Montreal is the largest city in Quebec Canada known for its unique blend of French and North American culture. They have a rich history and vibrant arts scene. The city is situated on an island in the St. Lawrence River. Founded in 1642, it's named after Mount Royal with the hill at the center. It is a major economic and cultural hub with a diverse population and a mix of historic and modern architecture. Primarily French speaking, many speak English as well. Known as the "City of Festivals" with a unique European feel. The city proper population in 2026 is about 1.94 million and the greater Montreal area is 4.4 million. We stayed in the Old Montréal area and enjoyed walking the cobblestone streets, the many historic buildings, restaurants, shops and the port area of the St. Lawrence River. While there we enjoyed the free Jazz music festival, Chinatown, the Notre Dame Basilica, Mount Royal Park, the town of Mount Royal, and a Cirque du Soleil show. read more

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One of the friendliest cities I have ever visited. I love the mix of French and English cultures and architectures. Throughout the year, there are always festivals and cultural events. Not to mention the great restaurants and cafes all over. The French culture brings great bakeries (Pâtisseries) all over the city, from local chains to small mom-and-pop stores. The past few years, there have been more and more pedestrian areas for people to enjoy the businesses without the hassle of car traffic. A city for all seasons. read more

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What a great city! So much food, art, and culture to enjoy. Centre Bell is such a wonderful place to see hockey and the views from Mount Royal and the Biodome to view animal habitats were unmatched experiences as well. Montreal is a city that is quite bilingual although some neighborhoods are more francophone and others more anglophone. The modern areas as well as the old city are worth seeing. In fact it even beat London, DC, Chicago, and Seattle as our favorite city once we went but that got surpassed by Quebec City. Be sure to go to both read more

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So my first time in Montreal was while on vacation with my parents when I was a wee lass. I remember very little of it, except for the horse-drawn carriages in Old Montreal. Then over a decade later, I spent several years in Montreal, as a poor and starving student. It was in Montreal that I experienced the angst of young adulthood. Nowadays I'm in Montreal a few times a year for a few days at a time, and experience it as that undefined existence between a tourist and a resident. Montreal is a beautiful city with a lot of old gorgeous architecture. Old Montreal with its cobblestone streets and aforementioned horse-drawn carriages is definitely a sight to see. Saint Joseph's Oratory is another awe-inspiring sight. There's nothing like hiking up Mount Royal and having a cup of hot chocolate in The Chalet in the winter, or having a picnic by Beaver Lake in the summer, or experiencing the Tams-Tams by the George-Étienne Cartier Monument in Mount Royal Park in the spring. St. Laurent Blvd (aka "The Main") with its bohemian feel, and eclectic mix of shops and restaurants is also noteworthy. And everyone knows about rue Sainte Catherine, where all the action is, sometimes too much action, lol. Montreal has good food and good fashion, so foodies and fashionistas rejoice. While I enjoyed living in Montreal on the most part, I never felt like it could ever be my home, and I knew that after a certain time that I would leave. Without going too much into Language Politics, I will just say that as an anglophone from Toronto (who speaks French by the way, and not just "bonjour" and "merci" but I have worked serving clients in French in a professional capacity in Ottawa, I'm just much more comfortable and much more fluent in English) I did not feel 100% welcomed. On a superficial everyday level, I felt welcomed enough, but the sentiment was very different for me when I had to deal with government offices or professional regulatory and licensing bodies. Of course that was just my personal experience. Others may have different experiences. These days, I go back to Montreal as a visitor, thus deal primarily with those in the retail and hospitality industries (yep, I go to shop and eat), and I have no direct interactions with government agencies. I do feel that my tourism dollars and I are welcomed by these businesses and also by the Quebec government (upside-down smiley face). So if you're considering visiting Montreal, even if you don't speak any French, I think you'll have a good time. It's a wonderful city to spend time as a tourist! As for living there as an Anglophone, well, I already told you my experience, but your mileage may vary. read more

