Attractions
Old Port
Despite its name, Montreal’s Old Port (Vieux Port de Montreal) recently had a major face-lift. The renovated port, which is still surrounded by the city’s original 17th-century walls, now draws five million visitors to its busy wharves each year. Tour boats and ferries offer trips around the port or along the St Lawrence. You can also cross to the Parc des Iles for picnics or swimming in the summer and skating and skiing in the winter. The Old Port offers a lot of entertaining options, as well as an open-air skating rink, IMAX theatre and an interactive Science and Technology Centre. There are plenty of nearby cafés for when your stomach starts growling. Visit the clock tower for some wonderful views of the city and to learn about Montreal’s history in the exhibition inside.
Address: De la Commune Street.
Telephone: (514) 496 7678.
Website:www.quaysoftheoldport.com.
Getting there: A short walk from the Square-Victoria, Place d’Armes and Champ-de-Mars metro stations.
Montreal Tower
The Montreal Tower was built as a showpiece for the 1976 Summer Olympics in futuristic Olympic Park. It holds as many as 80,000 people at the concerts and baseball games still held there. The tower reaches 575 feet high and is the world’s tallest inclined tower. It has a wonderful view of the city, which you can reach by a funicular-like elevator. You can also visit the nearby Biodome, which contains four ecosystems, or the second-largest Botanical Gardens in the world.
Address: 4141 Pierre-De Coubertin Ave.
Telephone: (514) 252 4737.
Email: reservation@rio.gouv.qc.ca.
Website:www.rio.gouv.qc.ca.
Getting there: Olympic Stadium: Pie-IX metro station. Sports Centre and Montreal Tower: Viau metro station.
Hours of operation: Daily guided tours of Olympic Park leave every half hour starting at 10am. In the off-season they leave less frequently and start at 11am. From Labour Day to mid-June, the funicular runs 9am–5pm. From mid-June to September it stops at 7pm.
Admission: Funicular: Adults – C$15.25, Children (ages 5-17) – C$7.65.
St Joseph’s Oratory
The dome at St Joseph’s Oratory can be seen for miles around Montreal. It’s located on the northwest flank of Mont Royal and is a famous pilgrimage sight. More than 2 million visitors and pilgrims travel to the site each year. A beloved monk, Brother Andre, who was renowned for his healing abilities, founded the centre. Its dome is one of the largest in the world at 97 metres high, and was completed in 1967. If you make it up the 283 steps from the street to the basilica's portico, you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the city.
Address: 3800 Queen Mary St.
Telephone: (514) 733 8211.
Website:www.saint-joseph.org.
Hours of operation: Daily, 7am – 9pm.
Museum of Fine Arts
The collection at Montreal’s Museum of Fine Art s contains more than 30,000 objects, including Canadian art, contemporary art, European masters and Inuit art. Special exhibits and activities are offered regularly for people of all ages.
Address: Sherbrooke Street West.
Telephone: (514) 285 2000.
Website:www.mbam.qc.ca.
Getting there: Take bus 24 or the metro to Guy-Concordia station.
Hours of operation: Closed Mondays. Tuesday 11am–5pm, Wednesday to Friday 11am–9pm, Weekends 10am–5pm.
Admission: Free. Temporary exhibits charge admission.
Montreal Botanical Garden
Visit the Montreal Botanical Garden near the Olympic Park and Biodome and explore more than 22,000 plant species laid out across 30 gardens. The garden began as a project for thousands of unemployed residents in 1931 and now is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. A variety of exhibits like the Insectarium and the Tree House highlight important aspects of the natural world. Address: 4101 Sherbrooke East St.
Telephone: (514) 872 1400.
Website:www.ville.montreal.qc.ca.
Getting there: Take the metro to Pie-IX station.
Hours of operation: Daily, 9am–6pm.
Admission: From 1 November to 14 May: Adults – C$14, Children (ages 5-17) – C$7. From 15 May to 31 October: Adults – C$16.50, Children (ages 5-17) – C$8.25.
