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Although Montreal is often compared to Paris, this cultural metropolis is very much its own distinct city. It has much of the Gallic charm associated with Paris: the French language, fine restaurants, historical buildings, lively streets and sidewalk cafes. But many visitors find Montreal more casual and friendly than its European counterpart.

A truly multicultural city with an international population, Montreal is a place unto itself and one of the most memorable urban destinations in North America.

Montreal is easy to love. The city has been a hotbed of talent for decades, with acclaimed success stories such as Cirque du Soleil; writers Adam Gopnik and Mordecai Richler; and popular musical artists Leonard Cohen and Arcade Fire. The legendary bed-in with John Lennon and Yoko Ono took place at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in 1969.

Between Old Montreal with its ambling cobblestone streets and new Montreal with its clusters of neighborhoods, the diversions are many. An easy public transportation system and an underground path system dubbed the RESO make this city a year-round destination.

Must See or Do

Sights—Mont Royal Park for spectacular views of downtown and the St. Lawrence River; Vieux Montreal by horse-drawn carriage or on foot, with stops at Notre Dame Basilica and Place Jacques Cartier; the Montreal Botanical Garden; the Montreal Tower Observatory at Olympic Park; St. Joseph's Oratory; the architecture of the McGill University campus.

Museums—Musee des Beaux Arts de Montreal; Musee Pointe a Calliere; McCord Museum; Centre d'Histoire de Montreal; Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal.

Memorable Meals—Toque! for market cuisine and wine; L'Express for typical Parisian-style bistro cuisine; Schwartz's Deli for old-time smoked meat; bagels and lox at Fairmount Bagel.

Late Night—The dance clubs Electric Avenue and Stereo; the pubs and clubs along Crescent between boulevards Rene Levesque and de Maisonneuve; the clubs and bars on Boulevard St. Laurent, Rue St. Denis, Rue Ste. Catherine and Boulevard Mont Royal.

Walks—Sherbrooke and the Golden Square Mile; Rue St. Denis (the Latin Quarter); Boulevard St. Laurent; Vieux Montreal and Vieux Port (Old Port); Mont Royal Park; Chinatown; Le Plateau Mont Royal and the Mile End district; the Lachine Canal.

Especially for Kids—The Biodome; the Insectarium; Montreal Science Centre; La Ronde; Parc Safari; Zoo Granby; Laval Cosmodome.

Geography

The Ottawa River runs into the St. Lawrence River and creates a series of small rivers, lakes and islands, the largest of which is the Island of Montreal. The city of Montreal and its demerged municipalities share the island. The city maintains jurisdiction over a few additional satellite islands. Suburbs occupy other islands and the north and south shores of the river complex. These suburbs are linked to Montreal by 21 major and minor bridges, one highway tunnel and two metro lines.

The dominant feature of the Island of Montreal is 764-ft/233-m Mont Royal. When giving directions in the city, people use the St. Lawrence River and Boulevard St. Laurent as points of orientation. If you're told your destination is to "the south," that means going toward the river, which is actually to the southeast by compass. "East" or "west" refers to the side of Boulevard St. Laurent where your destination is located.

The downtown core of the city is bordered by four streets: Sherbrooke and Rene Levesque, running roughly east-west, and Atwater and St. Denis, running roughly north-south. Within this area are many of the restaurants, museums and shops that are popular with visitors. Traveling south of downtown, between Boulevard Rene Levesque and the river, you'll encounter the small but vibrant Chinatown, Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal) and finally the Vieux Port (Old Port) at the waterfront.

The Plateau Mont Royal encompasses an area east of Avenue du Parc and north of Sherbrooke. In this trendy neighborhood are ethnic restaurants and incredible fashions—in boutiques and on passers-by. Most of the city's English-speaking residents live on the west side of the city. Areas around Crescent Street, Boulevard St. Laurent and Rue St. Denis brim with pubs, restaurants and nightclubs.

History

The region around Montreal was inhabited by the Iroquois before the first French voyagers arrived. In fact, the Iroquois had established the beginnings of an empire, part of which was Hochelaga, a small village in what is now Montreal. French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1535 became the first European to sail up the St. Lawrence River and climb the mountain—and claim the land for France. He christened the elevation Mont Royal.

It wasn't until 1642 that Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, established the tiny colony of Ville-Marie that grew into the city of Montreal. By the time France was battling England on two continents, New France was a hot property. The British managed to capture nearby Quebec City in 1759, and Montreal fell a year later. The entire colony surrendered. In 1763, the Treaty of Paris sealed France's defeat and ended the Seven Years' War—known in U.S. history as the French and Indian War.

