What to do in Montreal

Advice on what to do in Montreal, including culture, relaxation, nightlife, sport and food.

Cultural attractions in Montreal
The Notre-Dame Basilica is worth visiting for its tremendous architecture and the fact it is the city's oldest Catholic church. It is ornately decorated, with a huge altar stretching up to the intricately carved ceiling, while large paintings adorn the walls. Guides are on hand to give you some historical insight into the basilica, or you can just look at the stained-glass window depictions of the history of Montreal.

One of Canada's finest museums is the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, which is a large collection of contemporary Canadian and international art. The gallery is spread across two buildings, which are connected by an underground street passage.

Have a stellar time at the Cosmodome, one of the country's top space science centres. Ideal for a family day out, it is full of exhibitions, models and interactive experiences that help teach about space and space flight. There is also a multimedia show that simulates space flight in a revolving theatre.

Relaxation in Montreal
Be sure to set aside a day to explore Montreal's huge Botanical Gardens, which is a swarm of different species of plantlife in 31 different kinds of gardens. There is a Japanese Garden with a tearoom and large bonsai selection, as well as the biggest Chinese garden outside Asia.

The Biodome de Montreal gives visitors a taste of four starkly different ecological zones in a former Olympic stadium. The four zones – rain forest, polar, marine and forest – are brimming with plant and animal life, such as monkeys, puffins and polar penguins.

If you want to ski and are not bothered about doing it down huge slopes, there are actually two slopes in the city of Montreal, at Montreal university and Beaver Lake on Mont Royal. However, if it is a more challenging ski you are after, make a short drive to St Sauveur, which has the most lit night runs in the world.

One of Montreal's most unique assets is its Underground City, which is nearly 20 miles of around 2,000 shops, bars and restaurants, which is an absolute godsend when it comes to Montreal's very cold winters.

Nightlife in Montreal
For a night out with primarily English-speaking revellers, holidaymakers should head to the party hubs of Crescent and Bishop Street. One such ever-so English establishment is the Sir Winston Churchill Pub and its sister bar upstairs, Winnie's. The atmosphere is generally raucous, but the food and drink are good. The area is splattered with late night clubs, so there are always places to go afterwards.

An enormous venue to shake to the rhythms of the night at is Metropolis, which boasts the largest dancefloor in Canada, so there should be plenty of elbow room. DJs and bands do the entertaining, guaranteeing a varied mix of music to suit most party-goers.

Sport in Montreal
Ice hockey is much loved in Montreal, which is home to one of the original six NHL teams, the Montreal Canadiens who play at the Bell Centre.

American football is also played, with the Montreal Alouettes at Molson Stadium.

Recommended restaurants in Montreal
A fair approximation of a Parisian bistro, L'Express on St-Denis Street is a vibrant and cosy place to eat, with perfect steak and chips (or frites, to the Francophones) sitting alongside king size portions of other bistro staples.

The Buona Notte does some great Italian and international dishes, and is frequented by trendy, bright young things. The decor is modern and at times glowing, and the food is accompanied by an upbeat party atmosphere.