Just got back from five wonderful days in Montreal. Although I’ve been to Toronto several times (and love that city), I had only been in Montreal once before, and that was for one night before taking the train for a three day stay in Quebec City. That time we stayed near the Berri-QUAM metro and spent our time wandering the streets of Old Montreal and in the areas around Notre Dame and Christ Church Cathedral.

This trip we stayed at La Residence du Voyageur on Sherbrooke Est, just a couple of blocks from the Sherbrooke metro. Our room was larger than I expected based on others’ reports, and David, the desk clerk, was very accommodating. The breakfast wasn’t all that great, with bland air filled croissants and coffee that was horrible, but on our second day, we found great coffee and wonderful almond croissants at Patisserie St. Louis du France at the Sherbrooke metro entrance, and stopped there every morning before heading out for our daily adventure.

During our stay we visited nearby Lafantaine Park and Square St. Louis; enjoyed sitting at cafes on the cobblestoned pedestrian rue Prince Arthur enjoying a glass of wine or pint of red ale; visited the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Botanical Gardens; bought provisions for a picnic at Jean Talon market and took the bus up to the chalet and lookout on Mont-Royal; sat outside on the upper level of Sir Winston Churchill’s on Crescent Street people watching; enjoyed an evening of music at Maison du Jazz (formerly Biddles) on Alymer; had lunch at Hurley’s Pub on Crescent; went to the movies to see “Two Days in Paris” with Julie Delpy; had smoked meat sandwiches at Schwartz‘s; and wandered up and down St. Denis and St. Laurent and through several charming neighborhoods.

I absolutely loved Montreal! Every time we exited the metro, we noticed that each neighborhood had a different vibe. The people were so nice, the food was great, and the weather was fantastic. Took lots of pictures to remind me of the delightful time spent in a wonderful city!

Thanks for sharing, travgina.

Would you stay again at your hotel? Or in a different area of Montreal?

Great trip report; you experienced montreal as a local, glad you loved it.

BowinLinda, We'd probably stay in a different area, only because we enjoy getting familiar with different neighborhoods. We do the same in Paris.

However, we liked the hotel, were treated well, and it was a good bargain, so I'd have no problem staying there again.

Mitchdesj, we really did love Montreal! And as much as we did while there, it probably looks like we rushed from place to place, but that was definitely not the case. We just planned one thing each day (Museum, Botanical Gardens, Mont-Royal, etc.) and added other things as they came along. Our only other requirement was to stop at an outdoor cafe each day for a glass of wine or pint of ale.

Hi Travgina,

I'll be in Montreal Oct16 to 23 and staying right by the Berri-QUAM metro stop...any restaurant suggestions besides the ones mentioned or anything else in that area for that matter?

We will be in an apartment so we will be looking for bakeries. Is the Jean Talon in that vicinity?

thanks, lynda

lyndash: One place near the Berri-UQAM metro that we had a nice lunch was La Brioche Lyonnaise on St. Denis. We sat outside and had salad, quiche and a pichet of beer - really good.

The Jean Talon market is a large outdoor market where we picked up pate, cheese, stuffed olives, bagette, and something called hard cherries that look like and have the consistancy of a cherry tomato, but comes in a husk and tastes like a cross between a tomato and a strawberry. We also picked up a bottle of wine and enjoyed a picnic on Mont-Royal. The market is near the Jean Talon metro stop, which is on the orange line about six stops north of UQAM.

I hope you enjoy Montreal as much as we did, and if you get a chance to have an almond croissant, please do. They're heavenly!

I don't read the posts here very often but was very much taken by this one.

I was born in Montreal and lived there until 1993 (age 48).

When I was a kid I played baseball with a team based in Fletcher's Field and we used to play at Lafantaine Park.

We used to wander by St Louis Sq and sometimes eat on Prince Author, Crescent St and St Denis. Smoked meat at Schwartz's!!! Ahhh. And walks thru Old Montreal!!!

But you still managed to do many things we never did.

I haven't been back in several years and when I do return it's always for some sort of family event so I don't get to visit much.

Glad you liked my city! For those going near marché Jean-Talon, it's a great opportunity to walk in the neighborhood and discover Little Italy. There is also a very good and cheap Armenian restaurant called Petit Alep just in front, on Jean-Talon.