Activities and Tourism

Attractions

The historic city centre is rich in museums, shops, restaurants and grey stone architecture spread out along narrow, cobblestone streets. It is also home to the Vieux Port attractions and lively public squares like Place Jacques-Cartier. The Old Port area of Quebec City is a UNESCO World Heritage travel destination.  Exploring Old Montreal means exploring the very heart of one of North America's greatest cities, a multi-faceted place where the past and the present come together in exciting and unexpected ways. Many attractions are within walking distance of Terrace St Denis, for example Parc Lafontaine, Chinatown, Grande Bibliothèque,  Cinémathèque québécoise, St Catherine street and Boulevard St Laurent. Eaton Centre, Mount Royal Park and numerous museums are within a 15 minute walk.

If you are visiting the city during the summer, you will enjoy the hotel's proximity to the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal and the Just for Laughs Festival sites.

The hotel is two and a half hours enom Quebec City, 20 minutes from Pierre-Elliot Trudeau Airport and 45 minutes from Mirabel airport.

Indications on transit

As the hotel is in the heart of the city its transport links are excellent – the Voyageur bus terminal and the Berri-UQAM metro station are just a short walk from the hotel. The Montreal Casino, the Montreal Grand Prix, the Olympic stadium, the Botanical Gardens, the Bio dome and the Insectarium can easily be reached via the metro without even changing lines. The Ontario street bus line runs regularly to La Baie department store and Place des Arts, with all its theatre and museums, including Montreal’s museum of contemporary art. The Sherbrooke street bus line runs to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and to the city’s department stores.

Tour guides

An introductory guided tour is often the best way to begin your explorations of Montreal. Even a short tour with a guide can give you a good lay of the land and overview of Montréal's history. You'll also pass by many of the attractions of the city and get a better sense of which you will want to spend more time exploring on your own.

For a complete listing of tours and tour operators, check under "Guided Tours" in the annually revised Montréal Tourist Guide, available at the downtown Infotouriste Centre at 1255 rue Peel (tel. 877/266-5687 or 514/873-2015; Métro Peel). Most of the land tours leave from the Square Dorchester, just around the corner from the tourist office. Most boat tours depart from Vieux-Port (Old Port), at the waterfront bordering Vieux-Montréal. There's parking at the dock, or take the Métro to the Champ-de-Mars or Square Victoria station and walk toward the river.

You can choose among a wide range of boat tours, land tours, walking & cycling tours to see the loveliest places in Montreal.