A Calgarian's Fun Weekend in Montreal
Over the Thanksgiving long weekend, we decided to trade the usual (albeit delightful) extended family turkey dinner for a quick trip out East to experience the vibrant culture of Montreal. Having multiple friends and colleagues who have lived in the city at one point in their lives, Montreal has been high on the list to visit for quite some while.
What a weekend it turned out to be.
Old Montreal
The hotel where we stayed was located in the heart of Old Montreal and kitty-corner from the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral. Walking around the historic neighborhood felt akin to being in Europe with cobblestone streets and 19th century architecture.
There were a few particular culinary highlights in Old Montreal, including breakfast at the popular Olive & Gourmando, dinner at Mondavie – a traditional French bistro, and a cocktail at Jardin Nelson’s garden terrace where a live jazz duo entertained guests for the evening.
McGill, Mount Royal, Marché Atwater
Saturday was spent strolling around the city starting at the picturesque McGill campus at the base of Mount Royal, followed by a quick hike up the hill to the lookout at Kondiaronk Belvedere. The fall scenery in Montreal was nothing short of spectacular. Being a holiday weekend, the campus was near empty and the park was full of tourists and locals working up their appetites in anticipation of Thanksgiving.
We then took the Metro to Marché Atwater, a farmer’s market that is located in the South-West area along the Canal. After exploring the market, we wandered through the Little Burgundy neighborhood making our way back to the hotel.
We capped the evening off by taking in a Montreal Canadiennes game against their rival team, the Ottawa Senators, and poutine from the infamous La Banquise.
Wellington Street, Little Portugal
In 2022, Time Out magazine named Wellington Street, located in the heart of Verdun, the coolest street in the world. Naturally we decided to check it out. Compared to having only seen the affluent areas of Little Burgundy, Old Montreal, and Mount Royal so far, we finally found our first taste of an area where homelessness and addiction could be seen.
Link: Calgary’s Cool Streets Get No Respect
The neighborhood had a unique juxtaposition between trendy cafés, boulangeries, and bike shops in contrast to dollar stores, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and plenty of large-box pharmacies, all mixed in with stunning churches and historic architecture.
We stopped in at Sweet Lee’s for a coffee and croissant before hopping back on the Metro to head north to Mile-End in search of the highly recommended ‘brouepub’ Dieu du Ciel.
Finally, we made our way back to Old Montreal through Little Portugal along St. Laurent Street, which was full of trendy thrift shops, restaurants, and Schwartz’s Deli (which we skipped due to the long lineup outside).
Last Word
Three days in Montreal was a whirlwind but left enough to-do items on the list to warrant a trip back, hopefully sooner rather than later. I found the city to be vibrant and exciting. It was fun to dust-off the cobwebs of my French immersion education, and the locals were patient and supportive of my ‘franglais’.
aking the Metro in a new city in a different language is a personal highlight any time I am in a new place to feel truly local. Next time in Montreal, I might skip Wellington Street, but definitely will be going back to La Banquise!
Abby is an Investment Advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns and has been a regular reader of Everyday Tourist since 2014.
Want to learn more about Montreal? Check out these blogs:
Montreal: Canada’s Best Urban Playground!