Having the chance to combine the “Old World” charm, Canada’s second most populous city was once known as Ville-Marie, a popular journey destination for holidaymakers. Its (graciously preserved) ruins include the half-timbered Maison Saint-Gabriel (1687), the town’s first structure. In the heart of the old city, the Notre-Dame Basilica is also a highlight.
In addition to its natural wonders, Montreal is also known for its lively festival culture and culinary scene, its exceptional art museums and performing arts offer. Montreal has also a sizable Chinatown with a distinctive Art Deco district.
The city is also home to several first-class colleges and universities, including McGill and Concordia, and is one of the top research institutions for the country. Also, The Montreal Science Center, one of Canada’s largest science museums, is essential to visit.
Curious about what to do in Montreal? Here you have 5 of the greatest places you must visit on your vacation.
1. Old Montreal
Old Montreal is the historic district of Montreal and is today a major tourist attraction in downtown Montreal, particularly Old Montreal South and its “Old Port”, a former harbour and presently a recreation and shopping area. Old Montreal South features cobblestone streets, several buildings, tenements built between 1795 and 1845 and the original St. Lawrence “Hôtel-Dieu” (1819). The area features the oldest extant house in Montreal, built in 1687, as well as Fort Ville-Marie, the first permanent settlement in Canada, along with Pointe-à-Callière Museum. The district boasts the second largest urban concentration of heritage buildings in North America (after San Francisco) and is one of the largest in the world (after Venice).It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, of historical interest for its well-preserved architecture, and its role in the city’s development. The area is also known as the “Old Montreal”.
2. Notre Dame Basilica
The Notre-Dame Basilica was built in the Italian Gothic Revival architectural style and is one of Canada’s largest churches. It is located on the northern side of the central Place d’Armes square of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Basilica and Square are regarded as one of the most iconic images of Montreal, and have named an National Historic Site of Canada in 1990 and a World Heritage Site in 2005.
The church is listed as a National Historic Site of Canada, as of December 19, 1986, and has a protected heritage status under the federal Heritage Building Code. It is also one of 104 properties and historic districts listed as “Category A” by the City of Montreal. It is where the annual Saint John the Baptist celebrations take place in June. The church is also an important landmark and is used as a symbol of Montreal.
3. Pointe-à-Callière Museum
The Pointe-à-Callière Museum or Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History (French: Musée de l’histoire de Montréal: Musée Pointe-à-Callière) is an archaeological museum and historical archives located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The museum is dedicated to Montreal history, particularly that of Quebec. Its location at the foot of Old Montreal’s mountain symbolises the region’s archaeology.
4. Co Working Space
Coworking space in Montreal are popular among startups and solo entrepreneurs of all kinds who have the opportunity to enjoy workspaces that offer the same services as a private business center with no-strings-attached pricing. Most Montreal coworking spaces were recently designed to foster collaboration and creativity. A coworking space is the optimal environment for setting up your workstation because it helps you avoid stress caused by noisy surroundings.
Conclusion:
The list of the 4th places to discover in Montreal can be much longer. But it will be not enough space to cover all of them. So I limited this list to 4, but do not stop here. I decided to publish a series of articles about this city as following. So I hope you will like this place and will be back with me soon. With all the things to do in Montreal and it’s just waiting for you to explore!
