Montreal Travel Guide

Address: 138 Atwater Street, near the Lachine Canal, Montreal, Quebec

There are two open-air, vibrant public markets in Montreal. These markets are primarily frequented by locals, although more intrepid tourists may find their way as well. Atwater is the more upscale of the two markets and is found next to the Lachine Canal. The Canal itself used to be home to all manor of industries. Over time, the industries have given way to lofts and apartments in this area. The market itself was built around 1933 and the permanent part of the structure is an art deco style building. You will find fresh fruits and vegetables and in summer, fabulous flower stands. Here too are butchers, bread artisans, fish mongers and the SAQ (liquor store), as well as a couple restaurants. In summer, the place is alive with outdoor vendors and is a fabulous place to intersect with and photograph everyday lives of Montrealers, though slightly off the traditional tourist trail.

Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-6 pm; Thu-Fri 8am-8pm; Sat-Sun 8am-6pm
Can close early depending on foot traffic

Admission: Free (unless you want to buy something there!)

More Information: (514) 937-7754
Closest Metro Exit: Lionel-Groulx

Address: 350 rue St-Paul Street East, Montreal, Quebec

Before you head up to see the grand old City Hall building (Hotel deVille) from Place Jacques-Cartier, you should take a look at Marché Bonsecours. Marché Bonsecours anchors one end of Old Montreal and is definitely worth a look. It has had many incarnations over the years. Now it is an interesting destination as much for what it houses as for the fact that it is an historic building. In Marché Bonsecours you will find many boutiques providing only creations from Quebec. Not only are there the normal arts and crafts here, but Quebec creations from furniture, to jewellery, to some fantastic Quebec art.... sometimes at fantastic prices. Definitely worth a snoop.

Hours: Jan 1 - Mar 31, Daily 10am-6pm; April 1 - June 23, Sat-Wed 10am-6pm and Thur-Fri 10am-9pm; June 24 - Labor Day, Sun 10am-6pm and Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Labor Day - Dec 31, Sat-Wed 10am-6pm and Thur-Fri 10a-9pm

Admission: Free (unless you want to buy something inside!)

More Information: (514) 872-7730

Address: 4101, rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H1X 2B2

Montreal's Botanical Garden ("Jardin Botanique" in French) is massive, covering 185 acres. It's second in size only to London's Kew Gardens. The grounds and attractions contain a huge greenhouse and several outdoor gardens, including a Chinese garden, a Japanese garden, an Alpine garden and one garden full of poisonous plants.

Founded in 1931, the Botanical Garden's purposes are not just to provide pleasure for the viewing public but also to educate students of horticulture, to conserve endangered species and as a botanical research facility. The greenhouse gardens are open to visitors year-round with an ever-changing display, while the outdoor garden spaces are left to go dormant from roughly November to April when they are often covered with snow. During more temperate weather, however, after the indoor gardens close the outdoor gardens remain open to the public and have free admission between 17:00 and sundown. Additionally, residents of Montreal can get a free pass to visit the outdoor gardens, so the Botanical Garden's outdoor spaces become a popular place for locals and tourists alike to enjoy pleasant evenings.

Admission to the Botanical Garden also includes admission to Montreal's Insectarium, with both living and non-living exhibits and sometimes even insect-based snacks.

Hours: Botanical Garden & Insectarium - 09:00-18:00 (mid-May to early September), 09:00-21:00 (early September to late October), 09:00-17:00 (early November to mid-May)
Opening hours change depending on the season.

Admission: Prices are different if you get the Acces Montreal card, book as a group or buy a combination ticket for other attractions as well
High Season (mid-May to late October): $16 - Adults, $12 - Seniors (65+) and students, $8 - Children age 5-17, $2.50 - Children age 2-4 (children under age 2 are free)
Low Season (early November to mid-May): $13.50 - Adults, $10 - Seniors (65+) and students, $6.75 - Children age 5-17, $2 - Children age 2-4

Address: 7070 Henri Julien Street, Montreal, Quebec

One of two open-air markets in Montreal. Marché Jean-Talon is somewhat less expensive than the more upscale Marché Atwater. It is open all year round and can be quite busy. Here you will find wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables from numerous vendors. The stores that surround Marché Jean-Talon house many types of vendors such as butchers, etc. While considerably off the traditional tourist track, it could be worth the visit to see a part of Montreal that many visitors never will.

Hours: Mon-Wed 7am-6pm; Thu-Fri 7am-8pm; Sat 7am-6pm; Sun 7am-5pm
Can close early depending on foot traffic

Admission: Free (until you start buying stuff!)