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Montreal is a great city. We had a lot of fun on our trip here. I chose Montreal for our latest annual guys trip (and my "unofficial" bachelor party) because I've heard nothing but good things about it. I also heard it's a great city for guys trips and bachelor parties. Case in point, we ran into another bachelor party during our jet boating excursion and my brother-in-law coincidentally went to Montreal for his guys trip one week after our group's trip. I've had two friends come here for separate bachelor parties and one of my Lyft drivers in Atlanta even said Montreal is renowned for bachelor parties. It's like how Nashville is popular for girls trips and bachelorette parties. If you're not familiar with Montreal, here are some quick facts: * It's located just across the Canada-US border above New York and Vermont. * It's the second biggest city, by population, in Canada and is located in the province of Quebec. It's in the Eastern time zone. * The city is situated on an island (same name: Montreal) bounded by rivers, the most famous one being the Saint Lawrence River which connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and Niagara Falls. * The city is named after Mount Royal, the small mountain located just west of downtown. * The city is home to McGill University, one of just two Canadian universities that are members of the Association of American Universities. Based on our experience, here are my top five things to do in Montreal: 1. Go jet-boating on the Lachine Rapids (Saint Lawrence River) with Saute Moutons. https://www.yelp.com/biz/saute-moutons-jet-boating-montr%C3%A9al-montreal Warning: Jet-boating is not for everyone, but if you're the thrill-seeking, roller coaster type, this is definitely for you. It's a fun and unique experience that not many cities offer. 2. Visit Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal). https://www.yelp.com/biz/vieux-montr%C3%A9al-montr%C3%A9al-2 Very touristy, but for good reason. This is historic Montreal. Check out the Old Port. This part of Montreal feels like a European city. Old-timey and picturesque. 3. Eat the smoked meat at Schwartz's. https://www.yelp.com/biz/schwartzs-montr%C3%A9al-4 A Montreal institution, Schwartz's lives up to the hype. Along with smoked meat, get some poutine while you're at it. 4. Go to Mount Royal Park and hike/walk up to the Mount Royal Chalet. https://www.yelp.com/biz/parc-du-mont-royal-montr%C3%A9al-3 https://www.yelp.com/biz/chalet-du-mont-royal-montr%C3%A9al The Montreal equivalent to New York's Central Park, Mount Royal Park and the Chalet offer amazing skyline views of the city. Get some exercise in and visit the hill/small mountain that Montreal is named after. 5. Have a bagel (or two or three) from Fairmount Bagel. https://www.yelp.com/biz/fairmount-bagel-montr%C3%A9al-7 Like Schwartz's above, Fairmount is a Montreal institution and lives up to the hype. Different from NY-style bagels, Fairmount's bagels are incredibly delicious and arguably the best in the world. Honorable mention: Check out Chinatown. It's small, but the main drag is fun to take a stroll down, plus it doesn't take long. It's located downtown, right next to Old Montreal. We had a traditional Chinese dinner with Peking duck at Mon Nan: https://www.yelp.ca/biz/mon-nan-montr%C3%A9al-3. The city is walkable so if you ever need to take an Uber ride, the ride most likely won't be long or expensive. If you're American, the exchange rate is favorable so many things seem a bit cheaper here. At the time of writing this review, Uber is the only rideshare service in the city (https://www.yelp.com/biz/uber-montr%C3%A9al-5). However, Lyft has been approved for launch in Montreal and will probably be available by the time you read this. We stayed in an Airbnb on Rue Aylmer and it was central and conveniently-located to pretty much everything we saw and did. For more Montreal ideas, visit my collection on Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/collection/mAdthlZUGOTYNrPnPX6CQw. read more

