Montreal City Guide
The city of Montreal offers it visitors so much due to the diversity of its cultural and historical influences. As around 95% of the city’s population speak French, tourists can enjoy the bustle of a Parisian city break as well as Canadian holiday. This cosmopolitan city has a range of bars, restaurants and clubs that are famous around the world. This is also a popular destination for shopping as Montreal’s Underground City contains a plethora of different stores. You will also find that plenty of people come to Montreal to experience one of the festivals which take place within the city.
Festivals and Events
The wide range of festivals on Montreal’s calendar means that there is something to suit every visitor’s tastes. Many tourists enjoy the live performances and colourful calypso dancers at the Cajun Festival of Quebec in June. There is another lively festival in July – the Mondail Fireworks Festival is perfect for the entire family as there are fun fair rides, a firework show and many food stalls.
There are also an abundance of cultural events that take place within Montreal. The Montreal International Jazz Festival always draws in massive crowds as top name acts grace the stages each year. You may also want to visit the International Festival of Films on Art which takes place in March. At this event there are over 250 films being promoted each year from around 30 different countries.
Shopping
People love to shop within Montreal’s trendy and youthful shopping malls. The Cours Mont Royal is a great place to walk around due to its lavish design and decor. You can find typical high street chains and fashion outlets within this establishment. There are also a number of popular restaurants to eat in once you finished your day of shopping. The Eaton Centre is another popular shopping area as there are over 150 shops and 30 eateries within its interior. Alongside fashion stores, there are also many designer brands which are perfect for those who are looking to treat themselves.
A slightly different area to visit is Place Alexis Nihon as this is home to unique fashion stores and boutiques. Here you can discover pieces which you will not be able to find anywhere else in the world. This area also has speciality shops such as comic book stores and music shops. It is also worth visiting Faubourg Sainte Cathedral during your trip as you can pick up great bargains from the indoor market.
Something Unique
Montreal also has some exciting and unique buildings which tourists flock to during their holidays. The Biodome was once the Velodrome cycling stadium used during the Olympics and is now home to four different ecosystems. There is a huge variety of exotic plants and animals on display; the main attractions are the polar area and ocean habitat. You may also want to visit the Insectarium which is home to a wide array of creepy crawlies. There is also a butterfly house which contains some beautiful and brightly coloured creatures.
5 Day Weather Forecast for Montreal
| Today | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clear 20°/9° | Partly Cloudy 25°/12° | Partly Cloudy 29°/18° | Partly Cloudy 26°/16° | Chance of a Thunderstorm 23°/12° |