OTTAWA - Admittedly, Ottawa, Canada's chilly capital, is not the first destination that comes to mind when contemplating a holiday. But the under-the-radar city that patiently endures monikers such as "The City that Fun Forgot" and "Dead After Dark" has a unique visual charm, hidden treasures, an astonishing catalogue of good places to dine and a quirky sense of play.

Neighbouring Montreal brags about its naughtiness, Pacific Rim Vancouver boasts its scenery and hyperactive Toronto flaunts its New York-ness. Scrappy, plucky Ottawa does not boast at all.