Montreal is a large city but many of the tourist attractions are in a relatively small area and easy to get to, as long as you have comfortable shoes. Old Montreal is full of heritage buildings and Vieux Port at the waterfront is a popular spot with tourists and locals. Across the street, Marche Bonsecours has lots of one of a kind shops to browse through.

Montreal has some beautiful and historic churches, including popular Notre Dame Cathedral with its beautifully decorated interior and nearby, Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, a mini replica of St. Peters in Rome which is much less crowded. Oratoire St. Joseph is plain by comparison but its size, history and location make it worth a visit, especially for the panoramic views from the terrace.

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Dominique and Pierre and their two little girls live in the main house while the B&B is downstairs at street level and has a separate entrance.

My room was very small with a single bed, wicker chair and a window that opened onto the garden. It was located at the back of the house so was very quiet and the cost was $50. (CDN) per night. The decor was African with pictures and wooden masks that were collected from Dominique and Pierre’s travels throughout Africa and Asia. There were also two other, much larger, rooms for rent but they were occupied. One had a view of and separate entrance into the garden and the other was at the front of the house, facing the park.

The shared bathroom was separated into two small cedar paneled rooms with toilet and sink in one and a spacious and sparklingly clean shower in another. The bathroom was stocked with lots of towels, hairdryer and some toiletries.

Near the front entrance, a small common area had a TV, VCR with a selection of movies, small fridge, kettle and an assortment of teas and coffee. Dominique also keeps lots of tourist information available and was more than willing to provide advice and tips on what to see and do.

Breakfast was served at 9:00 a.m. upstairs in the main part of the house and varied daily. One morning we had mushroom omelets with onion bread toast and another morning, it was continental with yogurt, fresh fruit and a generous assortment of fresh pastries.

Square St. Louis is actually a little park that is surrounded on three sides by Victorian era homes, many of which have been lovingly restored. The park is an extremely popular place, especially on sunny days. At night, there are sets of small lights strung throughout the trees. I’ve heard it’s not the best area late at night but I didn’t have any problems. There were always lots of people around although 2 a.m. here might be a different story.

At one end of the park is rue Prince Arthur , a semi pedestrian only area; cars aren’t allowed along the street but can travel on the cross streets. There are lots of restaurants here and it has a real street party atmosphere with a crowd that is mostly under 40.

This usually means that food prices are lower than in licensed restaurants and rather than choosing from a limited wine menu with inflated prices, you can bring exactly what you want and save money too. Some places may charge a few dollars to uncork the wine but Eduardos didn’t charge anything and also had wine buckets available.

I chose Eduardos because I was in the mood for pasta and the restaurant looked pretty popular, judging by the number of people walking in with brown paper bags. It’s not fancy but the inside is welcoming and cozy, with separate smoking and non smoking rooms and artificial green plants hanging from the ceiling. Mirrors cover the back wall which makes the restaurant look larger than it really is and the front windows open to give it a sidewalk cafe feel. I was in the non smoking room and by 7:30 it was full, with people waiting for a table and this was on a week night in mid April.

The menu featured chicken, veal and lots of pasta, especially spaghetti with different sauces and the prices were extremely reasonable. Pasta was available in half or full servings - average price for a half serving was under $5.00 and a full serving was usually under $9.00.

My meal started with a basket of complimentary focaccia rolls which were still warm. I ordered Caesar salad ($4.25) which turned out to be almost a meal in itself. The salad was full of chopped bacon, croutons, capers and fresh romaine. Freshly grated parmesan came in a separate bowl so I could have as much as I wanted.

I initially ordered lasagna but had to change to a half order of pasta once I saw the size of the salad. I chose spaghetti bolognese. The sauce was loaded with meat and tasted like something that had simmered on grandma’s stove all day. Even the half size pasta was generous and I left with a full stomach and just about a full wallet too.

Service was efficient and friendly. I don’t think they take reservations but you might want to call and check. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Duluth is just off busy rue St. Denis, and only a few blocks from square St. Louis. The street has lots of "Apportez" restaurants (Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Continental, etc.) as well as a couple of small stores that sell wine and beer which is very convenient.

