made up of Gothic-style arches and huge columns, dominated by blue and gold. Situated on Sussex Road, one of Ottawa’s major thoroughfares, Notre-Dame Cathedral welcomes visitors for free and is open every day. Another standout of the tour is to notice its stained glass windows, with biblical descriptions to reflect upon.