Why Visit Montreal?
There are plenty of reasons to visit Montreal. From dynamic festivals and delicious food to the fascinating history and vibrant arts and culture scene, they all give the city a lot of its character. If you love art, culture, history, and science, Montreal offers plenty to keep you happily occupied. To see and learn more about Montreal you can click the link below.
Montreal is North America's number one host city for international events. Montreal is home to the famous Cirque de Soleil and hosted the Summer Olympics in 1976. Montreal also played host to Expo 67, considered to be the most successful world's fair in the 20th Century.
Sports in Montreal have played a major role of the city's history. Montreal is best known for being home to the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League, which are currently the city's only team in the Big Four sports leagues. Montreal is also well known for hosting the annual Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, the NASCAR Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200, and the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series Montreal 200.
Montreal is the cultural centre of Québec, French-speaking Canada and French-speaking North America as a whole, and an important city in the Francophonie. It is the largest French-speaking city in North America, and the cultural capital of the Quebec province.
Language
Montreal is one of the most bilingual cities in Quebec and Canada, with over 59% of the population able to speak both English and French. Montreal is the second largest primarily French-speaking city in the developed world, after Paris. I've included a guide to which parts of the city primarily speak French or English.
You can probably get around town and enjoy a trip to Montreal without knowing or speaking any French, but learning just a little bit will make your trip much more interesting.
What to do/see
Montréal is a big, busy, exhilarating city, with so much to see and do. To give you some ideas and inspiration for your next trip to Montréal, explore the many “moments” you can live in the city. Think of them as bite-sized snacks of information to whet your appetite for the big buffet of choices you have when you get here. The more you like and interact with moments, the more you will receive personalized recommendations along similar themes. And, of course, it’s Montréal, so prepare for a few surprises along the way!
A heritage hundreds of years old with stunning architecture to match meets new architectural innovation in Montréal, where a stroll down 18th-century cobblestone streets feels like time travel. Jump into Expo 67 era at Habitat 67 and Buckminster Fuller's Biosphere, get the 1976 Summer Olympics vibe at the Olympic Stadium, and visit the Canadian Centre for Architecture's extensive local and international exhibitions. For its creative views on architecture, Montréal was appointed the first UNESCO City of Design in North America – see why first-hand in Montréal’s jewel of urban design, the Quartier International, an eclectic mix of striking skyscrapers nestled alongside heritage buildings.
What to Expect
Montréal is a big, busy, exhilarating city, with so much to see and do. Here are some things to expect when you're here.
Driving is tricky in Montreal. All the street signs are in French and parking can be expensive. Unless you absolutely need a car, it is probably better to opt for public transportation. Montreal’s transit system is awesome. There are 68 metro stations and 4 different lines, so you can quickly get anywhere you need to go, also you’ll find buses that run every ten minutes and go everywhere in the city.
1 US dollar will get you around 1.31 Canadian dollars. Many banks will hit you with pricey foreign transaction fees every time you buy across the border. Generally, your best bet is to go to an ATM to get cash for everyday purchases and reserve your card for higher ticket items.
Winters tend to be cold and snowy with temperatures rarely reaching over twenty degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll still need a jacket in the spring when temps range from thirty to sixty degrees. Summers in Montreal are humid with average highs up into the eighties. In September, you’ll see temperatures dropping into the seventies then slowly down to the lower forties in November.
If you are ready to visit Montreal, click below to get started.
Credits:
Created with an image by Marc-Olivier Jodoin - "untitled image"