One of our passions is to travel. Growing up in India, we had traveled locally and when we moved to North America, we started visiting places there as well. We are history buffs and like to also explore the history of the place. We also like to explore the local cuisine and culture while we are there. Personally, it teaches us a lot and shows us how far we have come from the past. You also find a lot of common things with your own culture. That is fascinating for us!
We also like to go to a lot of lesser known places. These places typically have lesser crowd and are most of the times better than the tourist attractions. With this blog, we would also be featuring some of those places.
WHAT WE ARE NOT - We are not travel agents. :) We can suggest places but you have to book your own trip.
Montreal is one of the historic cities of Canada. If you are a history buff like us then you would like the city for the same. You would find architectural wonders from different eras dating back to the 1600s. We were in Montreal for 2 days and we were able to visit the following attractions of Old Montreal. All of these attractions are in the same area. You are better off parking your car and walking thru the area. The streets are narrow. If you have been to Savannah, Georgia or Charleston, South Carolina then this area has the same vibes.
Quick tour with us
Notre-Dame Basilica
Founded in 1672, this Catholic church is a great example of the Gothic revival architecture style. There are several tours, if you are interested in the history and want to visit the limited access areas of the Basilica. We attended the evening sound and light show in the evening. It is a treat indeed.
Financial institutions - BMO & RBC banks, Montreal stock exchange
Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) are the oldest banks in Canada. What is fascinating is that these buildings have been preserved for almost 2 centuries.
The BMO building was built in 1847 and it is located just opposite to the Basilica. On weekdays,there is a museum inside that also explains the currency from the 1800s. The architecture of the building is beautiful.
The RBC building still retains its grandeur. Built back in 1928, the wall ceiling has ornate designs. Sitting in the Crew Collective Cafe (which is now in the building) and watching the mesmerizing ceiling was just a treat. The old style elevator in the building still works. It now has other offices in the building. There is a wall honoring the RBC employees, who signed up for world war 2 and laid down their lives.
Before Toronto, Montreal was the biggest metropolis and could be considered the financial capital of Canada. In 1832, the Montreal stock exchange was founded. This magnificent building is just near the Basilica.
Other buildings
There are several other historic institutions like courthouse (built in 1856) and city hall (built in 1878). There are a lot of street artists, cafes and shops around the area. It is a lively environment with music (of course in spring and summer) and you should enjoy it. Around 2 kms from the Basilica are two universities with beautiful campuses - McGill and University of Montreal.
Old Port
It is located on the Saint Lawrence river and it was operational as early as 1611. There are activities such as boating and cruises along this river. It is a beautiful place to just put a chair and relax. There is also the beautiful clock tower and science center.
Eateries around the place
Olive and gourmando and Crew collective cafe were good cafes that we visited. The latter is located in the RBC historic building and apart from good coffee and snacks, you can enjoy the splendor of the grand building.
Couple of things to note..
In the province of Quebec (Montreal is a city within Quebec), it is French first. We don't know French but we were able to manage. People speak English if you don't know French.
If you are renting an Airbnb please read the reviews of the place before you book the place. We had a broken toilet over the weekend and had a hard time with the owner to get it fixed.
However the sign boards are all in French especially in stores and even on the roads.
Traffic rules are slightly different in Montreal than in other provinces. For example, you cannot turn right on red signal. It might be good to just read up a little if you plan on driving in the city.
Hope this helps you plan your trip to old Montreal!
