Montreal skyline

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Marvelous Montreal

This cosmopolitan, charming and cutting-edge city has a rich history

by jim byers

Montreal. Even a 42-year Toronto resident like me is happy to concede that there’s something different about this cosmopolitan Canadian city, which lies across the U.S. border, north of Vermont. People seem to dress smarter here. The festivals are cutting edge. And the food is fantastic. Here’s a look.

Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica

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Neighborhoods

Just north of downtown, both Plateau and Mile End are known for funky restaurants, boutique shopping and residents who feel a real sense of pride in their corner of the city.

A little west of downtown, Saint-Henri and Little Burgundy are home to fine dining spots, art galleries and independent shops. A recent Time Out magazine poll named Rue Wellington in Verdun as the world’s coolest street. It’s got everything from Cambodian cuisine and Japanese-style lattes to trendy, locally made clothes.

Montreal’s Underground City is a unique subterranean treat. It’s an amazing system of belowground shops, movie theaters and restaurants that measures some 20 miles in length. Look for RESO signs in the Underground City to help navigate the labyrinth.

La Grande Roue de Montreal

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Food

Montreal has plenty of high-end restaurants. But the city’s best-known products are a trio of inexpensive delights that just about anyone can afford. Montreal-style bagels are amazing—a chewy treat that’s dipped in honey water before baking in a wood-fired oven. There are two places in the city—St-Viateur and Fairmount—that are the most famous for their bagels, and they’re only a few blocks apart in the Mile End area.

Another great export from Quebec is poutine—French fries covered with brown gravy and cheese curds.

The third foodie fave in town is the smoked meat sandwich, which is similar to pastrami. The most famous place for smoked meat is Schwartz’s Deli, a 95-year-old Montreal tradition.

Nature

Expansive Mount Royal Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the man behind the plan for Central Park in New York City. There are endless leafy paths and wide open, grassy meadows. Rent an electric bike in town and head up the hill for marvelous views of the city, with the mountains of Vermont in the distance. The fall colors in the park are astonishing, and there are small lakes and waterways throughout the city, which is on an island in the St. Lawrence River.

A bike ride along the Lachine Canal is another great way to see the city. You also can rent canoes, kayaks, pedal boats and electric boats.

The waterfront and Old Montreal

Old Montreal’s cobblestone streets and narrow roads are lined with restaurants, art galleries and engaging shops. The Pointe-à-Callière museum tells the story of Montreal and has ruins that date back to the 1600s.

No visit to the city is complete without seeing Notre-Dame Basilica, with its brightly colored interior and soaring arches.

Montreal’s waterfront is a delight. Summer brings crowds of locals and visitors who lick ice cream cones, ride the giant Ferris wheel (La Grande Roue) and boost their heart rates with an overwater zip line.

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