Skip to main content
Get Your Guide logo
Anytime
  • Become a supplier
  • Wishlist
  • Cart
  • Profile
    Menu

    Explore Ottawa

    Places to see
    Back
    Places to see

    Top sights

    Rideau Canal

    Parliament Hill

    Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa

    Canadian Museum of Nature

    National Gallery of Canada

    Canadian War Museum

    Chaudière Falls

    Dominion Arboretum

    Official Residence of the Prime Minister of Canada

    Rideau Hall, Ottawa

    Landsdowne Park, Ottawa

    Attraction types

    Neighborhood tours

    Day trips

    Viewing points

    Things to do
    Back
    Things to do

    Top experiences

    Bus & minivan tours

    Bike tours

    Bachelor(ette) parties

    Boat parties

    Hop-on Hop-off tours

    Ghost & vampire tours

    Duck boat tours

    Helicopter Tours

    City cards

    River rafting

    Sailing trips & boat tours

    Explore more things to do in Ottawa

    Interests

    Culture & history

    Nature & adventure

    Food & drinks

    Outdoor sports

    Hidden gems

    Nightlife & bars

    Traveler type

    Good for groups

    Family-friendly activities

    Activities for couples

  • Explore Ottawa
  • Places to see
  • Things to do
  • Top sights
  • Attraction types

Rideau Canal

Parliament Hill

Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa

Canadian Museum of Nature

National Gallery of Canada

Canadian War Museum

Chaudière Falls

Dominion Arboretum

Official Residence of the Prime Minister of Canada

Rideau Hall, Ottawa

Landsdowne Park, Ottawa

Neighborhood tours

Day trips

Viewing points

  • Top experiences
  • Interests
  • Traveler type

Bus & minivan tours

Bike tours

Bachelor(ette) parties

Boat parties

Hop-on Hop-off tours

Ghost & vampire tours

Duck boat tours

Helicopter Tours

City cards

River rafting

Sailing trips & boat tours

Explore more things to do in Ottawa

Culture & history

Nature & adventure

Food & drinks

Outdoor sports

Hidden gems

Nightlife & bars

Explore more things to do in Ottawa

Good for groups

Family-friendly activities

Activities for couples

Explore more things to do in Ottawa

Ottawa : Historic Tour of the Ottawa Jail Hostel

Top rated
4.7647057 out of 5 stars
4.8
4.7647057 out of 5 stars
17 reviews
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Media collage
Ottawa : Historic Tour of the Ottawa Jail Hostel
Likely to sell out
Top rated
4.7647057 out of 5 stars
4.8
4.7647057 out of 5 stars
17 reviews

Discover the history of the old Carleton County Gaol on a guided tour. Learn about the jail's history and the notorious inmates who were held there.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 1 hour
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English, French
Small group available

Select participants and date

Participants

Itinerary

  • Timeline stop icon

    Starting location:

    75 Nicholas St

  • Timeline stop icon

    Guided tour (1 hour)

  • Arrive back at:

    75 Nicholas St

Main stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • A prison for more than 100 years a hostel for 50 years!
  • Explore Death Row and see the gallows!
  • Hear stories about the jail's history and the infamous inmates
  • Discover the jail's original features, and distinctive elements
  • Enjoy a guided tour of the old jail, perfect for families or groups of friends

Full description

Explore the Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel with a guided tour. Learn about the history of the building, which was once a prison, and hear stories about some of the notorious inmates who were held there.

Meet your guide at the hostel and begin your tour. Learn about the history of the building, which was once a prison. Hear stories about some of the notorious inmates who were held there.

See the original features of the jail, including the bars on the windows, the heavy metal doors, and the gallows.

The former jail is located in the heart of downtown Ottawa, just a short walk from many of the city’s attractions, including Parliament Hill, the National Gallery of Canada, and Rideau Canal.

Now designated as a heritage building, the Ottawa Jail Hostel has an important historical and architectural value for the city and the province.

Includes

  • Tour of the old jail
  • Guide
  • Transportation
  • Tips

Not suitable for

  • Children under 10 years
  • People with claustrophobia
  • Wheelchair users

Meeting point

The Saintlo Ottawa Jail hostel reception

Open in Google Maps

Important information

Not allowed

  • Video recording
  • Audio recording

Know before you go

  • The guided tour includes the use of stairs.
  • Given the content of some stories, parental discretion is recommended
Likely to sell out

From $17.94 per person

Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today
Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 17 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Value for money
    4.4/5
Filter
By star rating
Sort by:
Recommended
Recommended
Most recent
Highest rated
Lowest rated
Q
Quinn – CanadaMay 10, 2025 – Verified booking
G
GetYourGuide traveler – CanadaMay 10, 2025 – Verified booking
G
GetYourGuide traveler – CanadaApril 19, 2025 – Verified booking

Product ID: 881196

Activity provider:Saintlo Ottawa Jail
  • Canada
  • Ontario
  • Things to do in Ottawa
  • Tours in Ottawa
  • Rideau Canal

