'Graceful?': Ottawa finds itself in CNN's 2023 best destinations to visit list — and Canadians can't believe it

For Canadians planning their next trip, they might not have to travel so far, as one Canadian city is coined a top spot to visit this year.

Recently, CNN compiled a list of 23 must-visit destinations in 2023. In the company of Poland, Western Australia, Fiji, Rwanda, and Greece, is Ottawa, Ontario.

"It doesn't have Montreal's French flair or Toronto's international oomph, so the Canadian capital can get overlooked. That would be a mistake. Graceful and understated, Ottawa has its own draws," wrote CNN.

The list recommends the Ottawa Jazz Festival, the Rideau Canal, and Parliament hill as sights to see.

Ottawa is around two and a half hours away from Montréal and about five hours away from Toronto. Although it is Canada's capital with a population of just under a million, its neighbours usually get all the attention.

With a place in CNN's best destination list, Canadians shared their mixed reactions on social media.

We are thrilled to see that Ottawa and the Ottawa Jazz Festival is included in CNN's list of best destinations to travel to in 2023!

Have you purchased passes to our Winter or Summer Festivals yet? https://t.co/chnAD0YUsy

— Ottawa Jazz Festival (@OttawaJazz) January 3, 2023

I'm delighted to see Ottawa as the only Canadian destination on this well-publicized list of best travel destinations for 2023. Looking forward to welcoming tourists to our city throughout the year.

Bravo @Ottawa_Tourism!https://t.co/YHTjuAUNJh

— Mark Sutcliffe (@_MarkSutcliffe) January 1, 2023

I adore Ottawa. I love everything about it.

But not sure it can be in the same list as Fiji and Cairo 😂https://t.co/Pli0dNwQqi

— Mustafa Farooq (@mfarooq45) January 2, 2023

How awesome that #ottawa made the list! Where to travel in 2023: The best destinations to visit https://t.co/C5578OUerS via @CNNTravel

— Melissa Shabinsky (@MelShabinsky) January 2, 2023

#Ottawa ? The article omitted the weather, the transit system that rarely works and the lawbreakers who are ignored by police. Where to travel in 2023: The best destinations to visit https://t.co/lAHdGgYo4J

— Joy Moskovic (@joymosk) January 1, 2023

It's embarrassing to live in such a nonsensical transit city, there is no way tourists from other countries would be able to use it. https://t.co/xYC5TyVlzN

— Kayla Spag (@kaylaspag) January 3, 2023

Ottawa, top travel destination. LMAOOOOOOO https://t.co/wa5gRB5YaF

— . (@na_wa_o) January 3, 2023