Attractions
Montreal - Old Port
Montreal's Old Port (Vieux Port de Montreal) is actually fairly new, having had a major face-lift to make it the most popular site for visitors to the city - drawing five million of them each year to throng the bustling wharves. There are still plenty of boats in evidence but nowadays they are mainly tour boats, ferries and even amphibious buses, which offer sailings along the St Lawrence or around the port. Ferries cross to the Parc des Iles, site of the Expo 67 world's fair, which lies in the St Lawrence and offers family outdoor activities like picnic facilities, swimming, skating or skiing in winter. The Old Port itself is a thriving arts and entertainment venue where something is always happening. It also offers a huge open-air skating rink, Imax cinema, and a Science and Technology Center with interactive displays. The port also has a vibey cafe culture. The clock tower offers excellent views across the city and contains an exhibition that traces Montreal's history. Around the port are the city's original 17th-century fortifications.
Address: De la Commune Street
Telephone: (514) 496 7678
Web site: www.quaysoftheoldport.com
Transport: Square-Victoria, Place d'Armes and Champ-de-Mars metro stations are a short walk away
Montreal - Olympic Park
Montreal's futuristic Olympic Park was built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games and still serves as a showpiece today. Designed by French architect, Roger Tallibert, it is impressive in both size and shape, able to hold up to 80,000 spectators who now gather here for concerts and baseball games. The landmark tower on the main stadium, standing at 575ft, is the world's tallest inclined tower. Visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of Montreal and its surroundings from the observation floors, accessible by a funicular-type elevator. The Olympic Park complex also features the unique attraction known as the Biodome, a building containing four ecosystems. Opposite the park pop over to view the wonderful Botanical Gardens, which are the second largest in the world.
Address: 4141 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue
Telephone: (514) 252 4141
Web site: www.rio.gouv.qc.ca
Transport: Olympic stadium: Pie-IX metro station. Sports Centre and Montréal Tower: Viau metro station
Opening time: Daily guided tours of the Olympic Park are half-hourly from 10am (low season tours are less frequent starting at 11am); the funicular runs from 9am to 5pm (Labor Day (September) to mid-June) and until 7pm from mid-June to September
Admission: Guided tours: C$8 (adults), C$6.25 (children 5-17); funicular: C$14 (adults), C$7 (children 5-17)
Montreal - St Joseph's Oratory
St Joseph's Oratory is a landmark in Montreal, its imposing dome on the northwest flank of Mont Royal visible for miles. This Oratory is a famous pilgrimage site, despite only being completed in 1967, attracting over two million visitors and pilgrims each year. It was founded by Brother Andre, a beloved monk who was known as the miracle-worker of Mount Royal because of his healing abilities. Work began on the basilica after his death in 1937. Its dome is the second largest in the world, being 318ft (97m) high; it is second only to St Peter's in Rome. The Oratory's carillon is made up of 56 bells that were originally cast for the Eiffel Tower in Paris; the Oratory acquired them in 1956. Visitors can climb the 283 steps from street level to the basilica's portico for beautiful vistas over the city.
Address: 3800 Queen Mary Street
Telephone: (514) 733 8211
Web site: www.saint-joseph.org
Opening time: Daily 7.30am to 9pm
Montreal - Museum of Fine Arts
During the past 140 years the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has assembled one of North America's finest encyclopaedic collections, totaling more than 30,000 objects. The collections include Canadian art, contemporary art, Inuit and Amerindian Art, European Masters, prints and drawings and decorative arts. The museum also regularly features special exhibitions and activity programs for adults, students and children.
Address: Sherbrooke Street West
Telephone: (514) 285 2000
Web site: www.mmfa.qc.ca
Transport: Bus 24 or metro to Guy-Concordia station
Opening time: Tuesday 11am to 5pm, Wednesday to Friday 11am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm
Admission: Free. Admission is charged for temporary exhibitions: C$15 (adults), children under 12 are free; half price for adults on Wednesdays from 5pm to 9pm. Other concessions available
Quebec City - Parliament Buildings
Just outside the old city walls stands the imposing 19th-century Parliament Building, inspired by the Louvre in Paris and designed by the architect, Eugene Etienne Taché. Although it is the working home of the 125-strong National Assembly, the buildings are open to visitors for guided tours, offered in English or French, which highlight the historic value of the unique building as well as informing visitors about the organization and proceedings of the Québec National Assembly.
