72 Hours in Montreal

I thought I would share my top places to visit if you are in Montreal for only 72 hours.

1. Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal)
Old Montreal is the quissential center of Montreal. You will feel like you have traveled across the world to Europe as the cobblestone streets, outdoors cafes and European style buildings suck you in. Within this area are several major building and attractions for a relaxing day of sightseeing. There are endless shops, cafes and restaurants to chose from whether you want to watch the day go by at a small cafe or dine at an upscale bistro.

2. Notre-Dame Basilica
Notre-Dame Basilica is located in Old Montreal, which goes along with my #1 place to visit. If your an architecture geek or just like to sightsee, I would recommend to visit this church. If you have the time, tours are offered to learn about the history of this church and see the breathtaking interior design.

3. Montreal Botanical Garden
If you want to get away from the hustle and the bustle but don't want to actually leave the city, the Montreal Botanical Garden is a great relaxing day trip. I highly recommend to visit the Chinese and Japanese Garden Exhibition!

4. Mount Royal/Mount Royal Park
 Mount Royal is a mountain located near downtown Montreal but I would  suggest to visit Mount Royal Park for an awesome view of Montreal.

5. Rue Sainte Catherine
Rue Sainte Catherine is a definite must if you love to shop like myself. This street in 15 kilometers long or 9 miles long, so of course they are endless shops and restaurants to chose from. I would recommend to start on Rue Sainte Catherine in Downtown Montreal since a lot of the shops are located in that area.

6. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
For all my art lovers or art history majors, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a great place to visit while in Montreal. This museum is the largest museum in Montreal making it an obvious must see.

7. Underground City
This underground complex is one of the largest underground interconnected complexes in the world. Within this underground complex lies restaurants, shops, apartments, the metro and so much more . This place is great for those rainy or winter days when you don't want to go outside but still want to see what Montreal has to offers. This interconnected complex runs for miles throughout Downtown Montreal and it sure is a sight to see.

8. Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal
This church is a definite MUST SEE! It's the largest church in Canada and the picture above does not serve it justice. I saw the church from the outside while on the Hop on Hop off tour bus but unfortunately wasn't able to go inside. It's almost daunting looking at the church because of its massive size and steep stairs. Hopefully, next time I come back I will have the opportunity to climb up those stairs and see in the inside of this renowned church.

If your really short on time and want to see as much as you can in just 72 hours, the Greyline Hop On Hop Off tour bus is great option. I purchased a 2 day pass for $50 for the Greyline tour bus that took you ALL over Montreal. What was great about this is that stop all the major attractions and can get off and check out the destination you would like and get back on the bus at anytime. The actual bus tour was 2 hours but it could easily become a day or even two day adventure. Some of the places visited on the tour included Old Montreal, Downtown Montreal, Chinatown, the Village, Mount Royal, Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal and so much more.

I'll see you next time!

Brianna