Montréal is a city that is endless, nonstop, and unlimited. An endless variety of things to do, and places to go. Nonstop music and art choices. Unlimited stores for shopping. Limitless ways to enjoy the outdoors. A never-ending supply of restaurants. Countless museums to explore. Numerous transportation and accommodations options. Abundant historical, religious, and cultural activities. A place for pedestrians only. Whew! The list goes on. Basically, innumerable opportunities for the visitor all year round. And all in a good way!
Welcome to part two of “endless Montréal” (in a good way). For part one, including lots of information about museums, shopping, food, cultural areas, and religion in Montréal, please click here.
Here is more of just a sampling…
Outdoor Activities: With over 500 public parks, and 1,000 “greenspaces,” which are mini-parks in neighborhoods next to the houses, you can be outdoors just about anywhere in Montréal. Anywhere. You can also be outdoors just about anytime in Montréal. Anytime, as there is something to do in all seasons. For example, some summer activities include cycling, walking, and in-line skating. On the water, there is boating, white-water rafting, jet-boating, and cruises. The winters in Montréal offer cross-country skiing, ice-skating, and snowshoeing.
A place that I enjoyed visiting is Parc du Mont-Royal, a triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, from which Montréal’s name is derived. Montréal’s largest park, it is 900 feet above sea level, and called “the mountain” by locals. It dominates the city, can be seen from many places, and has great views of Montréal from the top, such as with the Stade Olympique in the background. Here you are surrounded by nature, including a lake and twelve species of maple trees. There are also two cemeteries with over 1,000,000 people buried.
There are many activities available in all seasons in Mont-Royal. Trails for walking (including up hill), and cycling in the summer, and ice skating in the winter. I was told that there is a bike and yoga combo tour up Mont-Royal as well. And in the winter, you can also toboggan down “the mountain.” Fun, fun!
Festivals: All year long, especially in the summer, Montréal hosts all different kinds of festivals. The choices are endless. Music, such as FestiBlues, Reggae Festival, and International Jazz Festival, with free outdoor concerts. Cultural festivals such as Italian Week, Matsuri Japan, and the First People’s Festival. Movies, such as the World Film Festival. Historical festivals, such as 18th Century Public Market. Sports events such as Napa auto, and tennis tournaments. Celebrations such as Fierté Montréal Pride. Fun for the entire family, such as the Children’s Festival, and the Hot Air Balloon Festival. Then there are combo Music & Arts Festivals. And, to go along with all the shopping you can do mentioned in my first “endless” Montréal blog, there is the Fashion and Design Festival. The list of festivals goes on, and on, and on…
Pedestrian only: Vieux-Montréal (Old Montréal) is a section of the city with some pedestrian only areas. It is the touristy part, but it is quite quaint and charming, especially with its 17th century architecture. Place Jacques-Cartier has shops, restaurants, street musicians, caricature artists, clowns twisting balloons, side streets of art and paintings, stalls of crafts and jewelry (I loved the creative bird houses), and souvenir shops. Place Jacques-Cartier is a great place for people-watching, too.
The oldest street in Old Montréal, Rue Saint-Paul (although not completely car-free) is still paved with cobblestones. Here you can find some great shops and galleries with native First Nations and Inuit arts and crafts, including sculpture, paintings, jewelry, and clothing. You could easily spend a day or three exploring just Old Montréal.
Transportation: I was told that Montréal won the top prize by the American Public Transportation Association for their public transportation system. You could actually live in Montréal without a car and get around just fine, so as a visitor, no need to worry. For example, the museums pass mentioned in my first “endless” Montréal blog can include the use of public transit.
A fun way to get around is renting Bixi bicycles, and for only $5.00CAD for 24 hours. However, you need to return a bike to a station every half hour in order to not get charged extra. That seemed to be plenty of time though to get from place to place, as there are lots and lots of stations all around the city. So…pick a museum, bike to it. See the museum. Pick a store, bike to it. Do a little shopping. Find a restaurant, bike to it. Eat. Maybe some of that poutine with smoked meat, mentioned in my first “endless” Montréal blog. How about bike to or in a park, like Mont-Royal? Hang out at the lake. And bike back to your accommodations. A good way to spend a day outdoors in Montréal. Or two. Or three. (Oh, you can even take bike tours of Montréal.)
The Metro. With miles of underground train, it is easy to get around to some of those longer-distance places. I used the Metro to get to the Jardin Botanique, the Insectaruim, the Biodȏme, and the Stade Olympique, all in walking-distance of each other, and most of which are covered by the museums pass.
Of course, to get to and from Montréal, VIA Rail Canada offers a relaxing, adventurous, fun, and scenic way to travel!!
Accommodations: From hostels to hotels; from B&B’s to apartment-hotels; from camping to resorts. There are plenty of places to sleep after each day you explore a museum, do some shopping, walk on cobblestones, munch on some bagels, play in a park, check out Chinatown, listen to some music at a festival, and reflect in a church in Montréal.
I know that in these two blogs, I have not even scratched the surface of endless, non-stop, and unlimited Montréal. In a good way!
You can find out even more information on Montréal from their tourism website.
This trip was provided to me courtesy of Montréal Tourism, Québec City Tourism, and VIA Rail Canada (links to all below).
And a big thank you to Carole Chef, my tour guide extraordinaire, who in three hours took me all over Montréal, taught me a lot about the city, accommodated my note and picture taking, and stopped at many sites, including the place for me to taste a true Montréal bagel.
My next blog will be on Québec City.
Sweet (and endless) Travels!
Related blogs:
A relaxing, adventurous, fun, and scenic train ride on VIA Rail Canada.
Montréal: Endless, Nonstop, and Unlimited…In a Good Way (Part One)
Travel Information:
VIA Rail Canada
Québec City and Area
Tourisme Québec
Bonjour Québec
Tourisme-Montréal
Photo credits:
Montréal with cyclists and in-line skaters
Lake at Parc du Mont-Royal
Hot Air Balloon Festival
Downtown Montréal at night