General Information about Montreal

Montreal, Canada, is an international destsination of choise, being the 2nd largest city in Canada and 2nd largest primarily french-speaking city; it is easily accessed by land, water, and air., and it is a Canadian and continental reference where the old and new seamlessly coexist. Downtown is a mere 20 minutes from the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Public transit is not only affordable, it’s also a great way to get around the city. Quick, safe and clean, the metro connects downtown to major tourism attractions, as well as to numerous bus stops and train stations. In addition, cycling enthusiasts enjoy 450 kilometres of bicycle paths, many of which lead to major tourist areas.

There are several must-see attractions in Montreal; just to name a few:

Biodome de Montreal housed in a former stadium used in the 1976 Olympics, the educational and entertaining Biodome consists of four different ecological habitats - rain forest, polar, marine and forest - where visitors can see the plants and animals native to each ecosystem. The polar penguins and puffins and the tropical monkeys and parrots will enthrall children and adults alike.

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount-Royal is the largest shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph in the world.

Located near Olympic Park, Montreal's huge botanical garden contains over 20,000 different plant species in 31 specialized gardens, including the largest Chinese Garden outside Asia and a Japanese Garden with a tearoom and fabulous bonsai collection.

Vieux-Montréal is one of the most beautiful, well-preserved vibrant "old towns" this side of Europe. This is a key component in what makes Montreal, "the truly different North American city". A diverse and tolerant-to-all world city, Montreal is safe, cultural, cosmopolitan and proud of its French legacy, especially its language.

Mount Royal, referred to as "the mountain" by locals, this 764-foot mountain provides excellent view of the city and is a popular recreation spot.

Notre-Dame Basilica is the Montreal's oldest Catholic church, built in 1656, is known for its intricately designed interior, which includes stained glass chronicling the history of the city.

The Casino of Montreal, Lit up like a jewel at night on the Ile Notre-Dame, is the largest in Quebec and one of the ten largest in the world in terms of the amount of gaming equipment.

Getting to Montreal

Pierre-Elliott Trudeau International Airport is located just 20km from Downtown.

All information extracted from Montreal Turisme, click here for more information