3 days exploring Montreal during the Christmas season

Time to take a little break during the holidays and here we are to tell you about our short and unforgettable stay in Montreal !
Originally we wanted to fly to Montreal from NYC, but after consulting several comparison sites like Momondo And others, we finally settled for the night bus with the company Greyhound, Definitely the best alternative to get there because the departure was at 11 PM from Penn Station and we arrived at 7 AM, an opportunity to save a night of accommodation during our stay.

Before we went there, we had preconceived ideas about Montreal, for example the legendary warm welcome and the icy cold At this time of year… And it didn’t miss a beat! As soon as we arrived, a bit lost, the Montrealers came to help us and give us information; it was pure bliss! As for the cold, aah, aah, aah… But we had planned for it and were dressed accordingly.

After a few days spent in NYC in a hostel in a room of 3 square meters, we obtained a special offer to go to the Intercontinental hotel in Montreal and stay there for 2 nights. What a joy! The hotel is located in the heart of Montreal in the Old Town district, 5 minutes walk from the port. The Intercontinental is sumptuous, the staff very warm, the rooms spacious with every comfort. The hotel also has a large heated swimming pool, a spa, a new generation absinthe bar, the SarahB and an excellent restaurant, the Osco, But we'll get back to that later. Anyway, you can imagine our happiness compared to the previous nights, not to mention the one on the night bus! If we had stayed there for longer, we could almost have spent an entire day there! (joke)

Once the business is settled at the hotel, we head to a trendy Montreal restaurant, The Pastaga, For a morning brunch with Catherine de the Montreal tourism office who gave us a warm welcome. The challenge: how to discover as many things in Montreal as possible and soak up the culture in record time! Time for a brunch, Catherine provided us with a wealth of information, tips, advice, and landmarks to get us started on this quick visit to Montreal. She is so passionate about this city that at that moment, we realized that we would need to come back much longer to Montreal to enjoy the city and the region more during the different seasons, because the city and the life of its inhabitants change completely depending on the different times of the year. But one thing remains: the kindness of the Montrealers.

We then set off for a Discovering Montreal From the perspective of gastronomy, an unusual, original, and very enriching visit thanks to Ronald Poiré! Nearly 2.3 hours of guided tour in his company, discovering some of Montreal’s neighborhoods, their history, and their evolution. The opportunity to taste specialties such as maple syrup tart. Our guide took us to the Little Italy at Jean Talon Market To introduce us to this place full of history, which today is increasingly sought after by Montrealers for the quality of its regional products. Ronald is so fascinating that the time flew by incredibly quickly! We recommend this visit to everyone.

On the second day, we took the opportunity to discover some neighborhoods of Montreal ourselves, such as the port, the plateau, the rue Sainte Catherine and its many shops, the underground galleries, Little Italy (our favorite neighborhood), the boulevard Saint Laurent (the «Main») and finally a nice walk in the park Mont Royal, an opportunity to disconnect from the city center and be in the middle of nature, A treat! In winter, you can rent ice skates and go to the skating rink located right in the heart of the park.

To learn more about the history and foundation of Montreal, It is a must to visit the Pointe à Callière museum. Both informative, playful and interactive, this «new generation» museum, 2.0 will provide you with a wealth of information to better «understand» Montreal. Don’t miss the 15-minute video projection tracing the history of the city, from prehistory to the present day!

Photo credit: http://www.ameriquefrancaise.org

Return to the hotel to live an experience this time Sensorial extraordinary gastronomic experience! We went to SarahB, The bar with absinthe and the’Osco, The new restaurant of the Intercontinental hotel, two establishments with Provencal connotations. We were seated in a small private lounge («l’entre deux»), elegant, warm, intimate, and our server served us two types of absinthe, prepared to the highest standards. It was the first time we had ever tasted it and we were completely captivated. With just a few more sips we could have had the illusion of seeing Sarah Bernardt, a 19th-century French actress who gave her name to the bar SarahB. This was followed by a tasting of several dishes, all equally delicious, prepared by chef Matthieu Saunier, originally from Martigues in the Bouches-du-Rhône region. The time of dinner For dinner (as they say in Montreal), we felt like we had returned to Provence. On the menu: wild rice with truffles and roasted quail – Quail in chanterelle crust and creamy polenta with truffles – Quail risotto, lobster and bisque sauce – Lamb chop in pistachio crust, thyme jus and peperonata

Just thinking about it makes my mouth water…

On the last day, we went back to Little Italy again; a neighborhood that captivated us with its beautiful Montreal houses and its family-friendly atmosphere. We took the opportunity to rediscover the neighborhood, get lost in the alleys, and then went for a «brunch» with the Montreal blogger Me and my shoes , This is a great opportunity to learn even more about the city, but also to chat about «blogging».

It's over… Sniff… Hop, back to the hotel, check out, and we head to the bus station to catch our night bus to Boston!

We have wonderful memories of Montreal, a dynamic city rich in history and above all, warm and welcoming! One thing is for sure, we will definitely return again in the spring or autumn, when the opportunity arises to discover a new facet of the region.