A Locals Guide: Say “Bonjour-Hi” to Montreal
Situated on the St Lawrence River, on an island 5 times larger than Manhattan, lies Montreal. As the second largest French speaking city in the world after Paris, French is the predominant language, but as a bilingual city, the amalgamated “Bonjour-Hi” is a common greeting.
Home of the Cirque de Soleil, poutine and the famous Montreal smoked meats, Montreal is known as one of Canada’s coolest cities and was the first North American city to be designated UNESCO City of Design by the Global Alliance for Culture.
Montreal boasts an impressive Underground City of interconnected tunnels that run for 32 km, helping locals escape the heat of the summer and the cold winters. This Underground City connects over 2000 stores, 7 metro stations, banks, offices, universities, museums and more.
Here are our recommendations and guide on how you can experience Montreal like a local.
A perfect day in Montreal:
Start your day off at Bota Bota spa-sur-l’eau. Situated on a fully refurbished boat anchored in the Old Port of Montreal, Bota Bota offers a Scandinavian-inspired spa experience while providing beautiful views of downtown Montreal and the St Lawrence River. This floating spa has 5 decks with various installations including saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, cold baths, pools and more, which will ensure your day is off to a relaxing start.
Next spend the afternoon wandering around the neighbourhood of the Plateau. This hip and creative neighbourhood north of downtown is quintessentially Montreal, with its endless spiral staircases, bagel shops and colourful street art. The hip enclave of Mile End is café culture by day, bar hoping by night. Here you’ll find boutique shops like Clark Street Mercantile, trendy Québecois bistros like Caribou Gourmand, and a bustling music scene to start the evening vibes. If you’re not done exploring, walk the short distance up to the neighbourhood of Villeray, recently ranked as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Time Out.
After exploring, it’s time to get the party started at Piknic Électronik. This weekly outdoor electronic music festival takes place every Saturday and Sunday during the summer months at Parc Jean-Drapeau, a short ten-minute metro ride underneath the St Lawrence River. Featuring local and international DJ’s, it’s guaranteed good times. And once the show ends, if you’ve still got energy to burn then end with a nightcap at the ever-stylish STILLIFE cocktail lounge, or keep the party going until the early hours at Bar Datcha.
Restaurants you can’t miss:
As one of the world’s top foodie cities, a trip to Montreal is worth it for the restaurants alone. With one of the highest number of restaurants per capita in North America, Montreal offers a cosmopolitan scene sure to excite everyone’s tastebuds. If brunch is your thing, then head over to La Passé Composé, a petite corner bistro offering French style brunch featuring delicious poached egg dishes, croque madams and crepes.
For dinner, try Au Pied de Cochon which consistently ranks as one of Canada’s best restaurants and a trip to Montreal would not be complete without a stop at this bistro. Faithful to its Quebec and Canadian roots, the dishes are hearty and comforting. Our recommendation – try the Duck In A Can and the Foie Gras Poutine, you won’t be disappointed.
And if you find yourself in the Old Town, then head to Garde Manger, by local celebrity chef Chuck Hughes. Best described as an English pub meets French bistro, this see-and-be-seen locale is known for its bountiful seafood platters, lobster poutine, and the oh-so tender hanger steak.
And there you have it, our top picks for a perfect day out and the best dining options that Montreal has to offer. Be sure to check for Sharp Hotels coming soon to Montreal.
