Population: 1.65 million (est. 2011)

Why you should travel here: Montreal is the city of festivals and international events – love F1? Jazz festivals? This is the place to be!

Interesting Fact: Montreal is one of the five largest French speaking cities in the world. Paris is first.

My Experience: 

• Liked: Montreal’s European-like charm. 
• Not so much: If you learned French in an English-speaking school, France or any other country, you will be shocked at how little you can actually understand the ‘Quebecois’ language – their French dialect takes getting used to (understatement).

Travel tip:  Walk everywhere as much as you can, especially the in old town – there are so many great places to discover.

Must see (among many others):

1. Basilique Notre-Dame:Found in Vieux-Montreal, this church was designed by Irish architect James O’Donnell and built between 1824-9. It has a stunning medieval-style interior that features walnut-wood carvings, exquisite stained-glass windows, 24-carat gold stars in a vaulted blue ceiling, as well as one of the largest Casavant organs in North America.
2. Parc du Mont-Royal: The geographic highlight of Montreal is undeniably Mont-Royal’s steep slopes. Named by Jacques Cartier in 1535, the protected district of Parc du Mont-Royal covers more than 343 acres of forested mountain, providing abundant green spaces, shrubs and flowers, as well as habitats for hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife. Designed in 1876 by Frederick Law Olmsted, Mont-Royal continues to inspire locals as an arboreal delight in the center of their metropolis – activity options, depending on the time of year, include skating, cycling, paddle-boating, tobogganing and snowshoeing. To the northwest of the park is the impressive Oratoire St-Joseph.
3. Parc Olympique: One of Montreal’s most remarkable attractions, Parc Olympique is also one of its most controversial. Built for the 1976 Olympic Games, it remained unfinished until the 1980s, despite a cost of $1.4 billion, and the retractable roof over the stadium has never full worked. Nevertheless, visitors can easily spend a full day or two entertained by the varied exhibitions, sights and activities available within this immense quadrilateral. Ride the funicular to the top of the Tour Montreal for the most enthralling view of the region.
4. St-Viateur Bagel is a famous Montreal-style bagel bakery located in the neighbourhood of Mile End in the borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal. Established in 1957 by Myer Lewkowicz, the bakery takes its name from its street, St-Viateur Street. The bagel shop operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and serves over 12,000 bagels a day.