by angelasnell79

Epsom, New Hampshire

August 30, 2011

by ranaldino

Burlington, Vermont

August 15, 2006

by seekwa

Bedford, Virginia

August 14, 2006

Feel a little more adventurous? Rent a bicycle or a set of roller blades and you'll be in a cast of hundreds in all age ranges, pedaling and swirling around streets and bike paths. Bikes don't just travel the waterfront; they're found throughout the city.

Just across the St. Lawrence river from Old Montreal are some of the city's well maintained and designed public parks, with swimming, garden paths, walking and biking trails, and an internationally acclaimed casino. Keep an eye out for Bond, James Bond.

Be sure to check out the local event calendars for world class music and art festivals, or the annual Gran Prix auto race. In the summer there's always some kind of concert or event taking place on Montreal's historic waterfront.

by ssullivan

District of Columbia County, District of Columbia

April 22, 2006

by meadowlark

Boston, Massachusetts

June 4, 2004

The driver was French-Canadian, but also spoke English. She drove us up to the square on Commune and then around the Old Part of the city pointing out sites like the Notre Dame Cathedral and old seminary as well as restaurants along with her opinion of them. The ride was quite pleasant and perfectly placed for seeing Old Montreal. The guide was well-informed, amusing, and accurately aimed her commentary toward our attention level (somewhat tired). We enjoyed the ride so much that we gave a $5 tip at the end.

by kfs1980

Fredericton, New Brunswick

July 21, 2003

From there, you have plenty of things to choose from. The streets are loaded with small cafés and restaurants, little shops, etc. This is more of a spot to go for dessert though. Things are fairly expensive and dinner can easily run you upwards of C$100 for two people, long before you even look at the wine list.

by annekmadison

Baltimore, Maryland

August 27, 2001

The oldest area of Montreal is located just between the downtown business district and the waterfront. It’s easily accessible by Metro and not a long walk if you are staying at a downtown hotel. On Easter Sunday it seemed that the entire city had thronged to the area to stroll, look in the shops, enjoy a coffee or drink at a sidewalk café, or have Easter dinner in one of the area’s many restaurants.

If the Basilica represents the soul of Old Montreal, then certainly its heart must be the Place Jacques Cartier. This open cobblestone plaza is closed to vehicular traffic. In addition to the throngs of visitors—residents and tourists—you’re likely to find artists and artisans with their work on display, musicians, photographers, magicians, acrobats, and mimes. There’s something new to experience everywhere you look.

The plaza is dominated at its upper end by City Hall. Although it was built in 1872, it is one of the most modern structures in the area. Both sides are lined with restaurants and sidewalk cafes, perfect spots to stop for a while and enjoy the passing scene. You can also enjoy a ride in one of the many horse-drawn carriages that seem to inhabit the area.

Just two blocks down the hill from the Place Jacques Cartier is Montreal’s Old Port. Here you’ll find the city’s science center I-Sci which boasts exhibits for all age groups, a kid-magnet of a shop, and a simple cafeteria if your young folks begin to starve. The IMAX theater offers films in both French and English at different times of the day. You’ll want to check its schedule first and time your visit according to your preferred showing.

Stroll down the broad sidewalk behind the science center and you’ll arrive at last at the waterfront. Many of its attractions were closed during our early-spring visit. But the view of the St. Lawrence River is delightful and includes the fascinating Habitat—an avant-garde housing complex built for the 1967 World’s Fair. The Clock Tower, an unmistakable landmark, is the location for catching one of the many tour boats during the warmer months of the year.

We were reluctant to end our Sunday afternoon in Old Montreal, so we wandered a few blocks through the narrow streets to revisit Bonsecours.

by kel-a-licious

claremont

March 25, 2001

by kylebarber

Seattle, Washington

December 19, 2000

The Place d'Armes piazza is flanked by the Basilique Notre-Dame and the domed Bank of Montreal. Place Jacques-Cartier leads down to the waterfront from Champs-de-Mars with cute little restuarants and shops lining the route. Montreal's City Hall and older court house are also due south of the Champs-de-Mars.

I didn't climb up it, but apparently the Clock Tower on Bonsecour Street has good views. On the opposite side of vieux Montreal is an archaeology and history museum that didn't seem to be attracting too many visitors.

by Jeffrey

Plano, Texas

November 9, 2000

The area is reminiscent of Europe, with its cobblestone streets and historic architecture. Saint-Paul Street is the oldest street in Montreal, and it has many small art galleries, and shops of every size and sort. Where St. Paul crosses Jacques-Cartier Place, there is an open plaza that was a market, but now is lined with street performers (musicians and magicians when we were there), and small cafes and restaurants. Bonsecours Market is also on St Paul Street. It is now an indoor mall of gift shops, but was the City Hall until the 1870's. It is a beautiful building and definitely looks more like city hall than shopping.

There are many other historic buildings that we admired, but will have to learn more about on my next visit.