I recently visited Montreal, and I'm going to predict it now, nowhere in Canada will trump this on my list of best cities. I mean, I'll feel this way towards any European-esque city, but really between the architecture and the walkability of the city, I don’t know which one solidified it for me. Definitely the walkability.
I felt like the city was built with pedestrians in mind, and as a girl who likes to walk, sign me up!
Now if you're in Montreal for a weekend, and wondering what to see in the area, here's a list of all the places we saw.
NOTRE-DAME BASILICA
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Going to Montreal without seeing Notre Dame is like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower, or maybe like going to Paris and not seeing the Notre Dame cathedral (I'm not sure if they let people in there) but my point is, this is the city’s main attraction.
From the outside, it looks like any other cathedral I’d seen in Montreal, but inside, it’s breathtaking. It takes about a good 20 -30 mins to tour it, longer if you decide to sit in the pew and take in the view. There’s also the option of Aura- an immersive light show they put on, but I went on the regular sightseeing. However, if I were visiting again, I’d be opting for the aura experience.
OLD PORT
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Located in the same vicinity, is Old Port. Another popular attraction because of the wide range of activities they offer; boat cruises, zip lining, boat spas, pedal boating, tree top adventures, and La Grande Roue de Montreal (The tallest Ferris wheel in Canada)
There’s also a variety of shops littered across the way.
While I spent a considerable amount of time walking around Old port, the only thing I did here was the Ferris wheel.
Next time I’m here, I’ll be doing the adventure courses, and maybe ziplining, if I get over my aversion to water.
CHINA TOWN
This wasn’t on my list, but it was on route to my next destination so I decided to visit it.
It’s pretty much a small area parked with Chinese stores- food, souvenirs, clothing, etc. It’s a great place to shop, eat, and immerse yourself in another culture.
QUARTIER DE SPECTACLES
This was supposed to be an entertainment district downtown with festivals happening in summer, but I did not see any of that sort of thing going on. Now either Google Maps took me to the wrong place, or I was months early to the party, but it was anticlimactic, to say the least. I will be returning because I feel like I definitely missed something here.
GAY VILLAGE
With nothing to spectate at Quartier de Spectacles, we headed to Gay Village, locally known as The Village. Big regret that my trip did not coincide with Pride Month, but regardless, it was a fun place.
Like every other place we’d visited, there's a plethora of shops, mostly bars, restaurants, clubs, and events happening, I mean imagine my surprise when I walked into a Taylor Swift drag show!
CIRQUE DE SOLEIL
This isn’t specific to Montreal but I timed my visit specifically to catch the Montreal Cirque du Soleil- Kurious.
Basically, Cirque du Soleil is a travelling circus with different shows in different cities. I had recently seen Crystal in Windsor, and I saw Echo in Toronto.
So far Kurious is my least favourite, but only because I forgot my glasses, and on top of that, I had a pier blocking my view.
If you haven't been to any of the shows, I highly recommend it.
TIPS
From Old Montreal, it’s a short walk through Chinatown to Quartier des Spectacles, and Gay Village, so all of that can be seen in a day.
I couldn't see this since it was on the other side of town but if I were in Montreal again, I'd visit the Olympic park sites (Botanical Garden, Olympic Stadium, Planteruim, Olympic Tower), and the Biodome. Again they can all be visited in a day because they’re in the same complex, and allegedly, if you visit on the first Friday of the month, there’s a street food truck festival that takes place all evening.
If you’re a student, bring your student card with you as most tourist spots have discounted rates for students.
All in all, I had a blast on this trip, and I'm literally about to learn French and move here.
Au Revoir!
Your descriptions make them sound like a place to be ! Added to my bucket list locations✅