For chic sophistication with a little bit of the clown thrown in, there's no place like Montreal. Canada's East Coast jewel is a city that melds old and new seamlessly, from the cobbled streets of Vieux Montreal to the sleek Quartier International. Montreal, along with the whole province of Quebec, retains the French influence that began way back in the 1500s, when explorers from that European nation first made their way to the New World.
So expect to see and hear French everywhere, but don't worry if you don't speak that language. Montrealers are pretty much bilingual, with English (Canada's official tongue) being just about as common as French. But French is what you will always hear first in what is often called La Belle Ville (the Beautiful City).
And it is a gorgeous metropolis, nestled on an island formed between the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, with the three-headed hill known as Mount Royal smack dab in the middle. That protected oasis of greenery is a good place to start a visit, for from up there you can see the city spread out below.
Look one way and there's the iconic Olympic Stadium, host to the 1976 Summer Games; some say it looks like a toilet bowl, but it strikes us as more of a spaceship. Look another and you'll see the Notre-Dame Basilica, a must-see stop in the old city that boasts stained-glass windows worthy of its Paris namesake.
And in between are the skyscrapers, universities (Montreal has nine within five miles!) and quaint neighborhoods that make this such a vibrant place. Harder to see to the north, but extremely important to Montreal's fame, is the home of the Cirque du Soleil, where all those clowns, acrobats and other performers learn their craft and are outfitted from head to toe with those amazing costumes, wigs and makeup.
But before we explore more, let's pick a place to stay. Choose the stately Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in the heart of the business district; the sleek Le Westin Montreal, built in the Gazette newspaper's former home; or the quaint old city's Hotel Le St. James, located in a bank building built in 1870. There you'll find Le Spa, which is perhaps the only spa in the world built inside an old bank vault, boasting massive stone walls that also formed the fortifications of the original settlement.
From that home base, it is time to explore. Wander through Old Montreal and the river's edge, stopping to shop in the chic boutiques (renowned designer Denis Gagnon's below-ground atelier is a must), browsing the art galleries along the way, visiting the Montreal Science Center, the Archaeological Museum or City Hall, all within an easy stroll.
Or (assuming you're visiting before the snow and freezing weather descend upon this chilly-in-winter city) hop on one of the BIXI bicycles, located at over 400 stations all over the city. Montreal is a hugely friendly bike city, and with a 24- or 72-hour subscription ($5 or $12CAD), you'll be able to pick up a bike, explore, leave the bike behind, explore some more and pick up another along the way. Set your sights on Chinatown for some dim sum, or head further north to Schwartz's on Rue Saint-Laurent, where the lines to get in snake down the street. They make the famed Montreal "smoked meat" that everyone from Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry and Quebec's own Celine Dion rave about.
If amazing food is your first love, keep riding your bike up to Little Italy, where the Jean-Talon Market runs all year round, and is a cornucopia of fresh fruits, vegetables, spices, cheeses and other delectables. Make sure to taste the amazing bread, pastries and charcuterie at Premiere Moison and the ice cream at Havre-aux-Glaces on your visit there.
Explore Mile End on your way back to the city center, where lovely classically beautiful neighborhoods showcase the outdoor metal-staircased, three-story homes that make the look of this city unlike any other. Plan time to visit the St. Viateur Bagel Shop and the Chocolats Genevieve Grandbois patisserie, two culinary highlights of Montreal's very active and sophisticated gastronomic scene.
It's a great idea to plan your Montreal visit in conjunction with one of the city's numerous special happenings throughout the year. The Jazz Fest is held annually in June/July; Just for Laughs throughout July; the Montreal World Film Fest every August; and an astonishing International Fireworks Competition goes all summer long. Come fall and wintertime, Montreal Fashion Week offers up cutting-edge runway shows (with tickets sold to the general public); the Opera de Montreal goes into full swing; the electronic-music party called IglooFest is held over two weekends in January; and the High Lights Festival is a ten-day arts, science and culinary extravaganza held in February, designed to take the chill of those often-hard Quebec winters away.
But no matter when you visit this vibrant cosmopolitan city, you can count on one thing. There will always be something exciting going on.
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