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I love visiting Montreal. It's a nice change of pace. Every time that I am here, I feel relaxed and happy. I need to stay for a week one of these days. My recent trip to this fine city was five days and three of those days were at a workshop! Montreal is a great getaway. There is tons of food to eat your way through the city. Prices are cheap. I love hitting a deli for Montreal smoked meat. I tend to hit Reuben's and I am a happy camper. I tend to import bagels, which is one of the reasons why I love driving over to Montreal. I love St. Viateur. I used to ask a friend whenever he'd return to his hometown to get me bagels from Fairmont. I'm not picky. I love Montreal-style bagels. They are simply the best. I have visited this city for a number of events. I drove to see Pet Shop Boy play in concert a decade ago. They weren't playing in Toronto. Montreal was the closest venue to me, and I got to meet them at The Metropolis in 2009, which is now MTELUS. There is tons of history to see and learn about. I like checking out Notre-Dame Basilica and the Montreal Observation Wheel. The latter is the oldest one in Canada. I enjoy visiting le Mac - Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal. It so much easier to say it like the locals do. Check out the Leonard Cohen exhibit, if it's still there. Shopping is great. Naturally, it depends on what you are seeking. You can find pretty much anything downtown. I recently spent a ton of time in Chinatown. I loved all three meals that I had after work, from Hong Kong-style meals to pho. I also got my bubble tea fixes in a couple of times. The bakeries are worth checking out, too. I just need a larger stomach! I always feel great and comfortable visiting Montreal. I have visited every couple of years as of late, but there is so much to discover that I may need to do it yearly. (328) read more

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We ALL knew the 2nd storm was coming last Sunday. The City of Montreal knew also. Still, they allowed the snow to accumulate on and block the sidewalks and then stupidly claimed that there was too much snow on the sidewalks and that the little caterpillars were not up to the job. TOTAL INCOMPETENCE! The street conditions for pedestrians and drivers are FRICKING DANGEROUS AS HELL! There should be heads rolling. We hope the City of Montreal will get sued by pedestrians and drivers alike. read more

I can't review any ole place for #900, can I? Oh, no, I'm gonna give you a city. Not just any ole city either .. a city dating back to 1642. A city that had the the temerity to look at Paris and say, "Sure, you've had a Cathedral called Notre Dame for 500 years ... well, we're make an even better cathedral and call it Notre Dame, too!" I'm speaking, of course, of city of Montréal, a place that needs no introduction or any praise, as it's one of the world's foodie meccas. I've salivated for a decade watching Travel and Food Channel shows voting the MTL. Their reputation for cuisine exceptionnelle is well-deserved. They make bagels that rival New York City (see here for my review of Fairmount: https://bit.ly/33HS2BL). They make smoked meats that rival ... well, the pastramis of New York City (see here for my review of Schwartz's: https://bit.ly/2KHtuBa). They make foie gras that rivals Paris. And they arguably make the best poutine on plant earth (see here for my review of La Banquise: https://bit.ly/2ZbA0V8). And, it's a city of history. You really can't miss Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal (see my review here: https://bit.ly/33CDO5b). I won't compare it to the Parisian Notre Dame, because it's its own thing, but the Basilique is a stunning, epic, and beautiful house of worship. I HIGHLY recommend shelling out a little extra for the full, once-a-day tour ... not only did we see the whole joint, but we got to sit and listen to Pierre Grandmaison -- the Basilique's organist since 1973. Epic. I also recommend shopping the markets (Jean-Talon, Mile-Ex, etc.), cruising the stores and boutiques on Mile-End, and seeing the view from Mont-Royal. I haven't been to the MTL in winter, but if you find yourself there PLEASE take advantage of watching the NHL's most storied franchise, the Montréal Canadiens, and visit a few Sugar Shacks (the winter tradition of fresh-from-the-tap maple syrup taffy and snow) And Montréal is just an easy city to get around. I highly recommend ditching the car and using excellent Métro de Montréal (and the bus system, if you're feeling really brave). Yes, English-speakers, it'll be a little harder for you has they speak as much French here as they do in Paris. But, in the end, it's well worth the language barrier. Vive Montréal! read more

