Montreal, Canada is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec and it is the second largest city in Canada. Geographically, the city is as close to the European coast as it is to Vancouver and in both look and feel it mixes some of the most exquisitecharacters of the two continents.
Paris is one of the cities that Montreal really resembles. Montreal is also the second largest French-speaking metropolis in the world. Three and a half million people are of French ancestry, the other third being a cosmopolitan blend of les autres – including British, Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Italians, Greeks, Jews, South Americans and West Indians. The city is unquestionably Canada’s most colorful place with bars and clubs, a global variety of cafes all matched by a calendar of festivals.
Montreal is very accommodating to any group or individual that decides to visit. All about the city you’ll see signs of civic pride and prosperity that basically show how they would like to show tourists a good time. Since there are always tourists passing through, Montreal has become one of the most accommodating cities in the world, with hotels that are relatively cheap to extraordinary chic hotels. The services and rental of hotel rooms vary depending on how much you have decided to budget for yourself. You are able to find a full range of services from fully serviced housing, penthouses, short term rentals and basic hotel accommodation. A good plan will be to check for cheap Montreal hotels online when finalizing your vacation so you guarantee a good rate {ahead of time|beforehand}.
As for fun activities in the city, again there are many, but here are just a few mentioned. The former Olympic cycling track, called the Biodome, has been converted into an artificial habitat that features four different ecosystems: a Tropical Forest, a Laurentian Forest, a St. Lawrence Marine Ecosystem and the Polar Worlds of the Arctic and the Antarctic. For me, my next item on the agenda was the Montreal Botanical Garden. I left the Olympic Stadium and walked under the Sherbrooke Street bridge and found myself right next to the entrance gates of Montreal’s Botanical Garden. The .75 admittance fee gives you access to both the gardens as well as the Insectarium, so I started off with an in depth introduction to the world of insects.
Open since 1990, the Montreal Insectarium holds hundreds of species of butterflies, moths, bugs and spiders. Its scientific collections hold 140,000 specimens and its exhibition collection consists of about 20,000, about 4000 of which are on public display. There is also a live collection of arthropods with about 100 species. Not only does the Insectarium focus on the science of insects, but it also explores insects in an artistic, cultural and even gastronomical views.
Right across from the Insectarium is a marsh and bog garden that features a variety of gorgeous water lily specimens. And then continuing on from there, there is a sizable rose garden with about 10,000 roses of many different kinds.
If you’re looking for some more scenic spots to visit, the Japanese Garden is located a north of the bog marsh garden and is definitely worth checking out. The designer is the world famous Ken Nakajima. The design and elements of the garden was carefully chosen and laid out from the stones, water features and plants within to create a peaceful symbolism. Right next door to the Japanese Garden lays the Chinese garden and it represents the link between the Montreal Botanical Garden and the City of Shanghai’s park departments. The Chinese garden consists of more than 120 containers that were shipped from Shanghai and required 50 specialized Chinese craftsmen to create the unique and beautiful garden.
When you travel to Montreal, you won’t be short of things to do. Enjoy your trip to Montreal!