https://www.trip.com/blog/11-surprising-and-insanely-charming-facts-about-montreal/

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

TripBlog
TripBlog
Oct 22, 2019

Catalogue

  • Montreal's city flag
  • Horse Carriage Old Montreal
  • Festival Season in Town
  • Wine Bar Scene and Craft Bar Scene
  • Pop Up Co-working Spaces
  • French Culture in Montreal
  • Urban Sprawl
  • Cold Beer on Beautiful Terrace
  • Skyscrapers: No Taller than Mount Royal
  • Skies Light Up with Color
  • Mount Royal to The Observatory
  • Foodie's Love: Montreal Food Tour
  • Basilique Notre Dame
  • Show More

Montreal, famous for its architecture and charming culture, is equally known for its attractive festive and culinary traits. Montreal promises to be a fantastic deal with lots of fun, entertainment along with a sneak peek into their history, culture and present-day lifestyle. There are a ton of things to do in Montreal, and the city has an eclectic mix of old European charm and modernism. Adding excitement into the traveler’s experience in each step, here are the things to do in Montreal

The things to do in Montreal list have to be memorable, so let’s start with the most important- Montreal City Flag! Based on City's Coat of Arms, Montreal's city flag was recently modified in 2017 by adding a first nation's symbol. The symbol was selected by first nations communities, Haudenosaunee and Algonquin. According to the official website, the Red Cross is said to represent “Christian motives and principles which governed the founders of the city” and the five emblems representing “the ancestral presence of indigenous people and four European ethnic groups that were settled in the city in 19th century”.

An Experience not to miss in Montreal! Among the things to do in Montreal, horse-drawn carriages, also called caleches are a unique experience that takes you through the cobbled streets of Old Montreal, revealing the beauty of olden day’s architecture and lifestyle. The guided tour helps to explore and understand the historic attractions inside and around Old Montreal. The ride takes you through a beautiful poetic journey overlooking the St.Lawrence River, classic museums, tempting food joints, and not to forget the charming boutiques and shops to collect the attractive knickknacks for yourselves and to gift your dear ones back home. The tours are of half an hour to an hour as per traveler’s interest and convenience.

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

Montreal is high on the festive mood around the year. Known to be a spirited host, Montreal offers numerous events right from musical concerts of all genres, including jazz, rock, folk, blues to art exhibitions, food fairs, film festivals, and even in sports, including Formula One World Championship.

The race lovers with their major attendance ensured this to be added as one of the top things to do in Montreal. The 2019 Canadian Grand Prix motor race is also known as the Formula 1 Pirelli Grand Prix du Canada 2019, was held on 9 June 2019 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Claiming to be the seventh round of the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship, it was also the fifty-sixth running of the Canadian Grand Prix. After a fast and furious race, the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix was won by Lewis Hamilton.

Some of the other famous festivals include Le Mondial de la Biere, Montreal International Fireworks Competition, Tam Tams, Piknic Electronik, Montreal Fringe Festival, and many more. You name it, and it's there!

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

Natural Wines and tempting culinary skills have attracted people to Wine and Craft bars at Montreal. Known as party town round the clock, Montreal bars have a welcoming ambiance and festive mood and are jam-packed all night. At the same time, it also follows the legal drinking age of 18.

Other than natural wines, international wines, beers, cocktails are served along with their delicious food. Foodies vouch on some of the specialties like white ham roll with generously added cheese and butter, local foie grass, large quantities of poutine, lusciously rich smoked meat and lamb and seaweed dumplings. Montreal proves to be the must-go place to all food lovers who love to savor variety tastes, both local, traditional as well as international. It’s surely something you wouldn’t want to miss among the insanely interesting things to do in Montreal.

Co-working spaces are the new ring round the Montreal town. It helps the new entrepreneurs to afford working spaces by sharing it with other individuals or firms. This turns out to be financially viable as the rent for the working space is also paid on shared basis. The working space comes with all technical amenities and can be used at once comfort by using just for a day or even more. Coworking space also comes with facilities like kitchen, large hall for meetings, or professional discussions. Many coworking spaces are also pet-friendly so that the furry friends are not missed! All these friendly and technically encouraging atmosphere builds up confidence among youth to try their hands-on startups and new ventures.

The things to do in Montreal list also takes you through the culture and traditions of Montreal. Keeping fun and frolic aside for a while, it’s time to learn and enlighten oneself on a new place, the city of Montreal, and their civilization.

Montreal is specified to be the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris. Blending into both French and English traditions, Montreal has become the cultural hub of Quebec. It also acclaims to be one of the bilingual cities of Canada, as more than half the population can speak both French and English. The culture is widespread through art, music, dance, and theatre equally, especially during their summer festivals. Some of them include 31e Coup de Coeur francophone, 21e Festival de films francophones Cinémania, Festival intercultural du Conte, Biennale de Montréal, 6e Festival Phénomena, 11e M pour Montréal - Rendez-vous musical and many more.