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This is a great city. Hands-down one of the best walking cities in North America, alongside Boston, Toronto, Chicago. To be honest, maybe the best overall. Obviously some people would pick New York Burroughs over it, but I like with Marc Maron said, Manhattan has turned into an island of tourists.(not good) The food, uniqueness. Alongside Quebec City; the closest u will get to a EUROPEAN experience. 1-Montreal 2-Toronto 3-Halifax There, BEST of Canada in my humble/meaningless opinion.... read more

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We enjoyed a wonderful week here eating, drinking, partying, and being a tourist in this very cool city. Drove up from NYC this summer for a week here and loved everything about Montreal. There was more than enough to see and experience here over a week, and now we want to go back and see even more. It's a great city, easy to get around and we never really used our car. Heck, just take a cab or Uber if needed, but based on where you stay a lot is very walkable. We strolled through many neighborhoods and the streets at all times of the day and night. Never felt unsafe. Loved the architecture, graffiti art, culture, and cool grittiness of this city. We even caught a terrific Cirque du Soleil show here one night on a whim in the birthplace of it all. How cool is that? The people who live and work here are very friendly and welcoming. We used some basic French phrases now and then to be polite but all spoke English anyway. Yelp has a good presence here too so we were able to use the mobile app and look up reviews on many places which was very helpful. In fact, we were even able to attend an Elite event here one night! Thanks to CM Risa! Some Elites gave us suggestions on spots to see and eat at. We really loved everything about this vacation to Montreal. Just a wonderful place to spend some time in. read more

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Hey you! If you're reading this review to make up your mind about coming to visit Montreal I'm here to tell you that you definitely should! Montreal is constantly doing something fun and out there. In the summer we have tons of festivals and free activities and in the winter you can balk at the bipolar weather. Everything is easily accessible (we have a pretty good subway system) but in the summer you can rent a bike from any point in the city. I've only been here for about 8 years and I can honestly say it's been such a weird and crazy journey but I loved it. People are friendly and interesting and you can learn so much just by watching people walk by (also you may get roped into a conversation or two at random times). Downtown is great for shopping, Old Port is gorgeous and the perfect place for a stroll/biking. And the residential neighborhoods are great for losing yourself in food and unique baubles. Speaking of food, we have some AMAZING food (St-viateur bagels, poutine, TA pies, chicken sandwiches, Kem Coba, etc.....the list is extensive) What are you waiting for?? Come visit! read more

Simply amazing. Friendly, helpful dwellers. The French language. Food. Sights. Summer festivals. The city of Montreal is my new favorite vacation destination! This destination was picked on a whim, based on cheap round-trip flights. We had no idea what we wanted to do or see. When we got to the city, starting as soon as we got off the plain, we continued to learn about AMAZING annual events, festivals, and national days happening the week we were there. A complete HAPPY ACCIDENT!! Not to mention, 2017 is Canada's 150th birthday, and Montreal's 375th birthday! Talk about a thriving city!! The only Formula 1 race in North America happens in Montreal - the Sunday after our arrival. The entire week leading up to the Sunday soirée is packed with people, car shows, and more shenanigans. There's festivals are around this island. St. Lawrence Street Festival. Mural Festival. The Fringe Fest. The Jazz Fest. Something new or noteworthy happening every day. Another reason I want to be magically transported to this part of the world: The murals. Everywhere. EVERY. WHERE. Fun fact: Every government entity must dedicate 1% of their budget to the arts. All the 1%'s fund murals, sculptures, paintings, etc. - a multitude of self-expression. I think this is brilliant! So much colorful expression. We only saw a small bit of the whole enchilada. In many ways this city is forward thinkers, but also appreciates the history around them. I got the true sense of "For The People, By The People". Power washing street signs and stop signs. Every town home and apartment designed with some kind of patio so they can take advantage of decent weather and sit outside whenever possible. A substantial difference in the price of higher education, compared to the States. A true appreciation for there heritage and historical preservation. Safety on the streets. Healthy, active bodies. Fresh locally sourced food. I sincerely can't wait to get back to this enchanting city! Whether you're going for a long weekend in the winter, or a prolonged summer season, I can't imagine you being disappointed! See you in 2019, Montreal! read more

