Montreal ♡

Anyone who knows me knows that Canada is my favourite country, and when I visited Montreal, it quickly became my favourite city too.

If you are looking to visit Canada and get a taste of the culture and history of this beautiful country, I can't recommend making Montreal your first stop enough! I had previously visited Toronto and Niagara Falls, so this was my first time venturing outside of Ontario. I was so excited to spend a few days exploring a new city, new province, and even new language. From London, the flight to Montreal takes around 6 and a half hours, and to reach the city centre from Montreal Airport takes around 20 minutes.

For the whole visit we walked on foot. We racked up thousands of footsteps, got slightly exhausted, but it was certainly worth it. By doing this we saw Montreal from not only a tourist perspective but also a local perspective. We walked down beautiful residential streets, university buildings and vibrant high streets. I'm so grateful we did this instead of taking transport for the majority of the time, as it meant we could speak to city locals, see plenty of wildlife and just enjoy some good old fashioned mindful exercise in a new environment. Plus, the city is very accessible, and most of the popular sites are within a short walking distance from each other.

Our three day itinerary included the hotspots, seeing the big wheel, visiting the market stalls, St. Catharines Street, Basilica de Notre Dame and the Eaton Centre. We also researched some other recommended sites and went to see the Barbie expo, botanical gardens and climbed Mont Royal. We loved every minute of this trip as we felt as if we really saw the heart of Montreal and learnt so much about the culture and history of this city.

One of the highlights, and more adventurous activities we did on this trip, was experiencing the zip wire in the Old Port area. Flying above the water and the big wheel, this experience allows you not only to see the city from a different perspective, but to do something different and spontaneous. The team are friendly and reassuring, and even give you special phone holders so you can film yourself zipping through the sky and always remember this fun moment!

The French culture and influence of Quebec is brought to life in every building and cobblestone alley. There were intricate designs, statues, marketplaces, churches and shopping lanes, contrasting the high rising skyscrapers of the financial district. This is what makes Montreal so unique and so deserving of a spot on a Canadian bucket list.

We visited in late June so we were lucky to have such beautiful weather. While it was hard going climbing thousands of steps in blazing sunshine, it just made the whole city sparkle and the trip was truly filled with picturesque moments. I have no doubt it is just as beautiful in the snow.

I can't wait to visit Montreal again and keep learning about this endearing city.