Address: 1045 Parlementaires Road (visitor's entrance: Door 3 on the corner of Grande-Allée and Honoré-Mercier Avenue)
Telephone: (418) 643 7239
Web site: www.assnat.qc.ca
Opening time: Weekdays 9am to 4.30pm (September to June); from 24 June to Labor Day (September) it is also open weekends 10am to 4.30pm
Admission: Free
Quebec City - Place Royale
The site of the historical Place-Royale complex was used in ancient times by Amerindians for trading, until the leader of the first Quebec French settlement, Samuel de Champlain, constructed a formal fortified fur trading post in 1608. The trading post flourished and grew into a thriving town, constructed largely of wood, until in 1682 it was destroyed by fire. Reconstruction was in fire-resistant stone, the buildings that still stand today. Known as the market square, the site once again became a hub of activity, until the end of the 19th century when its importance declined. By 1950 the Place Royale was a neglected, decaying area. The Government then initiated a restoration program that has turned this historic site, known as the 'birthplace of French America', into one of the city's main attractions. It features a clutch of interesting museums, living history demonstrations and tours of historic buildings.
Address: Interpretation Centre of Place-Royale, 27 rue Notre-Dame
Telephone: Interpretation Centre: (418) 646 3167
Web site: www.mcq.org
Transport: Bus 1
Opening time: Tuesdays to Sundays 10am to 5pm. From June 24 to September daily 9.30am to 5pm C$4 (adults), C$2 (children 12-16)
Quebec City - Funicular
A panoramic bird's eye view of historic Québec city can be had from the cabin of the Funicular that travels at an angle of 45 degrees from Louis Jolliet House in the heart of the old City to Dufferin Terrace. The funicular has been an attraction in the city since the original steam driven version was erected in 1879.
Address: Quartier Petit-Champlain, Louis-Jolliet House
Telephone: (418) 692 1132
Email: info@funiculaire-quebec.com
Web site: www.funiculaire-quebec.com
Opening time: 7.30am to 11.30pm (up to midnight during summer June to August)
Admission: C$1.50
Quebec City - Fortifications
Guided walking tours of the three-mile (5km) long city wall that surrounds the old city of Québec trace the evolution of the city's defense system across three centuries. The walls are set with interpretation panels. Quebec is the only fortified city in North America and this fact contributed to its being named a World Heritage City. Visitors can also view the Esplanade Powder Magazine.
Address: 100 rue Saint-Louis (tours depart from the Frontenac kiosk, Dufferin Terrace)
Telephone: (418) 648 7016
Web site: www.pc.gc.ca/fortifications
Opening time: Daily 10am to 5pm (May 8 to Oct. 8); open with reservations the rest of the year. Guided walking tours depart 1pm and 3pm daily; and at 10am, 1.30pm and 3pm during summer months (June 25 to Sept. 3)
Admission: C$4 (adults), C$2 (children 6-16). Guided walk plus access and visit to the Learning Center: C$10 (adults), C$5 (children 6-16)
Quebec City - Old Port
In the 19th century the port of Québec on the St Lawrence was one of the most important in the world, with thousands of ships and sailors passing through. Today visitors can relive the bustling atmosphere of the crowded wharves once lined with tall ships at the Old Port Interpretation Centre. Characters in period costume conduct guided tours through the streets and alleys pointing out the points of historic significance.
Address: 100 Quai Saint-André
Telephone: (418) 648 3300
Web site: www.pc.gc.ca/vieuxport
Opening time: Interpretation Centre: daily 10am to 5pm (May to Sept. 3)
Admission: C$4 (adults), C$2 (children 6-16). Guided walks: C$8 (adults), C$7 (children 6-16)
Quebec City - Musée de la Civilization
Billed as 'the museum of human adventure' this very popular contemporary institution in the heart of the Québec historic district is characterized by its innovative and daring outlook. Using interactive technology its thematic exhibits cover all aspects of the human experience, from fundamental issues to major social problems of our times and various aspects of daily life.