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I love doing these overall reviews of cities. Like I said in the past, I don't really know who reads my reviews but I write on yelp for myself. It was a good way for me to document my trips and have a way of going back and sending recommendations to friends. Overall city of Montreal was a fun experience. I despised all of the traffic and the lack of parking but I did enjoy the French feel of the city. read more

I truly love this city!! I was born here, but not raised here. It is a great city to visit. The people are terrific. Although it is a French speaking city, just about everyone speaks English also. There are so many wonderful places to explore here. Some place for everyone. The public transportation is better than most large cities. Restaurants are a plenty for everybody to like. I will never tire of returning to Montreal. Yeah, I am bias. Visit for yourself to see what you think. read more

Sounds corny, but whenever Rick Steves showcased Montréal, on his show, I'd remained glued to the screen: the vibe gave it away: the cobblestone narrow streets, the cute, quaint shops and cafés- all gave away a French flare that I've always loved. And the idea of visiting Montréal, had been percolating for the last several years and more so, recently; but between hectic schedules and other priorities, now's the chance! We primarily wanted to visit Montréal for its French architecture and the city itself! Roaming some of Montréal's eclectic and plush neighborhoods, all showcased street artwork; whether they were sculptures, paintings even photography, Art is EVERYWHERE. And for the few days we were in Montréal, I intentionally wanted to forget we'd taken the Taconic from NY, straight through the Adirondacks and in 6 hours we were in another country! Everything is in French and everybody speaks French- I loved it! In addition to the sightseeing, I wanted to savor the richness of what Montréal has to offer. Who can deny Nova Scotia's seafood, rich cheeses or Bouillabaisse? I had my sights on eating poutine, but since I've been beef-free for almost 10 years, my friend Jason M., gave me the low down on the master ingredient and mentioned, the gravy used, is beef-based...(so there goes my chance of eating one of Montréal's favorite dish of, French fries with beef drippings). And thank you for mentioning a few places to visit. My short trip was extraordinary and gave me a gist of Montréal's culture and artful beauty. I've imagined mornings, afternoons and evenings in France, but I'm here - and for now, Montréal, made the grade. But I also have to give a shout out and many thanks to my friend Serena A., for hooking a sister up with information and offering several places to experience while in Montréal. Pura Vida. read more

