Visit Montreal - 5 Things You Will Love & Hate about Montreal, Canada
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2014
- www.woltersworld.com
What to see & do in Montreal, the fun and not so fun aspects of visiting one of the most multicultural cities in North America. From great food and nightlife to sketchy neighborhoods, it is the best and worst of Montreal.
I love Montreal.
I hate Montreal.
Filmed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Copyright Mark Wolters 2014
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Went to this city once.
Then went 4 more times. I love this town. It's the best-kept secret on the North American continent.
kaizersolze et un des plus vieux aussi..😉
Oui! Montréal était l'original Las Vegas!
prohibition years yes!
Preach!
great combination of European and North American influences.
Pretty accurate for a 7 years ago video! I'm from Montreal and we are really proud of our city, even tho everything's not perfect! I think that overall it is an amazing place to live, even on the south or north shore ... The nature is much more beautiful outside the city!
Most of these things are stuff we may not notice living here everytime.
It's generally pretty safe city. If you are out on night especially on weekends the streets are pretty crowded. The stores do close early which does not encourage people to stay late outside, however there are so many great places to visit at night. The homelessness is unfortunately a major issue in every big city. You are definitely right about the pot, you can smell it here and there. Montreal is relatively cheaper than other Canadian cities. Some tricks for tourists we can suggest is to not eat at touristic areas as they charge extra for the location. Similar and better food is served in the inner city.
We're glad you liked your visit, Montreal is a beautiful city and I hope you got the most of it while visiting and return soon. Great video overall, you've touched upon the great things about the city.
What's Up Montreal? we had a really good time in Montreal. It was tough finding the "hates" for sure :)
Montreal is certainly not a cheaper city for the last few years or so, since 2016 when direct flights to Montreal from Beijing and Shanghai began, bringing Chinese tourists and investors to Montreal to jack up real estate prices and rent like what they did to Toronto, Vancouver, and many other places. The average house price in 2014 that was $800k is now $1.8 million in 2019. Combine with the somewhat lower wages compared to Toronto, as well as higher income taxes, all makes Montreal a much more expensive city to live in.
@@naturallyherb things have definitely got more expensive with time, people can't afford as much to live here no more.
I'm going to be an exchange student in Montreal, and this video helped me alot, thank you man! Greeting from Brazil!
Foreign students feed the lazy/drunken French Canadians who come up to you in every 5 min - give me 5 bucks, give me 10 bucks - bring your UZI instead
I’m living in Montréal and there’s a thing that we can do in Montréal is doing outdoors sports. Like biking,you can rent a bixi and discover the city,also,there’s many places that you can rent a bike. Montréal have hundreds of km of bike path that you can ride.
You can rent a kayak or a canoe and go along over Lachine Canal and enjoy time on water.
Montréal counting two beaches that are accessible by subway and buses. There’s one in Verdun that’s is 5 minutes walk from de l’Eglise subway station and the other one are in parc Jean Drapeau,with is accessible by Jean-Drapeau subway station and taking the 767 bus. But be aware that one are going to La Ronde amusement park and the other are going to the beach.
Montréal are a city where you can have a walk at night time. If you want to do some shopping. Stores will be opened on Thursday and Friday till 9 pm. Otherwise it’s close at 6 pm and 5 pm on the weekend.
You can do a city tour onboard a double decker bus from Dominion square near Peel subway station. It’s call hop on hop off and circuit have few stops along the way that allows you to get off and take a following bus later.
I'm really happy you like Montreal. I'm technically from a small city of the South Shore of Montreal but I've lived there for some time so for me it's amazing that you talk about this city and bring it more exposure. Thank you very much!
I was amazed at how cosmopolitan it was. It was just a cool city. A real city too. Very much glad we went.
I'm a brown muslim and i was scared to visit montreal because i heard many bad things about french canadians.
But everyone i met were SO friendly and helpful, and the language wasn't an issue at all. everyone can have a conversation in english. once you're a tourist they really don't care if you don't speak french. There are 2 english universities in the city so they have to speak english!
And montreal is VERY multicultural, especially immigrants from french speaking countries...so many africans, north arabs and lebanese. But you'll also find latinos, other europeans and south asians!
Yes, quebekers are very secular and the place does get a bit risky at night but it's not like it's to your face
Montreal is a very lovely city. If i'm ever back in canada i'm definitely returning!!
I love Montreal! I went there two years ago with my mom I actually prefer it to Toronto. Not saying Toronto is bad but it feels like just another North American city. Love Montréal's French Canadian culture. I also loved Quebec City.
I completely understand what you mean :)
If you love it more than Toronto that just means you're human and have a charmed view of the world.
From the Greater Montreal area: Many people chose tio live here for the culture, etc. over Toronto, even though it is far from the riches of Toronto. Salaries are apt to be less, taxes higher, but the cost of living is notably lower.
Nothing wrong with this statement, coming from a Torontonian. I'll give MTL props.
Loved Montreal when I visited, enjoyed it more than Toronto. If I had to decide between either of those and New York. I'd choose New Orlean 😁
What's all that talk about "seedy"? I often see families walking around Montreal at 10-11pm which is totally fine. No one would ever bother you here or get in your way. Or do you consider a homeless person as "seedy"? They are poor but not dangerous in any way. I guess when you come from a place where it is dangerous, you see every big city as "seedy" at night.
I'm not sure that San Francisco is a fair point of comparison but I feel 10x safer in Montreal. I don't recall ever feeling nervous walking in Montreal, even at night in the down town areas with lots homeless people or even drug dealers. The shady people seem to mostly keep to themselves and aren't aggressive towards people outside their own world. The homeless are usually respectful and passive.
Whereas in San Francisco, within a year, I've had a homeless guy spit on me because I refused to give him change. My friend had beer bottles thrown at him for walking in the wrong area. My wife was hit with a purse by some mentally ill woman. I know someone whose friend was shot to death during a petty theft.
Anyways, I guess Montreal might feel "seedy" if you mistake the seedy looking people in Montreal for violent criminals which might be more the case in some other cities.
It was probably the area he was in. All big cities have areas where it is best to steer clear from at night. I am assuming it had a short time to spend there and maybe got the wrong impression from where he was specifically and generalized the entirety of the city in that way (an easy assumption to make if you are only in a city for a day). For example, the same happened to me with Marseille, and I eventually returned to "give it another chance" and loved/felt safe, unlike the first time solely because I knew where to go the second time.
he was taking about between old Montreal and Chinatown where the old brewery mission is and that is where all the homeless get there food and a place to stay its not seedy at all its a homeless center
I don't think Montreal at night is "seedy", certainly not more than other big north American cities. The area he's talking about around China Town isn't the nicest (strip clubs, homeless, etc.) but that's maybe the worst you'll get in Montreal, and it doesn't feel unsafe to me. There are always people around on the streets.
There are seedy spots in Mtl, but it's really not downtown. Places like St-Michel you best avoid at night, because that's gangland. But downtown you can comfortably talk to any homeless or punk on the street and ask for directions. There is a fundamental difference between US and Canadian cities in that regard. I slept on a park bench, completely vulnerable, a few time when getting out of a bar at 3am too drunk to go anywhere when I was in my 20's. You're not gonna get robbed. Worst that can happen is a cop will ask you to leave and if you can't you'll spend the night in the nearest drunk tank and be on your merry way the next morning. Or you will wake up to the scent of a joint being smoked nearby, make new friends, watch the sunrise with strangers, and go get breakfast at Allo mon Coco. As for the pot well yeah, people like to get high. As a result everyone is just more mellow.
Old brewery near Place d'Arme is a cool place, lots of less known historic monuments and historic shops like Steve's Guitar Shop and such. It looks bleak but just from the outside.
The only time you should fear for your safety in Mtl is when the Canadiens WIN a Stanley Cup. The last time we won it we almost burned down the city in celebration... lol The same happened in 1986, 1994, and 2008.
I'm Brazilian and I'm going to Montreal next month! I'm sooo excited!! Thx for the video!
2 things: Getting around the city is a breeze. Amazing metro system. The other it is a walking city. You can walk to most of the best attractions in the city and its really not that far to go from one place to the next on foot, or, if tired, you hop on the metro, and the bus system is really quite good. I only have visited in the winter, and you have to know how to dress for extreme cold, but that doesn't stop the people from walking about. Also New Year's eve in the city is spectacular: the fireworks off the river rival that of almost every other city I've gone too for New Year's Eve (I make a point of visiting different cities for New Year's eve).
Hi Mark, I just saw this video. I can't believe you were in Montréal, and I missed u. I would've been more than happy to show you around. One of the pros about Montréal that you didn't mention is the excellent public transportation.
666mathew thanks Mathew! we were staying downtown so we were walking everywhere so I never even needed the public transport so I missed out on that one. Thanks for letting me know and sorry we didn't get to meet up. we have a fun time.
woltersworld Next time try using the metro, the system is kinda old and underdeveloped but you get an easy access to all the important place of the city. Also all Montreal metro station are unique and have been designed by different architect, some of them are kinda generic, some others just ugly, but some of them are really interesting. Each station have a different vibe.
666mathew Canada is deservedly well known for it's clean, reliable, user friendly, public transportation
Mark, come back, stay out of downtown, we'll hook you up and show you one of the ten different Montreals that seem to exist side by side. You didn't get a Mtl bagel (subtly different from NY bagels), ski 'the mountain' or take a winter day trip to the Eastern Townships - your estimation of Montreal is incomplete! :)
I find Montrealers to be very passionate about their city.
