These 3 Ontario destinations were just crowned among Canada's best 'hidden gems'

Hidden in the shadow of top-billing Ontario attractions like the CN Tower and Niagara Falls, there are some true hidden gems tourists can enjoy in less-travelled parts of the province.

A new study commissioned by online tour operator and software company Bókun (a subsidiary of Tripadvisor) ranks some of the best 'hidden gem' destinations around the world.

The study analyzed Tripadvisor review data from over 1,000 local destinations in cities around the world, identifying reviews containing the phrase 'hidden gem' to pick out the best among such sites.

Ontario locations claimed three of the top eight spots on the ranking, including the fourth-overall best 'hidden gem' in Canada and the top such destination in the province: Martello Alley in Kingston.

According to the study, Martello Alley takes the title of the best 'hidden gem' in Ontario.

A total of 26 reviews called this spot a hidden gem, representing 6.7 per cent of reviewers holding that opinion of the destination.

One tourist review hailed the outdoor alley and art gallery on Wellington Street in downtown Kingston as "an absolutely unique and charming discovery!"

"I felt like I had been transported to a little hidden gem of French culture," the reviewer noted.

Joining Martello Alley on the ranking of best Canadian 'hidden gems' are Ontario destinations Rattray Marsh Conservation Area in Mississauga, ranked in sixth place, and Parkwood National Historical Site in Oshawa, sitting in eighth place.

The top "hidden gems" in Canada based on Tripadvisor review data. Chart from Bókun.

The study crowned Sunken Gardens Park in Prince Rupert, B.C., as the top hidden gem in Canada. The westerly province claimed all of the top three positions in the ranking — even though mountains are totally cheating.