Under English rule, Montreal grew into one of the most powerful cities in North America. But British domination of the economy combined with cultural and religious differences to create enduring resentments. For two centuries, most factory owners were English-speaking Protestants, and most workers were French-speaking Roman Catholics.

In the 1950s and '60s, the French majority began to assert its influence in what is known as La Revolution Tranquille (the Quiet Revolution). Today, Francophones rule Quebec politically and socially. Some groups continue to advocate separating Quebec from Canada, and the issue reappears periodically as a touchy topic. Two referenda to secede have failed, one in 1980 and the second in 1995. There was then a loss of power by the separatist Parti Quebecois to the Liberal Party in 2003.

Independence has been shelved for the time being. The issue sharpened linguistic and cultural divisions and dampened the economy, but fortunately the exodus of high-earning English speakers has stopped. Waves of professionals, attracted by aviation, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and high-technology sectors, now flock to the city. The arrival of young French immigrants has also colored the population in Quebec's largest city.

In 2002, the provincial government created a megacity by merging the city of Montreal with 27 other municipalities on the Island of Montreal. The so-called fusion forcee (forced fusion) provoked a public furor, and Mayor Gerald Tremblay was swept into power on the wave of anger. A referendum was held across the region, and 15 former municipalities regained independence on 1 January 2006. They are still linked politically and financially to the city of Montreal through the ruling agglomeration council, led by the mayor of Montreal.

Tremblay and his Vision Montreal party were re-elected in 2009, although the campaign was marred by allegations of municipal corruption in construction and campaign-finance. Neither of the two main parties was left untainted, and a small green party, Projet Montreal, ended up the beneficiary. Tremblay resigned in 2012 amid allegations of corruption. After the next elected mayor also resigned because of a corruption scandal, Denis Coderre was elected mayor in 2013. In 2017, Montreal elected its first female mayor, Valerie Plante.

Potpourri

Montreal is considered the largest bilingual city in North America.

Mont Royal Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park.

Famous Montrealers include hockey legend Maurice Richard, jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, songwriter Leonard Cohen, novelist and journalist Mordecai Richler, groundbreaking neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield and actor William Shatner, also known as Capt. James T. Kirk of Star Trek fame.

An anglophone is a person whose mother tongue is English. A francophone's mother tongue is French. A Quebecker with a mother tongue other than English or French is called an allophone.

Montreal has the second-largest number of restaurants per capita in North America (New York City has the most).

Montreal English has absorbed many French words—for example, a depanneur is a corner store, an animator is a program director and an autoroute is a highway.

The most common family name in Quebec is Tremblay. Most Quebecois trace their heritage back to the Normandy region of France.

Montrealers shop, dine and find entertainment in the RESO, the world's longest underground path system, which spans more than 20 mi/32 km in the downtown core.

Location

Cruise ships pull into the dock in the Vieux Port (Old Port), which is in the heart of Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal). They tie up at the newly restored Alexandra pier, which is within walking distance of restaurants, bars, boutiques and historical sites in Vieux Montreal.

On the grounds of the Vieux Port itself, you'll find the Bistro des Terrasses Bonsecours in the Bonsecours Pavilion, which offers a fine selection of sandwiches and salads. The Vieux Port is an urban park bordered by the St. Lawrence River and Vieux Montreal. There's an information booth run by the Vieux Port at the Jacques Cartier Pier. Phone 514-496-7678. Toll-free 800-971-7678. http://www.oldportofmontreal.com.

If you see an electric vehicle marked INFO, that's the Vieux Port's Mobile Information Booth. Feel free to flag it down to ask your questions. There is comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage at the Vieux Port; visitors are welcome to connect to the network called Quais du Vieux-Port. A map of the wireless coverage area can be found at http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=5977,142099204&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL.

If you require a taxi, make your way to Rue de la Commune and head toward Rue Saint Laurent; although there is no designated taxi stand, taxis are usually waiting in this area. If you don't want to chance it, an employee at the information booth will call a taxi for you.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions and their prices vary by cruise line and may include visits to the downtown core, Vieux Montreal, the main shopping districts and Mont Royal. Some may include lunch and drinks. Check with your travel agent for additional information.

If you start or end your cruise in Montreal, ask your travel agent or the cruise line about add-on packages: Some cruise lines will include the cost of one or more nights in a Montreal hotel and guided tours of the city and nearby attractions. If you prefer a customized tour, check with your travel agent, who may be able to book one in advance.