Attractions
Old Port
Montreal's Old Port (Vieux Port de Montreal) is actually fairly new, having had a major face-lift to make it the most popular site for visitors to the city - drawing five million of them each year to throng the bustling wharves. There are still plenty of boats in evidence but nowadays they are mainly tour boats, ferries and even amphibious buses, which offer sailings along the St Lawrence or around the port. Ferries cross to the Parc des Iles, site of the Expo 67 world's fair, which lies in the St Lawrence and offers family outdoor activities like picnic facilities, swimming, skating or skiing in winter. The Old Port itself is a thriving arts and entertainment venue where something is always happening. It also offers a huge open-air skating rink, Imax cinema, and a Science and Technology Centre with interactive displays. The port also has a vibey cafe culture. The clock tower offers excellent views across the city and contains an exhibition that traces Montreal's history. Around the port are the city's original 17th-century fortifications.
Address: De la Commune Street;
Telephone: (514) 496 7678;
Website:www.quaysoftheoldport.com;
Transport: Square-Victoria, Place d'Armes and Champ-de-Mars metro stations are a short walk away.
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Montreal Tower
Montreal's futuristic Olympic Park was built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games and still serves as a showpiece today. Designed by French architect, Roger Tallibert, it is impressive in both size and shape, able to hold up to 80,000 spectators who now gather here for concerts and baseball games. The landmark tower on the main stadium, standing at 575ft (175m), is the world's tallest inclined tower. Visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of Montreal and its surroundings from the observation floors, accessible by a funicular-type elevator. The Olympic Park complex also features the unique attraction known as the Biodome, a building containing four ecosystems. Pop over to view the wonderful Botanical Gardens opposite the park, which are the second largest in the world.
Address: 4141 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue;
Telephone: (514) 252 4141;
E-mail:rio@rio.gouv.qc.ca;
Website:www.rio.gouv.qc.ca;
Transport: Olympic stadium: Pie-IX metro station. Sports Centre and Montréal Tower: Viau metro station;
Opening time: Daily guided tours of the Olympic Park are half-hourly from 10am (low season tours are less frequent starting at 11am); the funicular runs from 9am to 5pm (Labor Day (September) to mid-June) and until 7pm from mid-June to September;
Admission: Guided tours: C$8 (adults), C$6.25 (children 5-17); funicular: C$14 (adults), C$7 (children 5-17)
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St Joseph’s Oratory
St Joseph's Oratory is a landmark in Montreal, its imposing dome on the northwest flank of Mont Royal visible for miles. This Oratory is a famous pilgrimage site, despite only being completed in 1967, attracting over two million visitors and pilgrims each year. It was founded by Brother Andre, a beloved monk who was known as the miracle-worker of Mount Royal because of his healing abilities. Work began on the basilica after his death in 1937. Its dome is the second largest in the world, being 97m (318ft) high; it is second only to St Peter's in Rome. The Oratory's carillon is made up of 56 bells that were originally cast for the Eiffel Tower in Paris; the Oratory acquired them in 1956. Visitors can climb the 283 steps from street level to the basilica's portico for beautiful vistas over the city.
Address: 3800 Queen Mary Street;
Telephone: (514) 733 8211;
Website:www.saint-joseph.org;
Opening time: Daily 7.30am to 9pm
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Museum of Fine Arts
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Timothy Hursley During the past 140 years the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has assembled one of North America's finest encyclopaedic collections, totalling more than 30,000 objects. The collections include Canadian art, contemporary art, Inuit and Amerindian Art, European Masters, prints and drawings and decorative arts. The museum also regularly features special exhibitions and activity programmes for adults, students and children.
Address: Sherbrooke Street West;
Telephone: (514) 285 2000;
Website:www.saint-joseph.org;
Transport: Bus 24 or metro to Guy-Concordia station;
Opening time: Tuesday 11am to 5pm, Wednesday to Friday 11am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm;
Admission: Free. Admission is charged for temporary exhibitions: C$15 (adults), C$7.50 (students with student card) Children under 12 are free; half price for adults on Wednesdays from 5pm to 9pm. Other concessions available
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Montreal Botanical Garden
In close proximity to the Olympic Park and the Biodome, the Montreal Botanical Garden is one of the largest of its kind, home to over 22,000 plant species and roughly 30 exquisitely mapped out gardens, making it well worth a visit any time of year. Begun in 1931 in the midst of a financial crisis in the city, the Garden provided work for thousands of unemployed Montrealers and has since developed into a popular tourist attraction, with its astounding array of plants and trees, as well as the fascinating Insectarium that casts new light on much-maligned creepy crawlies. An array of interesting sights and sounds await the visitor, including the Tree House (highlighting the important role of trees in our lives), a First Nations Garden (illustrating the interaction of Inuit and Amerindians with nature), a Chinese Garden, the Quebec Butterfly House, a Medicinal Plant Garden and so much more.
Address: 4101 Sherbrooke East Street;
Telephone: (514) 872 1400;
Website:www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin;
Transport: Metro to Pie-IX station;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm (7 January to 13 May, and 1 November to 23 December); 9am to 6pm (14 May to 7 September); 9am to 9pm (9 September to 31 October). Closed Mondays from 9 January to 13 May (except 27 February, 6 March, 17 April);
Admission: 1 November to 14 May: C$13.50 (adults); C$6.75 (youth 5-17 years). 15 May to 31 October: C$16 (adults); C$8 (youth 5-17 years). Includes entrance to Garden and Insectarium; prices include all taxes. Concessions available
