Updated at 11:30 a.m.
The city center is experiencing something of a renaissance, so much so that new locations can make Montrealers feel like they're traveling in their own city. Here you will find some suggestions for a trip to the city center.
Montreal memories
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
The MEM – Center for Montreal Memories
“Welcome to MEM. Is this your first visit? says guide Angel Mota as he greets us at the top of the stairs of the new Montreal Memories Center, inaugurated last September to replace the old Montreal History Center. We are the first to be entitled to a presentation of the VIP locations. “This whole part is free,” says Angel, inviting us to first learn what Montreal is called in the different languages of the province’s 11 indigenous nations.
With its central location right next to Central and Café Cléopâtre, MEM is a place about the history of Montreal, but also about the lives of Montrealers. We reproduced the facade of a supermarket, a balcony of a complex and even parking signs that were difficult to decipher. We recovered the late Claude Cormier's rainbow balls as well as the illuminated signs of famous eateries that have disappeared, including 281 and La Boîte Noire. It is a place where you can stroll for a long time or just spend half an hour (ideal with the family). Two exhibitions are currently running, one about Le Chaînon and another that immersively presents the characters of Montreal. The permanent exhibition will not be open to the public until 2024.
1210, Boulevard Saint Laurent
Skating
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The ice rink at Esplanade Tranquille
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Skaters ready to take off
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On this third day of the school strike, the chilled ice rink on Esplanade Tranquille is very busy for a gray Thursday morning in November. This free attraction is a really nice addition to the Quartier des spectacles and the kids love it when the Zamboni makes the ice cream every 90 minutes. With an area of 1,500 m2, the largest refrigerated ice rink in Montreal can accommodate up to 400 people. There are fire pits and chairs all around to enjoy the winter comfortably. You can rent skates on site and eat at the Galaxie restaurant. A café also overlooks the charming public square.
Hey! Hey! Hey!
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The Grand Montreal Christmas Market is back.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Small huts house about 105 artisans.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Night scene at the Montreal Christmas market
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The Grand Marché de Noël returns for another year to enliven the Place des Festivals. Until December 30th we can count on the presence of 105 artisans (Etico, Face, Maison Théier) and the holding of 150 events, be they quizzes or shows by Barbe rousse, Le Chœur du Brouhaha, Kevin Bazinet and Maxime Landry. Take the opportunity to admire from the air the two huge towers connected by a pedestrian bridge of the Maestria condominiums, which seemingly grew overnight on the site of the former Spectrum!
A hotel with flair
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The Honeyrose Entrance Hall
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The place impresses at first sight!
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Access to the Commodore Restaurant is via the lobby.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The Commodore serves classic French cuisine.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The wonderful bar where you can enjoy a cocktail
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
From Rue De Bleury you have direct access to Café Commodore.
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We rarely visit the hotels in our city, be it for a short vacation or simply to admire the furnishings in the rooms. Located in the new Honeyrose Hotel, this is great and can be seen when you take a seat in the Commodore restaurant or its cafe area, where you can get pastries and takeaway meals. There are also a few tables to sit at and it was the perfect option for a mother-daughter trip (age 6). We shared a pasta salad with bocconcini and leek soup for less than $20, which was very reasonable considering the elegance of the place.
Note that a visit to the toilet is essential as every detail of the 1920s decor and the infinity effect of the mirrors seduce the eye. Throughout the hotel, the combination of colors, brightness and textures – ash pink, gold, wood, marble and velvet – attracts and soothes the eye. Once again, designer Zébulon Perron and his team have created an impeccable design.
Caffeine break
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
A window on Sainte-Catherine Street dressed for the holidays
What to do until our next caffeinated destination? So many possibilities: The exhibition that is a retrospective of the work of the artist Marisol at the Museum of Fine Arts? Do a little shopping? A trip to the Newon Asian market in Faubourg Sainte-Catherine? One of our favorite free things to do downtown is also a stroll around the beautiful McGill University campus.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Café Côte Mtl is located in a corner of the Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
A caffeine break with pastries.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Côte Mtl opened a few months ago.
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To take a break with a hot drink, we recommend the cute and unique little Côte Mtl café, nestled in a corner of the Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, north of Sherbrooke, where we want people to be out on the west coast enjoy atmosphere. When we visited, the barista announced that some kind of tent and heater would be set up for the winter. After all, you have to embrace our Nordicness to appreciate it!
See the ring with his eyes
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The ring and its holiday companions
A quick look at the people around us confirms this: many people have seen the ring in photos, but have not taken the time to walk around the imposing 30-meter-diameter steel circle that hangs over the Place Ville Marie esplanade. In the evening it lights up at the same time as the cross of Mount Royal, which can be seen in the distance.
After admiring the work of CCxA (formerly Claude Cormier+Associés), why not stop by the craft market at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth or grab a bite to eat at the Cathcart restaurants and beer garden?
Soundbar right in the middle of the action
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Vino Disco recently opened in the heart of downtown.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The place describes itself as a sound bar.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The menu includes beer, cocktails and wine
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The atmosphere is relaxed and festive.
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There was a time when there were few options for a drink after a show at the Métropolis (now MTelus) other than the Sainte-Élizabeh pub or Foufounes Électriques. Times change. Vino Disco just opened right across from Midway and next to Central. The place bills itself as a “soundbar.” You can drink good wine there, but also dance and eat pizza. When we visited in the early evening we were expecting a group of 50 people. We loved the relaxed and festive atmosphere and the glass of rosé wine from Testalonga Winery (from Swartland, South Africa) recommended by our host Amy Tang.
Learn more
The 50 Best Places to Visit in 2024 Travel+Leisure ranked Montreal among the 50 cities to visit in 2024 in the “For Big City Thrills” category, specifically mentioning the new REM, the Grand Port of Montreal BIXI and the new Honeyrose and Vogue Montreal hotels. “Its innovative infrastructure makes it one of the greenest and most welcoming places in North America,” we read.
Source: Travel+Leisure
Downtown Montreal is ranked 36th in TimeOut's ranking of the 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world.
Source: TimeOut