More Information: (514) 937-7754
Closest Metro Exit: Jean-Talon

Address: 4777 avenue Pierre-De Coubertin, Montréal, Québec

Next to Parq Olympic, the Biodome opened in 1992 and sports 5 ecosystems under one roof, with animal and plant life for each system. You walk through and explore the special sights and sounds of the 5 ecosystems. You will see what life is like in the Sub-Antarctic, the Arctic, a Laurentian Forest, a Tropical Forest and even the St. Lawrence Marine ecosystem. The Biodome is quite close to the Botanical Gardens and entry can be purchased ahead of time as part of the S.A.B.M. pass, or purchased in conjunction with the Botanical Gardens.

Hours: Regular Schedule: 9am-5pm; Summer: 9am-6pm
Closed Monday during the fall and winter.

Admission: Entry varies depending on what ticket is purchased, but begins at $16 for adults.

More Information: (514) 868-3000
Closest Metro Exit: Viau

Address: 2 rue de la Commune Ouest, Montréal, Quebec

The Science Center is family friendly and home to many activities and exhibits, as well as the IMAX Theatre. There are several games and numerous hands-on exhibits. Not a stuffy old museum, this! It is a fun place to 'cruise' before continuing your stroll along the Old Port for some fabulous photo vantage points, or Old Montreal, via Rue St-Paul, where you will find the sights and sounds of Old Montreal, including street performers and vendors.

Hours: November 29, 2007 to June 20, 2008 - Monday through Friday Opens at 8:30am; Saturday/Sunday Opens at 9:30am

Admission: Portions of the building have no entry fee. Admission varies depending upon exhibits and IMAX, from $12.

More Information: Corner de la Commune Street & St.-Laurent Boulevard Closest Metro Stop: Place d'Armes (about a 10 minute walk) 1-877-496-7424 or (514) 496 4724

Address: Parc du Mont-Royal, Montreal, QC

The jewel of the city. It peeks at you from almost every vantage point around the city. The Mount is a 101-hectare park in the middle of Montreal, which rises 234 meters above the city. Mount Royal Park was originally landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted, perhaps best known for New York City's Central Park. There are so many reasons any visitor should visit this park, One is the Georges-Étienne Cartier monument where the tam-tam gatherings are held on Sundays, starting around Noon, or slightly later, (http://tamtamsmontreal.net/english.html) to listen and dance to the continual beat of the drums. The park provides many types of guided tours and there is a printable map of the park, available on their website. There are several older cemeteries on top of the mount, near St. Joseph's Oratory.

To walk to Mount Royal just start up any hill from downtown and you'll eventually find yourself there. It may take you a little while to find the "right" trail up, but that is half the fun. Take water, or something to drink with you. A trail from the Cartier monument on the Park Avenue side (bus 80 or 129) goes toward the top. Or go to Mont-Royal metro station and take the 11 bus. You can also drive up via Côte-des-Neiges and the Voie Camillien-Houde: there are marked parking lots just off the road.

Hours: Generally open daily, dawn to dusk

Admission: Free

Address: 116, Notre Dame Street West, Montreal

Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, known as La Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal in French, is an important church in historic Montreal. The exterior of the church was built primarily during the 1820s on the site of a former parish church which dated from the 1670s. When the basilica was first completed, it was the largest church in North America.

While the exterior might not be terribly ornate, the interior (which took much longer to complete - well into the 1870s) of Notre-Dame Basilica is notable for its beautiful decorations. The ceilings are colorfully decorated, as are the walls, and there are many complicated wood carvings throughout the church. Visitors may find the star-covered ceilings reminiscent of other religious buildings in Paris and Prague, among other places, and the effect is both stunning and charming.

As an important church in Montreal, Notre-Dame Basilica has played host to several noteworthy events - primarily funerals and weddings - including the funeral of Pierre Trudeau and the wedding of Celine Dion.

There are many stained glass windows in the Notre-Dame Basilica, but unlike most churches the scenes on those windows do not come out of the Bible. Instead, the windows show episodes from the religious history of Montreal. Guided tours (20 minutes in length) are included in the price of admission and are offered every day in both French and English. Check with the ticket office for tour times.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:00-16:30; Saturday, 08:00-16:00; Sunday, 12:30-16:00 (except for certain holidays)

Admission: $4 CN

Address: 4141 Avenue Pierre de Coubertin, Montreal QC

Montreal's Olympic Stadium, like many Olympic structures around the world, became a tourist attraction after the 1976 Summer Olympics were over. It's also continued to be used as a sporting facility primarily by Montreal's professional baseball and football teams, as well as an array of trade shows and other big gatherings. The stadium can seat more than 56,000 people - more than any other stadium in Canada.

