Old Montreal
The historic city centre is rich in museums, shops, restaurants
and grey stone architecture spread out along narrow, cobblestone
streets. It is also home to the Vieux Port attractions and
lively public squares like Place Jacques-Cartier. Exploring
Old Montreal means exploring the very heart of one of North
America's greatest cities, a multi-faceted place where the
past and the present come together in exciting and unexpected
ways. Major attractions include City Hall (275 Notre-Dame
St E), and the Old Customs House (400 Place d'Youville,
featured in "The Score").
Biosphere
This museum and exhibition hall is dedicated to raising
environmental and ecological awareness among its visitors.
Housed in the world's largest geodesic dome, which is one
of few remaining structures from Expo '67, it offers four
levels of guided discovery. The bottom level examines water
as both "Source of Life" and "Source of Delight;"
the Connections Hall showcases multimedia presentations
focusing on environmental protection; and the Visions Hall
affords an incredible 360 degree view of Montreal.
Mount Royal Park
Frederick Law Olmsted, of Central Park fame, designed this
park in 1876. It is easy to forget that you are in the middle
of a huge metropolis when walking or cross-country skiing
on the park's many well-signposted trails: chief downtown
access points are from Parc Jeanne-Mance (Parc Ave northwest
of Ave des Pins), and at Ave des Pins and Drummond St, just
west of Royal Victoria Hospital. Beaver Lake features skating,
tobogganing, and even a small ski hill and chairlift, while
Mount Royal Cemetery is one of the continent's largest.
Old Port
With a transformation that started with Expo '67, Montreal's
Old Port area has gone from an eyesore to a spectacular
year-round playground for residents and tourists alike.
Winter months are as active as the milder seasons (if not
more so), and are marked by ice sculptures, skating and
a living nativity scene. Tack on the IMAX Theatre and the
iSci and it is easy to see why the Old Port draws millions.
Most people come down via the Metro system, but there is
limited parking on site.
Tennis Masters Series Canada
Montreal and Toronto split the men's and women's draws at
this annual tournament, which is normally held in late July.
In odd years the men duke it out on the distinctive violet
courts of the Jarry Park Tennis Centre, just north of downtown;
the women take over in even years. Past winners include
Martina Hingis, Andre Agassi and Marat Safin. Tickets range
from CAD10 for the qualifying rounds to CAD85 for good seats
at the final.
Notre-Dame Basilica
Notre-Dame's twin towers have served as an Old Montreal
landmark since the neo-Gothic basilica was finished in 1829.
Today they continue to be the focal point, where tourists
disgorge from buses and calèche drivers line up for
passengers. The interior glows with gilded statuary and
gold-leafed fleurs de lys, and is home to one of the largest
pipe organs in the world. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra
performs its Christmas production of Messiah here.
Olympic Stadium
Roger Taillibert's magnificent building takes a beating
in the court of public opinion, but it remains Montreal's
most stunning architectural achievement. The enormous bowl
features a perpetually disintegrating roof that was originally
meant to be retractable, while the inclined tower affords
an incredible view over the city.
Just For Laughs Festival
With galas, improv events and television specials, this
bilingual comedy marathon draws more than a million fans
annually. Alumni include Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Jim
Carrey, Kelsey Grammer, Bob Newhart, Roseanne and Ray Romano.
The event takes over Montreal's primary indoor venues, from
Thtre St-Denis to Club Soda, Caf Campus and spills out into
the Quartier Latin with a carnival and nightly parades.
Outdoor events are free; indoor ticket prices and show times
vary.
Parc Jean-Drapeau
Sometimes known as Parc des Iles, these two man-made islands
in the St Lawrence River were created for Expo '67. They
feature hiking, biking and roller blade paths (on the Circuit
Gilles-Villeneuve, site of the Montreal Grand Prix), recreational
facilities and secluded picnic spots for the entire family.
Other attractions include La Ronde amusement park, site
of summer fireworks, the Casino de Montreal, the Stewart
Museum and the Biosphere. Outdoor concerts, including Radiohead
and the Vans Warped Tour, are on tap during the summer.
Montreal Canadiens
Tough times have befallen Canada's proudest sports franchise,
which was founded in 1909. Though the Habs (as they are
known) have won 24 Stanley Cups, they have only done so
twice since 1979. They are currently in a rebuilding process,
seeking to improve on the current aging, injury-prone lineup.
Stars like Saku Koivu and Jos Thodore still provide exciting
entertainment, especially when playing archrivals Boston,
Ottawa or Toronto. Visit the Molson Centre box office for
tickets, or call +1 514 790 1245.
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