Fun Facts about Montreal, Quebec

Before planning your trip, let me give you some golden nuggets about my hometown;

#1 Montreal is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris. However, most people are bilingual, and many even speak a third language.

#2 Montreal is a city with a strong European flair. Just walk around the Old Port and you’ll wonder if you transported to Paris!

#3 Montreal is North America’s number one host city for international events.

#4 Montreal is home to the famous Cirque de Soleil and hosted the Summer Olympics in 1976.

#5 Montreal also played host to Expo 67, considered to be the most successful world’s fair in the 20th Century.

#6 Montreal has an Underground City, which is a series of interconnected tunnels beneath the city that run for over 32km. The underground tunnels help Montreal residents and visitors escape the city’s winter chill and snow, as well as the summer heat.

#7 Montreal is built around Mont-Royal Park, located on the mountain. No building in Montreal can be taller than the famous Cross found on Mont-Royal!

#8 Montreal has the cheapest Tuition in Canada. Every year, Montreal hosts more than 18,000 foreign students from more than 150 countries.

#9 More than 85% of the world’s maple syrup comes from Quebec

#10 Montreal’s Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel gained international recognition when John Lennon and Yoko Ono conducted held their legendary bed-in from May 26 to June 2, 1969, writing the anti-war song “Give Peace a Chance.”

#11 Poutine is a famous food in Montreal consisting of French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy.

#12 Montreal-style smoked meat is a type of kosher-style deli meat product made by salting and curing beef brisket with spices.  The smoked meat is prepared similarly to New York pastrami but with different seasonings.

#13 Notre-Dame Basilica, located in the historic district of Old Montreal, is famous for its dramatic Gothic Revival architecture. It’s famous for Celine Dion’s December 17, 1994 wedding to René Angélil occurred at the Notre-Dame Basilica, as did the memorial service for Angélil on January 22, 2016.

#14 Montreal has the largest number of Titanic victims buried in its cemeteries, after Halifax.

#15 The very first hockey game in the world is said to have been played in Montreal on March 3rd, 1875 at Victoria rink. Unsurprisingly, it ended in a fight.

#16 Mount Royal Park was designed by the same man who also designed Central Park in New York City.

My hotel in the city is William Gray. It’s in the perfect location, right in the heart of the Old Port. Plus they have an amazing rooftop terrace for summer nights.

Now that you have all the facts, it’s time to give you the roundup of my favorite summer activities in the city!