Think Canada’s capital is just about politics and paperwork? Think again. Ottawa is a city where gothic towers touch the sky, winter turns a UNESCO World Heritage canal into the world’s longest skating rink, and peace towers over the heart of a nation—literally.

Some cities whisper their stories through quiet alleyways. Montreal doesn’t whisper—it sings, dances, flirts, and occasionally yells across a bustling street in French. This island city in Quebec is where North America meets Paris, where centuries-old stone buildings rub shoulders with experimental art, and where maple syrup meets espresso.