Ed Dixon for many good reasons 😁
yes, they throw spent cigarette butts everywhere.
Just a question not trying to be rude but why are you saying everyone is trying to scam you in quebec exactly? And btw it was rated the safest province in Canada in 2019
We are, but we love it AND hate it at the same time. It’s really a love-hatred relationship 😉
@@klarissaclairiton9010 . Montréal hater here!
On the multi-cultural point, we have a petit-mahgreb here in Montreal as well.
Always like your honest perspective!!
Great video Mark. It's been several years but I do remember the robust Montreal nightlife!
Tosh T it has only got robuster... like my waist line :)
Montreal is cool, i was born there and spent most of my life there. Instead of the traffic and the extrem opposite wheaters (to warm and humid in summer, and too cold and snowy in winter), i love its multi-cultural aspects. :)
Montreal is the safest city you can walk 4 o'clock in the morning anywhere without get scare someone is going to hurt /rob you.
I 've never smelled pot "everywhere"
yeah it's really safe
Marijuana is not legal (not even decriminalized) for recreational use anywhere in Canada. However, while illegal, the laws are very VERY unenforced, which is why everyone thinks Marijuana is legal and/or decriminalized in Canada because of the openness towards it and its use.
It is now.
SQDC
Great energy and enthusiasm, sir!
Many years ago I was in Montreal for 3 days. It rained solid almost the entire time. So having the Montreal Metro was a nice way to get around the city and stay dry.
Nice video. I went to Montreal last summer and i loved it. I'm a huge hockey fan and i got to see the Canadiens hall of fame. However, I wish i could have seen more of the city than i did. There is so much to see but my parents just wanted to stay in Old Montreal the whole time lol.
The reason its gets to quiet at night, is because Montreal has a law about no noise at night, That is also typically why you can find no flights with montreal at night
+Justin Gouge it starts from 11 p.m to 8 a.m, people can call the police if too excesive but generaly will try and talk to you about it first and agreements and excpetions are tolerated.
I love the underground city! It also helps in the winter, because you can go to different places in the city without having to go outside at all!
It was cool. First night I ended up walking through it for an hour. It was cool. All the best for your travels!
I was surprised to hear that Montreal did a good job at snow removal. The sidewalks remain covered in ice from October to April. They sprinkle pebbles on top for some traction, which helps a bit.
heading to Montreal in early April, haven't been there for 10 years and can't wait. Going for a Habs game and the night life. Nice video
I really enjoy Montreal! You are right about the food - it's fantastic! I especially like old Montreal as it feels like home to me! Last year, I was there to enjoy a few great French restaurants. I also got to go on the big observation wheel - La Grande Roue de Montreal!
I think it’s so cool and unique that they speak a lot of French in the Quebec province!
Starting July 1st 2018, pot will be legal in Canada. Not only for medical use, but also for recreational uses.
Of course if you go to places in Old Montreal (where you are in this video) everything will be pricey. That's how they get suckers (tourists) to overpay for their stuff.
Recommended neighborhood for less pricey experience?
@@JozeManuLOL Don’t stick to downtown. Montreal has a great neighbourhood culture. Each neighbourhood has its own flavour. Obviously, you have the popular ones : Le Plateau, Mile End, Le Village. You can find good deals but it’s usually on the pricier side.
Rosemont, Petite Italie, Villeray, Saint-Henri, Verdun are popular neighbourhoods among locals. They are less touristy and have a more local vibe.
was in Montreal ..twice last year for formula one and reggae festival..did plenty of walking all over downtown welllll after midnight..2-3 a.m. and never once felt anything seedy...never once felt uncomfortable.
Nooo these Canada videos came two months too late for us haha, we went to Canada for our first time in June to Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto. Really interesting to see them after the fact, Montreal was our first taste of Canada and we enjoyed it and all your points were very spot on. Keep up the great work, your videos are fantastic and really hit the nail on the head with the most important details about places.Thank you Thank you Thank you! I was also curious where are you and your family based out of when you aren't travelling/where are you originally from? All the best from a Miami FL Native, hope to catch you down here sometime.
Hi CD! We are based in Illinois on our down time. No where near as cool as Miami :) sorry I didn't get these up earlier :) we just got back mid August. All the best for you on your travels!
also i did as suggested, i'd greet people in French, then let them know i do not speak French and everyone i encountered appreciated being respected that way. this summer i plan on visiting again for the Jazz festival and Reggae festival again if possible...that would make my 4th visit in 2 years...love Montreal that much!! best part is Porter airlines has me there from Pittsburgh,Pa. in less than 4 hours via Toronto for under $200 U.S. round trip!! Merci Montreal !!
When you make an effort to speak our language it really makes us happy.
Merci...update..did the 2018 jazz festival for the full 11 days and my God... had an incredible time..coming back again next week aug 16-20 for the reggae festival "that was canceled" but i hear that pride is going on..so that'll be great..beautiful city and i love the people there..ya'll got it going on...Jazz fest 2019 i can't wait..can't say enough..prends soin de toi, paix
Merci pour le respect:-)
you are welcome..with everything going on here with the "orange one" and friends..it does my soul and heart good to get away 2-3 times a year to Canada..
I love Montreal too! Such an amazing city....
Great summary, I just disagree with one point, the "seediness". Montreal is one, if not the safest city in North America. I never felt like it was seedy ever. But other than that, great job on he video!
its mostly just the shops that close early. my favorite part of montreal has to be the fireworks festival! montreal might be a bit expensive but they also offer a lot of free events. you also forgot to mention the amusment parc laronde!
As a Montrealer working with the UN overseas, I gotta say, you did us proud. I actually consider 9 of your points to be positive. Keep it up just just two tips for when you return: 1) Come in winter for Hockey is our religion and winter is our soul. 2) We pronounce it Muntreal, not Mawntreal. Think "money" or "monkey" on "month".... It's that "o" we use for our city ;)
For me,
Hates
1. Horrible Weather
2. Horrible snow clearance
3. There are lots of racists
4. Not a very extensive metro system
5. Some places aren't very clean
Loves
1. The great food
2. The feel that you live in a community
3. The old vs new section
4. The number of bike pathes
5. The great bus routes
Et voilà!
JEUMONT FOREVER Vancouver reminds me of a kind of Canadian Seattle.
True. ;)
There's racist everywhere, but it become more obvious when many cultures keep facing themselves constantly like in all major cities (go in New-York and tell me that there's no racists there!). Montreal's metro is decent, it deserve most of all important places in the city... compared to other metros, Montreal's metro is very reliable, cheap and extremly quiet (when compare to New-York's metro)... also large parts of it is already having the wi-fi/cell connection and it is linked to the underground city (who's the largest in America btw). For tourists, the metro is an ideal transport... anyway there's no big attractions to see in Mercier/Montreal est/West island. :P
Actually, the St Joseph's Oratory is in the West of Montreal but besides that, nothing else.
maybe he was talking about the Mont Royal's Belvedere?
Your videos are fantastic!
Any chance in the future of you touching down in Australia, I've never really explored much here and I find tourism blogs rather limited beyond places like Sydney?
Mono17 We are looking into it. I am hoping for a month long Christmas New Years trip in a couple years time. Hard to get the time to go with both the kids now in school. But so want to go again. I loved it down there, and you are right. It does seem like 75% of the stuff is on Sydney when there are so many other great places, I loved Adelaide for example.
Wish I knew you were coming! I think you should plan meet and greets in certain cities ;)
That would be fun :)
My 5 things I hate:
1. Construction.
There are always construction sites all over the city.
2. Cold winter.
Montreal in winter is incredible but incredibly cold at the same time.
3. Pricy.
Food, services and entertainment is certainly a bit more expensive.
4. Drivers.
Certainly a lot more of rude drivers than I would've wanted.
5. Queues.
Better make a booking to your favourite restaurant a weak prior during holidays if you don't want to spend at least an hour waiting in queues for an open table.
Despite all that there are numerous things that you would love about Montreal. But Ill leave it to you to discover them all :)
For anyone considering visiting Montreal, I suggest visiting the suburban western part of the island of Montreal, known as the "West Island". There are plenty of things to keep you busy and entertained from shopping malls (Fairview Pointe Claire) theatres, bars and clubs that feature live music. All of the fun and excitement of downtown Montreal, but without the "seediness", homeless issues and congestion...even at night. No pot smells, either!
There are parks, lakes and rivers for fishing, beaches and recreational facilities for the whole family, tons of green spaces to relax and unwind, hardly any construction and you will be greeted with friendly hospitality, warm smiles and you'll be catered to in either English, French or pretty much any other language that you speak. The air is clean, the vibe is laid back and the prices are a LOT cheaper than the touristy downtown area. The West Island is only a 15 minute drive west from downtown, too. You can take either the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 40) or you can take the Montreal-Toronto Highway (Highway 20). I've lived in the West Island my entire life and there's no place like it.
Come and visit...you won't regret it!
mtlnascarfan 🙈🙈🙈
I just love this beautiful city and Go Habs Go!!
Go Leafs Go
Excellent work. Keep it up.
Hi Wolter,
Really enjoy ur insights-Thx:-)
Where is home for u & ur family?
We live in Vancouver & I have visited Montreal twice in the past 11 months.
3 nights in July 2014 with family (my 12 yr old nephew, my wife, sister-in-law and Norwegian mom-in-law) and we checked out the Bio Dome, Rue Du St Catherine, Old Montreal, toured Notre Dame, McGill area, Peel Street, Mt Royal area, Joseph Oratory and toured the Molson Center (we are big NHL fans).
