Places in Montréal you should not Miss!

Old Montréal: Old Montréal (Le vieux Montréal) visually remembers the old settlement of Ville-Marie, located near the St-Lawrence River, south of downtown. The age of the buildings range from the 17th century to early 20th century. At the center of it all is Place Jacques Cartier, in front of Montréal’s historic City Hall. The most interesting streets are St-Paul, de la Commune and St-Jacques.

Basilica of Notre-Dame: This is one of North America's largest and most historic cathedrals. It can seat 5000 people. Built between 1824 and 1829 in the neo-gothic style, Notre-Dame will remind you of some of Europe's famous cathedrals.  

Museum of Contemporary Arts: Called the museum of the twenty-first century, this museum is situated next to Place des Arts, making it part of the only cultural complex in Canada devoted to both the performing and visual arts. It is also the only Canadian institution dedicated exclusively to contemporary art.

Montréal Biodome: Best described as a museum of the environment; the Biodome is an interesting recreation of four distinct ecosystems. You'll find woodlands typical of the Canadian shield, a marine zone similar to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a tropical rainforest and a Polar climate. Each eco-zone is dutifully recreated and includes appropriate plants and wildlife.

Olympic Stadium and Montréal Tower: The stadium was built when Montréal hosted the 1976 Olympics. Over-hanging the stadium is the world's tallest inclined tower. A cable car will take you 175 meters to the top where you can get quite a good view of the city.

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal: This dance company was founded in 1957. Since then, it has made a significant contribution to the evolution of dance in Canada and is now highly respected throughout the world.

The Montréal Casino:  Self-control is very important here; feel lucky?  Try the casino.  I haven’t won anything, but hey, play a dollar for me!

Montréal Botanical Gardens: Established in 1931, this is now the third largest botanical garden in the world. It has ten greenhouses for you to visit and thirty different outdoor gardens comprising about 26,000 varieties of plants. There is also a tree house where you can learn about Quebec's forests and how trees contribute to Montréal's green urban environment.

Montréal Jazz Festival: Plan to visit the city at the end of June for this world-renowned music festival. Many of the shows are free and are held at various venues throughout the city. The streets are packed with music fans and partygoers.

Just for Laughs Comedy Festival: Prepare to fall off your chair laughing! This is a bilingual festival that attracts more than 200 performers and half a million comedy lovers. Some acts are free, while others require paid-ticket bookings.

Air Canada Grand Prix Racing enthusiasts will want to visit Montréal in early June to see this event, the only Formula 1 race in North America.

Montréal World Film Festival If you're visiting Montréal in the early fall; plan to see some of the films screened at this festival. The festival is held at several theatres around town and attracts celebs and industry people from every corner of the globe.

The Montréal Canadiens are a hockey legend in this town.  They are the ‘winningest’ team in any professional sport’s history!  If you are here during the winter, you must check them out!  Also check out their home, the Bell Centre, where most of your favorite singers perform!

The Montréal Allouettes are one of the toughest teams in the Canadian Football League!  Watch them play into the late autumn, but don’t get too close, or you just might end up getting squished!

The Montréal Impact is Montréal’s cool soccer team.  If you like soccer, you’ll love the impact!

What About Montréal’s Secret Spots?

§Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is the oldest museum in Canada.  It has a great collection not to be missed.

§The Canadian Centre of Architecture is situated just off Réne-Lévesque Blvd West at 1920 Baile Street and is well worth the visit. You'll find an interesting bookshop on the architecture and design found in Montréal.

§Place des Arts contains a large terrace where you can lounge in the sun while listening to street musicians, and soaking up the ambiance of Montréal. It is also the site for some special events such as the annual International Jazz Festival, Francophiles, and the World Beer Festival.

§The Latin Quarter is a neighbourhood with lots of cafés, bars, restaurants and theatres. The main streets are St-Denis, St-Laurent (between Sherbrooke and Rachel) and St-Catherine between St-Laurent and Berri. Awesome jazz in this part of town!

§St-Sulpice Seminary is the oldest building still standing in Montréal, built in 1685. It is located right next to Notre-Dame Basilica in Old Montréal.

§Schwartz's Deli at 3895 St-Laurent is considered by many to have the best smoked meat in the world. You can't visit Montréal without sampling the local specialty -- a smoked meat sandwich.

§Crescent Street is located in the heart of downtown; perhaps the most popular streets to frequent, it is loaded with bars, restaurants, great shopping, and incredibly trendy nightlife!

§Jean-Talon market is an interesting open market in Little Italy where you can buy fresh, local vegetables, fruit and other produce.

§St-Laurent Blvd is the trendiest part of Montréal.  Packed with upper end dining, it is the place to see and be seen!  Great clubs line the street, making it very inviting for the stars!

§Fairmont Bagels between Park Street and St Urbain on Fairmont is famous for its Montréal-style bagels, which are sought the world over. Double-boiled and baked in a wood oven just the way they're supposed to be!

§Tam-tam on Mount-Royal during summer Sundays is a very popular weekly drum and percussion fest. It's near the Cartier monument and part of the Mount-Royal Park; the entrance is off Park Ave.

§St-Joseph Oratory and Sanctuary Garden is situated on the north side of Mount Royal. It's a Montréal landmark worth visiting.

§The Old Fortifications are walls that once protected the settlement of Ville-Marie. Some parts are still standing behind the city hall on the Champs-de-Mars and in the Pointe-à-Callière Museum.