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Guide to Montreal

About Montreal

A city that’s both trendy and traditional, Montreal has much to recommend it to visitors from all across Canada. With a population of around two million, it’s a significant metropolis where the official language is French, but you’ll hear English spoken widely. It was Canada’s business powerhouse prior to Toronto’s commercial ascendancy but is still a hotspot for food, fashion, software development, transport, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals. The area around modern Montreal was occupied by First Nations peoples like the Saint Lawrence Iroquoians from as early as 4000 years ago, but it was founded as a city by Europeans in 1642.

French influence

This is the largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris and it permeates every area of life. For instance, although English is the language of business, French is used for the informal chats that make commerce sociable, and the Western Island is one of Quebec’s Francophone heartlands. You can taste the French influence in Montreal’s cuisine, and it also infuses its art and literature.

Design delights

If you’re an architecture aficionado, there’s plenty to satisfy you in Montreal. The city boasts brilliant contemporary buildings like the 20th Century Habitat 67 and Stade Olympique, the genteel terraces of Plateau Mont-Royal, and stunning historical edifices like the Basilique Notre Dame. Whether you’re driving, walking, or cycling, you’ll be surrounded by diverse and delightful design that’s intriguing, inspiring and authentic.

Things to do in Montreal

Festivals

There are more festivals in Montreal than you can shake a hockey stick at and much of it is centred at the Quartier des Spectacles, so whichever time of year you visit, you’re sure to easily find something that floats your boat. Montreal is the home of the world-famous Cirque de Soleil, so if high flying acrobatics and colorful costumes are your bag, you’re in luck. Other highlights include ice carving and other winter activities at the Fete de Nieges in January, the explosive International Fireworks Festival in June and July, the Montreal International Jazz Festival and First People’s Festival which are also help mid-summer.

Trendy Griffintown

An up and coming Montreal neighborhood which was once a rough and ready working class Irish domain, Griffintown is fast becoming the place to be seen in the city. It has been the home of Montreal Fashion Week since 2012, it’s home to the expansive L’Arsenal arts center and it’s brimming with hip bars, restaurants, and hotels.

Nightlife

If you want a night out in Montreal, there’s plenty to entertain you. Majestique in Mount Royal is definitely a highlight with its tongue in cheek wood paneled décor and bucks heads, and Big in Japan is a secret Japanese bar in the same district where you’ll find a labyrinth of Japanese whiskey, beer, cocktails, and bar food behind a mysterious unmarked door. For something a little different, you can also head to the Whisky Café at Mile End, a 1930s style speakeasy with a world-class selection of whiskies and a classy cigar lounge.

Shopping & Eating

Food trucks

Montreal’s food trucks are where you’ll pick up some of Canada’s tastiest meals on wheels. The Chez Tomio truck serves healthy Japanese-Thai fusion food like pad Thai and Takoyaki, Grumman ’78 is a Montreal food truck legend that’s still going strong with dishes like lamb curry tacos and blackened fish, and Le Smoking BBQ servies sizzling Texan-style beef burritos, southern fried chicken and ribs.

Chinatown

Montreal’s Chinatown has a comprehensive offering of Chinese and Asian eateries, so if your taste buds are tempted by this type of cuisine, you’re in luck. The Dak Hing Barbecue is the place to go if you like creations like soy chicken, duck feet or roasted quail, Gia Ba combines Taiwanese and Szechuan food in explosively spicy combinations, and Dobe & Andy specializes in roasted meats and steamed bok choi.

Unique gifts

The best places to pick up unusual and unique gifts are Montreal’s museum boutiques. For example, the boutique and bookstore at the Museum of Fine Arts sells lovely insect-shaped silver brooches from Scaro and trendy t-shirts from Markantoine, the McCord Museum shop sells essential oils from First Nations company Tipika and the Canadian Centre for Architecture has a brilliant bookstore with titles suitable for laypeople and children as well as experts.

Magnifique malls

If your shopping tastes are slightly more mainstream, there are several malls in Montreal where you can spend an afternoon or an entire day indulging in a spot of retail therapy. The Centre Eaton de Montreal is located centrally and features international high street names as well as a few national favorites, while trendy Quartier DIX30 is a shopping village complex featuring local brands like Frank & Oak and Editorial, as well as artisan spas, chocolatiers, and pizzerias. There’s even a VR games room and a surf pool to keep kids entertained. And don’t forget Plaza Saint Hubert, which is technically a mall but stretches across seven city blocks between Villeray and Little Italy. Here you’ll find wedding dress boutiques, international delicatessens, and niche haircare shops.

Transport in Montreal

Airports

The main airport here is Montreal-Trudeau (YUL) and it’s located 20km from downtown Montreal. If you’re flying in here from elsewhere in Canada, it’s easy to book your rental car pickup beforehand so that you can hop behind the wheel an set off whenever you’ve cleared customs.

Buses

STM is the Montreal Transit Corporation and this is the body which controls the city’s public transportation system. There are bus services covering all parts of the city and it’s one of north America’s most used services, processing around 1.5 million passengers daily.

Metro

The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired underground system running on four lines in the city via 68 stations. This is the fourth-busiest rapid transport system in North America and processes around 1.4 million passenger trips daily.

Driving tips

You must drive on the right side of the road in Montreal, seatbelts are mandatory and speed limits are displayed in km/h rather than mph. The limit is 50 km/h in towns and cities, with a lower limit in certain areas like schools and built-up residential areas, while the highway limit is 100km/h. It’s easiest to park in parking lots in Montreal city center, although they can be expensive. Street parking is cheaper but finding a space can be tricky and in general it’s harder to find any kind of space in winter, when extensive snow clearing operations mean that you’ll see ‘no parking’ periods signposted.