Have you ever traveled somewhere and felt more at home there then you do at home? For me Montréal is one of those places. When I was in my early twenties I visited a friend going to university there and it didn’t take me long to get hooked. It seems that now I am drawn back to this beautiful historic French city every summer. With over 100 festivals annually, Montreal is a vibrant, energetic city where something is always happening. It’s a place with a booming culinary scene that comes with great value and more bang for you buck then any other major city in Canada. It has a social scene that is young, trendy, creative, and shows itself through the colourful street art and murals that prominently decorate the city. With so many great hotels, attractions, historic building and delicious places to eat there is no way you can’t enjoy yourself.
Last month I visited Montréal and filmed this travel vlog. My goal was to highlight why I think Montreal is such a great place to visit. Whether you are Canadian or not it’s a perfect destination to travel without putting too much strain on your wallet. It’s a place with endless options and infinite amounts of amusement – so why not visit? Watch my vlog below to see what I got up to when I went to Montreal.
Thanks for watching my vlog! If you are interested in visiting any of the places I went to I have added information on them below! You can also visit Tourisme Montreal to see what festivals are currently going on in Montreal.
Markets:
Atwater Market - 138 Atwater Avenue Montréal, Québec H4C 2H6
Located in the southwest corner of Montréal near the Lachine Canal, the Atwater Market was established in 1933. Open year-round, Atwater Market is known for its many butchers and delicatessens, as well as its horticultural vendors and farmers whose kiosks are brimming with fresh produce and border the perimeter of the building from spring through summer. Its many shopkeepers offer a wide variety of fresh, unique and specialty products. The expertise and dedication of many of the merchants have been passed down from generation to generation and have helped build Atwater Market’s reputation internationally.
Jean-Telon Market - 7070 Henri-Julien Avenue Montréal, Québec H2S 3S3
In the heart of Little Italy, the Jean-Talon Market is one of the oldest public markets in Montréal opening in May of 1933. The Jean-Talon Market is known for its numerous local fruit and vegetable vendors as well as the cultural diversity of its shopkeepers. It is one of the largest public markets in North America and its atmosphere is lively in both summer and winter.
At the Jean-Talon Market, you won’t just find fruits and vegetables, but also flowers, spices, oils, cheese, meat, fish and artisanal bakery goods, in addition to a wide selection of regional products from all over Québec!
Restaurants:
Bouillon Bilk - 1595 Boul. St-Laurent Montréal QC H2X 2S9
A lovely, refined restaurant located in downtown Montreal that caters to a young hip professional crowd. Their dishes are both elegant and thoughtful often presenting masterpieces so beautiful to look at you are not sure you should eat them. So do what I do, snap a photo and save the memory and then dive right in and explore the symphony of flavors in each dish. Waiters are also very helpful and knowledgeable at making recommendations from both the menu and the wine list.
I recommend calling for reservations - 514.845.1595 or visit their website.
La Diperie - 68 Ave des Pins E, Montréal, QC H2W 1N5
LA DIPERIE is one of my favorite soft service ice cream shops! With over 20 different dips, numerous toppings and endless combinations – this place will have you rethinking how you use to do ice cream.
Grumman 78 – 630 Rue de Courcelle, Montréal, QC H4C 3C5
Situated on the western edge of St-Henri, Grumman 78 is located in an old garage that formerly housed the City’s cavalry. Industrial yet warm, this restaurant’s take on Mexican street food is perfect for intimate gatherings or large groups. They also have a food truck that you can usually find at different events and festivals in the city.
For reservations call - 514-290-5125 or visit their website.
Olive and Gourmando - 351 Saint-Paul W. MONTREAL, QC H2Y 2A7
Olive and Gourmando is a small café patisserie restaurant located in Old Montreal that serves amazing Panini sandwiches. They often have a line up out the door but don’t shy away because you can always get take out. One of my favorite items on the menu is the Cuban sandwich!
Festivals:
Just For Laughs – Comedy shows are held at various locations. Festival stomping grounds are located in the Place D’Arts on Rue Ste. Catherine.
A yearly festival dedicated to making you laugh! The Just for Laughs festival brings together a plethora of the worlds top comics to entertain you for an entire month! Be prepared to bust a gut because you will be laughing till you cry. Some of my favorite comics to see this year were Jermain Fowler, Nick Thune and Joe Mande!
Piknic Electronik - Parc Jean Drapeau
Piknic Électronik is a weekly electronic music festival that takes place every Sunday during the summer in Montréal. Established in 2003, the festival takes place at Parc Jean-Drapeau and features local and international DJs and producers. There are two stages, food trucks and lots of space to bring a blanket, lounge under a tree and spend your day off listening to some good music with friends.
To see what this weeks music line up is visit their website.
♥ ♥ These are just two of the 100+ festivals that go on each year in Montréal. Make sure to check out Tourisme Montreal to see what else is happening in the city.
Museums:
MAC aka The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal - 185 Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Located in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal presents temporary exhibitions devoted to outstanding and relevant current artists from all over the world. It is a place of discovery, offering visitors experiences that are continually changing and new, and often unexpected and stirring. Every form of expression may be featured: digital and sound works, installations, paintings, sculptures, ephemeral pieces, and more.
Check out their website to see exhibits currently on at the museum.
MMFA aka Montreal Museum of Fine Art - 1380 Sherbrooke Street West
The Montreal Museum of Fine Art is one of the most prominent art museums in Canada. It has works that encompass all the great cultures of the world. The museum itself dates back to 1860 and has a permanent collection of approximately 41,000 works. They are currently building their fifth pavilion making it one of the largest art museums in North America.
Check out their website to see exhibits currently on at the museum.
