I recently made a trip up north to Montréal for a mini-vacation and some family bonding time. I love Canada - I've been to Toronto and Quebec City before - and this was my first time in Montréal. I studied French throughout high school and college, and the main languages spoken in Montréal are English and French, so I was looking forward to practicing my French while exploring the city (update: French is still rusty).
The main attraction of the trip was the Montreal International Jazz Festival. It's the world's largest jazz festival, drawing music enthusiasts from across the globe to watch thousands of performers. A portion of the downtown area is blocked off (Quartier des spectacles), and multiple stages are set up for concurrent performances. The shows go on rain or shine, and many of them are free. One of my favorite acts was Canada's own Alysha Brilla, whose soulful voice and blend of tropical-jazz-pop tunes kept the crowd on their feet.
The Musée d'art Contemporain de Montréal is located within the festival area, and contains contemporary pieces from both Canadian and international artists. D and I explored the Edmund Alleyn exhibition, which features a retrospective glance of the artist's works throughout the later half of the 20th century. One of my favorite pieces was a film clip that juxtaposes a manically smiling news anchorwoman with clips of war, hunger, and poverty from the 1960's, as a reflection of the issues in the world at the time.
Aside from the festival, another highlight of the trip was climbing Mont Royal, the mountain which provides the city's namesake. It's a nice little hike but well worth it to catch the views of the city extending beyond the St. Lawrence River. The beautifully landscaped Chalet du Montreal and surrounding area provide space to sit and relax, as well as bathrooms, a gift shop, and ice cream vendors. Despite the cloudy weather, I truly enjoyed taking in the aerial views of the city whilst devouring a chocolate drumstick. 10/10 would do again.
Vieux Montréal (Old Montreal) occupies a portion of the city's eastern edge, and contains remnants of the city dating back to the 17th century. The area contains many cobbled streets filled with shops and restaurants, and is located adjacent to the Port. The Port area contains its own set of vendors and snack stands, as well as activities such as ziplining and paddle boats. Whether you're seeking adventure or souvenirs, it's a nice place to wander for a few hours.
At the southern edge of Old Montréal is Notre-Dame Basilica, a beautiful Gothic Revival church that was built in the early 1800s. It is $5 CA to enter, and once inside you can admire the intricate details of the stained-glass and woodwork. There is also a chapel in the back, and the basilica offers guided tours. Originally, we weren't planning on entering, but I went back and am so glad I did. It is easily one of the most breathtaking places of worship I've ever visited.
One cannot visit Montréal without trying poutine, a dish local to Quebec. Traditional poutine consists of French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, but many places offer additional toppings. I was initially unsure how I would feel about this combination, but I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not going to lie, I cheated - this poutine is from the friterie vendor at the Jazz Fest, so maybe not the most authentic representation; but, I liked it, so it can only get better from there... right?
Additionally, Montréal is known for their take on bagels, and I love bagels. I may or may not have dragged my sister along for two 15-minute Uber rides to experience these bagels. We visited St-Viateur Bagels, where all of their bagels are freshly made each day and preservative-free. At the flagship location on Rue St. Viateur, there is no place to sit, so we grabbed our bagels to-go (sorry, D). Overall, it was a decent bagel: harder on the outside but dense and chewy on the inside, with a hint of sweetness. There was little flavor to the plain one I ate, but it allowed for the cream cheese spread to shine through. Not your standard New York bagel but at 85 cents a pop, it was worth the try.
For shopping purposes, Rue Saint-Catherine is a prominent commercial strip that is loaded with major and local stores. Many of the street facing stores connect to indoor malls, which I took advantage of to escape the downpour. It was here that I discovered my new fashion love, Aritzia. Aritzia is a Vancouver-based Canadian chain with some locations in the US, and I would compare the vibe to a Topshop, or the Trend department at Nordstrom. They were (and still are) having a major sale right now, and you can shop them online.
As expected, Montréal did not disappoint. I loved how lively and diverse it was, and it seemed like a great place to live as a young professional. I wish I was there longer to explore more of the city, but I hope to return for some more poutine in the future.
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