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I discovered Montreal, one of my three favorite cities in the world, by complete accident. I consider it one heck of a fortuitous event. I was in between two chapters of life and decided to take two months off to travel - to Europe for 6 weeks and then 2 weeks based in northern NJ at a relative's house, with a $169 a week (!) full-size car picked up at EWR. How many times can I go to Philly, Baltimore, DC (which I dislike), and Atlantic City? I opted to visit Boston and the coast of Maine for the first time, and also to venture to Montreal and Toronto. As one approaches Montreal from the south shore coming in from NY state, and after the more "yo" like treatment at the border check compared to the verbal exchange on the Pacific side, the suburbs begin to pick up critical mass and the city and its mountain come into view across the parallel Saint Lawrence River. The first thing one notices on the Rive Sud is that the architecture incorporates some subtle French styling cues, particularly in newer residential construction. The bridge to take me into the center of the city was going to be the Pont Victoria. Something about the whole procession was just right. I can't explain it. As I crossed the bridge, I could catch views of Old Montreal, Habitat 67, and parts of islands. As I came off the bridge during rush hour in the Financial District, I had a view of McGill University in the background, and, most of all, majestic Mont-Royal stood over the city and was spectacularly cloaked in yellow, orange, and red. It was mid-October. And so the love affair began. I spent three days in Montreal. The city does not hold any records for skyscrapers, population, or other things that I know of, other than being the largest French speaking city outside of France. While it's in North America, it does not have the clout of New York, the postcard value of San Francisco, the beaches of Los Angeles, nor the spectacular natural setting of Seattle, yet Montreal's collective personality is unlike anything else, and fascinating. Montreal sits on a huge island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River, flanked by yet another island to its north which contains populous Laval, and is thus a river port. The island is especially unique because its mountain, Mont-Royal, rises some 1,000 feet and is like a beacon from miles away. Montreal straddles history with the modern, with an Old Town that convincingly takes one back in time yet also has very nice newer construction. It mixes tradition with tolerance, being home to people from every corner of the globe who coexist with the native Quebecois and other Canadians. It shows progressive thinking in both its social mindset and its physical planning, with an excellent Metro system for which construction began in the '60s. Many of the highlights are in a compact area and easy to see, while a few are a little out of the way, such as the Olympic complex. Also, the entrance to Parc du Mont-Royal, with its superb panoramic views, is not from the downtown side, but beyond. Neighborhoods change quickly and each has it own personality. Ethnic enclaves abound. People respect public spaces such as Place Jacques-Cartier, Place des Arts, and others by keeping them clean while enjoying themselves. There is something going on in every season, from the jazz festival to a winter festival. With the pluralism comes the availability of many ethnic cuisines and everyone puts their best foot forward because they want your dining dollars. Above all, Montreal embraces the cultural mosaic whereas, by comparison, Americans are sort of urged to go into the melting pot. I prefer the former. This phenomenon has created a condition whereby children of immigrants have retained mother tongues such as Greek, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and Urdu, and in the course of their education and assimilation, have also learned both French and English, making trilingual people more common than not. Also, you can ask people "What are you?" which would be uncool in Montgomery, Alabama or Missoula, Montana. By doing so, I found out that the guy on the a.m. shift at my hotel was from Argentina, the lady on the p.m. shift was from China, and the guy on the night shift was from Morocco. Three other continents were represented on three shifts. It's not perfect, but 4.75 easily rounds up to 5. There are some scuzzy areas with porn shops near UQAM, the Plateau-Mont-Royal is more suitable for hipsters and hippie-dippy types who would incorrectly peg me as the establishment and thus not be my thing, and there is a legacy of corruption in its city government, telling one that its Latin European sensibilities are alive and well, and thriving in North America. So, it might be corny, but it's reality: Montreal is the only major city in North America that feels North American and European at the same time. With Toronto being the next stop, I realized it wasn't Montreal. Nothing else could be. read more

Ville de Montréal - View from Parc du Mont-Royal in autumn - IBM Tower, on Drummond, is at the right. - Local Flavor Near Me

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Different events going on based on time of year. The winter fest/ activities is underway. Included are local vendors selling home made goods, food trucks with tasty treats and hot cocoa. Activities for children that include painting and drawing. Photo ops with tall winter theme characters/ statutes. Smoke pits for warmth and my fave was being able to roast marshmallows with strangers on a cold sunny afternoon. Love how Montreal embraces the cold and makes it fun. When it gets too cold- access to the underground mall is nearby as are pop up shops and restaurants. A must for both locals and visitors alike. And that tree!!!!!!! read more

Ville de Montréal - At night - Local Flavor Near Me

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This is a crazy city, and I love it more than I can say. Riddled with corruption and perpetual construction, with no ocean for miles, you'd think a place like this might lose it's soul, but instead it made a home for burlesque stars and booze runners during prohibition; fought back against urbanization trends that made parking lots out of other old city centres; made a home for the largest per-capita population of artists anywhere in Canada; fostered and fought for a completely unique bilingual culture; and continues to scrap for affordable education and health care. It's not all good and golden, and I look forward to reading others reviews and stories, but for sure I have at least 5 stars worth of love for Montreal. read more

