If you are planning a trip to Canada, here is an interesting tour of the city of Montreal for you: discovering murals and great food.
Montreal the largest city in Quebec, second most populated city in Canada, stands on an islet of San Lorenzo. Defined as "metropolitan" in style, it probably appears at a glance the less interesting or less particular city to visit than what could be a Quebec City.
The atmosphere of Montreal
Divided into districts, the most important economically is certainly the port, considered a major communication hub for trade, in fact it is the second largest inland port in the world.
Montreal is still a city not to be missed and will win you over precisely for its cosmopolitan air and its “joie de vivre”, a lively and cheerful atmosphere that can be breathed in all corners.
What to do in Montreal: visit the neighborhoods
The only way to get to know this city well is to experience it, walk around it by neighborhoods.
It starts from the characteristic Old Town: the "old city" where the metropolitan style blends with the neo-Gothic structure such as the Notre Dame basilica, the main attraction of the neighborhood. Enter the church and admire the play of light and shadow that make it unique, but be careful to enter it you have to pay a ticket.
The rest of the neighborhood is made up of a cobblestone of sometimes romantic streets full of little tourist shops.
Explore the harbor area: find out about the calendar of farmer markets held in this area. Then rent a bicycle and go and admire the huge biosphere in the Jean - Drapeau park.
Stroll around the Mile End: a decidedly hipster neighborhood, very interesting and constantly growing. Animated by alternative clubs and vintage shops where you can go shopping. Observe the employees of Ubi Soft who invade the neighborhood during their break hours.
Take the time to visit the Plateau Mont Royal properly, also called simply Plateau.
Born as a working-class area, it has transformed over time into a trendy neighborhood, when in the 60s and 70s many artists began to move to this area.
Today everyone dreams of living on the Plateau.
Consisting of a long main street along which shops and boutiques are scattered.
One of the characteristics of this neighborhood is thehuge open-air gallery that was created thanks to the Murales Festival held every year: huge works of street-art color the buildings.
Among the most beautiful is that of Mary Pop Pooppins, the one dedicated to Leonard Cohen and the long pink, fuchsia and tiffany wall full of people and characters from Mono Sourcil's created in 2017.
To admire the skyline of the city you can choose whether to climb to the top of Mont Royal, go to the new 360 ° Observatory downtown at a cost of 19 dollars, or climb the Montreal Tower of the Olympic stadium.
What to do in Montreal: a food tour
An absolutely must-do in the city is a proper food tour, you can rely on one of the organized tours or follow here what I was able to achieve.
If you don't have time, or you don't care, at least try not to miss these places: the Schwartz's pastrami (Plateau) you recognize it from the long line outside, to avoid it you prefer the take away.
The bagels of Fairmount Bagel and La Maison du Bagel (in the Mile End), the two stores compete for the city market but above all it seems that these bagels are better than those in New York. Before leaving the city, don't miss a coffee at Myriade.
