Quote:
Originally Posted by Razor
Hi all!
Anyways, my pal from SW Ontario has never been, and we'll be there for a few weekdays in the first week of July, staying at a motel downtown..We are going to do the stereotypical things like do the smoked meat sammie thing, and trip around Old Montreal..He's like me, where I'm okay with no game plan, and just tour around checking things out on foot or on the Metro, but I'm open to suggestions?..I was thinking of driving up to Mont Royal, just for the view..My friend is also aware that Montreal has a great food scene, so we are prepared to eat well!..We only have 2 days..For someone's first time, would you just say to stick to exploring downtown, tripping down St. Catherine, old Montreal, and maybe check out some downtown neighbourhoods and pubs?.Who knows, there could be a good live band on a weekday..I'm tempted to take him to Grumpies, because I had a good time in that pub! I also thought of checking out Olympic stadium, but am not sure...Thanks ahead!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calgarian
I'll be in Montreal for the first time in May, so I'm following this lol.
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You should post your demand on AgoraMTL! There are way more people there.
Accommodation :
1. If you want a motel on the island, there are some located near métro Sauvé. But motels are generally shabby. Longueuil would be a good solution, not too far from downtown and the interesting places to visit, but only the area around métro Longueuil--Université-de-Sherbrooke, or it will be too far.
Suggestions :
1. 2 days is not much, but doable. It depends : will you be in a "first time, I want to see the landmarks" kind of trip, or on a more "experiment the feel of the city" trip?
2. Personnaly, I would stop at Jean-Talon or Beaubien or De Castelnau station and walk around Jean-Talon market, St-Laurent blvd, Beaubien / St-Zotique streets. Have a coffee at Larue & Fils or Ferlucci on De Castelnau, eat pancakes at Jean-Talon market. Try pizza at Napoletana... If weather is good, grab a blanket, buy some saucisson and Pied-de-Vent or Douanier or Louis d'Or cheese at the market, a baguette, and have a picnic on the small island in the pond, at parc Jarry (I can send you the coordinates privately if this is your plan, search for L'Îlot Tonome on Google Maps). Don't forget to buy some craft beers at some dépanneur on the way so you have the full Montréal experience.
3. As Rico suggested, walking around the Mile-End is also a must-do. Bernard street is cool. St-Viateur and Parc and St-Laurent too.
4. For some "beginner's guide" to Montréal architecture, I would suggest a small walk : From Berri-UQAM, you go uphill on St-Denis and cross the Latin quarter. Lots of craft beer on this street. After crossing Sherbrooke, you walk accross Square St-Louis with its gorgeous fountain. There are a lot of greystone victorian houses around the square and on rue Laval. Then you walk all along pedestrian Prince-Arthur Street. After you either go north or south on St-Laurent, or continue to the mountain, or whatever
I've live in Montréal since 20 years and still love this walk.
5. Vieux-Montréal is allright, but touristy (you won't get the feel of the city, but architecture is pretty). Must-sees include : place d'Armes with the basilica and many generations of skyscrapers; rue Le Royer for the beauty; rue St-Paul (the heart of the neighbourhood); place Jacques-Cartier, city Hall and marché Bonsecours (though more oriented towards an older"ish" clientele). Pointe-à-Callière is a great museum, and then is close to McGill street which I find impressive.
6. Ste-Catherine is okay if you want to shop, but be aware that there is an important reconstruction project going on since a few years, and walking on some sections of the street may be a hassle. The most interesting part in the west is between Guy and Atwater, where you will find Montréal's "new" asian neighbourhood and all the good places to eat. In the centre and in the east, I always enjoy Quartier des spectacles and Le Village, though you have to be aware that there are renovations ongoing at the Contemporary Art Museum, and that le Village is in need of some revitalization, with numerous social issues and homelessness. Good addresses to eat or drink : definitely Le Central (a kind of food court); always a good eat at Cochon Dingue (a Québec-city based chain, but food is alright, especially for brunch).
If you are near the Village in July, you can spend the evening at the "éphémère" village Pied-du-Courant (
see link here), a cozy yet animated outdoor space at the foot of Jacques-Cartier bridge, where you can listen to music, eat and hang around in the sand.
7. Olympic stadium is okay, but kind of in the middle of nowhere (I always found the Pie-IX metro station area kind of dreadful). If you go there, buy an online ticket for access to the Planetarium and the Biodome, two awesome museums (
see link here)
8. Hochelaga is also a nice neighbourhood, but I would hang around Place Valois or Maisonneuve market. If you go this far, I can send you a list of buildings and shops that you should see (Maisonneuve for example was a model industrial planned city and is really interesting)
9. In July, there will absolutely be some festival going on around Place des Festivals. Most of the time there are free outdoor shows, on the street. Great artists, and everything.
Go check the programmation here
10. Have a drink and some appetizers at Le Poincarré, a nice local bar at the door of Chinatown. Inside or on the rooftop terrasse, the ambiance is always good. Have some Poincarré beer, a very nice Kölsh produced in St-Casimir especially for the bar.
11. Some other good addresses
en vrac : Dièse Onze (Live Jazz Bar) on the Plateau; Bar Renard (local bar in the Gay Village); Casa del Popolo / La Sala Rossa (a small concert venue with independant artists, and cheap food); Le Pied de Cochon (Duluth Street, for contemporary québec food), feel free to ask more specific questions if you seek other types of experiences.
12. IMO, Schwartz's or La Banquise, or anything that touristy, are not worth it, not worth the wait. Some may crucify me for saying so, IDC.
Never hesitate to contact me if you want to know anything about Montréal or Québec City! (this applies for anyone) Enjoy!
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