Ville de Montréal - Local Flavor Near Me

Montreal. My old home. As a fellow Yelper wrote, "This is a crazy city." Never has a few words be such an understatement. Founded by the French hundreds of years ago, conquered by the English, then evolved and grew into a unique creation of it's own, Montreal is the city of culture, of both extreme tolerence and hatred, of quiet moments and bloodthirsty riots, and of the simple joys yet complex as life seen through a kaleidoscope. It's a place that's been cosmopolitan for a long as the word has existed. With it's reverence for the past, the mindset of the people are very much european in mind where the people work to live, where united they possess that joie de vivre that can only come from such a complex birth. Walk through the streets. It's alive... even when it's quiet. The pulse of the city runs through the streets and the alleys, in the lights and the shadows and in the faces of the people old and young alike. It's a city where corruption is ripe in the highest echelons of life, yet it's safe for a woman to walk across town alone at night. Montreal is the place where barrels of bootleg whiskey to Al Capone was transformed into higher buildings of art, literature and education. And it's the place where a people celebrate a victory or a loss in hockey with a riot of monumental proportions, yet can dance peacfully in the streets every summer in the hundreds of thousands. It's the place as I said, built by the tensions of the 2 solidtudes, english of the west and the french of the east. Both sides polarized in their love of their culture and their respective nations, whether it be the multicultural Canadian landscape or the uniligual french culture. While time has slowly merged the two extremes a little closer in the newer generations, the past generations still fight in the war between either or, where the simplist things as posting an english sign could get you fined and charged. Yet, actions such as hosting one of the world's largest gay and lesbian parties is not only embraced, it's celebrated. That tension has brought forth a unique creative energy that has given birth to some of the world's finest chefs, writers, artists, dancers and musicians. As the same aforementioned yelper noted, "it's not all good and golden". Again, it's quite an understatement. It's a place that is so dedicated to it's socialist ideals, that it's willing to bankrupt itself slowly. Education is given cheaply, as well as child care, yet the roads are crumbling and the bridges are on the verge of collapse. Health care is given to all, but done so by underfunding their doctors and nurses. As you can see, Montreal is a land of contrasts, but for almost all that have left the isle for new pastures, it's still a place where we expatriots will always hold in our heart as our spiritual home. Merci Montréal, nous vous aimons. read more

Montreal is a beautiful city with very polite and friendly residents, but unfortunately during our visit (June 24-28, 2016) the city had lots of building construction and road closures going on. The road closures were due to repairs throughout the city. It's understandable, since they are trying to repair old pipes and such before cold weather starts, but there was so much of it going on at the same time. Almost every other street was partially blocked and covered with orange cones. Also, it was so sad to see that such gorgeousness was somewhat overtaken by graffiti in some areas of the city. I wish people would demonstrate a little respect for history and someone else's property, but I guess that's too much to ask for when it comes to the morons that do graffiti. read more

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What a wonderful city to visit, I can only imagine how amazing this city would be to live in. It is possible to do anything one would wish to do, hiking, biking, sightseeing, etc. The city boasts such a terrific array of cuisines, and all the restaurants we visited while there were amazing. There seems to be a lot of life filling the city, a Sunday drum circle in the park, why not go and bang on a dlembe? Need to get across town but dont want to take the subway or a cab? Grab a rental bike at such an affordable rate and tool around. Want to take in some truly beautiful sights? take a walk to one of the many parks in the city and grab a patch of grass and post up. The museums don't let down either. There are so many things to do here, I can see myself living there and never feeling bored. Even though my hubs and I basically just returned from here we look forward to making a return visit sooner rather than later. read more

Absolutely everything about Montreal is awesome!!! Great city, well designed and beautiful in every way. Most importantly, the people are incredibly friendly and very laid back. We just loved walking the streets at all times of the day. All the sites are really beautiful as well. We took in the Botanical garden, Chinatown, old city, 2 cathedrals, and walked the shops at plateau Du Mont. There were absolutely no issues anywhere and we enjoyed every minute spent in beautiful Montreal. read more

