Montreal stop!

After saturating all senses with contact with the unspoiled nature in Réserve faunique des Laurentides, rested and happy, we can return to civilization. And Montreal itself is waiting for us - to get from Quebec to Montreal, we will have to cover 254 km. Montreal is the second largest city in Canada and the largest seaport in the eastern part of the country. It is situated on the island of the same name (Il de Montreal) and several smaller islets east of the confluence of the Ottawa and Saint Lawrence rivers.

One of the city's biggest tourist attractions is Rue de la Commune , a road in the old part of Montreal ( Vieux Montreal ) . It has a row of historic buildings and the Pointe-à-Callière Museum , an archaeological museum built in 1992 to celebrate the city's 350th anniversary. There you can see collections of artifacts illustrating the interpenetration of French and British cultures during the reign of successive governments.

The city is full of oases of greenery and areas where you can forget about the daily rush. The Dream Lake Friendship Garden is one of the most popular spots among locals, and the Jardin Botanique de Montreal with the Japanese Tea Ceremony Pavilion and Parc Mont Royal are another popular place. Lake Lac-aux-Castors is located in the western part of the park, while the Grand Chalet palace is situated in the central part. Its terrace offers a magnificent view of the St. Lawrence River, the Green Mountains and the city itself.

Montreal attractions - architecture and sport

Visitors to the city pay a lot of attention to religious monuments, which is not surprising as the local temples are exceptionally beautiful. A good example is St. George's Anglican Church - An Anglican church that became part of the National Historic Site of Canada in 1990. The temple is built of sandstone, it is designed in the English Neo-Gothic style, which can be seen from the sharp arches of the windows and the slender stone towers. Interestingly, the church's ceiling beams are among the largest in the world.

Another attraction is the building of the town hall and the Oratory of St. Joseph on the hillside of Mont Royal - the tallest church in Canada (its dome is 97 meters high). According to statistics, the temple is visited by over two million pilgrims and tourists each year. Its crypt was built of concrete and clad with limestone blocks from the Deschambault quarries. The façade was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance, while the columns are characterized by the ornamentation of the head (capitol) typical of the Corinthian order.

While in Montreal, you must go to one of the two main squares in the old part of the city - Place d'Armes. There is a huge neo-Gothic building next to it, the Notre-Dame Basilica. It is a unique temple, it was built with great panache, without sparing also rich decorations in the interior. It is also distinguished by the stained glass theme, which is unusual for the church - they do not depict biblical scenes, but the events of the religious life of the inhabitants of Montreal. In the vicinity of the basilica there is another monument, one of the oldest buildings in the city, St-Sulpice Seminary.

The attention of tourists visiting the center is also drawn to the huge Olympic Stadium ( Stade Olimpique ) . Its original design is somewhat reminiscent of a spaceship or a modern chimney. It was built before the Olympic Games in 1976. The Casino de Montreal also has an original design - a futuristic building that looks amazing both during the day and at night when it is illuminated. We can find him on the island of Ile Notre-Dame.

Montreal's ups and downs

Once upon a time, Montreal was a center of great economic importance. The first Canadian railway was built near the city (in 1836), and thanks to the rapid development of rail networks, the port of Montreal became the country's main port. Then, after many historical turmoil, and perhaps more economic (a series of bad investments), Toronto took first place. The city had to wait for the return of good luck until the end of the 90s, when the World Trade Center appeared here. The headquarters in Montreal were also established by Quartier International as well as UNESCO and WHO agencies.

Today, however, the city is not lagging behind and each year attracts more and more tourists. Many of them come here, tempted by the rich offer of night entertainment. Because, admittedly, Montreal is home to some of the best nightclubs in Canada. They can be found on St. Laurent-Shed Cafe, a trip to rue St. Denis .

The city organizes many concerts and various types of cultural events. In early July, jazz can be heard on Place des Artes and the surrounding streets - this is when the regular Montreal Jazz Festival takes place. Just two weeks later and a few blocks away, another important event begins - Festival Juste Pour Rire , i.e. the festival of laughter. This is just a fraction of all the attractions that a tourist who decides to visit this dance center can take part in.

Rest at the campsite

The Montreal area and the city itself are so attractive that it's worth spending some time here. A good solution will be to park your camper at the Montreal West KOA (171 Route 338, Coteau Du Lac). It is only about a 20-minute drive from the center, and if we wanted to get to the city quickly, there will be no problem with it - buses run very often. However, if someone would like to stay even closer to Montreal, pay attention to the Montreal South KOA (130 montee Monette, St Philippe de Laprairie). It is a spacious campsite surrounded by greenery, with many pitches for campers. There are also places to grill. Both campsites belong to the same organization, so the prices are similar - they start from $ 28 per night (two people and a place for a camper).

Once we have found a place to stay, we can finally rest and think about a further route. Our next destination will be Ottawa as it's high time to visit Canada's capital city surrounded by forests.

Once we have found a place to stay, we can finally rest and think about a further route. Our next destination will be Ottawa as it's high time to visit Canada's capital city surrounded by forests. On the way to Ottawa, we will visit Vankleek Hill Fair, a small town famous for great festivals . We have 100 km to cover, wide road!