Montreal Travel Forum

hi everyone,
i'm going to be traveling to canada the first week of april.
i'm flying into montreal and will be there for a few days before i move onto ottawa. i will be in canada for a total of eight days. i was wondering what there is to do in either cities at that time.
any suggestions would be very helpful. i've never been to montreal, but have been to ottawa a few times, so museumes in ottawa are pretty much out of the question, as i have been to most of them already.
thanks!

Montreal has a lot to offer in terms of museum and sightseeing. Have you ever been to the Biodome. It is worth a visit. Downtown and Old Montreal have also a lot to offer.

In Ottawa I assume you know of By Ward Market. How about the Parliament. It is always interesting especially in they are in session.

I would also suggest you spend a day or two travelling to Quebec City. Easily reachable by train or by bus from Montreal (2.5 hours), it is probably one of the nicest cities in North America. The city is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year so there are plenty of activities going on.

Have fun!

Although April is technically spring in Ottawa and Montreal, it's not going to be very spring-like. I visited Montreal and Ottawa in early May and the trees were still lacking their leaves and the flowers? Nothing was in bloom yet. Just be aware of that.

Although I'm a huge fan of Ottawa, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot to do for a tourist other than visiting the museums. Maybe rent a bike and go ride around the Rideau Canal. Go check out what's playing at the local movie theatres. Perhaps head across the bridge to Gatineau Park or down to Rockcliffe Park. See if there are any special events happening in the city and base your travels around that.

Montreal is not so much about attractions than it is about its neighbourhoods. Go to Mile End/the Plateau - rue St-Denis. Go up to the top of Mont Royal "the Mountain". Visit the shops/galleries in the old Port. Shop/party along St-Laurent and Rue Ste-Catherine. The Biodome can be fun on a cold ugly day - it's kind of like a small zoo featuring replications of the world's different ecosystems. I really enjoyed the McCord Museum, but their exhibits are always changing. Apparently the art museum in Montreal's great, but I've never been.

If you're in Montreal on a Sunday, if it's happening, be sure to attend "Tam Tam".

Montreal is a great city. As mentioned, be aware of the weather. It could either be a nice spring day, or a late winter blizzard. Good thing Montreal has great things to do inside and outside.
Walk the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal. Check out Jacques Cartier Sqaure for street performers and grab a beer for happy hour. Walk the waterfront/old port area - there is a science center and Imax theater there, as well as Point a Calliere, the archealogical museum. Rue St. Denis has great restaurants, also in that neighborhood is Rue Prince Arthur, a pedestrian way with restaurants. Rue Ste Catherine is the main thouroughfare for shops and the underground city (a series of underground tunnels linking major buildings and shopping centers).
A great view of the city is at the viewpoint on Mount Royal (St. Josephs basillica - the big dome on the hill maybe worth the visit, i read somewhere it's the 2nd largest catholic dome in the world, vatican 1st). another view is Bar 360 (name?) it's on top of Ville Place Marie. Definetly have dinner at a nice french bistro (Le Paris on Ste. Catherine West is good). Crescent street has a bunch of bars clustered together if you're looking for nightlife.
have fun.

The winter this year is really bad, and both Ottawa and Montreal are notorious for their cold and heavy snowfalls. I was in Ottawa a few weeks ago and there was a massive blizzard when I was planning to do sightseeing. The weather made seeing some of the city's best attractions (like Byward Market and Parliament Hill) rather difficult. Its less likely to happen in April, but its still a possibility to be aware of.

Montreal also gets lots of snow, but it has the advantage of an system of underground connections that allows you to move about the downtown core without really needing to go out into the cold. Of course, that's not much consolation if you're trying to see Sacré Coeur (the Basilica) and the Old City, both of which are must see's for visitors to Montreal.

thanks for all of the replies!
i did hear that the temps. around the time i will be visiting are not too great. but it was a last minute trip and the only time i could fit it in was that one week in april.
but i know i'll be able to make the best of it with all this advice!!!!!
:)