Essential information

Essential information
AAA Destination Guide: Montréal includes trip-planning information
covering AAA recommended attractions and restaurants, exclusive
member discounts, maps and more.
Bienvenue. “Welcome” to Montréal. This vibrant city known for its joie de
vivre is a treat for the senses. Visually, Montréal is stunning. Set on an
island in the St. Lawrence River, the city is a photographer’s delight. Its
imposing modern skyline punctuated with skyscrapers confirms its status
as one of Canada’s leading contemporary, metropolitan areas. In
contrast, the narrow, 18th-century cobblestone streets of Old Montréal
(Vieux-Montréal) recall the days of Ville Marie, the city’s original
settlement.
At the heart and summit of the city is Mont Royal, the mountain in the
middle of the island French explorer Jacques Cartier climbed and named
in 1535. The mountain is now part of Mont-Royal Park, an oasis of
greenery designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead. The
site is a favorite of Montréalers for a nature escape and impressive views
of the city, river and countryside.
Montréal is a pleasure to explore on foot; by horse-drawn carriage
(calèche); or, sheltered from the elements (especially in winter),
underground in a veritable subterranean city known as Underground
Montréal, where buildings, shops, restaurants, theaters and métro
stations are connected by more than 29 kilometres (18 mi.) of
passageways.
This cosmopolitan, sophisticated city is distinctly European in nature and
proud of its Gallic heritage. And although the melodious flow of the