Montreal, QC

Toronto is big, diverse, and lively, but not much happens north of Toronto…until you reach Montreal in Quebec. French-speaking, metropolitan, and always open for business, Quebec has great food options and poutine stalls serving sodium-filled heart attacks round the clock. Here, red is red, no right turns allowed.

Montreal’s metro system is a strong reminder of North America’s former colonial ties with France. To this day, certain goods and services still have French undertones. Although the underground metro runs on rubber tires like in Paris, Renaults and Peugeots remain a novelty on the streets.

There are an abundance of pedestrianised areas with food and retail outlets on both sides of the streets. Rent a bike for a few hours, use a day pass on the metro, or just walk around basking in the summer sun are all good options for getting around. Parking is scarce in the centre-ville so the advice is to park and ride.

The Old Port of Montreal is a tourist hotspot with a Ferris wheel, walkable historic streets, and souvenir stores. The city hall and court of appeal are both nearby and perfect for photoshoots requiring neoclassical architecture in the background. The very long Bonsecours Market is a gentrified shopping mall in the historic district. Mind you, taxes are slightly higher in Quebec than Ontario, but the variety is more amiable to those with European tastes.

A short hike up Mount Royal is well worth the effort. It doesn’t require much effort anyways since the whole way is paved with wooden planks and guardrails to stop Instagram photographers from falling off the edge when seeking the perfect shot. The southeasterly view towards downtown and facing the St. Lawrence River is superb.

France not France, and Canada not Canada. Montreal.