Top Attractions in Ottawa

  • 1Rideau Canal
  • 2Parliament Hill
  • 3National Gallery of Canada
  • 4Canadian War Museum
  • 5Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa
  • 6Canadian Museum of Nature
  • 7Fairmont Château Laurier
  • 8Rideau Hall, Ottawa
  • 9Official Residence of the Prime Minister of Canada
  • 10Landsdowne Park, Ottawa
  • 11Dominion Arboretum
  • 12Chaudière Falls

Experiences in Ottawa

  • 1Ottawa Cruises & boat tours
  • 2Ottawa Hop-on Hop-off tours
  • 3Ottawa Family-friendly activities
  • 4Ottawa Entry tickets
  • 5Ottawa Bus & minivan tours
  • 6Ottawa Walking tours
  • 7Ottawa Day trips
  • 8Ottawa Museums & exhibitions
  • 9Ottawa Dinner & lunch cruises
  • 10Ottawa Activities for couples
  • 11Ottawa Ghost & vampire tours
  • 12Ottawa Spring activities
  • 13Ottawa Food & drinks
  • 14Ottawa Guided tours
  • 15Ottawa Night tours
  • 16Ottawa Bachelor(ette) parties
  • 17Ottawa Bike tours
  • 18Ottawa Seasonal & holiday activities
  • 19Ottawa Multi-day trips
  • 20Ottawa Summer activities

Tours in Canada

  • 1Toronto Tours
  • 2Montreal Tours
  • 3Vancouver Tours
  • 4Niagara Falls, Ontario Tours
  • 5Quebec City Tours
  • 6Banff Tours
  • 7Calgary Tours
  • 8Victoria, British Columbia Tours
  • 9Jasper Tours
  • 10Kelowna Tours
  • 11Whistler Tours
  • 12Halifax Tours
  • 13Kingston, Ontario Tours
  • 14Mont-Tremblant, Quebec Tours
  • 15Niagara-on-the-Lake Tours
  • 16Canmore Tours
  • 17Tadoussac Tours
  • 18Winnipeg Tours
  • 19Edmonton Tours
  • 20Lake Louise, Alberta Tours

Things to do in Canada

  • 1Things to do in Toronto
  • 2Things to do in Montreal
  • 3Things to do in Vancouver
  • 4Things to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario
  • 5Things to do in Quebec City
  • 6Things to do in Banff
  • 7Things to do in Calgary
  • 8Things to do in Victoria, British Columbia
  • 9Things to do in Jasper
  • 10Things to do in Kelowna
  • 11Things to do in Whistler
  • 12Things to do in Halifax
  • 13Things to do in Kingston, Ontario
  • 14Things to do in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
  • 15Things to do in Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • 16Things to do in Canmore
  • 17Things to do in Lake Louise, Alberta
  • 18Things to do in Campbell River
  • 19Things to do in Squamish
  • 20Things to do in North Vancouver

Top destinations

  • Barcelona
  • Paris
  • Amsterdam
  • Rome
  • Prague
  • London
  • Dubai
  • Vienna
  • Budapest
  • Milan
  • Marrakesh
  • Lisbon
  • Venice
  • Madrid
  • Berlin
  • New York City
  • Florence
  • Istanbul
  • Seville
  • Hamburg

Top attraction categories

  • Amsterdam Cruises & boat tours
  • Budapest Cruises & boat tours
  • Paris Family-friendly activities
  • Paris Cruises & boat tours
  • Madrid Family-friendly activities
  • Paris Hop-on Hop-off tours
  • Berlin Cruises & boat tours
  • Berlin Family-friendly activities
  • Rome Hop-on Hop-off tours
  • Venice Gondola tours
  • Paris City cards
  • London Harry Potter tours
  • Dubai Desert safaris
  • Amsterdam City cards
  • Prague Cruises & boat tours
  • Rome City cards
  • Paris Shows & musicals
  • Hamburg Cruises & boat tours
  • London Family-friendly activities
  • Tokyo Sumo experiences

Popular Attractions

  • Moulin Rouge
  • Caminito del Rey
  • Sagrada Familia
  • Keukenhof
  • Louvre Museum
  • Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau
  • Vatican Museums
  • Eiffel Tower
  • Seine River
  • Warner Bros. Studio London
  • Alhambra
  • Colosseum
  • Disneyland Paris
  • Miracle Garden
  • Park Güell
  • Van Gogh Museum
  • Anne Frank House
  • Last Supper
  • Palace of Versailles
  • St. Peter's Basilica
  • Canada
  • Ontario
  • Things to do in Ottawa
  • Tours in Ottawa
  • Rideau Canal
Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store
  • Contact
  • Legal Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies and Marketing Preferences
  • General Terms and Conditions
  • Information according to the Digital Services Act
  • Sitemap
  • Do not Sell or Share my Personal Information
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Gift Cards
  • Explorer
  • As a Supply Partner
  • As a Content Creator
  • As an Affiliate Partner
Paypal
Mastercard
Visa
Maestro
American Express
Jcb
Discover
Klarna
Google Pay
Apple Pay
Ideal
Bancontact

© 2008 – 2025 GetYourGuide. Made in Zurich & Berlin.

Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn