What to See and What to Skip in Montreal

— -- This year has opened with even bigger travel bargains across America’s northern border. As the U.S. dollar strengthens further against its Canadian counterpart, there’s plenty of cost-friendly opportunity, from ski resorts to major cities. And, for many travelers, that helps to bring a vibrant city like Montreal even more into focus.

Located in the province of Quebec, Montreal is Canada’s second largest city. Here, history and Old World charisma prevail. But this city is also abuzz with energy, driven by cultural diversity and a dynamic take on everything from food to the arts.

As Montreal gears up to celebrate its 375th anniversary next year, 2016 will usher in a slew of new attractions. The Au Sommet Place Ville Marie, a multi-floor interactive exhibition gallery focusing on historical and modern-day Montreal, is set to open in February while the Michal et Renata Honrstein Pavilion for Peace, inside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, will be up and running by year’s end. At least three new hotels will also be opening their doors in 2016.

For now, here are just a few of the awesome things to do and see in Montreal.

Skip the Summer, Visit in Winter

Wait, are we really suggesting a visit during Montreal’s notoriously bone-chilling winter? “It gets bitterly cold around this time of year, which may put some people off, but there are perks,” insists Greg Kunstler, an associate publisher based in Travelzoo’s Toronto office who once lived in Montreal. Hotel prices, he points out, drop off dramatically. And then there are the festivals. “The annual Fête des Neiges is a family friendly winter festival” that lasts several weeks and features various free activities and “Montréal en Lumière is a winter lights festival that culminates in Nuit Blanche, a dusk-till-dawn celebration of the arts," he says. Kunstler also says winter may be the best time to visit what is Canada’s number one hockey city and cheer on the home team. “The Canadiens are top of their division at the moment!” he points out.

Skip Room Service, Eat Local

In Montreal, visitors access one of Canada’s most exciting food scenes, as well as a chance to eat gourmet like the locals do. Like the delicacy, poutine. “It’s French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy,” explains Andrea Chrysanthou, Travelzoo Canada’s public relations manager, who also suggests ordering it at La Banquise. “This restaurant is open 24-hours and offers more than 30 types of poutine. While the food is always good, I often wonder why the poutine here tastes better after a night in one of Montreal’s jazz bars.” Another must? “I don’t normally like smoked meat but every time I go to Montreal, my husband, who is a native Montrealer, insists we stop off at Schwartz’s for a smoked meat sandwich,” continues Chrysanthou. “I have to admit, it’s pretty jaw-dropping. Plus, I always have some cheesecake for dessert. Be prepared to wait, though, because you’re almost always guaranteed a line, regardless of whether you’re eating in or taking out.”

Our mutual colleague, Travelzoo Canada publisher Michael Duchesne, is also Montreal-bred and is all about the bagels. “St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel are the two most famous and best in the city, and they are located close to one another,” he says. “What's the difference? Montreal bagels are smaller, thinner and sweeter than their NYC counterparts,” he explains. Duchesne has his own list of don’t-miss restaurants: Bouillon Bilk for modern French cuisine, the new Soubois supper club, Westmount’s Park Restaurant for sushi and, on foodie-friendly Rue Notre-Dame, Burgundy Lion and Drinkerie for cocktails.

Skip the Restaurant, Feed Yourself

When the weather is perfect for a picnic, stock up at one of Montreal’s markets. “There are two notable public markets in the city and both are open year-round,” Duchesne says. Atwater Market, located near the Lachine Canal and featuring beautiful art-deco architecture, is popular for its many butchers and delis. Jean-Talon Market is located in Montreal’s Little Italy. “It’s one of the city’s oldest markets and offers fresh produce, meats, cheese and baked goods,” attests Chrysanthou.

After Downtown, Go Old

The bistros, bars and boutiques along hot spots like Crescent Street make downtown a fashionable hangout not to miss. But it’s in Old Montreal where you’ll find some of this city’s most European flavors. This picturesque area dates back to the 17th century, when it was known as New France, and the architecture is breathtaking. “You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time – it’s a completely different vibe from modern Montreal,” Chrysanthou tells me. Duchesne agrees. “Get lost on the narrow, cobblestone streets and see Notre-Dame Basilica,” he recommends. “Grab a drink or coffee at one of the many outdoor terraces (weather permitting) and get pampered at Bota Bota, a floating spa on the St. Lawrence River.”

Skip the Museum, Head Outside

Actually, the arts scene here is phenomenal, and fantastic museums and galleries abound. Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal (the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) is one of the largest art galleries in the country, with over 41,000 works of art spanning thousands of years. And if you’re visiting with the kids, Chrysanthou likes the Biodome inside Olympic Park. “It contains replicas of the four ecosystems found in the Americas, so you’ll get to see everything from Penguins to macaws,” she says. (Keep in mind: the Biodome will shut down starting in September for renovations.)

Some of Montreal’s greatest artwork, though, is actually outside. It’s displayed in a vast canvas of public spaces, from plazas to parks to the sides of buildings. The new “Art Public Montreal” website showcases more than 1,000 works of public art that visitors can access throughout Montreal and even makes it easy to put together your own self-guided tour. Also, come May, look for Cite Memoire to light up throughout Montreal -- a collaborative project featuring prominent characters in the city is digitally projected onto walls, trees and even the very ground where historical events took place!

Skip the Gym, Hit the Roof

“If someone told me I'd be swimming outdoors in Montreal towards the end of December while it snowed, I would have thought they were crazy!” Oren Hellner, President of Feature Photo Service, tells me. The Manhattan business owner spent Christmas week with his family at the Hotel Bonaventure, and one of the highlights of their stay was “ending each day with a swim in the heated outdoor pool.” The 4-Star Bonaventure is in the heart of the city and its 17th-floor year-round pool is also surrounded by more than two acres of landscaped gardens. There are a handful of hotels that offer this special treat -- the chance to take a swim, although some are open seasonally. The Hotel Omni Mont-Royal has its pool on the third floor, the 5-Star Hotel Le Crystal on the 12th and the 4-Star Resident Inn Montreal Westmount on the 20th. Sweeping views are an added bonus. And when swimming while it’s snowing, “I suggest wearing a winter hat in the pool to stay warm,” adds Hellner.

Skip the Self-Guided Tour, Take a Ride

There are several quality tour operators here, and your hotel concierge is a great resource for finding the right one. Two new city tours for 2016 show you the town on wheels. Dyad uses high-tech electric cycles; they say they’re as easy as riding a bike, just more comfortable, but they still offer a quick 20-minute practice session right before each tour. Morning, afternoon and evening tours cover a variety of hot spots, from Little Italy to Old Montreal to the Latin District. You can also rent the scooters to explore on your own.

Round Table Tours bring in the food angle. They use regular bikes (high-end two-wheelers, actually, from Cannondale Pathway) and hit Montreal’s resurging street food scene. Riders visit a variety of gourmet food trucks and, between stops, get a lesson on the city sights they pass along the way.

Skip the Street, Take Flight

Helispair offers tours from above. This flight school and charter company flies out of Mirabel, about 40 minutes from downtown Montreal, and offers sightseeing flights aboard Robinson RH44 and RH22 helicopters. Check out sweeping views of the Laurentian Mountains and the Montreal area. You can even add pilot instruction, based on your expertise; the Introductory Pilot class includes 45 minutes of ground training before lifting off and handling the control of an RH44 yourself.

Gabe Saglie is Senior Editor for Travelzoo, which features Canada and the other Top 5 Wow Deal Destinations for 2016 here.