What things to do in Montreal?
There are many components of entertainment for visitors in Canada. These include art galleries and museums, historical sites, noted retail areas and trendy nightclubs. To taste a sense of Old Montreal, you can join a walking tour to the 18th-century buildings of Vieux-Montréal for a day. Later, you can leisurely walk along the broad walkway of the Old Port to Clock Tower Beach. You are warmly welcome to shop at local designers or wholesale outlets. Downtown, you can find handcrafted jewellery and artisanal goods or just visit window-shopping along Boulevard St-Laurent. It’s among the best free activities in Montreal.
You should not miss the famed, Montréal-style sweet bagels at St-Viateur. You can connect the line at iconic Schwartz’s Deli for a thick smoked meat sandwich with a juicy pickle on the side. This city is also a great place for families to enjoy a good number of wonderful attractions. The Montreal Botanical Garden, Insectarium, Planetarium, and Biodômeand are among these. Each of them can be reached on foot from the others. For travellers with young kids, Île Sainte-Hélène amusement park La Ronde has 40 rides.
During visiting in winter, you can avoid the cold by touring the Underground City. In the Underground City, you will enjoy climate-controlled shopping malls, restaurants and movie theatres. However, you can get pleasure above ground by joining many winter festivals.
In a word, Montreal is a modern and historic city. It is anything but dull with its centuries-old buildings and festivals featuring the biggest bands in the world today. Here are some things to enjoy in Montreal.
Pointe-à-Callière Museum
A museum of archaeology and history exists in the exact hometown of Montreal. In 1992, to commemorate Montreal’s 350th birthday, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum was established. The 14th-century history of the city is highlighted in the museum. The museum uses multimedia and new technologies for its visitors. So, you can witness how local First Nations cultures lived, how the British and French influences formed the city’s development, and how Montreal turned the town into what it is today. There are remains of centuries-old buildings and gravesites. It bears the archaeological relics from the region’s first settlers. There is no doubt that history buffs will enjoy this museum.
Space for Life
A collection of four different experiences exists in Montreal’s Space for Life (Espace Pour La Vie). They are the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, The Biodôme, the Botanical Garden, and the Insectarium. The area helps guests discover nature and their role in the cosmos. It is a very exciting place. You can smell about 22,000 flowers and plants in just one day. You have lunch alongside penguins or lynx. You can attempt and decide whether something is a stick or a bug, and then sit back. You can get pleasure from a 360-degree projection of the Northern Lights. One day, you could do all of these things. There is a lot to see here.
Place des Festivals
The location of the Place des Festivals is in the heart of downtown Montreal. The Quartier des Spectacles is the name of this entertainment district. The place is an open-air civic square. It has been built to host big festivals and big crowds. It stays factual to that point. Just for Laughs, the Montreal Jazz Festival are organised here. Besides, several other events make use of the space to host free shows and concerts all year round. The prime interactive fountain of Canada sits surrounded by the square. The fountain has 235 water jets. There are four huge light towers and two restaurants enclosed in glass. Therefore, whenever you visit Montreal, you should never forget to take a glimpse at the Place des Festivals.
The Underground City
The Underground City lies in Montreal. The official name of the city is The RÉSO. It is a network of almost 20 miles of underground paths and tunnels. Subway stations, shopping centres, and buildings are connected to the network. You can come into the network from the street, nine major hotels, or eight different subway stations. Access to 2,000 stores, 17 museums, a movie theatre, a hockey arena, nightclubs, and innumerable other eateries and businesses are all within reach. You can join the 500,000 people who enjoy shopping or simply exploring. They make their way through the underground city daily.
Sainte Catherine Street
The shopping hub of Montreal is located on Sainte Catherine Street (Rue Ste.-Catherine locally). You will find everything here whether they are chain store brands, local boutiques or simple souvenirs. The length of Sainte Catherine Street is about nine miles. It crosses Montreal’s downtown core from east to west. You could walk it for hours and meet a special knowledge at every corner. It is easily accessible to restaurants and cafes lining the street by bus or metro (subway). Here, you will find the Montreal Forum, the former home of the legendary Montreal Canadiens, and major venue Place-des-Arts. Summer is the best time to visit Sainte Catherine Street. Then, you can watch the street come alive as sidewalks are eaten up by patios.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts houses 41,000 pieces in its collection. You can put on your beret, shave your beard, and visit the museum. It was founded in 1860. It is the most-visited museum in Canada. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts attracts over one million art lovers every year. From the perspective of the broadest sense of the word, it’s an art museum. You will find music, film fashion, traditional fine arts, and design. In a few hours of browsing, you might meet an antique glass vase, a work of art by Rembrandt, and unique modern furniture. New ‘travelling exhibits’ are added to the collection every year. It means that you’ll never have the same understanding two times.
St Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal
St Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal is encircled in the region of Montreal. A big, rounded, green roof standing tall might be noticed on the horizon. St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal is the owner of that roof. People discover it to be a trendy place. That huge roof of 97 meters is the second highest in the world. It is called the dome of the Oratory basilica. The dome is behind only Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Climbing the long rows of steps, you can enjoy the amazing view of the city before heading inside. You can take a tour and visit the small original chapel, as well as the Basilica, the gardens and the museum. It features spiritual and artistic displays.
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain. Montreal’s business district is just around the corner. Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed Central Park in New York, designed Mount Royal Park. The two landmarks provide a akin idea and it is making an outdoor space in the city. In that open space, people will meet, hang out, spend time outdoors, play sports, and much more. Climbing to the watch-out point at the top, you can visit the giant cross and look out over the entire city of Montreal. Tam-tams is one of Mount Royal’s biggest draws. You can visit it on Sunday. Tam-tams are weekly gatherings depending on the weather. Drummers, dancers, vendors and anyone else gather here. You are always welcome to the big outdoor party.
Old Montreal
Old Montreal, the oldest neighbourhood in the city, contains the site where Montreal was first established in 1642. Its cobblestone streets shout of Europe and horse-drawn carriages get citizens through the labyrinth of charms. The crowds that congregate in Old Montreal bawl youth and enthusiasm. The visitors fill up the lots of local-style boutiques and cafes. During that time, citizens flow into the spot to walk, bike, and boat the stunning riverside. They drink and feast at the latest modern restaurants at nighttime. And this doesn’t only take place in the summer. Thousands of people wear snowsuits in the late January and fill the harbour to attend Igloofest, an outdoor electronic music festival. OId Montreal is an incredible mixture of new and old that you won’t want to miss.
Notre-Dame Basilica
The Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal’s two large towers can be seen when strolling through the Old Port area of the city. They are peeking out above the skyline. You should not miss out on watching them. You might be impressed by the outside design. And you feel a thrill while walking through these doors. In 1829, Canada’s first Gothic Revival-style church was completed. The stunning religious paintings and the stained-glass windows will astound you. These things leave many visitors in awe. While walking into the Basilica, you will feel that you are walking back through history. The tour will present you with its architecture, art, and history.
Lachine Canal
The Lachine Canal located in the centre of Montréal is a watery paradise. It runs for nearly 9 miles from the entry. The canal was first opened in 1824. The purpose of the canal was to supply a source of hydraulic power and contributed to Montréal’s industrial and commercial advance as a key trade harbour. It is now a well-known location for picnics and walks. All types of rentals are offered from mid-May to mid-October. Stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, small electric boats and swan-shaped pedal boats are among the equipment available for rent. Six different fish species including perch, pike and carp are found in the canal. It takes nearly an hour for cyclists to ride from one end of the well-maintained canal trail to the other.
La Grande Roue de Montréal
You can take pleasure in an exciting view of Old Montréal, the city center. You may also be glad to watch the St. You can choose from cabins that seat up to eight, or splurge on a large VIP cabin. The VIP cabin is outfitted with a glass floor and Italian leather seating for four riders. The vision through the tempered glass windows is ideal for photographs at the time. The wheel is lit up at night, as well as the giant cross on the top of Mount Royal. The Jacques Cartier Bridge brings extra romance to the traverse.
Visitors suggest a journey in the evening and think it a must-do while in Montréal that’s worth the splurge. They account that wait times are typically short and the travel is long enough to take pleasure in all the tourist attractions.
Marché Jean-Talon
One of the biggest outdoor marketplaces in North America is Jean-Talon Market. Jean-Talon Market is an unmissable Montreal know-how for foodstuff lovers. The market is full of small shopkeepers, bustling with activity all the year-round. Many local bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, grocers, restaurateurs, and growers of fruits and vegetables gather in the market. Jean-Talon Market is vastly trendy with neighbours and travellers. There’s nothing better if you’re searching for old-world appeal.
Café Olimpico
Café Olimpico was founded in 1970. It is a European-style café. It serves a great collection of coffee, espresso drinks, and Italian pastries. The Mile End landmark is daring among hipsters and artists. Montreal-raised singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright is one of them.
Final Words
Montreal is termed the French Canadian city, also the center of culture. It is one of Canada’s most exciting cities. Montreal, a historic place, has a plethora of museums, tours, and architecture. However, Montreal also hums a contemporary tune. It has musical nightlife and a world-class design and technology community. Some of the best foods in the world are served here.
Relavant Stories!
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Bhupati Barman is a Co-founder of Mite Art, as well as an Entrepreneur, SEO Optimizer, and Blog Writer, covering a variety of interesting topics.