Visit the world à la Montréal!
Leisure activities Gastronomy Europe France United Kingdom United States Culture, arts and heritage Museums and Culture Patrimony and Architecture
With its unique blend of culture, architecture and language (ranked as one of North America’s most trilingual cities, no less), Montréal is a shining example of a truly international city. You can see it in its people, the cuisine and even the city’s flag, emblazoned with the traditional symbols of French, Scottish, Irish, English and Indigenous cultures. But beyond the influence of those founding parents, Montréal’s population includes communities from the Arabic, African, Italian, Portuguese, Jewish, Asian and Indian diasporas with distinct neighbourhoods and gathering places all over the city. With all that culture on offer, it’s easy to take your own around-the-world voyage à la Montréal!
While Montréal is a distinct destination city unlike any other, the cultures of its citizens shine bright with pride. And so, in the spirit of wanderlust and fun, here’s our suggestions for itineraries capturing the global flavour of 7 of the world’s top tourist traps (London, Paris, Glasgow, Dublin, Berlin, New York City, and San Francisco) without any of the hassle—all without leaving the island of Montréal!
Montréal à la London
Paparmane Tea Room
Old Port of Montréal
Montréal may be North America’s French capital, but its English community and history have long contributed to the one-of-a-kind mosaic of the city. So much so, that London’s busy vibe and regal splendour are easily felt with this itinerary of experiencing Montréal à la London.
Montréal à la Paris
Croissant at au Kouign-Amann
Square Victoria metro entrance
There’s been a long-time love affair between Montréal and Paris, one easily felt above and beyond just their shared language. Via its cafes, historical streets, bakeries and parks you’ll find Parisian world charm and epic vistas throughout the city. Explore Montréal à la Paris!
Montréal à la Glasgow
McGill University
The Fur Trade
Glasgow’s gritty working-class attitude and can-do attitude are reflected in Montréal’s Scottish past and up-and-coming canal-side neighbourhoods. Indeed, with this Montréal à la Glasgow itinerary, you’ll be hearing bagpipes and speaking with a wee brogue in no time!
Montréal à la Dublin
St. Patrick's Parade
St. Patrick's Basilica
With one of the world’s longest-lasting St. Patrick’s Day parades and the Irish borough of Griffintown, Montréal’s ties to Dublin sparkle emerald green. From its pubs to forward-thinking arts venues, Dublin à la Montréal is right at your fingertips.
Montréal à la Berlin
Berlin Wall in Montréal
Mural "The Seven Deadly Sins"
Berlin isn’t the only international hipster headquarters, and here in Montréal the creative class pack the co-working cafes throughout the day and the sound systems pump throughout the evening (and the doormen are far less scary). Now’s the time to experience Montréal à la Berlin.
Montréal à la New York City
Piazza Salumi Fumagalli
Chinatown
The infectious energy of The Big Apple is echoed in Montréal’s up-all-night party atmosphere, jam-packed festival performance calendar and cultural neighbourhoods like Little Italy and Chinatown. You’ll find yourself dreaming of la grosse pomme once you’ve experienced Montréal à la New York City!
Montréal à la San Francisco
Samuel De Champlain Bridge
Pride Montréal
San Francisco’s reputation of the city of peace and love is rivalled by Montréal’s own hippie history—no less than John Lennon and Yoko Ono made the city their headquarters for one of their highly-publicized Bed-Ins. But more than that, SF’s queer-friendly, tech-forward buzz is also here in spades, easily found when you dive into Montréal à la San Francisco!
Mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton is the community director for QueerMTL, an internationally-touring musician with his projects Woodpigeon and Frontperson and a graduate studies student of history researching LGBTQ+ activism in the city. He’s lived in Montréal since 2015, during which time he’s most often spotted atop a BIXI bike usally running a few minutes late.