Introduction
Montreal is one of the two large islands in this part of the St. Lawrence River. The city of Montreal is the largest of these. It has a cosmopolitan culture which is more notable for its annually held Jazz festival, the largest of this kind. Montreal has as well succeeded to preserve a strong Old World flavor in the Old Montreal district, close to the river. There are many significant historical buildings. Montreal is built around the Mont Royal of volcanic origin. The mountain of Mont Royal towers over the area and it supposedly gave its name to the city. Montreal also has a solution to the chilling refrain in January weather, which involves seeking respite in the city's subterranean heaven of eating, shopping and enjoying.

What to do
Montreal offers you exclusive access to free information about things to do. There are three newspapers - the 'Mirror', 'Hour' (in English) and 'Voir' (in French) that you can find at most metro stations, bars, restaurants and newspaper stands. They give out a clue about the sundry listed activities for a week - movies, theater, music and special events. You can indulge in sightseeing, shopping, movies, theaters, cultural festivals and enjoying at the entertainment parks.

City at a Glance

Latitude 45 30 N Longitude 73 36 W Area 3,509 sq. km Population 5,000,000 Language French, English Religion Christianity

History
Montreal city was discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1535. But it was Jeanne Mance and Paul de Chomedey Sieur de Maisonneuve, who officially founded the modern day Montreal (then the Ville-Marie colony) on the 18th of May 1642.

In 1763, the British took over the city. The Americans occupied Montreal during the revolution of eight months and came close during the war of 1812. Commercially, Montreal was the commercial capital of Canada because of it's port, location and historical importance. After the first world war, the economical condition of Montreal started getting bad. However, it surged upwards in the 1960's. The three most important events of Montreal in recent times have been the World Exposition in 1967 (on Ile Notre-Dame), the 1976 Olympics and the 350th anniversary of Montreal in 1992.

Weather and Best Season to Visit
Montreal's climate swings between extremes. Summers are warm and humid with average daytime temperatures reaching 26 Celsius, while the winters are freezing with average -3 C during the day. Proper warm clothes are absolutely necessary during the winter. In summer, natural-fibre garments perfectly go for daytime. In the evenings, you may need to put on a sweater or light jacket.

Attractions
Mount Royal and surroundings
Mount Royal is a spellbinding park marked by trails and cycling paths. It is a wonderful spot for nature observation. The vast grounds were opened to the general public in 1876. There are two renowned cemeteries and the widely-known Saint Joseph's Oratory surround the mountain.

Mount Royal Park
Mount Royal Park offers you the opportunity for admiring a range of plants and birds. You can enjoy walking and cycling excursions round here. Other activities such as those of the cross-country skiing, tubular slides and skating prevail. The Center de la Montagne offers scores of activities for people to discover the wealth of resources that the park has.

Canadian Center for Architecture
Canadian Center for Architecture or CCA is a award winner museum and study center. It is highly acclaimed for its collections and the quality of its exhibitions. It's wondrous sculpture garden is designed by architect Melvin Charney. It is open for group tours and guided tours at the weekends.

Center de Design
Center de Design is a state-of-the-art exhibition hall at the University of Quebec at Montreal. It showcases works related to industrial, graphic and fashion design. You have input from Quebec, Canada and other internationally known designers.

BNP Tower / Laurentian Bank Tower
BNP Tower / Laurentian Bank Tower, with tinted blue glass curtain-walls, stands out to present a resplendent modern complex. The esplanade has an erected structure - the "Illuminated Crowd" by the artist Raymond Mason. The architects of this complex are Webb, Zerafa, Menkes and Houdsen Partnership.

Complexe Desjardins
Complexe Desjardins is an ever crowded building that houses a number of outlets. There are this shopping mall having 110 boutiques and restaurants. There are four movie theaters and homogenous public meeting place where more than 200 high-voltage events take place every year, with no charge. Several international festivals such as the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and the World Film Festival make it their home every year.

Important Festivals and Exhibitions
Coup de coeur francophone
A French language festival titled Coup de coeur francophone is held throughout Canada. It is annual musical event program that has artists from Quebec, French, Canada, Europe and Africa. Apart from the regular religious celebrations and festivals, the city has a tradition of holding some of the better-known cultural festivals. International Istanbul Jazz Festival, International Istanbul Theatre Festival, International Istanbul Biannial, and International Istanbul Film Festival are some of the famous ones.

After Hours
Montreal has a pretty good nightlife, that is a part of the cosmopolitan culture of any Western country. There are a number of English as well as French clubs. There are the night spots featuring popular Quebecois folk and pop singers, such as that of Les Deux Pierrots Boite Aux.

Shopping
Shopping complexes and malls abound in Montreal. There are world-class goods and discounts for visitors outside Canada. The best buys are the electronic goods, garments, clothes, leather goods, IT products and artifacts.

WHERE TO STAY
Montreal offers you world-class accommodations in every budget. The Greater Montreal gives access to comfortable, convenient accommodation for individuals as well as groups. There are the hotels, motels, apartment hotels, bed and breakfast homes, college dormitories, campgrounds and resorts. Luxurious hotels are to be found in the city and other good areas, such as hotels, downtown, Old Montreal, Hotels, Motels, Airport and West Island.

WHERE TO EAT

In Montreal, fine food is considered as a luxurious indulgence. There are over 4,000 restaurants catering the national cuisine of 80 odd countries. You have access to French, Italian, American, Spanish, Indian and the cuisine of a host of other countries as well. The locals as well as the tourist folk can eat to their heart's content at sidewalk cafes, bistros, nook and corner restaurants and of course more costly hotels downtown.

Travel Information
Air Travel Resources
Montreal's Dorval International Airport is located at 14 miles west of downtown, on the island of Montreal (west). It serves most domestic, U.S. and overseas flights. It gives access to flights from the US and the rest of Canada. There are buses for the downtown from the airport. There is also the commuter train. The taxi is also accessible and its fare is fixed at $24.

Mirabel International, 34 miles northeast of downtown, serves mostly charter flights. Mirabel, which is about half an hour drive from Montreal, is usually used for international flights. There are also buses, but no trains are available. The taxi fare from Mirabel to downtown is fixed at $55.

Land And Water
The MUCTC buses can be boarded from Vendome metro station. The trains for US and places outside Montreal can be boarded from the Central Station. The Central Station is located at the downtown. From there, you can take the metro at Bonaventure station or walk to the underground tunnels.

Local Transport
Getting around is done by car, the road signs are adequate if you know where to look for them. There are the buses and the metro rail for commuting within the city. For convenience, you can get a free map of the bus and metro lines at any metro station ticket booth. All the important sites to visit are near a metro station anyway.