| For its size,
there is no other city in North America
quite like Montreal. Perhaps our best known landmark is the Olympic Stadium: home to the Expo's baseball team. When not filled with fans, it doubles as a venue for concerts, car and boat shows, and other sports events. The retractable roof now remains permanently closed due to numerous mechanical problems. |
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Montreal is a great place to visit
any time of
the year, but summer is when it truly comes alive. The Montreal Grand Prix in mid-June is just the beginning of our summer festivities. It also marks the beginning of the International Fireworks Competition at the waterfront La Ronde Amusement Park. And summer nights in Montreal can last until 3:30 in the morning. Saint Catherine Street experiences a traffic jam every night when the clubs and bars finally close. |
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The Bishop-Crescent street corridor
is very
popular with English guests, but visitors should also stroll down St-Denis Street, the heart of the French Bistros. In Old Montreal you can ride a caleche along cobblestone streets or walk near the waterfront in the Old Port. The Old Port marks the beginning of a bike and roller blade trail that stretches 18 miles along the Lachine Canal to the west end of the city. Above all Montreal is a people city, and one of the best ways to meet them is at the many festivals held throughout the summer. |
| The first major event is the International
Jazz Festival
which attracts musicians and guests from all over the world. Many of the concerts are held in 8 giant open-air stages in a central corridor closed to traffic. Additional concerts occur in the area's many clubs, but even if you can't get tickets, the ones outside are free and always a good show. Prominent artists in the blues milieu such as John Lee Hooker also often perform. |
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The last weekend of the Jazz Festival
marks the beginning of "Les Nuits
Afrique", another 9 days of music from the Caribbean and Africa. The comedy festival "Just for Laughs" is next and the list goes on - A Buskers Festival, the Montreal World Film Festival, the Tour de l'Isle - the largest bicycle tour of its kind - through the streets of Montreal. There are also numerous ethnic celebrations paying homage to Greek, Portuguese, Caribbean, Chinese, Irish and the other communities that comprise the fabric of Montreal. And of course we cannot forget June 24 - Saint Jean Baptiste Day - the patron saint of the Quebecoise. And there are any of hundreds of other activities to occupy one's time - from many performers on the streets of Old Montreal and the quaint rue Prince Arthur pedestrian corridor with its many restaurants ... to the Botanical Gardens, the Biodome, the Museum of Fine Arts and many wonderful parks. |
| Two nights a week, throughout June
and July the island
of La Ronde sparkles with the fires of the Pyromusicales. The Amusement Park itself is a wonderful place to spend an evening. But good views of the spectacle can be had from the nearby Jacques Cartier Bridge or from the Old Port just across the river. The St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Hot Air Balloon Festival takes place during the second week of August - just a 30 minute drive south of the city. Another great activity on Sunday afternoon is the weekly drummers' session - the informal "Montreal Tam" that takes place on the eastern side of Mount Royal Park. And finally, there is our incredible assortment of wonderful restaurants. Virtually any kind of food you could ever possibly want can be found here - especially French! |
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