Suggesting a holiday to Montreal instead of New York is a bit like telling someone looking for a new car to try Primark.
So when a friend recommended I visit Canada’s cultural capital as an alternative to the Big Apple, I was skeptical.
Montreal rarely appears on must-travel lists, and to compare it to the smorgasbord of brilliance that is NYC? Please.
But six days there changed my opinion. I discovered a place where North American cool meets European sensibility, a historic bilingual city full of incredible food, art, and the world’s best circus schools (yes, really).
Here’s an insider’s guide for first-time visitors, from dazzling cabarets to the best poutine spots in town.
Markets, museums and maple syrup
Founded in 1642 as part of ‘New France’, Montreal has managed to hold on to its French roots while welcoming a melting pot of cultures and respecting its indigenous heritage.
Inviting people from across the world to set up shop here means dozens of languages are spoken. Montreal is often referred to as the city of languages, and the ‘Paris of North America’.
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Like New York, the city has distinct neighbourhoods. The Old Town feels quintessentially Parisian; Montreal’s version of the Notre-Dame Basilica towers over the square, a Gothic masterpiece that plays host to regular light and theatre shows. I got a ticket for the Aura Experience, a three-act extravaganza that genuinely left my jaw on the floor. The $35 (£19) ticket was worth every penny.
Montreal is the circus hub of North America, and creative arts are big business here. The city is home to the National Circus school and is the birthplace of Cirque du Soleil, the world’s largest contemporary circus producer founded in 1984.
Depending on your capacity for learning on holiday, the museums around Montreal are either world-class or completely overwhelmingly.
All provide extensive insight, and I recommend the McCord Stewart Museum. For only $2 (£1) the museum’s ‘Indigenous Voices Of Today’ exhibit tells you the beautiful but harrowing story of the country’s First Nations. Curated by indigenous people, it’s a lens to the untold First Nations experience and recognises the colonist atrocities they suffered in the 1900s.
My favourite experience in Montreal was on the outskirts of the city at Sucrerie De La Montagne, a traditional sugar shack founded in 1972 by local legend Pierre Faucher.
The family-run maple syrup empire not only shows us how the elixir of the north is made, but also provides the authentic Canadian maple farm experience complete with maple-drenched bacon and humble sugar pie.
Throw in the live country music and maple taffy, this humble shack was the best memory of my trip.
Surf and turf? Exploring Montreal’s culinary scene
It would be a sin to skip out on poutine or thick stack sandwiches, but Montreal’s culinary scene is about so much more than stereotypical diners.
At Mile End in the heart of Little Italy is Jean-Tolan Market, one of the largest open-air fresh produce markets in North America. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon, browsing the stalls and sampling local meat, cheese and spices.
For the surf and turf Montreal is famous for, the Old Town Montreal is the place to be. When I arrived in the city, my guide almost immediately declared: ‘The one thing you must try is the oysters’. At Mignon, the taste of the sea will make you forget you’re in the middle of a bustling metropolis.
Metro takes you to Canada’s hidden gems
As for the steak, I treated myself to the Filet Mignon. This 7oz beast will set you back $65 (£36), but there are cheaper options for $40 ($22). When in French Canada, though, you’d be missing out by not giving this succulent cut of beef a try.
Another culinary highlight was Fleurs Et Cadeaux, a pink palace that transports you 6,576 miles away to the streets of Kyoto. Although sushi and unagi are not the first things you crave on a Canadian city break, the succulent locally-sourced fish and Japanese-inspired menu will leave an explosion of flavour lingering on your tastebuds.
If you’re set on sampling poutine (and you should be), Chez Simon Cantine Urbaine is unmissable. Along with decadent crispy fries, brown gravy and squeaky cheese curds, this Hochelaga Street hotspot also does the best smashburgers in town.
Canadian camp
As an LGBTQ+ traveller, a cocktail and a boogie are important staples of any trip. I am a homing missile for a Britney beat and a sassy drag queen, whatever country I’m in.
The offering in Montreal is exquisite; Saint Catherine Street is Canada’s answer to Canal Street its crown jewel is Cabaret Mado. Run by drag legend Mado, the glittery 1920s-style bar has been a staple of the strip for over 30 years. You’ll be treated to an intimate show, but a fair warning for tourists — sit in the front row at your peril.
After experiencing true Canadian camp, I cross the street to Stud. More of a traditional queer space, this gay bar founded in 1995 as a leather establishment has multiple rooms that cater to those who want to kick back, relax and have a beer, or scream Chappell Roan. My one critique is that it fails to cater to a female and non-binary audience, branding itself as a ‘men’s bar, where men love men’.
For a more inclusive space, hop on the metro to Mile End where you will find Montreal’s equivalent of East London’s Divine. Notre Dame De Quilles provides a space for the alternative queer scene to thrive with an array of themed nights.
From ‘The Poly Mic’ which gives a platform for queer stand-ups and musicians, to the dark and twisted ‘Cerise Noire’ which celebrates all things gothic, the Notre Dame De Quilles is the perfect space to soak up the gritty underground queer scene in Montreal.
All in, Montreal is a magical city break for LGBTQ+ travellers, with a welcoming atmosphere and diverse cultural history. It’s not New York, but it sure comes close.
Torin Gillies was a guest of Canada Tourism Board. British Airways flies direct from London to Montreal from £475 return.
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