If you decide to go to Montreal during the Christmas weekend, then you will find the city pulsating with the lights and warmth of Christmas.
But the thing to remember is that many attractions will be closed on the Christmas weekend.
So, what you will be able to do is see the entire city lit up, visit one of the Christmas markets, see the splendid winter scenery from the top of Mount Royal and soak in the revelry all around!
The impressive Jacques Cartier Bridge over the mighty Saint Lawrence River is all lit up ...
Montreal is the largest city in the Quebec Province and the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris. But that doesn't deter English-speaking tourists from thronging this vibrant metropolis since most locals are bi-lingual.
Situated on an island in Saint Lawrence River, Montreal is named after Mount Royal, the mountain peak in the heart of the city.
There are many routes one could follow from Toronto to Montreal, the short straight one is around 560 kilometres long and takes about 6 hours. For this route, you can hit 401 Highway and drive along Lake Ontario. This is the route we took and reached Montreal in the evening.
The city had come alive with lights and Christmas decorations....
The next morning, we set out to explore the city with our first stop at Mount Royal.
Mount Royal, called Parc du Mont-Royal in French, is a public park that lies on a mountain at an altitude of 764 feet above sea level and offers amazing views of the Montreal city skyline from its vast open terrace. Entry to the park is free and it's always open.
There are many ways to reach the park, the easiest is to drive on a wide circular motorable road that will lead you directly to the parking area. If you're more adventurous, then there is a hiking trail with a series of steep wooden walkways that lead to the top and start from the staircase on Peel Street.
We learnt there were 339 steps to the top. Climbing 339 steps in the winter chill....phew! We decided to take the motorable road.
Once on top, you can head to the vast terrace area called Kondiaronk Belvedere Lookout which offers picture-postcard-perfect views of the Montreal skyline. The lookout has a sturdy stone balustrade lining its outer walls for people to safely lean on and take pictures of the surrounding scenery.
Driving up the circular road in winter!
On the other end of the Kondiaronk Belvedere Lookout is the Chalet Du Mont-Royal.
This rustic chalet is perched on higher ground with a massive staircase leading up to it. One gets a nice bird's eye view of the skyline from here. Inside, you will find restrooms and some basic refreshments. You will also find large paintings on the walls depicting the history of Montreal.
For us, the Chalet served as an escape from the chilly winter morning wind on Christmas Day.
It was noon by the time we came back to the city from Mount Royal, in the second half we decided to go to see Notre Dame Basilica in the Historic District of Old Montreal.
Close to one million people visit the Basilica each year. The imposing outer facade of the basilica oozes an old-world charm and it is world-renowned for its Gothic Revival architecture.
We had to contend with seeing it only from the outside since it was Christmas Eve, there were crowds everywhere and a long queue of people waiting to enter the basilica for the evening mass.
Right across the road from the basilica is the famous Place d'Armes Square. The square has a lot of historical significance since it has witnessed many military events.
In the centre of the square is the impressive statue of Paul de Chomedey Maisonneuve, the founder of Montreal.
Next to this monument is an intriguing statue of a very well-dressed man holding a pug in his hand a looking at the Notre Dame Basilica with a look of superiority, with an air bordering on disdain.
Next to the statue is a placard that clarifies the meaning of this strange statue.
Notre Dame Basilica is the symbol of religious influence on French Canadians. The man, presumably English, depicts the cultural distancing between the English and French Canadians.
I honestly could not fathom the reasons behind this bizarre work of art.
We strolled around the Place d'Armes Square for some time before finding refuge from the winter chill in the underground pedestrian walkway called RESO.
I realised why Montreal is called the 'Underground City' after entering the path, there is an entire city in this lower level, with over 1600 shops and arcades, restaurants, fountains and benches for people to sit, signages connecting the path to the many prominent landmarks of the city in this whopping 20 miles of tunnels!!
The challenge is to find an entry into this labyrinth of walkways and tunnels, to do so, just type 'Nearest RESO entry' on your Google Maps and you will be directed to it. Well, it was not so easy, we still had to ask around the good old way to reach the nearest point of entry to RESO.
In the evening, we stepped out into the amazing Christmas Market in Montreal Downtown - Quartier des Spectacles on Sainte-Catherine Street to be greeted with Christmas carols, live music and all the fun that comes with it!
Comments