What is there to do in Montreal? Doing A? Well, it is pretty fun! Even if you only have one day to spend in this fascinating city, doing this will make for a great memory. B is also exciting! It proves that there's more to Montreal than you probably thought. And C? Now that is a great way to spend your time in this city! No matter what you do, you're sure to have a good time in Montreal. These activities prove that this city deserves more recognition than it's getting now!
Explore Old Montreal
Go back in time and explore the beautiful nostalgic charms of Old Montreal. Far from the sprawling metropolis that makes up a majority of the city nowadays, this area is old-world beauty at its finest. There are cobblestone streets, classic architecture, and even horse-drawn carriages. Not to mention the many great restaurants in Montreal that are located here too. This place attracts as many foodies as it does history buffs. But if there's one place you simply shouldn't miss, it's the Notre Dame Basilica. It's not that similar to the more iconic one in Paris, but it's magnificent nonetheless!
Source: Flickr.com/ Adam Fagen
If you're more into art and pop culture, however, you Downtown! It's here where you'll find the famous Quartier des Spectacles, the artistic
district of Montreal. A whole host of galleries, museums, exhibits and even street art installations await you here. No matter where you look, all you'll ever see are incredible works of art, dazzling performances, and ingenious ideas. But its pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the
Place des Arts. It's the city's most famous events hall, home to countless shows, performances, and festivals. This is where the world-famous Montreal International Jazz Festival is held too. Hopefully, you're in the city during the festival!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Guilhem Vellut
Discover The Different Cultures on Saint Laurent Boulevard
Montreal may be known as a French city, but over time, it's become the home of many different nationalities and ethnicities. And their cultures are on full display on Saint Laurent Boulevard! From bars and bistros to cafes and restaurants, this is the best place to go on a foodie tour of Montreal. For one thing, this long road leads to various communities in the city. There's Chinatown, Little Italy, Little Portugal, and the like. Just take
public transport and you’ll be there in no time! You also can't miss the exceptional street art here too, particularly the cool murals. It's as if you took a trip around the world when you only visited one exciting road!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Jeangagnon
Go Shopping Underground
As the often-proclaimed “
Paris of Canada,” Montreal does share a few similarities with the French capital. One of which is shopping! There are plenty of places to shop til you drop here but the best—or rather, most unique—of them all is Underground City. Just as its name says, it's an entire district located underneath the city. It offers various shops, boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and the like. But why is there such a place in Montreal? So that you'll have a warm place to retreat to when winter rears its ugly head, of course!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Deror_avi
Relax in Mount Royal Park
When you just want to relax during your day in Montreal, there's always Mount Royal Park! It's no
Central Park in New York, but then you wouldn't want it to be anyway! Not after you've seen the spectacular views from up here. Since it's perched atop Mount Royal, this park gives you an aerial view of the rest of the city. And no matter the season, there's always some fun to be had here! In spring, you can row your boat on Beaver Lake. In winter, you can actually ski down the slopes of Mount Royal. Doesn't all that sound fun?
Source: Flickr.com/ Guilhem Vellut
Visit The Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park
If you're up for a more nature-centric day in Montreal, you can always go to Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park instead. It's the largest park in the city, surrounded by huge ponds and lakes where you and your family can have the time of your lives. Your little ones will definitely enjoy visiting the farm here and seeing the adorable animals that run around and scamp along the grounds. Meanwhile, your older kids can go on all sorts of adventures by the lakes. They offer kayaking, canoeing, and even swimming here. As for you, resting in the pinewoods makes for a great romantic date.
Source: Flickr.com/ abdallahh
You haven't truly been to Montreal if you haven't eaten at the iconic Schwartz’s Deli! As far as hotspots in Montreal are concerned, this place trumps them all. Even the Grammy Award-winning singer, Celine Dion, has publicly patronized this place. Just like how you visit the Eiffel Tower when you're in Paris or see Buckingham Palace when you're in London, you simply have to eat in Schwartz’s Deli when you're in Montreal at least once! Their incredible smoked meats are more than enough to help you find out why this place is so important!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ chensiyuan
Just like in any other city, there are tons to do in Montreal. From relaxing in a park to shopping underground, you'd be surprised at how exciting this place can truly be! You might even discover something new along the way!
