Montreal Neighborhoods and Attractions

Montreal, Quebec hails as the second largest city in Canada. Original habitants of the city were those who lived along the St. Lawrence River called the Iroquoians. In 1639, what was known as the Island of Montreal became a French settlement. The city enjoyed a prosperous fur trade with the advancement of the North West Company and in 1832 it officially became a city. From 1844 to 1849 Montreal served as the capital city of the United Province of Canada. Its population reached one million in the 1950s and in 1976 it was home to the Summer Olympics.

A popular feature of the city is its unique subway system which looks more like an art gallery. Montreal also has an underground city that is 19 miles long. When the weather is bad this is the best place to be as it links together shopping malls, Montreal hotels, and other major buildings and skyscrapers.

Montreal is a city of neighborhoods with each neighborhood being quite different from one another. Some of the city's neighborhoods include:

• Downtown – the city's main commercial district
• Old Montreal – a tourist's haven with lots of places for family activities
• Plateau Mont-Royal – the place to be for future writers and artists
• Cotes-des-Neiges and Notre-Dame-de-Grace – residential neighborhoods that are full of cultural diversity
• Quartier Latin and the village – an area of four combined neighborhoods filled with restaurants and night clubs

A few of the many popular attractions include:

• Notre-Dame Basilica – built in 1656, it is Montreal's oldest Catholic church
• Montreal's Botanical Gardens – located near Olympic Park
• Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
• Mont Royal – a 746 foot mountain that offers a great view of the city
• Bell Centre – where the Montreal Canadians play professional hockey

Montreal is a beautiful city with a variety of places to visit, food to eat, items to shop for and history to experience.