Montreal Travel Guide - All About Montreal, Canada

The tree-lined back streets of Plateau Mont Royal.

If you're after a great time and a top feed, you've come to the right place.

A vibrant Europe-meets-North America city of two-cheek kisses and 3.4 million people, Montreal is the most diverse, cosmopolitan, gay-friendly and creative city in Canada.

Located in eastern Canada in the French-speaking province of Quebec, Montreal lies at the confluence of the St Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. It is the second-largest city in the country and the second-largest French speaking city in the world after Paris.

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Montreal is on an island that is divided into French and English-speaking areas. Most French-Canadians speak English even if they sometimes feign otherwise.

Most first-time visitors to Montreal make a beeline for Old Montreal and the rejuvenated, waterfront Old Port area. It's a joy walking around the cobblestone streets, taking in the 17th century buildings, imposing Notre Dame Basilica and the excellent collection of museums. There's something of a mini-Paris going on here, with a glut of buskers, street artists, market stalls, flower-sellers, horse and carriage tours and alfresco dining.

For wide views of the city as well as some fresh air, head to Mont Royal Park, otherwise known as "the mountain". It was designed by the same bloke responsible for Central Park in New York and is Montreal's vast, forested backyard, great for a romantic stroll, relaxing picnic, vigorous run or challenging bicycle ride. Tobogganing and cross-country skiing is popular here in the winter. In the summer, people flock to the eastern slope of the mountain for the Sunday afternoon Tam Tam - an animated gathering of drummers, dancers, sun lovers and free spirits.

Nearby is the uber-creative Plateau Mont Royal neighbourhood. Concentrated around Avenue Mont Royal and boulevards Saint Denis and Saint Laurent, the area is full of hipsters, artists, poets, boutiques, chic cafes and bistros selling Montreal's infamous smoked meat sandwiches.

Unless you plan on taking advantage of Montreal's nocturnal offerings - in which case you'll be partying all night and sleeping all day - you might also want to check out some other prime attractions. Art buffs shouldn't miss the Musée d'Art Contemporain with its outstanding collection of Canadian art. The Olympic Stadium, built for the 1976 games, holds some appeal, with its controversial Olympic Tower - the world's tallest leaning structure. Further afield are two man-made islands in the St Lawrence river - Ile Ste Helene and Ile Notre Dame. In summer they make a nice escape from the city, with amusement park rides, a casino, an artificial beach, the Biosphere environmental centre and extensive green space.

Thanks to its diverse immigrant population or just its supremely good taste, Montreal is a culinary utopia, considered the second-best dining city in North America after San Francisco. Montreal's specialty is the artery-clogging poutine - a heaving pile of French fries drowned in gravy and topped with curds of white cheese. Poutine induces instant lethargy, making it a delicious cure for insomnia. Meanwhile, the Jewish population has introduced the city to smoked meat sandwiches, bagels, chopped liver and bourekas. If you're cooking for yourself in Montreal, be sure to stock up on fresh produce at either Atwater Market in the city's west or Jean Talon Market in the "Little Italy" neighbourhood.

Montreal is at its warmest and most vibrant between May and September. Summer finds Montreal in the throes of one big party, with an endless stream of festivals, including the world-renown jazz festival and Grand Prix. In October, fall colours are a sight to behold.

Montreal experiences bitterly cold winters (December to March) with temperatures averaging -8°C. Still, Montrealers refuse to let snow distrupt their lives, getting on with things by retreating underground into a 29km subterranean network of 2,000 or so shops that link up with major buildings, transport hubs and universities.

Montreal is a dream to get around. The city has 660km of well-maintained bicycle paths. The bus and Metro train systems are extremely efficient and easy to use.

From Montreal, Quebec City is approximately three-hours' drive northeast; Ottawa is two hours west and the ski slopes of Mont Tremblant in the Laurentides are just two hours north.

Montreal's main international gateway is Montreal Trudeau Airport.