30 reasons why I fell in love with Montreal
And you’ll fall in love with it, too. So, without further ado, let’s get straight to those 30 reasons why…
- Despite being home to over 4 million people, it’s laid back.
2. It has some of the cutest houses & streets in the world. Look at those colours!
3. The amount of green areas is overwhelming. You’ll never have a feeling you live in a concrete jungle.
4. Montreal has a lot of charming alleyways and cool beaches!
5. Whether you visit Montreal in summer or winter, it doesn’t lose its charm.
6. You’ll have a feeling like you are walking through an open-air gallery. Check out the mural art in St. Laurent area. Follow the map and you’ll find them all.
7. Walking through St. Laurent Boulevard with lights above your head is magical. All the way from downtown until you reach Avenue du Mont-Royal.
8. Try biking. Montreal has a perfect network of bike paths and bike stations.
9. No worries, if you don’t own a bike. You can rent it for a weekend, the entire summer or a year at a very convenient rate. Thanks, Bixi!
10. Are you looking for a faster way of transport? Then try ziplining in the city.
11. Montreal is one of the most dog-friendly cities in the world! Pups everywhere!
12. Good news for cat lovers, too. While in Montreal, you can visit one of a few cat cafes around the town. These cats roll!
13. The city has many independent coffee places, providing you with unique coffee experiences. I don’t want to brag, but, well, check them out.
Some of my favourite ones are Cafe Myriade, Cafe Parvis, Arts Cafe, Cafe Nocturne, Coop Le Cagibi and Cafe Névé.
14. If you are a digital nomad or you like to work remotely, Montreal is a perfect place for you. Being here for a while, I get a feeling new coffee placespop up to provide workspace rather than coffee experience. JK. All of them have great coffee and free wifi. You won’t be bothered to buy a coffee every hour or so. While working in one coffee place for 5 hours, I got only one cup of coffee and a cake. No one said a word. Or, they did, but I didn’t understand, because they speak in French.
15. You’ll find every cuisine you’re looking for in Montreal. No kidding. The food here is insane. Yes, even poutine.
16. I can’t get enough of little bakeries. Freshly baked croissants, cheesecakes, pastry, etc. Thank God my pants are stretchy. I mean, I run three times a week, so whatever!
17. The street food options are incredible, too.
18. Oh, have I mentioned a summer-long food truck festival? Or the fact it takes place at the Olympic Stadium? Check out MTL blog for the 2018 dates.
19. Do you prefer to cook on your own? Get all your ingredients at Jean-Talon market, located in Little Italy. You’ll find here everything you need, from vegetables to fresh meat, fish, pasta, cheese, and so on.
20. Every restaurant and a bar gets its terrace ready when spring comes. Montreal knows, how to create a great vibe.
21. Don’t get me started on rooftop terraces. Don’t you want to sit in one of them right now?
22. One of the best poutine experiences you’ll ever have in entire Canadahappens to be in Montreal. I visited enough provinces to know this for a fact! When we talk about poutine, let’s not forget about the size of this delicious, cholesterol-raising dish! Loooooove it! If you don’t have enough of this, there is also a 130km Poutine Trail in Quebec. Good luck! :D
23. In case you get thirsty, try one of the local microbreweries. There is approx. 30–45 of them in the city, if not more. To recommend a few: St. Houblon, Ye Olde Orchard, Broue Pub Brouhaha, Les Soeurs Grises, Dieu du Ciel and more!
24. Do you prefer a cocktail? You have plenty of choices, too. Plus, all these places will make your Instagram explode. Try Bar Suzanne, Majestic, Bar Darling, Le Lab, Distillery or other. Also, the below is not confession of an alcoholic!
25. You’ll never get bored. There is at least one food music or art festival, taking place every week.
26. Are you a fan of stand-up comedy? If yes, Montreal is the right place for you. Every year, the biggest stand-up comedy festival ‘Just For Laughs’ takes place here.
27. In case you’ll need to recharge your batteries, try one of the coolest spas, located right in the city. Why are they so cool? Check out the view.
28. It’s insane how many free activities the city runs for its visitors as well as citizens. And all of them rock. Free outdoor cinema, Cruise nights on Wednesdays, Mont-Royal Street Fair, Tam Tam Festival (every Sunday) and more.
29. I love the MTL blog. It keeps you up to date about everything that’s happening in this city. There is so much to do. There isn’t just enough time.
30. Last, but not least, Montreal’s location is perfect because within max 2 hours flight or 2,5 hours car ride you can travel to many cool destinations. It’s very affordable, too!. Ticket from Montreal to NYC is just around 120 euros! It’s almost as in Europe unless you want to travel to the west coast.
Here are some ideas for your long-weekend trips:
Quebec province:
Quebec City (2,5 hours by train)
Mont-Treblant (1,5 hour by car)
Ontario province:
Ottawa (2,5 hours by bus or car)
Toronto (1,5 hour by plane)
Nova Scotia + New Brunswick provinces:
Halifax (1,5 hour by plane)
Montcon + Bay of Fundy (1,5 hour by plane)
USA:
New York (1,5 hour by plane), New York
Boston (1,5 hour by plane), Massachusetts
Washington (2 hours by plane), District of Columbia
Burlington + Lake Champlain (2 hours by car), Vermont
Philadelphia (1,5 hours by plane), Pennsylvania
So, hopefully I inspired you to visit Montreal. If it’s not on your bucket list, then make sure to add it there, right now!