We stayed in an apartment opposite the Delta hotel on Avenue du Président-Kennedy and had a car rental.
It was the 1st visit for the other 4 family members as I have been there about 5 times before.
We ate at Schwartz Deli, Main St., Deli, Montreal Poutine, Bagel place, Sushi after the BioDome, Checked out the rooftop bar at Terrasse Place D'armes & The Asian water theme at the Holiday Inn.
Upon reflection we really enjoyed Old Montreal the most. We easily could have stayed 2 days there just to soak up the views of the waterfront area, people watching, patio bars, old buildings and lots of shopping and dining options.
The 2nd visit was just my wife & I just last month taking in the F1 race and festivities for 4 nights.
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on Avenue du Président-Kennedy and took transit to the F1 race.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there.
We ate at Dunns Deli, Bellagio Italian Restaurant (twice-we really enjoyed it) 3 Brassiere, and grabbed breaky at Starbucks, Tim Horton's and a little cafe near the hotel.
The staff at the hotel were very friendly & helpful and we engaged in many conversations with locals at the track and to & from the track.
The weather was great (rained 1 day), the transit was easy to understand (we r NOT transit peps) and we had great encounters with retail staff on Rue de St. Catherines.
Both recent visits we saw a few homeless peps (near the Delta hotel) but had NO negative encounters.
Al in all we are definitely returning to another F1 race week in Montreal and will spend much more time in Old Montreal too.
Thx for the videos:-)
Cheers!!
Hi! I love your channel! Do you have some tips about where parking in Montreal and Quebec? Me and my family will going to Canada in October, and as you say, the parking is hard! Can you tell me any tips about where parking neer the attractions? (Sorry about my English, I am from Brazil) :)
I was born here in Montreal and still do, I'll make a quick comment in regards to scene 4:36 no my friend you are not loosing your mind.
In scene 4:36 you will notice a woman using our hi-tec transponder system whereas with a special travel card one which can be placed in your pocket or purse - wallet
when next to a transponder it reads the special card and the transponder pod is then activated allowing people to travel to any location in Montreal in nano seconds.
So not to worry your mind is in tact, all you noticed was a woman using our transponder system.
No camera trick...Watch 4:36 and listen to the man talking and his video
no cuts - this vid was in no way Doctored. Just a woman using a transponder...
And yes.. it is really new tech, just we Montreal'er never openly talk about it as it is hard for some people to wrap their mind on the idea.
feel free to contact me for more info or if you would like to use the transponder
I saw no such thing, where at?
+tajbabii711
Well Duhh, it's not like a city bus or the local sub-way system, The Transporter System is fairly new to the city. Next time you're in Montreal - give me a ring, I'll show you how it works
+John Smith troll
+Windz SmokeThis
Crack-Heads are the only ones that see trolls, Funny how that works-out for them - huh - ?
Tnx for your video ... I wish I could live in montreal ... maybe next year ... It seems very nice city with variaty of full activities ...
The China town section is really a nice place to eat, great duck.
BTW go to an "European" type hotel for better room deals.
UPDATE
1- Most strip joints in Downtown Montreal are now closed. I've never felt unsafe in Montreal. Crime rate is higher at Disney!
2- There is no history of homeless people attacking anyone in Montreal as far as I know.
3- Pot (marijuana) is now legal in Canada
4- Montreal is dirt cheap compared to New York, Disney World, etc. You can get amazing food lunch/supper for US$10. Obviously fine dining is more expensive. Currently Americans get CDN $1.35 for each US $1.00.
5- During the summer, there are now tourists everywhere until late at night and more more restaurants and stores are also open till very late.
been there once and cant wait to go back there.
I really enjoyed it too.
lol this year its the construction like its ridiculously bad, i would say 50% of city is under construction. I would also disagree with food being expensive, i agree that there are places like the old port where things are expensive but our best places that locals go to are super affordable. Restaurants outside downtown and oldport such as the plateau, china town, mile-end, parc extension, villeray, st leonard, NDG are all pretty much super affordable.
I have heard that Montreal is one of the cheaper cities in Canada (as far as large cities go). Is this accurate?
well yes its much cheaper than toronto and vancouver; rent and transportation costs are cheaper. Things are also well connected and easily accessible by walking and public transport. You can get a nice apartment near a metro station (subway Station) for under $700/ month, given its not in downtown or old port.
Montreal is my hometown. One of the great experiences was going to a CABANE A SUCRE in Late March, early April.
