Montréal – the only completely functional bilingual city in North America – is home to the world’s 2nd largest French-speaking population. The croissant-shaped island rests between the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers in the southwest province of Québec, Canada. It is home to the largest annual jazz festival in the world, some 60 varieties of cheese, maple syrup, hockey, trains that run on rubber wheels, escalators that run slower for the elderly, high-end fashion, and kisses on each cheek.. Montréal is a city that considers the consumption of red wine to be a way of life – so much that locals rent old prison cells to store their collections. This cosmopolitan city, where old world meets new, is a great get-a-way for the museum lover, the history buff, the connoisseur of fine dining, the shopper, the sports fanatic and the music lover. It enfolds each visitor warmly in bona fide French-Canadian ambiance. Some helpful websites: www.montréal.com www.tourisme-montréal.org http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/index.html

	Top rated hotels
	1. Le Saint Sulpice 414 Rue Saint-sulpice 4. Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile 1155 Sherbrooke Ouest 2. Le Square Phillips Hotel and Suites 1193 Place Phillips 5. Nelligan Hotel 106 Rue St Paul W 3. Loews Hotel Vogue 1425 rue de la Montagne 6. Hotel Place D Armes 55 Rue St. Jacques View more Montreal hotel info »«

	Top rated attractions
	In Montreal 1. Le Parc Olympique de Montréal / The Montréal Olympic Park Guided tours are available to experience this mega stadium-- a world-class tourist site where the 1976 Olympic games brought world fame to the imposing tower that looms at an angle into the Canadian sky. Visitors can learn about the architecture, engineering and the sports center. Trams travel up the tower and provide a breathtaking view for miles. This is a must see and, after all, is the world’s tallest inclined tower. Send an e-mail to reservation@reio.gouv.qc.ca.  « hide 2. Le Biodôme Montréal / The Montréal Biodome Also known as “The House of Life,” this amazing biodome culminates four ecosystems: the tropical forest, the Laurentian Forest, the St. Lawrence Marine ecosystem (birds and underwater life), and the Polar World including birds from the arctic. There are plants and animals, waterways and cliffs. The realistic climate is amazingly stable even through the below freezing dead of winter. Over 10 million visitors have come through the biodome since 1992. Visiting in any season is encouraged, but a head’s up! Every winter visitors can observe newborn baby penguins.  « hide 3. Local Sports Events Summer brings the annual Grand Prix car racing, and it’s not to be missed. Only a month later, racing fans can look forward to NASCAR. Montréal is also the stage for several bicycle races attracting bicycle enthusiasts from all over.  « hide 4. Festivals and Theatre Each season in Montréal is reason to celebrate. Every winter the Christmas at the Garden festival -- Botanical Gardens -- is a spectacular experience. Springtime means the return of the Chambere Music Festival and Festival TransAmériques. Summer sizzles with the 18th-Century Public Market festival, 18th-Century Public Market festival, Canada Day "Célafête" and the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Also, each fall the Montréal International Adventure Film Festival is renowned.  « hide 5. Marché Bonsecours Located in Old Montréal, and along the St. Lawrence River, is a unique shopping experience. Fifteen boutiques occupy one of Canada’s ten most beautiful heritage buildings. The building once served as parliament of the elite in 1849. It became Montréal’s City Hall in 1852 and is now a thriving public market. Each local artisan specializes in original crafts, clothing, antique furniture and more.  « hide 6. Annual Passion Concert – Les Idées heureuses Spring is a great time of year to visit Montréal’s huge theatre scene. There is always something appearing such as the Annual Passion Concert – Les Idées heureuses each April. The Bell Centre, home of the local hockey team, hosts several events as do many of the theatre houses scattered throughout the city.  « hide 7. Women's Fashions There are two ways to shop in Montréal – above ground or below. Imagine stocking up on contemporary fashions. Skip the hotel visit; rent a studio. Why? It’s cheaper, and well worth it, as prices of studios are surprisingly reasonable. Chic boutiques and trendy little shops dot the length of rue Ste-Catherine as well as surrounding side streets. Below is the world’s largest underground city, La ville souterraine, stretching for miles. Built with natural lighting, it connects surface buildings, plazas, Métro stations and over 1600 businesses. Getting lost is preventable by following underground street signs Winter is no obstacle to the Montréal shopper as one could remain underground for hours, or even days, at a time. Heads up, ladies! Women’s clothes are, by far, cheaper than men’s in Montréal.  « hide 8. Notre Dame Basilica The ancient Notre Dame Basilica, circa 1824. It’s interior is breathtaking; the pipe organ a must hear. This corner of the city is only the needle in a haystack.  « hide 9. Musée commémoratif de L’Holocauste â Montréal -- The Holocaust Museum of Montréal “Pourquoi?,” why?, declares the plain, gray pamphlet that visitors carry with them from this impressive exhibit. When it comes to the holocaust, Canada has a story too. See artifacts, read stories and view documentaries. Visitors should plan a minimum of three hours. A trip on the Métro is simple and worth the adventure away from downtown.  « hide 10. Museum of Archaeology It is literally the birthplace of Montréal built over an archaeological site where visitors can descend and explore.  « hide 11. Musée du Chateau Ramezay A living history museum with guided tours.  « hide View more Montreal attractions » « View less Montreal attractions

