Couples can feel like heirs to Her Majesty’s throne in Ottawa, where newlyweds Prince William and Princess Kate visited the summer after their royal wedding. In this British Commonwealth, you’ll learn much about Canada’s proper English heritage.
Every fairy tale weekend of romance should begin in a castle. At the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, spend some enchanted evenings during its 100th anniversary year in 2012 in any of 429 rooms. Take the “Royaltea” over a cup of Earl Grey in the lounge with Victoria sponge cake and English cucumber sandwiches.
Queen Victoria declared Ottawa the Canadian capital in 1857, and the region was later expanded in 1969 to around the town of Gatineau, located across the Ottawa River. When you walk around Parliament Hill, curtsy to her statue or the one of her great-great granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II, astride a horse.
At the National Arts Centre, watch the musical “Oliver!” — Charles Dickens’ tale of down-and-out London denizens — staged by the English Theatre Company December 6–24. Get to know British artists J.M.W. Turner, George Heriot and W.H. Bartlett through their paintings at the National Gallery of Canada.
Hoist a pint of ale while lunching on fish and chips or Shepherd’s pie at the Earl of Essex Pub, or bangers and mash at the Royal Oak Pub. At the Scottish and Irish Store, take home British Cadbury chocolates, crumpets or Battenburg cakes.
Stroll through the formal dining area and ballroom of Rideau Hall, where the Queen lives when she’s on official business in Ottawa. Like an English country estate, the mansion is situated on 79 acres with its very own cricket courts.
At the Currency Museum, portraits of the British monarchy can be seen on Canadian dollars throughout history. Or tour the Royal Canadian Mint and buy a commemorative silver coin of Will and Kate’s nuptials or in advance of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.