Awesome video! I hope to go to Montreal's McGill or Concordia University next year! Also, how often do you travel? It seems as if traveling is part of your job!:)
I travel as much as I can. Usually 3-4 times per year
Bro same here I want to go to either of those schools so bad
I made a great decision 35 years ago and married a French Canadian. We come to Montreal 4-5 times a year and your 5 things to Love and hate about Montreal was spot on. One think I tell people who want to go to Montreal is the money xchange I would say on average it has been 20 dollars on a hundred and at times it has been 30 and higher on the dollar which does help with the higher prices for eating.
Seedy never heard that term before to describe the late nights of Montreal. I would say it can get a bit wild and slightly sketchy do so the accessional drinking.😅
The fountain in the lower left corner of the screen is where the battle between Beast and Magneto was shot in X-Men : Days of Future Past.
You are brilliant!... lived in Montreal for the past 25 years and you are much more excited than I am:) ...you have Montreal spot on! Great place to visit -- hard living if you have difficulties expressing yourself in French. Very difficult to have a good paying job if you are not PERFECTLY BILINGUAL. This is partially the reason for the homelessness and alcoholism here...cheers!
Ann Stewart 🙄🙄🙄🙈
During my first visit to Montreal last year, all I did was keep to myself. I had to in order to not get lost, which actually happened once or twice (my fault; too distracted). Yes, speaking a few words in French is important. I am not fluent in the language, however, a polite Bonjour or Merci will definitely win you extra points.
One of the best things about Montreal, in my opinion, is the metro system. It is fantastic, clean, and so user friendly, unlike the subway in NYC. Another thing I love about it is that for a large city, it's not overcrowded with tourists. You can go anywhere and not be bothered. When in Manhattan, it is near impossible to find a place that is not brimming with tourists posing for selfies or stopping to talk in the middle of the sidewalk.
I can't wait to go back :)
I’ve been fortunate enough to have spent enough time on many visits to Montreal that I don’t feel like a tourist. The food and hotels are pricey in Downtown and Old Montreal but being off the beaten path for your hotels and meals is less expensive. I stay out near Dorval or in Laval and the transportation into the city is easy. For food, you can find nearly everything on Ontario Street East in Hochelaga for cents on the dollar. My one diversion, and I go at least once every second or third night, is Schwartz Deli. It’s my choice for smoked meat and unbeatable in my opinion.
I'm planning on riding a motorcycle up to Montreal from NY, my question is do you see any motorcycles driving around? would it be easy to find parking for it ? what about over night in a hotel? thanks
As I'm looking at different places to travel, Canada never really interested me...not sure why, maybe it was because I had this picture in my head it was all forest and wilderness lol but I live in Maine literally a hop and skip from Canada yet I never thought about visiting, until now! sounds like a great place! (minus the seedy-ness hah)
as someone who lives in montreal, I must say that depending on the place and probably time you need to watch out for some drivers as you can meet real jerks, although I guess it's like that anywhere.
Great video!
From my past visits, the ONLY place where no one spoke English was the subway/ bus system. The employees did not speak English BUT most of the riders did.
thank you so much for your videos!!! they are great , God bless you and your beautiful family. Gianni
Is it safe to take mtro & subway around 9pm there,I mean from train station to metro ,out to Los Montreal?
Awesome tips
The most interesting parade i saw when i lived there was the St. Patrick's Day parade, mostly in French, in Montreal
Its what I love about this entire country.
isnt Montreal one of the safest cities in North America?
Being safe and feeling safe are two different things :) It was not every where in Montreal that was a bit sketchy just a few parts like anywhere, but at night I did not feel comfortable out in some of the tourist parts with my kids. If I was alone, not really a problem, but with the little guys you get a bit more careful. Still a fantastic city to visit!
I've also been told that Montreal was the safest place in Canada, yet it's the city I've felt the less safe in. I was more comfortable in Toronto whereas figures say it's more "dangerous".
Morecube exactly the same with us.
Morecube 4 out of 5 of Canada's Safest communities are in Essex County on the southern most part of the Ontario peninsula.
Just Dance! No Ones Watching No, this is completely wrong. You're basing this on what exactly ? Personal opinion ?
I’ve watched a few of your videos on Canadian cities now and you mention that Canada is expensive in every one but I’ve never heard you mention the exchange rate. The Canadian dollar is usually worth less than the American dollar. Generally when you exchange your US dollar, you’ll get about $1.30 Canadian so that should be factored in when you’re talking about money and how far your dollar goes here in Canada.
Great review for family tourist
I’m looking for a first place to visit outside of the US, I’m debating between Montreal, Toronto and Mexico City. Any suggestions?
I love Montreal! I was just talking about it today, how much I love that city. It is a very romantic city, it feels European to me. The coffee was the best I've ever had. Also, there is lots for the fashion conscious shopper to buy :) Love, love, love Montreal, I need to go back soon!
