Attractions of Canada

Attractions 
In a city with dozens of attractions, you may have trouble deciding where to spend your time. Here are the highlights for this destination, as chosen by AAA editors. GEMs are “Great Experiences for Members.”

What could be a more logical place to begin touring Montréal than Mont-Royal Park (Parc du Mont-Royal)? In 1535 French explorer Jacques  Cartier climbed to the top of the peak on an island in the St. Lawrence

River and is said to have exclaimed, “It’s a royal mountain,” when he saw the view. It’s still the view—and the opportunity to briefly escape the bustling metropolis—that draws Montréalers to the park, a AAA GEM attraction. Landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead, the site is a favorite recreational getaway. A park landmark is the metal cross, illuminated at night, that commemorates the wooden crucifix planted there in 1643 as gratitude for the colony having been spared from a flood.

The AAA GEM attraction Old Montréal (Vieux-Montréal) contains the vestiges of the city’s original settlement. Close to the river, the historic district’s narrow, cobblestone streets and old houses can be seen on foot or by horse-drawn carriage. A popular gathering site in the quarter, Place Jacques-Cartier is the perfect place to relax at one of the café-terrasses with a café au lait or beer and watch the world pass by; it’s especially lively on summer evenings with street performers, musicians and flower vendors. In The Old Port (Vieux Port) section of Old Montréal is the Montréal Science Centre (Centre des sciences de Montréal) with an IMAX theater and lots of hands-on activities for children.

Also within the historic district are two other AAA GEM attractions. The Basilica of Notre-Dame (Basilique Notre-Dame), one of the glories of Montréal, has an inspirational interior handcarved in wood and decorated with 22-karat gold. Equally impressive are the long nave, illuminated by three rose windows; brilliant stained glass; religious paintings and statuary; the simple elegance of the Sacred Heart Chapel; and a dazzling evening sound and light show.