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

Next in the things to do in Montreal list is an insight into the shocking urban sprawl and booming development, revealing the vanishing greens in the city. The greens play a prominent role for fresh air around us, in climate control, maintaining the biodiversity, preservation of soil and varied habitats of birds and animals.

With the rise in population, there’s a rise in urban development too. The development is said to have extended beyond limits of suburbs to even rural areas, which has to be controlled to maintain the natural landscape. It shows that a wakeup call is required to save the agricultural lands and conserve the greens which protect and support the ecosystem. This can be done by consciously making an effort and spreading awareness among the citizens to preserve natural resources, maximum use of public transport and an increase in farming by cleaning the wastelands instead of building skyscrapers.

Relishing chilled beer amidst a beautiful garden on terrace with an ecstatic view; now, did you ever imagine this to be amongst the things to do in Montreal? But yes, Montreal makes this happen. Basking under the sun with cold beer pitcher along with sumptuous food menu serving their specialties like Catalonian wines, hot dogs, oysters, local vegetables, and fresh pasta along with friends for the company is like a dream come true. There are several lovely patios and rooftops terraces, which will leave you with a rejuvenating experience, especially during springtime.

The height of skyscrapers is another subject of importance in things to do in Montreal. According to the old rule, no building was allowed to be taller than Mount Royal, the small silent volcanic hill in the city. The hill is important as the name of the city, “Montreal” was derived from this hill. But now the local architects have asked the city council to reconsider the height restriction rule.

The tallest building in Montreal at present is 1000 de la Gauchetiere, owned by Ivanhoe Cambridge with a height of 673ft comprising 51 floors, and next position is taken by 1250, boulevard René-Lévesque, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and is also called as IBM-Marathon Tower. It got this as it was designed for IBM Canada and Marathon Realty. The tower near to Bell Centre is well connected to Bonaventure metro station and underground city network.

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

The Aurora Borealis is a blissful sight for those who visit between fall and spring. Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. These disturbances are sometimes strong enough to alter the trajectories of charged particles in both solar wind and magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons, and protons precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere).” People find this natural green and red lights on the sky the most indispensable among things to do in Montreal.

These Northern lights depend on the movements of the sun, and those lucky can enjoy the mesmerizing light, which reflects off to Muncho Lake.

Yet another exquisite thing to do in Montreal is the view from Mt. Royal. Mount Royal Park extending over 200 hectares of biodiversity is designed by Frederick Law Olmsted of Central Park's fame and was inaugurated in 1876.
An amazing park atop the hill, Belvedere Observatory gives a breathtaking view of the city of Montreal. The most incredible points in the park and must-visit among things to do in Montreal chart are marked to be Smith House, the Chalet, and the Beaver Lake Pavilion. There are staircases inside the park to climb up the hill, and adventure lovers can take a hike to the top as well. An alternative to car or bus rides is also available. Chalet du Mont-Royal is said to be 2km away from the parking lot.
The park has many sports as well as cultural activities as per the season, bringing you closer to the city’s pulse and culture. The activities include mountaineering, skiing, group summit walks, jogging, cycling, bird watching, dog walking, photography.

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

Montreal Food Tour, the heavenly trip for foodies. It’s a feast on to a variety of cuisines, wines, and soothing music. Montreal Food Tour takes you to a foodie’s paradise, letting you indulge in exquisite dishes and drinks, completely satisfying both your palette and soul. Things to do in Montreal list is never complete without a food tour!

Some of the famous food tours are Beyond the Market Food Tour in Montreal, Flavors of Old Montreal Walking Tour, Beyond the Bagel: Montreal Jewish Food Walking Tour, Montreal Bike Tour with Bites, Montreal Food Tour with Electric Scooter, Poutine & Smoked Meat Tour in Montreal, Montreal specialties are said to include tempting bagels, poutine, and smoked meat. The food tour takes you to a minimum of more than five food joints and is warned to be attended with utmost hunger and high expectations to hit the highest and delicious quality, and the quantity of the food tasted ever!

Gothic masterpiece is known far and wide, Basilique Notre Dame is the famous basilica in Old Montreal. A mesmerizing sight in itself, it’s something not to miss in things to do in Montreal. Painted in blue and adorned with golden stars, wooden statues and intricate carvings, the interiors of the basilica revive the historic Gothic architecture. Basilique Notre Dame is located at 110 Notre Dame Street West near Saint Sulpice Street. Unlike others, this masterpiece presents an overview of the entire religious history of Montreal from its stained window panes extending to its walls. Another major attraction is the pipe organ here. Casavant Freres pipe organ with four keyboards, 7000 individual pipes, and a pedalboard is something you wouldn't want to miss!

11 Surprising and Insanely Charming Facts about Montreal

Montreal is brimming with culture and festivals, amazing food, and lots of outdoor activities. It is also becoming a great location for technology-related start-ups who are creating amazing kinds of technological and software advancements. Montreal is a great place to visit. Come here and enjoy cream-cheese and some Montréal-style smoked meat.

Contact Center of the year 2022
Contact Center of the year 2022
Google Material Design Awards 2019
Google Material Design Awards 2019