I ordered a bacon and cheese burger and it came with crispy, home fried potatoes and a green salad. Dressing for the salad was a choice of balsamic vinaigrette or a creamy house dressing. I chose the house dressing and it was good, very similar to Ranch. The price for my meal was under $7.00.

During my visit, there was only one waitress so service was a bit slow but nobody seemed to mind, since the inclination is to linger over dinner or drinks. Inside, only a few tables were occupied but the outside area was full. Even though it can be a bit noisy due to traffic, that doesn’t stop it from filling up. The cafe is licensed and small pitchers of sangria are popular with the younger crowd who sit for hours to watch the passers-by.

The cafe also has home made desserts including a delicious multi layer chocolate cake and prices are usually less than $4.00. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

It is a huge place and its basilica is second in height only to St. Peters in Rome. It was founded by Brother Andre, a Quebecois priest who is credited with curing the illnesses of a number of his parishioners. Although he gave the credit for these cures to St. Joseph, he became known as a miracle worker. He died in 1937 and was beatified by Pope Jean Paul II in 1982.

A self guided tour booklet is available for $1.00 and it provides a very easy to follow itinerary that corresponds with numbered signs in the building. In all, there are 16 different points of interest and you should allow at least an hour.

Many of the exhibits contain information about Brother Andre - his tomb, replicas of his office and even his heart, preserved and displayed in red glass. The original chapel that he built in 1904 is at the back of the Oratoire and it is very humble compared to the current structure.

I really liked the beautiful stained glass windows in the Basilica. The backgrounds were black and this made the colours, especially red, really stand out. Although the day was a bit overcast, the view from The Terrace was spectacular and I image it would be breathtaking on a clear day. Nearby, the Gardens of the Oratory were closed but their location on the mountain side would be a nice place for a relaxing stroll with more panoramic views.

The Museum had a large collection of religious paintings, statues and life size wax vignettes. My favourite part was the extensive display of nativity scenes from around the world. Some were very elaborate and costly. I liked the more humble and whimsical pieces, fashioned from material native to the country or area where it was made. The one from Hawaii was made from seashells, Mexico was a mosaic made with corn and beans, Vietnam used tree roots, South America a mosaic made with corn and beans, Vietnam used tree roots, South America had gourds, Poland had ornate aluminum, Switzerland was wood and there were so many others. The Museum was the only part of the Oratoire with an admission fee, albeit donation only but it was worth it to see the creches. Unfortunately, flash photos were not allowed so I couldn’t get any pictures. In previous years, the creches were on display from December to February but since they were still there in April this year, they may be making it a permanent exhibit.

The Oratoire is about 6 blocks from the Cote des Neiges metro stop. It’s on Mount Royal, near Universite de Montreal and is open daily from 7 a.m.

The metro station is located on Ile St. Helene, the larger of the two islands. Just outside the station is a snack bar and a place where you can rent inline skates if you’re feeling adventurous. There are lots of floral gardens as well as Fort Ile Sainte Helene, originally built in 1820. The fort now houses the Stewart Museum and during the summer, costumed interpreters reenact military life in the mid 18th century. There is also a small lake and its grassy banks are a great spot for sun bathing or picnicking.

At one end of Ile St. Helene, the steel statue called "Man" is a leftover from Expo. From this point there are great views of the Montreal skyline just across the water. The waterfront here was my favourite place in the park to sit in the shade, relax and enjoy the breeze from the river while watching windsurfers glide by.

The other end of the island houses the Biodome, a large open circular structure that served as the American Pavilion during Expo. Within the Biosphere are buildings that replicate eco systems from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Just past the Biosdome is a small road that leads to Ile Notre Dame where the Montreal Casino is located. Nearby is a place that rents pedal boats, canoes, etc.

In summer, the park is really hopping. La Ronde, a Six Flags amusement site is in operation from mid May until the end of summer. The Montreal International Fireworks Competition and the Canadian Grand Prix are held here too.

The park has lots of biking and walking paths and in winter people come here to snowshoe and cross country ski. This would be a great place for a picnic or just some quiet time away from the hectic pace of downtown Montreal.