guides
Field notes from a city worth walking.
What we learn researching the walks doesn’t all fit in your ears. The rest lands here — where to eat, what to notice, when to go.
photo: Pierre André · CC BY-SAeat & drink8 min read
An eater’s morning in the ByWard Market
Do the market the way its regulars do: pastry first, syrup last, and a strong opinion about which cheese stall is right. A companion to the “market mornings” walk.
by the roava team · july 2026
photo: Topley Studio · public domainhistory6 min read
Six buildings that survived the fire
1900 took half the city. What's left tells you exactly where the wind was blowing.
photo: shankar s. · CC BYseasons7 min read
The canal in four seasons
Skate it in February, paddle it in July. The same three kilometres, four different cities.
photo: Avramescu Marius · CC BY-SApractical5 min read
Ottawa in the rain: a defence
The case for a wet Tuesday — empty galleries, loud gutters, and the best light of the year.