	Top rated restaurants
	1. Modavie Restaurant Modavie Restaurant is located along the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal. North American cuisine, ambiance, live jazz, choice-cut meats and assorted wines from its very own wine cellar, allow diners to indulge in style. A Frommer’s favorite.  « hide 6. Buona Notte The Italian community of Montréal is a thriving one, and Buona Notte brings alive succulent pasta dishes. It’s best to catch the lunch crowd as the dinner hour can get thick.  « hide 2. Titanic Titanic is a convenient Old Montréal fast-food type of stop for lunch offering various sandwiches made with freshly baked baguettes. Various other dishes include breakfast omelets and anti-pasta plates. People return for the savory sandwiches.  « hide 7. Globe Trendy, savvy, exquisite charm. Globe is an international and seafood establishment located on one of the most popular streets of Montréal and has an atmospheric appeal that is hard to match. That is, until the meal arrives. This is one place where the locals return again and again.  « hide 3. Les Remparts Gaspesian char is the favorite fish of local Canadians drawing diners from afar to the unusual, cozy cellar of Les Remparts. The contemporary French dishes make dining in Old Montréal worth the extra energy.  « hide 8. Brunoise It’s hard to decide what to order off of this Fusion-style menu. With a high rating from Frommer’s, it’s no surprise. The menu is, in a good way, short and offers dishes of Asian and Mediterranean influences.  « hide 4. Les Chenêts Les Chenêts offers savory French cuisine. Chef Michel uses only the finest ingredients cultivating old world charm into every creation.  « hide 9. Bilboquet Bilboquet is a must find delight for satisfying a sweet tooth. It features home-made ice cream and sorbets. Imagine pear, maple, taffy, passion fruit and toffee flavors, to name a few. They only take cash, so come prepared to spend a little dough and enjoy a lot of flavor. At the Outremont Métro Station, take the 160 bus east then take the 80 bus north. Walk west on rue Bernard.  « hide 5. L'Autre Saison Chef Alain has put this exquisite restaurant on the map with his famous rack of lamb. Located in the heart of the Museum district, its charming location is in a 4-story mansion. French and California wines offer excellent vintages to enhance each dish.  « hide

	Montreal Insider tips
	1. Apprenez Le Francais / Learn French Learning French is not a necessity in Montréal as the population is bi-lingual in French and English. But, travel further into the province of Québec and French is the primary language. For example, Québec City is 98% French speaking with only 2% English for the sake of tourism. Why not consider attending a French immersion program where conversational French is used 10-60 hours per week for up to 5 or 6 days? Combine one week of language immersion with one week of touring. Email Québec@bli.ca or call 418-692-1370.  « hide 2. Don’t Miss Crescent Street This is where it’s happening – at least some of it! Crescent Street hosts many festivals throughout the year and in 2002 attracted 300,000 visitors for the Grand Prix festival. The neighborhood is filled with alluring shops, trendy cafes, bars and fine restaurants, clubs and hotels. If there’s a party in Montréal, it may just be happening on Crescent Street!  « hide 3. Where’s the Graffiti? It’s almost surreal to be in a huge metropolis that expands the length of 33 miles and not see the evidence of graffiti defacing public property such as buildings, fences and posts. Montréal has a unique solution for this typical urban nuisance. The city has allocated its roadway underpasses for artists to spray as they may. Exploring these colorful underpasses is an artistic encounter of another kind. It seems that legalizing the act has brought out the best in graffiti artists.  « hide 4. Small Facts that Go Far Students in bright yellow jackets may be spotted wandering downtown helping the elderly cross streets, shoppers to carry bags and provide directions to visitors all free of charge. The underground Métro, that runs extensively citywide, is the same price for each stop. Old Montréal’s street posts are gold and red to distinguish it form other neighborhoods. To keep from getting disoriented when leaving the underground city, use rue Ste-Catherine to enter and exit, taking careful note which way the one-way traffic is driving on Ste-Catherine. Save all receipts worth over $50 Canadian dollars, including hotel slips; pick up a tax reimbursement form at the airport and submit for a partial tax reimbursement. There are two taxes in Canada totaling approximately 15% for Canadians as well as tourists. If driving a rental car in Montréal, it is illegal to turn right on a red light.  « hide 5. Safety Montréal is a very safe city. In fact, it is a renowned vacation destination for this reason alone. Like anywhere, using common sense is the key to a safe and memorable vacation. Pockets and purses should be watched on any public transportation, and seeking the advice of a local before entering unfamiliar areas is always wise. Remarkably, women and girls who visit Montréal should feel an immediate sense of safety that may be lacking in most large cities. Buses will drop patrons off between stops and some Métro stations are glass-enclosed for optimal visibility and security. Although Montréal is not immune to the homeless plight, those that panhandle are, for the most part, harmless and pose no threat to visitors.  « hide 6. Snow & Ice Winter is a splendid time of year to visit Montréal. The underground city beckons cold-weary souls while icicles hang suspended from outdoor eaves. Braving the elements is not so bad, but the sidewalks can be. Although regularly cleared and covered with salt, some side streets receive less attention. Walking can be nothing short of hazardous. Look for well-worn paths, take small shuffling steps, and follow others. Mini snowblowers tend to race down the sidewalks, clearing off the snow. Watch out! Step into the road if safe and avoid the flying snow. Also, the workers who lay salt have been known to go on strike. In this case, only the most traveled of sidewalks is advisable to walk upon.  « hide

	Montreal nightlife
	In Montreal 1. Montréal's Nightlife Montréal’s night scene is alive, dynamic, diverse and enticing. For an evening of mingling there are plenty of bars and lounges. How about some live jazz at the sophisticated Maison du Jazz? Live bands play regularly for a young adult crowd at Club Soda or for those of that have a penchant for karaoke, Café Vocalz is the place. Along rue St-Laurent is the high-end Whisky Café which caters to those with fine tastes in the best wines, Portos, scotch whiskey and Cuban cigars. For more information about the place mentioned above: http://www.houseofjazz.ca/ http://www.clubsoda.ca/en/index.php http://cafevocalz.com/html%20eng/home.htm http://www.go-montreal.com/whiskycafe/index.htm  « hide