Montreal has so much to do and see that I wanted to put together a one day ‘Montreal experience’.
I think Montreal should be a must destination for anyone visiting Canada or anyone living in Canada.
Montreal is one of Canada’s oldest cities, that means a rich history, and a heaven for architecture lovers. It is fair to say Montreal and Quebec City have the best architecture in North America with its charming old street that are filled with great little shops, and restaurants. Reminds me of parts of Europe. As you can probably tell I love historic architecture, so timeless.
I would also consider Montreal in the top 3 foodie scenes in North America along side New York, San Francisco. All palates will be satisfied.
So let’s begin shall we:
Spa
I don’t think you can mention Montreal without architecture, food, and spa in the same sentence. The spa scene is so great! Going to a spa in Montreal is not just about getting pampered it seems to be part of the culture, and well-being. There are European baths in almost all of the top spas around, and you can get some deals!
I suggest the early bird special at the Scandinave for $90; at 9 am you get a Swedish massage, followed by access to the baths. The Scandinave has a hot tub with a waterfall, eucalyptus steam room (my fav!), and a dry sauna. Between the hot stations there are two cold stations: a plunge pool or a Nordic shower. There are two choices for relaxation areas as well; you can catch a snooze, just relax, or bring a book with you.
This was the perfect way to start the day for us, and in no doubt in mind will be for you! Expect to spend a minimum of 2 hours at the spa.
Did I mention Scandinave is located in the beautiful Old Montreal?
Lunch
By now you probably relaxed yourself an appetite, I did as well.
For lunch I have to take you to Lola Rosa Parc on the buzzling street of Av Du Parc (Park Ave) which serves vegetarian, and vegan options.
We had the Mac & Cheese, and the Cashew cream cheese Bagel with smoked carrots. The Bagel dish is the vegetarian option of the smoked salmon bagel, but let me tell you something – it is so much better! We couldn’t get over this meal. It was so good! I’m drooling just writing about it. The cashew cream cheese was superb – smooth, savory, and the smoked carrots are perfect. It is now on our must eat list when visiting Montreal. All the ingredients at Lola Rosa are fresh, and excellent quality.
Lola Rosa also has one of my favourite cocktails: La Diablesse – tequila. It has a unique smooth taste with a spice kick at the end.
Independent Films
About a 20 min walk on Av Du Parc from Lola Rosa Parc towards downtown is the Cinema Du Parc. Cinema Du Parc boasts a rich choice of local, and international movies. The movies play in a number of languages, and subtitles. It is also a Social Enterprise so if you like suppourting the independent, and upcoming artists this is a good way of doing so. You can catch one of the afternoon shows or if weather permits take a walk at Mount Royal Park, or even better – you can do both.
I personally like to do both; independent movies have very neat plots or stories so it is fun to discuss the movie afterwards, and what better way to do it than a park?
Dinner
We need to end a perfect day in Montreal on a high note. For that I take you to Les Enfants Terribles on top of the Place Ville Marie. Les Enfants Terribles literally means the terrible children, it is also a 1929 novel by Jean Concteau.
Les Enfants Terribles is located on the 44th floor, and is the highest restaurant in Montreal which gives you views like this:
We had the spaghetti calamari, and mac & cheese. The calamari was perfectly done. Les Enfants Terribles boasts a fantastic wine and cocktail menu as well. There is something I wish we tried- The mix grill for 4 people, which comes with: ribs, grilled picanha, whole grilled octopus, big mac & cheese, and the signature Caesar salad. A whole grilled octopus?? Please oh please someone send me a picture of that meal!