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Montreal: Quebec's City of Romance and Wonder!

A visit to romantic Montreal, Canada makes one long for the finer things. This is a city where art is valued as much as commerce. Grace and elegance are favored over speed and precision. Great chefs are as well known as politicians. Founded by a group of French Catholics, Montreal is the second largest French speaking city in the world. While the sight-seeing is top notch, a vacation in Montreal can also include active pursuits like hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, or working on your tan. Montreal is a symphony of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Take some time and listen to Montreal's music.

One of the most magnificent churches in North America can be found at the Basilique Notre-Dame-de Montreal. Montreal's oldest and grandest Catholic church was originally built in the 17th century, but a new building was added in 1829. The church is an outstanding example of Neo-Classical and Neo-Gothic design. The stained glass windows were imported from Limoges, and tell the story of Montreal's history. Lovers of natural beauty will want to visit the Botanical Gardens. Spread out over 180 acres, there are over 21,000 plant varieties in 31 specialized segments. Ten large greenhouses shelter tropical and desert plants. For those with even a remote interest in gardening, this is the place to be!

Montreal is a city with art lovers in mind. The Musee des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) is the city's most prominent museum, and was the first museum built in Canada specifically for the visual arts. The permanent collection focuses on international contemporary art, and Canadian contemporary art created after 1960. Two buildings, directly across from one another, house the more than 30,000 exhibits. The Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal (Museum of Contemporary Art) houses a collection of modern art created after 1939. Roughly 60% of the more than 6,000 pieces were created by Quebec artists. The museum also has works by such artists as Jean Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Jean Arp, Larry Poons, and Antoni Tapies, as well as photographers Robert Mapplethorpe and Ansel Adams.

For a bit of outdoor fun amid the bustle of Montreal, head to Parc du Montreal-Royal. Designed by Frederick Olmsted, the designer for New York City's Central Park, the park contains 494-acres of forest and paths in the middle of the city. The park is a great place for jogging, cycling, or hiking the miles of foot paths. Thrill seekers can also test their mettle on the Lachine Rapids in the St. Lawrence River. Speed boats attack the rapids with verve, conjuring up images of a chase in an Indiana Jones movie! In summer, Lac des Castors (Beaver Lake) is surrounded by sunbathers and picnickers (no swimming allowed, however). In winter, the park has a 1-1/2 mile long cross country skiing path. Horse drawn buggy rides are also a popular park activity.

Montreal has something to offer every vacationer's taste. Listen to jazz in Downtown, the Old Town section, or the Latin Quarter. Dine on French cuisine, or sample some of the other ethnic dishes like Mexican, Greek, Polish, or Italian. Don your scuba gear for a wreck dive in the St. Lawrence River. Shop for Inuit (Eskimo) sculptures, or browse the boutiques owned by world famous designers. Wander around in Place Jacques-Cartier, one of the most beautiful of the old city's squares. Take in a Canadiens hockey game, or check out the harness racing at the Hippodrome de Montreal. Seek out a Hollywood movie set; there is filming in Montreal practically every day. See the night skyline during a cruise of the Old Port. Montreal is filled with the kinds of sights and sounds that make for vacation memories that will last a lifetime!