One of the more distinctive features of the stadium is the Olympic Tower, which actually is the piece of the building from which the stadium's controversial retractable roof is suspended. The tower, a gigantic 583 feet in height, is what opens and closes the Olympic Stadium's roof - although the roof has had to be replaced several times, so the system is hardly without complication. The Olympic Tower happens to be the tallest leaning tower on earth, but only the sixth tallest building in Montreal. The tower leans at a 45-degree angle (Pisa's tower only leans at 5-degrees).

For a great view of the city, you can take a funicular to the top of Olympic Tower - during the busy season, the funicular will make about 100 round trips each day. The trip up takes just under two minutes.

Hours: Daily, 09:00-19:00 (mid-June through Labor Day), 09:00-17:00 (Labor Day through mid-June)
Funicular and Tower Observatory are closed from the beginning of January through the middle of February for maintenance.

Admission: Adults - $14, Students/Seniors - $10.50, Children 5-17 years - $7, Children 4 years and under - Free

Address: rue Notre-Dame Est Montréal Quebec

Place Jacques-Cartier is an active area combining locals and visitors. While locals swear they would never be caught in this "tourist" area, they can actually be found gathering at special watering holes like Jardin Nelson (www.jardinnelson.com). The outdoor section is located in spectacular architectural surroundings, and some days there is even live jazz. Visitors tend to congregate in and around the square itself for the street performers, vendors and sidewalk cafes. During the summer months, the square is open only to pedestrian traffic. Horse drawn carriage tours (calesh tours) leave from points north and south of the square. This area is really a must for any visit to Montreal.

Place Jacques-Cartier is bordered by Rue Rue St-Paul on one side and by Montreal City Hall, also known as Hôtel de Ville (http://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/tour/etape2/eng/2text3a.htm), Notre-Dame Street East.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

More Information: Closest Metro exit: Champs-de-Mars

Address: 120 Rue de la Commune Ouest, Montreal, Quebec

A great place to begin a Montréal visit is Pointe-À-Callière, which anchors one end of Old Montreal. The other end is anchored by Bonsecours Market. At Pointe-À-Callière you see the birthplace of Montréal up close and personal, with a bilingual, multi-media, presentation on the beginning of the island, as you sit over the actual site where it all began. After the presentation, you are taken to the archaeological site, located under Pointe-À-Callière. The site, an actual archaeological dig, exposes artifacts and culture from the 14th century. After roaming your way through the dig, continue your journey underground across what used to be part of the water-works through Montréal, and up into the Pointe-À-Callière Museum. At times throughout the summer, there are special exhibitions, both inside the Museum and outside on the streets. From Pointe-À-Callière, you can further explore Old Montreal by dropping directly down to the Montreal Science Center at the OLD Port.

Hours:Sept 4 - June 22: Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11a - 5p
June 25 - August 31: Mon - Fri 10a - 6pm, Sat & Sun 11a - 6p
Closed some holidays

Admission: Can be entered as part of a museum pass with access to 32 museums and attractions for three consecutive days or -
$45 with 3 day public transportation card; $35 without public transportation card

More Information: (514) 872 9150

Address: 3800 Queen Mary Road, Montreal (Quebec) H3L 2M1

St. Joseph's Oratory is a Roman Catholic basilica which takes up part of Montreal's Mount Royal, and is Canada's largest church - it's able to hold roughly 3,000 people for services. The church's massive dome is second in size only to that of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and is built near the site where Brother Andre built his original small chapel in 1904. Construction on the Oratory was completed in 1967.

Brother Andre gave credit for all the miracles he's supposed to have performed (healing the sick and injured) to St. Joseph, and St. Joseph's Oratory remains a popular pilgrimage site for followers of Brother Andre. Many of them climb a special wooden staircase on their knees. One wall of the basilica's interior showcases all the crutches of the people who were able to walk out of the church, healed, after visiting the Oratory. There is a reliquary inside the church which contains the heart of Brother Andre, as well.

The gardens around the Oratory are pristine and beautiful, and a great place for a walk in nice weather. The views from both the garden and the church are also spectacular.

Hours: Schedules for opening hours and services can change frequently

Admission: Fees for guided tours, offered in French and English and some other languages, can change frequently

Address: 263 St. Viateur West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Most Montrealers and many Canadians believe that Montreal has the very best bagels in the world. If you are visiting Montreal, you need to at least try them and make your mind up for yourself. If you like to eat.... hmmm.... well, it is a must do in Montreal and St. Viateur wisely supplied you with three locations. One is listed as the main address above, the other two are listed below.

1127 Mont. Royal East
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(514) 528-6361

5629 Monkland Avenue
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(514) 487-8051

Hours: Not listed on the company's website

Admission: Free (but then you'll want to buy something yummy!)

More Information: (main location) (514) 276-8044
http://www.bootsnall.com/namericatravelguides/montreal/feb02bagel.shtml