Montrèal is an absolutely awesome city and the people there are sooooo nice!! I definitely miss the Crescent Street nightlife and the very “interesting” sights of Ste. Catherine’s. They absolutely take their hockey very seriously up in Montrèal and it was a great time being at the Bell Centre watching a Mtl Canadiens hockey game.
i’m in high school in montreal and my school is far from my house. Never have I felt uncomfortable walking around at night or in the afternoon, unlike other places in the world the homeless population aren’t dangerous and as a young girl i’ve never been cat called or followed or felt unsafe. Travelling from the suburbs to downtown for a Habs game is the easiest thing and yes, people do get drunk and you MIGHT see people smoking weed but never will they bother you and IF they do other civilians will step in. Though i do understand why you would believe that our city is like that :)
Guy I forgot to thank you for a great documentary. Thank you, indeed.
I find the 5 hates quite accurate. I travel to Montréal quite often for business and for pleasure (I only have to take an overnight bus and I'll wake up in MTL), and I do feel some unease at certain parts of town...and this is coming from a New Yorker!
halfthefiber thanks halfthefiber. I like the place a lot but at night... seedy at some times to say the least. all the best to you!
woltersworld All the best to you as well! I just came from Québec City, I'm very interested in your 5 Hates and Loves regarding that town. :)
I've lived in and around Montréal all my life and...
1. Snow removal here in the winter time is horrible.
2. If the seediness you speak of is all the strip clubs along rue St. Catherine then you can walk about 1 or 2 streets north to either rue De Maisoneuve or rue Sherbrooke and you can avoid a lot of that.
3. I know this is an old video but it's 2018 and if you're coming to Montréal now, be prepared to get tied up in traffic due to all the construction going on in the city but that really doesn't matter because...
4. The public transportation system in Montréal (buses, metros) are inexpensive and super easy to navigate.
5. This city LOVES hockey and Les Canadiens. If you can, head over to the Bell Center and take a quick tour of the Courtyard of Champions.
Montreal seedy...hahaha...its actually pretty safe when you compare to the big American cities. When I worked in a hotel americans could not believe how safe the city is. That was 15 years ago but common...Downtown is not a wr hour walmart. I found this 5 things are not even backed up by facts just your opinion and its ignorant
I live here and never experienced anything he has said. I call bs
Not once since 2008 and about 30 trips have I ever feared for my safety. The only time I was" scared" was walking up Mount Royal to catch a sunrise. Not worried about getting robbed but taking a wrong step and falling ! It's even awesome in the winter. 4 for 4 with crazy snow!
No need to disrespect
What is the best way to travel around the city? By public transportation? Do you have any routs you can share or recommend. I do not know what I should start from in my first visit to Montreal. Thank you in advance.
Clearly the metro.
You left out some “hates”
the traffic is horrible
The driving is crazy
If you are a brown person like myself you will have some ppl who stare at you oddly.
Good Customer Service is not their main concern ( but that could be because I’m brown)
We were there for 5 days and most of the food we had sucked!!!! Don’t believe the hype that the food is amazing! I went to a Venezuela restaurant and ordered the tilapia in a tomato sauce and they literally served cooked tuna fish out the can with some canned tomato sauce drizzled on top with microwaved rice and beans. Im not lying- I literally walked out the restaurant after I figured out why my tilapia looked like shredded cat food!!!!! I would have been sick for days had I eaten it!!
If you don’t speak French you will get treated differently even though they all speak English. Now, when I say, “ differently “ I don’t mean rudely, I mean they will JUST deal with you as in: tolerant your existence. They will give you No pleasantries, no shooting the breeze conversation - just straight business.
Gas is very expensive!!
Everybody smokes so no matter where you go you WILL inhale it because that smoke and stench is EVERYWHERE!
Now for the “ Loves”
Best Lattes EVER!!!!!
Everyone there is lean and fit!! They run or bike everywhere which was really inspiring and nice to see ppl really taking care of their physical bodies so well.
They all are put together well even in streetwear, they all looked effortlessly amazing!!
The Lattes are AMAZING!!
The architecture of the buildings and homes where really beautiful and intriguing.
The streets were very clean.
Nobody was on their cellphones.. at all!! I only saw it a handful of times. Ppl there still talk at meals. Loads of chatter in the restaurants
The Lattes are spectacular!!!
Pastries where stellar!!
The vibe of the city is very chill and laid back even though it is VERY similar to NYC. Not once did I feel any aggression that you would feel in NYC.
And my last one is:
The Lattes are out of this world!!!
Would I go back ? Yes! But in the summer and after some French lessons. 😉👍🏽
Hey, maybe it was simple bad luck ! Did bad stuff happen in your life a little before or a little after you went there ? I mean if the entire world is talking about Montreal's great food and kindness...
really? i'm brown and everyone was super nice to me! And it was so multicultural, there were so many different people there. even though i only know like 5 words in french! I didn't really eat out because the resturants are so expesnsive.