Address: 85 Rue Dalhousie
Telephone: (418) 643 2158
Web site: www.mcq.org
Transport: Bus 1
Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm; in summer daily 9.30am to 6.30pm (June to Sept. 4)
Admission: C$8 (adults), C$3 (children 12-16), children under 12 free
Quebec City - Battlefields Park (Plains of Abraham)
Once the setting for bloody battles between the British and French, the Plains of Abraham today serves as Quebec City's 'green lung', a playground and peaceful arboreal retreat, and venue for a variety of fairs and events. The park is to Québec what Central Park is to New York, covering 108 hectares and planted with 6,000 trees. It also features monuments and interpretive centers. In winter a giant skating rink is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, as well as several ski-trails. Summertime is ideal for strolling the fragrant gardens, jogging or rollerblading, and picnicking.
Admission: 835 Wilfrid-Laurier Avenue
Telephone: (418) 648 4071
Email: information@ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
Web site: www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
Opening time: Daily 8.30am to 5.30pm (June 24 to Sept. 4); Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm (Sept. 5 to June 23)
Quebec City - Montmorency Falls Park
Just to the east of Québec City lies the spectacular Montmorency Falls, plunging 272ft (83m), one and a half times higher than Niagara Falls. Besides a beautiful setting, the park also boasts historic buildings and a variety of fun activities. A cable car runs up to the historic Manoir Montmorency manor house, dating from 1781, where there is a restaurant, view terrace, interpretation center, reception rooms and boutiques. A suspension bridge hangs directly across the falls, providing a breathtaking view, and a second bridge gives access to the east side of the falls where there are numerous viewpoints and trails.
Address: Avenue Royale, Beauport
Telephone: (418) 663 3330
Email: montmorency@sepaq.com
Web site: www.sepaq.com/chutemontmorency
Opening time: Open daily all year
Admission: Free entry to the park. Cable car: C$8 return (adults), C$4 return (children)
Quebec City - L'Île d'Orléans
The little island in the St Lawrence River, just 15 minutes from downtown Québec City, is an historical treasure trove containing 600 heritage buildings. Algonquin natives called the island 'windigo', meaning 'bewitched corner', before French colonists arrived in 1535 and named it for the Duke of Orleans. The island is the ancestral home of more than 300 Quebecois families and still has more than 7,000 inhabitants. The six villages on the island are all connected by a perimeter road called The Royal Way, which extends across the Taschereau Bridge to the mainland. Visitors enjoy cycling or driving around the island to marvel at panoramic views of the river and explore sites like the oldest church in 'new France'.
Telephone: (418) 828 9411
Web site: www.iledorleans.com
Montreal - Montreal Botanical Garden
In close proximity to the Olympic Park and the Biodome, the Montreal Botanical Garden is one of the largest of its kind, home to over 22,000 plant species and roughly 30 exquisitely mapped out gardens, making it well worth a visit any time of year. Begun in 1931 in the midst of a financial crisis in the city, the Garden provided work for thousands of unemployed Montrealers and has since developed into a popular tourist attraction, with its astounding array of plants and trees, as well as the fascinating Insectarium that casts new light on much-maligned creepy crawlers. An array of interesting sights and sounds await the visitor, including the Tree House (highlighting the important role of trees in our lives), a First Nations Garden (illustrating the interaction of Inuit and Amerindians with nature), a Chinese Garden, the Quebec Butterfly House, a Medicinal Plant Garden and so much more.
Address: 4101 Sherbrooke East Street
Telephone: (514) 872 1400
Web site: www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin
Transport: Metro to Pie-IX station
Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm (Jan. 7 to May 13, and Nov. 1 to Dec. 23); 9am to 6pm (May 14 to Sept. 7); 9am to 9pm (Sept. 9 to Oct. 31). Closed Mondays from Jan. 9 to May 13 (except Feb. 27, March 6, April 17)
Admission: Nov. 1 to May 13: C$9.75 (adults); C$4.75 (youth 5-17 years). May 14 to Oct. 31: C$12.75 (adults); C$6.50 (youth 5-17 years). Includes entrance to Garden and Insectarium; prices include all taxes. Concessions available
