The largest city in the French-speaking province of Quebec, Montreal is fun, sexy, and bold, with a unique outlook on life. Some of the oldest surviving elements of North America exist here, in historic districts like Vieux-Montreal ("Old Town," not surprisingly) and historic sites like Lachine Canal. But you'll also see the headquarters of Cirque du Soleil, the unique Montreal Biodome, and the Montreal Planetarium.

The city's neighborhoods are difficult to master geographically, but easy to explore: You could easily spend an entire trip in The Village (Montreal's gay district), the neighboring Latin Quarter, and Chinatown. Other must-hits are Plateau-Mont-Royal, Little Italy, and downtown's Rue Ste-Catherine. No need to fear winter's freezing temperatures: Much of central Montreal is connected and enhanced by the "underground city," a fully encompassed, partially subterranean tunnel network that includes numerous retail complexes and leads up to hundreds of hotels, apartments, and street access points.