Parliament Hill

4.7 (39,563 reviews)

Historical PlaceTourist AttractionPoint of InterestEstablishment

Best time to visit

Late afternoon in high summer, so you can do the interior tour and experience the "Northern Lights" light show on the facade in the evening.

Budget tips

Admission to the Parliament buildings is free, but you need a free ticket (bookable online) for the guided tour of the interior. The summer show "Northern Lights" is also free and requires no reservation.

Recommended for

Politics and history enthusiasts, Architecture lovers, Families with school-age children, Night owls who want to experience the light show

Plan your visit

2-3 hours

About

Quick facts: Around 3 million visitors come to the hill with the three distinctive sandstone buildings each year. The 92-meter-high Peace Tower houses a carillon of 53 bells that rings out regularly.

Highlights: Every summer, the lawn in front of the Centre Block transforms into a giant open-air cinema with over 10,000 spectators, as light and laser bathe the facade in a spectacular soundscape. The nighttime sound and light show "Northern Lights" tells Canada's history with projections that reach up to the tower summit and make the sandstone surface come alive.

Insider tips

Come early in the morning at 9 am for the first tour, and you'll have the halls almost all to yourself.
The best photo spot is not directly in front of the building, but from the footbridge over Wellington Street.
Take your time for the Parliament Library, a real insider tip with carved walls and a dome of white marble.
Even in rain the visit is still worthwhile: the tours take place and the underground corridors connect all three buildings without getting wet.