The Quartier Latin of Paris is famous for its bohemian vibe, with students roaming cobblestone alleys in search of a cheap meal, a good book, or a café in which to while away the hours. But you don't have to fly to France if you want to experience the same atmosphere. The area around the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) has a such similar feel that it's been named after its Parisian counterpart.
Found within the former Généreux public bath hall on Rue Amherst, across from the Marché Saint-Jacques, the Écomusée du Vier Monde shines a light on the working-class community of Montreal's Centre-Sud. We visited the museum, and then took a walk around the neighborhood to which it's dedicated.
As the St. Lawrence River winds its way from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, most of its journey is smooth sailing. However, just before it reaches Montreal, the river hits a rough patch. Jürgen and I hiked to the neighborhood of LaSalle to check out the Lachine Rapids.
Not to be confused with the Biosphere on the Île Sainte-Hélène, the Biodôme is a small zoo housed in the former Olympic velodrome. The zoo is organized into five distinctive ecosystems found in North America, introducing some of the plant and animal life found in each.
Constructed in 1705 as a private residence for the Governor of Montreal, the Château de Ramezay has withstood the previous three centuries in an excellent state of preservation. Today, it's the oldest private museum in Quebec, offering visitors a glimpse into Montreal's earliest days.
Usually, the first thing we do after arriving in a city is ascend to its highest point for a birds-eye view. But we waited a full month before heading up Mont Royal, the hill (sorry, "mountain") which provides Montreal its name. When the weather finally cleared up enough, we found that the view was worth the wait.
Built in 1976 for the Summer Games and attached to the Olympic Stadium, Montreal Tower's height of 165 meters (541 feet) makes it the tallest inclined tower in the world. We took the funicular up to the top, where there's an observatory that provides views of the Olympic Park, Mont Royal and downtown Montreal.
One of the buildings which makes up Montreal's "Space for Life" is the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium. It opened in 2013, and features two full-dome theaters which allow visitors to tour the universe.
Located within a nineteenth-century shipyard in the neighborhood of Griffintown, Arsenal is a private gallery dedicated to contemporary art. We stopped by to check out the space, and see if we could make any sense out of the collection.
If you follow St. Laurent north, past the train tracks and Rosemont Boulevard, you end up in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which has long been home to Montreal's Italian expat community. With espresso cafes, pizzerias, upscale restaurants, and pastry shops, Little Italy is a place you should visit when you're hungry, and not leave until you're stuffed as full as a cannoli.
