Montreal has a good old European charm and an unpretentious love for the travelers as well as the good food investibles. Take your time to roam around the city, especially the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal, amazing street performances, centuries back European architectures, historic buildings and beautiful churches.
Although there is something for everyone in Montreal, the true spirit of exploring the city requires walking, walking and only walking.
Vieux Montréal or Old Montreal is the most popular area to walk around, including the Notre-Dame Basilica, cobblestone streets and nice museums.
Notre-Dame Basilica is a gem of Victorian Gothic and attracts a large number of visitors every year across the world. There are horse-drawn carriages available near the basilica to give you a memorable ride through the most beautiful attractions of the city.
After having a refreshing day trip of the wonderful city, unwind yourself exploring the famous food street of old Montreal. Sit and relax outside any of the local restaurants and order some French wine and poutine. Poutine is a local delicacy, originating from Quebec province, consisting French fries and cheese curd topped with delicious meat gravy.
Montreal Old Port is a perfect place to spend the evening. You can have a spectacular view of the city from the Montreal Observation Wheel. This will be an unforgettable experience to have a breathtaking view of the river St. Lawrence, old Montreal, downtown and the mountains as well.
There are numerous local stores, coffee shops, bars and road side restaurants in the Old Port area offering refreshments for everyone's taste.
Start your next day exploring the mountains. Mont Royal or Mount Royal is one of the prime highlights of Montreal, as they say the city had taken it name after the name of this mountain. Mount Royal Park is within a very short distance from the downtown and once you reach there, park your car in the designated area and follow the hiking trails towards the summit.
From the base to summit its a short hike and it's even stroller accessible. Chalet du Mont-Royal offers a spectacular view of the city's skyline, River St. Lawrence and of course the surrounding mountains.
Parc Olumpique or The Olympic Park can be your next destination in Montreal.
According to me, this should be included in your must-see list of the city. It was built in 1976 to host the Summer Olympic Games of that very year and since then it has become one of the prime tourist destinations in Montreal.
You can have a guided tour inside providing good old history about the stadium and some lesser known interesting stories about the magnificent architecture, sports, culture and many more.
Another popular destination of the city is the Jean-Talon Market in Little Italy area. This place is extremely crowded during weekends and finding a good and proper public parking could be a pain. This is kind of an outdoor farmers market offering a wide variety of fresh local produces and widely popular among locals and visitors.
Montreal is a food-lover's paradise and known for a wide range of gastronomic delights. French, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Afghan, you name it and there are so many options available in various parts of the city. But if you are in Montreal, you should not miss the scope to try some local delicacies, like poutine, local bagels, and smoked meat. Apart from these you will never run out of various local bakeries, creperies, coffee shops and bistros.
Getting around in Montreal is not very tricky. The public parking's are available throughout the city but can be a little expensive sometimes. Public transportation like metros and buses are easily available for roaming around the city. But walking is the easiest and convenient way to explore Montreal, although you have to drive or take other transportation to hop between different destinations.
So, here is a brief summary of our memorable trip to Montreal. The vibrant city is full of some unique magnificent architectures, along with a picturesque downtown area. Don't miss an opportunity to walk around the beautiful cobblestone streets surrounded with some old European statues and buildings, the Old Port, and plenty of restaurants beside the streets offering local and international delicacies.
So take your time out to experience the unique French charm of this Canadian city and see yourself why Montreal is known to be one of the greatest tourist destinations of the world.