Quebec city is another story. I got stares everywhere!!
1. The winter
2. The winter
3. The winter
4. The winter
5. The sub zero temperatures during the winter
Regarding the city not being vibrant round the clock, I think that is just specific to the downtown core. There are plenty of strips that are the liveliest places I've ever been after dark (coming from a New Yorker). I would also say go to the French speaking nightlife sections of the city, up by Avenue du Parc/ St. Laurent--the English ones are more college students and Americans getting drunk.
Cool video bud🤙
is it really expensive as the seedy said? I am going there with my family in January next year that is why I am asking.
Best thing in Montreal is the Canadiens hockey club. Bell Center is a must-visit for every hockey fan in the world
Yaaaass and when he says it gets seedy at night... Umm yea my mom made the mistake of bringing me to old montreal one night and i was terrified😂
Someplace I'd avoid like the plague
Very good video as usual. I'm inspired to visit Canada now :) but I have heard that Ottawa is a depressed city, is that true?
ChrisLind81 Well... I would not say depressed, a bit slow maybe, but they try to spice it up a bit. I have a top 10 and 5 love hate video on Ottawa that I will try to get out in the next couple weeks, so stay tuned :)
I have a lot of friends who live in Ottawa because they study there, and they tell me that it's really boring. Ironically, that's where all the political action happens, where we have HUGE ceremonies for anything official like an important birthday, the reception of foreign leaders and all that. I remember when Obama was elected in 2008 his first stop was Ottawa :)
Oh but if you're in Canada in summer, Ottawa is THE place to be for Canada Day on July 1st!!
Thanks for the information Karl. Going to Ottawa in July 1st sounds interesting, parhaps I will do that next year :)
And yes Mark I will stay tuned :)
groovy :)
It is for the best that the politicians have their own corner away from the big economic cities. It keeps things relatively clean, without too many biases. Slow and boring is good for political capitals.
Is bonjour appropriate for any time of day, or is it more in line with good morning, or maybe good evening, or something else like that? Do the French and the French Canadian pronounce “bonjour” the same way”? Thanks.
Bonsoir for good night, Bon Soiree if they're going out at night.
You'll hate the coldest, never-ending winters the most.
Was just there over the summer and LOVED it. Agree with all his points - but the "seediness" (stripclubs, older/"run down" buildings) is mostly confined to the Plateau, Gay Village, downtown. I did smoke pot on the street with a guy though, so can confirm it's a thing there. At night I never once saw a fight, or the drunk "bros" you see everywhere here in the US.. overall Montréal seemed like a place for GROWNUPS to go enjoy themselves... (and plenty of stuff like the Biodome for kids, too.)
I agree with all your points re: Montreal ! Great City!
spending time in Montreal and Quebec this January. Do you suggest I spend more time in Montreal or Quebec? I am already booked for 5 nights in Montreal and 3 in Quebec. Do you think that is adequate time to spend in each city. ?
+Joseph Motta More time in Montreal, definitely.
+Joseph Motta Quebec City in February and do the Winter Carnival best time of the year. Freeze your butt off though but worth it.
+Joseph Motta Yes it is a good day ratio. To be honest Montreal winters can be tough, but if you're expecting the low temperature and the hassle of winter in a big city you'll be ok. Montreal is definitely the more entertaining city compare to Quebec, they do have that winter festival though, at the moment ( january 2016) we dont have that much snow so its easier to move around.
Quebec city is very interesting historically but you have more choices in montreal.
As well regarding the language you will have more issues in Quebec city regardingthe language if you are english speaking ( i'll suggest to check a quick historical video about the french vs the english in the 18 & 19 century to understantd where this is coming from) Downtown montreal is pretty much bilingual, Montreal do appreciate being ask first if they speak english instead of assuming that they do (again it all about the history of the city) but its understandalble has the province (State for the Americans) is surrounded by english physically and culturally.
If you greet a Montreal in french (just a few key words) they will appreciate it and ironically if they speak a bit of english they will ironically swicth to english as soon as they hear an english accent.
Have fun.
next time you're in that city you have to check out their awesome tea (yes, tea)
My favourite thing to do in Montreal is sit on St Catharines and people watch, with a fat doob from the SDQC of course 😆😉
Great 👍 City 🌃 born there. Thanks for sharing
thanks for the video! I love montreal
My goal in life is to go to Heavy Montreal and visit Montreal for the week end it with one of the most amazing hard rock/metal festivals on the planet.
It's worth finding your way to St Joseph's Oratory, which I regard as a universal religious monument.
My friend...what do you do in the Red Light district with your family in the evening? Nobody goes there...
sounds like a next spot to go :')
You didn't mention Le Plateau... Montreal is metropolitan but it has many neighbourhoods that is the opposite!