Awesome. A very livable and navigable city that feels much smaller than 4 million people. They have a bustling downtown and old city, along with a major park and active arts and nightlife districts. And it's definitely cleaner than any major American city I've ever been to (although Portland, OR is close). The predominate language is French, but most Montrealers are bilingual in French and English. The Metro (subway) is a definite plus. read more

Can't love this place enough. Remarkably functional for such a corrupt hellhole. If I wanted smooth roads, nice weather, trustworthy landlords, and short ER waits, I'd move to Scottsdale. And you should too, prospective condo-buyers. read more

Loved this city. Extremely bike friendly and the city is just absolutely beautiful. Definitely one of the top cities I've ever visited.

Such a great city to visit! Must try the Poutines, take a walk down in Old Montreal, eat a smoked meat sandwich, visit the underground mall and explore the cobble stone streets. It's a must visit place! read more

Have I been given the opportunity to judge the city of montreal? As a property owner I've been made to feel like an asshole and a sucker in favor of a population that doesn't pull their weight. Just keep doubling my taxes every year and we'll see where it leads. read more

Montreal is a beautiful, but large city that contains quite alot of architecture to look at. During the winter (when I visited), it was VERY cold usually dipping into the single digits (F) to negative temperatures. Their downtown is quite large and contains an "underground" city that goes for miles. Above ground there are many sight-seeing attractions that are all within a walking distance of each other, including the Bell Centre, Place des Arts, Complex Desjardins, Notre Dame Basilica, St. Patrick's Church, Chinatown and Old Montreal. I highly recommend taking the Metro to the outskirts of the city as it is very easy to get acclimated to it. They have a small Metro system, but it's clean, efficient and easy to access. I would love to come here in the summer as well when it is warmer, but if you want to experience Montreal for it's well documented cold weather then definitely come here in December-February! read more

My very first time here(08/20/15) Montreal is an island and crossing the bridge to enter the city is quite a view. We visited the Notre Dame basilica and the underground city , which is a huge array of shops and eateries. The local guide explained about the highway below the city. Spoke about the historical parts of the actual city, population, weather, etc. and answered any questions about Montreal. Due to the snow storms of last year, there was considerable damage to water pipes , so construction in the city was just terrible, construction everywhere made it hard to get around. Not as charming as Ottawa , large city of 2 million, include the surrounding suburbs and guide said 4 million people. If you like very large congestion cities, this place had many things to see, home to many music events Jazz festivals etc , bringing artists from around the world. read more

I love this city since a child. If you think Boston driving is aggressive. ..try it here. Many quality chain and boutique hotels around the city. It's a young vibe city with countless places to hang out and meet women. This applies to you ladies as well. read more

Hello!! I am a new yelper. I come alone 3 weeks ago to Montreal to study and I am looking for places to ride bike in groups, or a social activity to go out, get funny, and makes friends. Any to suggest to me? read more

If you have ever dreamed of visiting the Soviet Union of the 1970s and were disappointed because you didn't have a time machine then you need look no further then Montreal! A city that is slowly bankrupting itself under the outdated socialism that has become one of its defining characteristics is as close to Stalin era soviet charm as you will find without a Tardis. The crumbling infrastructure, high levels of unemployment and general feeling of malaise that infuses this grey city leaves you with the impression that at any moment a Russian tank could roll down the street past you and no one would even bat an eye. Each time I am forced by my wife to visit this city I am reminded of why Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe....because it was depressing. If you are forced to come to this city for vacation or business(lets be realistic no one would need to go to Montreal for business) then I suggest you swing by city hall. While there you can watch what it would have been like for the citizens of the USSR to have their economy destroyed by incompetent, economically illiterate politicians slowly over many years....or you could visit Vancouver and have fun. read more