Montreal on the St Lawrence

Montreal is a beautiful city located in the Canadian province of Quebec. It is the second largest French-speaking city in the world.

Old Montreal has many buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Many of these historic buildings have become restaurants, galleries, souvenir shops, and hotels.

Some of the highlights in Old Montreal are the Notre-Dame Basilica. It was founded in 1656 and is the oldest church in Montreal. The twin towers of the neo-Gothic facaded face the Place d'Armes.

You can enjoy people watching and relaxing at the Place Jacques-Cartier.

A lovely place to take a stroll is the Old Port or Vieux Port by the St Lawrence River.

To take in the view of the city from all around you can take a ride on the La Grand roue de Montreal, the huge Ferris wheel. It has 42 climate controlled, eight-passenger gondolas.

For the adventurous there is the Tyrolienne MTL zipline.

You can find ten displays of public art and see a show at the IMAX theater.

Boat tours leave the docks in the summertime so you can enjoy the river breezes.

At the base of the clocktower is a man-made beach.

Mount-Royal Park is a lovely park with a monument to Jacques Cartier.

You can get great views over the city from the summit of Mount Royal.

On the summit is the Mount Royal Cross.

Near the western exit of Mount Royal Park is the Oratoire Saint-Joseph, dedicated to Canada's patron saint. This Renaissance-style domed basilica is a mecca for pilgrims.

Jardin Botanique is located in Parc Maisonneuve. The 1976 Summer Olympic Games were hosted here. Within the botanical garden are 30 themed gardens and 10 exhibition greenhouses.

The outdoor gardens include both Japanese and Chinese gardens.There are lovely rose displays. There is an insectarium and a large arboretum. There are also ponds with many birds.

Parc Jean Drapeau is home to many family-orientated attractions. A remnant from the 1967 World's Fair, the Biosphere is now a museum dedicated to ecological issues.

Other attactions include the La Ronde Amusement Park.

Bassin Olympique where Olympic rowing events took place.

The Musee des Beaux Arts is the oldest museum in Canada. It houses a vast collection of paintings, sculptures, and new media. Among the collections are World Cultures and Mediterranean Archeology. There is also artwork from North and South America.

Not far from the museum is the impressive campus of McGill University.

The Place des Arts is a complex that is dedicated to visural and performing arts. It is the largest of its kind in Canada. The complex is home to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and the Opera de Montreal. It is a venue for theater, music, dance, films, and various events.

The esplanade is decorated with artworks, fountains, and water cascades.

The Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal is a contemporary art museum with exhibits of artwork by French-Canadian artists.

The Catholic Mary Queen of the World Cathedral was built as a smaller version of St. Peter's in Rome, Italy. The statues here represent the patron saints of the 13 parishes of Montreal in the 19th century. The most important artwork here is the crucifx atop the marble baptismal font in the interior. Nine paintings retell the tumultous history of Montreal.

The McCord Museum of Canadian History has an impressive collection of exhibits of the social history of Canada, particularly about the native people. There are costumes, clothing, accessories, quilts and other hand-made textiles. Visitors can see furniture, silver, ceramics, glass, and toys, sports equipment, and folk art among many other items.

Square Saint-Louis is one of the loveliest old squares in the city. It is located in the turn-of-the-century French-Canadian residential quarter. There are many beautiful Victorian houses some of which are now restaurants.

Rue St. Denis at the eastern edge of the square is one of the most trendy arts, shopping, and dining streets. At one end of this street starts the student-minded Quartier Latin.

It is close to the Universite du Quebec a Montreal.

Lachine, on the southeast bank of Montreal Island was named after the first pioneers, who in the 17th century, traveled up the St. Lawrence searching for a route to China which in French is “la Chine”.

The Lachine Canal was a way to get around the Lachine Rapids. Today it forms part of a park with a bike path bordering its entire length and the canal can be cruised by boat.

Chinatown is centered on Rue de la Gauchetiere with large Chinese gates. It is filled with Asian restaurants and shops.