When Mother Nature decides to force you out of your comfort zone by hitting your City with endless snowstorms and a polar cold, the only way to deal with it is to accept the situation and find a way to enjoy it!
Welcome to Montreal in December 2017, where the roads and boulevards were covered with ice, where the visibility, even downtown was reduced, and most importantly, where driving a BMW X1 XDrive28i became the ultimate pleasure. We were ready for 48 hours in Montreal!
Must-Sees
- Mount RoyalEasily accessible by car, Mount Royal should be the starting point for anyone arriving in Montreal. Standing at 234 meters, this mountain is located at a walking distance from the town and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.The whole town of Montreal was built around the Mount Royal mountain and was even named after it. To have such an incredible heaven of nature and peace in the heart of the city is undeniably one of Montreal’s main assets. The way Mount Royal was set up makes it the ideal place for people to take long walks, exercise, and marvel at the breathtaking view of Montreal it offers from up top.In the wintertime, Mount Royal looks like winter wonderland and teems with families with kids sliding in the snow, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, jogging, or cars parked to enjoy the view, like us that day.
- Old MontrealIn the heart of the Old Town, you will get immersed in the European history of Montreal. Although driving around the city is incredibly pleasant, parking your vehicle to explore Old-Montreal by foot is a must, to marvel at the architecture that combines gorgeous old European styles and modern American glass buildings. The narrow streets of the Old Town teem with beautiful Second Empire-like buildings, imposing red brick facades that you cannot miss. Notre Dame Basilica stands in the centre of the Old Town, reminding us of the religious past of Ville-Marie (Montreal’s former name).
- Ste Hélène IslandThat day, the cold was even more intense than the previous days. The town was literally frozen; so much so that the car washes were closed because the cold had frozen the mechanical and hydraulic parts of their systems. A long and icy road awaits us and we’re thankful we have a fantastic, comfortable and most importantly, a reliable vehicle to get us to our destination.A stop by Ile Sainte-Hélène is a must, when visiting Montreal. Located in the middle of the majestic St. Lawrence River, the island offers a breathtaking view on Montreal. Let’s just say that that day, it wasn’t the view that took our breath away, but the extreme cold that even managed to freeze our camera!
4. Lafontaine Park
Named after Louis-Hypolite Lafontaine, Prime Minister of Eastern Canada in 1842, Lafontaine Park once was a farm before becoming a parking lot for the British military. Today, the park is every Montrealer’s favorite place to ice-skate and play hockey in the wintertime; or lay on the grass, take a sunbath, jog or picnic on warmer days.
4. Plateau Mont-Royal and the Mile-End
Plateau Mont-Royal is a quarter that was named one of the most enjoyable places to live in in the world. The best way to discover it is to wander in every little street by foot, to fully grasp its truly unique atmosphere. The quarter is famous for being inhabited by dynamic residents who live a healthy lifestyle and share humanist values. The arts, culture and music hold a major place in the quarter’s residents lives who, in all likelihood, favor a great quality of life over everything else. You will find small specialized bookshops, cute coffee shops, great restaurants and amazing bars. Take the time to notice the exterior stairs on the bright-coloroured façades that are characteristic of the architecture of Montreal.
I believe the city’s bright and colorful facades matches Montrealers’ warmth and the unexplainable vibrant yet laid back energy that fills Montreal’s air.
Must Eats in Montreal
Montreal is popular for many things: it’s hockey team, its countless festivals, its larger than life murals, its bright colorful facades, its Underground City and its cosmopolitan restaurant scene. There are a couple must-eats that a foodie can absolutely not miss when staying in town.
1. Best Poutine In Montreal – La Banquise
You know a restaurant is great when it is frequented both by locals and tourists. La Banquise is open 24/7 and offers over 28 types of poutine that you can savor with microbrewery beers. But… Get ready to wait in the never-ending line in front of the restaurant.
2. Montreal Smoked Meat – Schwartz’s
In three years of living in Montreal and passing by Schwartz’s at least twice a week, I have never ever not seen a queue in front of this delicatessen. Ever. Schwartz’s is Canada’s oldest deli and offers delicious Smoked Meat sandwiches, served on rye bread spread with mustard that will have you drool.
3. St-Viateur Bagel Shop
Montreal and New York are fighting over the title of Best Bagel Makers and many say that our very own St-Viateur Bagel Shop makes the world’s best bagels. The bagels are hand-rolled, boiled in honey water and cooked in a wood-fired oven that was specifically designed to both flavor and cook the bagels. St-Viateur even ships their bagels to the U.S.! There are different locations in Montreal but only one of them has a restaurant. The other ones only sell the bagels.
4. Portuguese Chicken – Barrosso Grill
One of the things I found particularly odd when I arrived in Montreal, was the fact that Portuguese chicken was so popular. And I believe the reason for it’s popularity, besides being plain succulent, is that the Portuguese quarter is located in the heart of downtown Montreal. Rachel street teems with Portuguese rotisseries that fill the air with the most delicious and appetite opening smell of chicken grilling. Yum!
